A Trick of the Eyes

[rassafraggin]

The day has gone on and it is that time again for the Kelpie show will begin soon. The Kelpie's caravan has been wheeled out to a main 'stage' area which is a bit like one of those open agoras with a stage. It is able to hold a whole bunch of people being that it is underwater and there are no real... seats like you would have above land. It's the show everyone's waiting for. No one can figure out how anyone can house such a terrible beast inside a small shell like that. Some are starting to feel quite sorry for it... others are quaking in their boots having been fed lines about how dark and evil it is and how it will happily snatch you down to the low trenches to be stored as food if it was able. Some of them even have little kelpie pins on their bling... obviously a shameless attempt by the fair to cash in on it's main attraction. Martin is somewhere in the crowd, looking rather interested.

It is then that the Ringmaster calls for silence in the crowd. Old Tallymander OneEye. A man wearing a shimmering sash around his waist and with a shock of blue hair... and one eye in the middle of his forehead. "Quiet down, take your seats... quiet down!!" Calls go out throughout the area.

Liya is also in the audience, here to see what she can see. Curiously. The young Sukhoti is essentially sitting in mid water, relaxed but alert, gaze finding a Martin, because well, he's easy to find. Her own dark locks don't reflect the light so nicely as some. What light there is. She's still fairly blingless, obviously not worth anyone's time. And totally a flat lander, sheesh, she's wearing a top. But she's there, with a good view, keeping watch.

Maggie is hovering over a tiered auditoriam, flickering her way through a crowd of bling-bedazzeled Rebmans and non-Rebmans. The echo of the Ring Master's call to 'take your seats' floats through the water. She is wearing her Rebman 'everyday' attire, though sparkling with a bit more bling than usual. Turning out of the press, she nods to whomever has contacted her, "It is. Come on through." Pausing for a moment, she nods, "Hey, Sullivan." There is something there. An irritation that edges her sight and touches her tone. "Come on through, please. You are just in time." Her gaze searches those nearby, however, not focusing down into the center of things. Maybe she is looking for someone specific.

Sullivan seems a little confused by Maggie's look, which is clear even as he materialises from two dimensions into three, by the woman's side, hand in Brand's. 'What did I do?' mouthed at her even!

The agora is farther away from the main area and is set up with a half-circle of mirrors that seem to be responsible for projecting the background for the show. Anyone who could tell these things would tell that they are not mirror magic mirrors but simply trumped up cross-shadow magic and the scenes change as the narrator demands. "Friends! You know that you are here for the strange and dramatic... but I don't think that you have ever heard a tale such as the one that I am about to divulge!" The blue-haired man spreads his arms dramatically. "If you have never heard of of the City of It'rla before today you will remember it in your nightmares! Your dreams and forever after! Friends, this is not a show for the young..." Obviously not because they are not in attendance... "Or for the faint of heart. Never before did a people so daringly challenge the fates as the people of It'rla... now cursed forever more." His deep throaty voice booms over the crowd as the 'actors' get ready. They are dressed up in fancy bling and clothing of very wealthy sea-dwellers... one obviously more than the most since he wears a crown (Somewhat similar to Martin's). Coincidence? Maybe. The blonde wig... might not be.

With the garrison supply snafu having been untangled and rerouted around the fairgrounds, Merrisol has returned to track down his comrades amid the puffer balloons, candied mussels, and cotton kelpy (of course). He simply threads his way in from no particular direction, at sea level even, just another tall strapping blond in the crowd... yep. Drawn along with said crowd to the exhibition, he does end up in the nosebleed section, though only relatively speaking. Underwater bleeding for real is bad. Overlooking the heads and then some, he more easily spots the dark billows of Liyandra's hair, and then farther over, the striking red of Maggie's flaming the waters. He starts lift a hand to draw their notice, then pauses, noting Maggie's preoccupation on trump and the subsequent appearance of her kinfolk. The ringmaster's call for attention on the stage turns his head, but his eyes remain obliquely drawn their way for some moments more while he listens.

Liya frowns at the mirrors, not sure what sort of magic they are, or if they are. But as the story begins, she settles in to listening. Even if she does let what senses she has expand. Sight - taking in what all she can see. Sound. Scent - is there such a thing under water? And even touch via the vibrations and current in the water. As well, perhaps as others, not so obvious. She rubs gently at her temples, every once in a while, looking to be a tiny bit green around the gills. So to speak.

The mirrors show a scene of an underwater city... rather fabulous... twisty towers... and such over a backdrop of an underwater volcanoe and a deep trench that looks like any other trench really.

Maggie shakes her head at a question asked before the two gentlemen appear next to her. "Nothing." As the narrator speaks, she focuses her attention more narrowly at him and, thus, spots Liyandra's lovely locks billowing in the current. Martin is located and briefly compared with the Martin-Wanna-Be actor down on the stage. Again, she shakes her head, though that might be at the actor. Or not. Her tone lowers to keep from disturbing the narrator, "I've been hoping that Kerf might make it. He's been working on sorting something out." Finally she scans up toward the nosebleed section and spots a tall, blond Rebman up yonder. He wins a smile and a quick wave, "Ah. There he is."

The Ringmaster is full of vigor as he starts to weave the tale and command attention. The mirrors show specific scenes as he speaks... possibly someone is projecting to them. Out of the 'back stage' area, several people come out wearing 'kelpie' costumes. These quite lighthearted and beautiful... they prance around in gentle camaraderie with the people in the fancy costumes. "This was a city long ago... thousands of years in the past." You will notice something strange about the people. They are all wearing masks with one eye. "It'rla... Where the Deep Horses dwelled."

Martin can be seen looking somewhat amused by his 'look alike' below.

Brand also materializes from two dimensions to three in a shower of rainbow sparkles. And he sinks to settle to the 'flooring' where they'd come through. He looks better rested than he had the previous day. He has, of note, not released Sullivan's hand just yet. He looks somewhat confused when he comes through, but that goes away very, very rapidly, as he looks around. He mutters softly several words of arcanis, and then he's dry, no water darkening of his clothes or anything. When he hears the words 'City of It'rla, he twitches, and his brow furrows and his eyes fix on the ring master for a few seconds. Then his gaze darts about and he shifts back, closer to Sullivan, and murmurs something to him. His eyes are drawn back down to the mirrors and the announcer. His frown grows. He doesn't even note Maggie saying 'nothing''.

Sullivan's eyes should not be able to flame underwater -- there should be some kind of rule against that, but they do anyway -- as the story begins in earnest, despite his confusion at the look he received from Maggie, he looks around, askew at the mirrors, then rather more around and about and as he does, negative flames lick his eyebrows and undulate at his cheekbones and he oblivious. The man might have the right clothing, but the colourful is entirely lacking, he's as monochromatic as he ever is, which is to say: very. His own black hair rises up in an undulation with the current, shimmering as if a very small shark went to town in the depths, perhaps a dogfish, the red hue seems brighter than usual. Listening to Brand? Oh yes.

"Deep Horses?" Liya comments, as she watches wonderingly. She could be pulled in, except that she's sensitive enough, that her stomach keeps reminding her that things are not - just not. She glances back very briefly, catching sight of bright hair here and there, and waving up at those she sees, but the MC has her attention. "What do they mean, deep horses?"

"The people of It'rla were proud and sure!" The Ringmaster's voice trumpets. The actors who play the kelpies let another actor ride them and helped them defend against a foe. Kelpies are horses with fins and long eel-like tails instead of hind hoofs and somewhat wraith-like in appearance. The tail might remind you of Meijanri if you knew her. "They shared a knowledge and ability to command and train beasts of the sea and tended to the breeding grounds and needs of the Kelpie, their loyal steeds and friends who had their own way of life. It'rla was capable of defending against many attackers save the one they had no defense." The volcano in the mirrors rumbles slightly and spews out a few rocks. Occasional scenes of battles flash in the background where armies try to take the city get played out. This is also acted out by the actors. Villains do come in but are dispatched by the Kelpie and its rider. It'rla is always victorious in the scenes gaining wealth and power. The kelpies are fast and do battle with their jaws and hoofs and can be vicious... vicious creatures.... "To anyone who could not control them, a Kelpie is perhaps one of the most dangerous sea-creatures for they can survive depths that would be lethal to anyone else.... and would happily drag an enemy down to implode in the deep deep water so they can feast upon their remains."

Merrisol does complete a brief wave to acknowledge Maggie's finding him, and obligingly he edges closer to the sidelines of the raised standing platform, offering a batch of excuse me-pardon me's to those he momentarily displaces. The flashy scene-changes in the mirrors keeps claiming his glance with a visible twitch each time, and it's probable Merri doesn't distinguish the catch-all illusory mirror magic from its very real and dangerous Rebman cousin. Tense, he descends a couple of levels to join Liyandra's tier when she waves up. As the narrative and play-acting describes the term 'deep horses' clearly enough, he doesn't have to explain it to her himself, so may have really stepped down as a protective measure?

"Deep horses are kelpies," Liya murmurs, as she continues to watch. Merrisol's downward drift is not noted at first, but Liya is quite intrigued by this story of the city and its defenders. Her brow furrows, and she herself drifts forward slowly, curiously. Dangerous they are, it seems. It'rla. Frown. Island girls are not supposed to frown, but Liya does so every once in a while. And then blonde hair beside her, and Liya smiles over at Merrisol, floating up a bit to offer him a brief, "Hey, Kerf. This is quite the show."

Maggie seems about ready to flit up and over the heads of those near her to join Merrisol in the top section when Brand leans over to murmer something to the two nearest him. She pauses long enough to reply and when she looks back again, Kerf is not where he was. The rumble of the volcano in the mirror catches her eye, those rocks ominious. Her attention returns to the narrative, thugh with a decided flicker of unease. Settling into the narrative, the frown that began with Brand's murmer only grows.

Brand draws Sullivan closer to Maggie. After, he glances at Sullivan and his lips curl up into a warm little smile. He reaches over and touches Maggie's shoulder, and then nods to where Merrisol had gone. He is, for the most part, quiet save for the brief murmurs.

The Ringmaster continues. "Like all cities of power, It'rla fell to greed and corruption. Their youngest prince.." The audacious looking blonde with the crown smirks and salutes the crowd as he is pointed out. "Was arrogant and sought to control the best of all the Kelpies. His target was his older brother's steed... a prince among the Deep Horses, not to be trifled with. What good are names when a tale is this old.. pray follow along if you would, my friends." The one eyed Ringmaster's single eye gleams with a somewhat apologetic manner. "I could call them any name, but their real ones are lost in time. One fateful day... The Young Prince decided he was going to best Kelpie Prince... and he would do so by devilish means." Maybe the blonde is meant to be Random. He and his cronies... Each time something happens the actors act out the scene. "Drank too much and whored too much one day.... and they cornered the Kelpie Prince." All the actors are now looking drunk and evil of course and there is one rather majestic looking Kelpie and a number of nobles advancing on him in a time of 'night'. Which can never quite be envisioned underwater. It is darker, anyway.

Nearby, Merrisol is frowning himself, but then there's nothing unusual about that. "It's a neatly done epic - but how accurate could a legend be?"

Sullivan's flickerflaming eyes are not really watching anything any more, except for the covered section which he's fixated on. Periphery vision does wonders for the ability to pick up the basic jist of things anyway and as he's tugged to a murmur with Maggie and Brand, that's the first time he looks away. "Huh," just about heard, drawn down closer to the flaming redheads, he gives the prince a smile slightly sheepish in nature, keeping conversation soft.

Nearby, Liyandra glances at Merrisol and nods. "I don't know, really. I mean, legends - well. Actually, if you think about how old Amber is, and Rebma, some of them could be reasonably accurate."

Merrisol relaxes a little when he starts to grok the purpose of those mirrors, and allows himself to immerse more fully in the spectacle while murmuring off-hand to Liyandra.

Liya replies back quietly to Merrisol, though only where there are moments of quiet in the show, pauses for dramatic effect. She frowns a bit, as she watches, not having a really good magic sense, and yet aware there is something off.

Nearby, Merrisol mulls that concept. "I don't... think this is a story out of Rebma, exactly.. although there seem to be strange parallels happening. Perhaps this happened within the history of a 'near' Shadow."

"They did not know of the secret of the Kelpie; the terrible secret that the Deep Horses were keeping from their 'Master's'. Had they known, perhaps this day would not have come! Once they fell upon him and tried to subdue him.. they stuck to him! He'd activated his power. In a proud rage the Kelpie Prince took all his attackers with him, they could not get free!" One thing to note is the relative age of the people attacking the Kelpie. It can be noticed now that they are made to look rather young. 17, 18? Brash Youth! Children in the ways of the world. There is wailing and crying from the actors as the kelpie 'runs around... further downwards' with them. "Only one escaped by cutting off his own hand!" Slice! Fake blood of course... just red cloth. The one that escaped is now swimming away from the others who are dying in the depths below. The red cloth swirls around and around and goes deeper and deeper. "No one knew what slept within the trench nearby the city.... the thing that gave it power." The mirrors show something coming out from deep in the trench...to grab the 'blood' and ferociously swim up towards the city! The jaws of that great formless creature swallows whole the Kelpie Prince, and the nobles who had attacked him. Except the one who had escaped. The mirrors begin to show a gigantic Horse-demon with wings. This not like the smaller kelpies. else destroying the city and killing everyone. Kelpie and human alike. "The Ancient Mother of the Deep Horses had awakened. The Great Hippocampus proceeded to rain destruction down upon the city for she had been sleeping for millennia."

Nearby, Liyandra frowns a bit. "I don't know about that, but - oh dear. That is not a very happy story, is it?"

Maggie's gaze turns to where Brand indicated and she smiles at Merri and Liya. Then something is said softly and Maggie turns to look back down at the stage. The action there takes her attention and something said... something shown... catches her attention utterly and she reaches out to clutch Sullivan's arm and Brand's hand. Softly, "oh... oh, no." Whatever conclusion she has jumped to, horror has settled in her eyes and she whispers to the men flanking her. The RingMaster certainly weaves a decidedly horrific tale.

Brand is watching the show, but doesn't seem to be entirely focused on it, either. At least, until the Great Hippocampus is revealed. Then he is caught, and watches closely. "She was awakened too soon," he whispers, voice sounding rather mesmerized, eyes going a touch unfocused. "She destroyed city because of that foolish boy. A powerful mage trapped her again. The Kelpies are supposed to be guardians, now. Against waking the Ancient Mother and the stealing of secrets." His voice remains that mesmerized sounding whisper.

Liya's expression goes quite sorrowful as she watches the mad destruction. Story or no, it tugs at her heartstrings. But there, this is the woman who rescued a wyvern ... because she couldn't just let it die. Her back stiffens and her hands clench, fingers digging into her palms. "Unicorn, Kerf. That's so sad."

Sullivan's eyes flit to the mirrors, even with Maggie getting clueful and Brand going all into 'interesting headspace' The touch to his arm draws his gaze to the woman and he nods to her soft murmur, looking back... but also at the same time, looking askew. The magnetic power of a tale-well-told though, has quite a draw.

Ah, leave it to a redhead to deliver the page at the end of the book! It happens almost exactly as Brand said. The Ringmaster gleefully weaves the tale of death and destruction until finally a wizard seals her back in place and charges the Kelpies to guard the city forever while the people of It'rla scatter. But wait... there's more! "And now I am here to tell you that I, Tallymander am a descendant of It'rla!" He calls out triumphantly. "And only I have managed to find and capture a Kelpie to show you here today! The last of its kind. There are no more native to the land ruled by his Lordship, Martin, Regent of Rebma! I give you... The last Kelpie!".... And then there ominous sounds as the area darkens around the caravan and the chains holding the top on begin to 'break' one by one soon to reveal the last of the demon horses.

Merri perks out of his sober fascination as details in the production begin to stand out, whether deliberately executed or not. He shakes his head wordlessly to something Liyandra says, and his gaze strays while the ancient carnage is enacted as though that segment holds little entertainment value. Looking down, he headtilts at Liyandra's remark, then searches the area for said elusive beast. What does begin to emerge is no unicorn, however. His stance lightens on the stadium level, imperceptibly, as he leans forward watchfully.

Liya glances over to the ringmaster, Tallymander from It'rla, he says. Again, Liya keeps watch, on the ringleader more than the action, at least until the big reveal, and now she's moving to see a little better. Almost forgetting that folks behind her would also like to see, and maybe not all have to float up and away to do so. She forces herself to relax, leaving little red spots on her palms, though no blood. Thankfully. "You know," she points out to Kerf. "If the last Kelpie is here, who is guarding the city and the Hippocampus?"

Majestic... frightening... nightmare, and oh yes, this one is real. The huge muzzle bursts with bubbles of anger as the Carriage top drops ... and behold... The Kelpie. The height of two men, the creature stands with pride in spite of the curse keeping him exactly where he is. A fabulous black tail flutters behind him and his coiled tail flicks as he rises and his hoofs extend. His eyes are bloodshot and his jaw salivates with razor sharp teeth and a thick tongue that drips saliva and the flesh of whatever he last ate. His pelt is slightly scaled and black, blue and green... sort of a motly mix. His mane lifts dramatically in the water and he lands down with a thump, causing a sonic effect that ripples outward into the crowd. Not to worry... the Kelpie is bound. It snarls and roars. "I give you Oshan! The last of the Kelpie!" The Ringmaster cries out. "Down!" In a voice that snaps. "You will allow me to ride you now." Get up on that beast? Is he crazy?

Nodding to someting said, Maggie glances at her dad, then back to the stage. Another thing said takes her attention and when she looks back to the ring master and tale spinner, she does not focus on the shell first. Instead, she casts a glance back to where Martin, Liya and Merri are seated, a worried hesitation in her gaze. Liya's question floats toward her and she catches the gist of it just as she, too, looks over toward Tallymander from It'rla. Leaning forward a bit, she refocuses on the stage in time to catch the emergance of the Kelpie, "Wow. That is an impressive beast." There is awe in her tone though, Brand's daughter that she is, no fear.

Liya instinctively sends out a searching empathy, checking if the kelpie is even animal, if she can sense anything from it. Or not. The ringmaster's command has her gaze going back to him for a brief moment, before she watches the nightmare water horse. "Blood and gore," she murmurs, "And look at that - so beautiful, and terrible both at the same time." Enthralled she is, at least by the power and strength of the beast.

Brand blinks once, slowly. Then another, slightly faster, and a third. And as the Kelpie is revealed, Brand's expression gets sorrowful. "It's not majestic or frightening. It's just sad," he says softly.

Sullivan said not to do it. He /said/ not to do it and what does he go and do? He goes and does it, gaze fixing on the beast in its entirety. Damn fascination. Damn weaving a good story and damn him for knowing he was gonna, even when he said he wasna. And oddly, he nods. "I agree," ohhhhhhhh crud.

The Kelpie bows to it's master... having no way of defending against whatever curse is on the cage. And The Ringmaster gets upon the steed to show the crowd the glory of riding a Kelpie... there's a lot of people watching. The Kelpie complies, a snarl upon it's jaws.

Likely there is enough jockeying movement rippling through the spectator section that Liyandra's floating isn't the sole disruption. Merrisol manages a brief reply, "Depends on just how truthful this tale is.. nobody, if so. If not.. well." Well? The Solar Flare is parked somewhere around here... perhaps that means there will be... a Road Trip. But nevermind that, a wild Kelpie has suddenly appeared! Merrisol regards it fixedly, although it appears he is already somewhat familiar with its unexpectedly demonic presence.

Maggie presses her lips together at the murmers, the whispers near her. She reaches out again to take hold of the arms of each of the men near her. Her gaze flashes between the ringmaster and the beast he is riding. Then out over the crowd, then back again. Her lips move as though she is speaking very fast or chanting some kind of spell. Ummm. Good? Bad? Worse? Probably.

The crowd is going wild.

Liya winces as the Kelpie gets to put up with the total indignity heaped on it. She too finds that bit sad, hunching in upon herself, and just rather keeping her eyes on things, and senses, but not saying anything further. She's under water, so surely there's no way to see if she might even be teary eyed. "That is not natural," she says finally. Though to what she's referring is difficult to tell. The kelpie. The magic keeping it in place. The rider. The crazy crowd.

Slowly, slowly, Brand's unfocused look is going away, replaced far more quickly with anger than the lack of focus had appeared.

Merrisol nods faintly in response to Liyandra, her obvious upset drawing his attention away from the display of phenomenally ill-advised arrogance. "No, it isn't," he readily agrees, "and that will be dealt with - but not here.. so close to Rebma. Unless.." he considers the 'unless' to himself. The frenzy of the crowd around them puts him close enough to Liyandra to offer her his arm, as well as the more implied intention of pulling her out of the mob and towards a quieter sideline, perhaps to meet up with Maggie's group.

Maggie nods to something said and turns to try and catch Merri, Liya or Martin's gaze. If she can, she will signal a meeting off to one side out of the way. Either way, she turns back to those near her. She murmers again, then begins to drift up and back.
Eventually after some demonstrations of his control over the beast the Kelpie is put back into it's cage and the show ends for the night. Tomorrow... another show!

Liya takes Kerf's arm as offered, perfectly willing to get out of the crowd, now that the show is over. "Thanks, Kerf. I think I need to get out of here, please. At least somewhere quieter."

Brand goes wherever he's nudged to go. As always, he sinks to the floor, ground, whatever. His progress is /slow/, but he gets there.

Sullivan mutters angrily in the little cluster of redheads. It's one of those things that he does quiet well, because red-headed fuming is not in his blood. Nevertheless, he squeezes Brand's hand tighter, looking at Maggie for a long moment where her hand is rested on him and at the cage. The Cage. The prison that the beast cannot get out of.

It's hard to tell what sort of reaction Martin had... his face was pretty schooled throughout the entire thing. He had noticed his friends and waved to them but he was surrounded by Rebman nobles for the show.

Merrisol secures Liyandra's hold on his arm snugly, and without much thought to how much that simulates the whole Kelpie-stick-and-drag act, gathers a bit to the platform, then leaps up into a swiftly climbing, slowly leveling parabola, above and away from the madness. He whispers something schemey to her while they dip, twist in the overhead currents, then descend.

Maggie listens to someting Brand says, then shudders visibly but nods and replies. She catches Sullivan's gaze and returns it. She flashes a glance down to the Cage but turns away again, speaking once more. Quietly. Releasing the two, she turns to find the others. She struggles against the crowd, for they are pressing closer to see more of the Kelpie and Rider even as the ringmaster calls the show and invites the people to tomorrow night's showing. She finally gives up and vaults up into the water to swim over those below. It is a bit less congested up here, so she makes better time. Spotting Liyandra and Merrisol, she swims toward them, weaving an Arielesque path around people, Selkies and flitting fish to get to them.

Nearby, Merrisol murmurs hesitantly, "I can talk to the Kelpie, Liya.. I don't know how, but it has been happening for a while now.. since the war preparations began. But.. perhaps we can work with Oshan to get it out of her and back to its home."


***** Next Morning *****


Like a campside ghost tale, the Last Kelpie event took place during Rebma's night cycle. Not only for aesthetic reasons, the timing also ensured that kidlets and the weak-hearted were not present. Guest rooms were offered at the Palace, and while Merri had been more inclined to find a secure room within the city, the menagerie spectacle had all but ensured there would be no proper rooms to let within miles. And so it was that everyone met at breakfast time and made their way out to the gates shortly afterward. Light from the surface has begun to return, and the glass and polished stone of the city start to refract the glow gradually. An hour past Rebman Dawn, the eerie green atmosphere of the capital blooms into the limelight.

Liya might not have slept, or it might not have been restful sleep. In any event, she is with the group, moving out, quiet and reflective. She finds herself sort of floating up a couple feet, just looking at the eerie green atmosphere of the capital, not quite blindly, but admiring this view of the city and avoiding looking at anything to do with the menagerie.

Just as well they aren't intent on heading into the fairgrounds yet. Not only due to Liya's queasiness, but also because the loose plan to skulk into the Kelpie lair to conspire with the irate deep horse for its escape.. is just as shaky. Ever since learning from Maggie that Team Brandspawn is simultaneously plotting havoc with the Kelpie, Merrisol has been on edge. Swim-walking slowly to remain in the company of his friends, he looks around as Liyandra turns to view the city from the outside. He considers the view himself, then muses, "There's probably a version of House Luck in there somewhere."

Liya pauses at that, her expression going first startled and then curious. "There might be - I wonder if it's all boarded up, like it was before Prince Benedict noticed that the place hadn't been sending its rent?" She actually perks up at the thought. "Maybe I should go looking for it, see what is there."

Merri glances over his shoulder towards the outskirts, where the hulking outlines of shell trawlers ring the Menagerie proper. With a low sigh, he allows his mind to be further diverted, and tilts his head a moment. "Doubtful it would still be in a reflective location. A lot of sites apparently.. flipped, after the Cataclysm. At least, since any changes in Amber since then have not occurred here, it may still be hidden behind walls down here." And urgh, dilapidated too. All that work above, and nothing to show for it here!


***** Nightfall *****


The previous two shows have ensured a packed night tonight as word in Rebma has spread. Most don't realize or don't care about the danger but are thrilled to be able to see such a display of talent and make-believe. For surely it can't be real? It's all a stage act as much as the Dilwens tried to tell everyone it's not real, they have come anyway. No one wants to be the person who hasn't seen it.

Coming from the direction of the city proper, Ryika and Corwin are clearly not only arriving together, but arriving mid-conversation that consists of some degree of laughing and amusement between the two as they make their way to where the Deep Menagerie is, joining the crowd who are already there to see the show.

And so the day has gone on and it is that time again for the Kelpie show will begin soon. It only happens at the nighttime hours of Rebma for it is not for children or the faint of heart.

The Kelpie's caravan has been wheeled out to a main 'stage' area which is a bit like one of those open agoras with a stage. It is able to hold a whole bunch of people being that it is underwater and there are no real... seats like you would have above land. It's the show everyone's waiting for. No one can figure out how anyone can house such a terrible beast inside a small shell like that. Some are starting to feel quite sorry for it... others are quaking in their boots having been fed lines about how dark and evil it is and how it will happily snatch you down to the low trenches to be stored as food if it was able. Some of them even have little kelpie pins on their bling... obviously a shameless attempt by the fair to cash in on its main attraction.

Corwin does arrive along side Ryika, that laughter escaping his lips as he gives a bob of his head to whatever is being said between the pair. It's only when the Carnival grounds are reached that his attention shifts from her to the fore and with a little swim walk, he's moving to angle off to the side, to catch a better view of things.

Miriam returns today to see the show, her two guards in tow as usual. All the people make them a little nervous, so they hover a little closer than she would prefer. There is the occasional glare at people too close, but that really just helps her get a better spot from which to watch whatever it is they have. She's quiet and looks curious.

Utta Baquemare is watching the show tonight. The Regent doesn't appear to be anywhere to be seen though it is rumored that he has been dealing with Dilwens all day and may not arrive until later. She is half off her seat in anticipation.

Once the crowd has assembled, some having camped out the entire night before to get close up seats.... The Ringmaster calls for silence! Oh whats a fabulous turnout tonight. No doubt the take will please the Manager. The Ringmaster is a heavy-set man named Tallymander OneEye. He wears a shimmering sash around his waist and has a shock of blue hair... and a single huge eye in the middle of his forehead. He looks Rebman but may not be full-blooded. "Quiet down, take your seats... quiet down!!" Calls go out throughout the area for the crowd to settle.

Ryika points to a spot over to the side where they'll get a pretty good view, swimming up to a good spot with Corwin. She leans in a bit to murmur quietly to Corwin, quietly enough not to get admonished by the Ringmaster. Hopefully.

Ryika snorts softly at something Corwin's said, a smirk for him before she settles to watch the story unfold upon the mirrors and dancers.

Arriving just a little late, Maggie flits along with Merrisol and Shao. She has one hand resting lightly on Merrisol's arm, thte touch light. Though she looks as though she was speaking fairly animatedly just a moment ago, as it becomes clear that the Ring Master has already begun, she zips it and the trio look for seats. Maybe back up in the nosebleed section again. Ryika, Corwin and Miriam are each offered smiles and quick-waves.

The crowd is tense... some have already seen the show before....some haven't. Some eyes are filled with anticipation and awe.

Corwin is flashing his own little return smirk at Ryika, only to shift his attention about quickly, catching sight of the Maggie and Co and offering a smile and a nod of his head in greeting. Then, it's back to the show, eyes focusing as he simply cants his head a touch to the side.

"The people of It'rla were proud and sure!" The Ringmaster's voice trumpets. The actors who play the kelpies let another actor ride them and helped them defend against a foe. Kelpies are horses with fins and long eel-like tails instead of hind hoofs and somewhat wraith-like in appearance. Their costume tails might remind you of Meijanri if you knew her. "They shared a knowledge and ability to command and train beasts of the sea and tended to the breeding grounds and needs of the Kelpie, their loyal steeds and friends who had their own way of life. It'rla was capable of defending against many attackers save the one they had no defense." The volcano in the mirrors rumbles slightly and spews out a few rocks. Occasional scenes of battles flash in the background where armies try to take the city get played out. This is also acted out by the actors. Villains do come in but are dispatched by the Kelpie and its rider. It'rla is always victorious in the scenes gaining wealth and power... make-believe gold and pearls showering on individuals. The kelpies are fast and do battle with their jaws and hoofs and can be vicious... vicious creatures.... "To anyone who could not control them, a Kelpie is perhaps one of the most dangerous sea-creatures for they can survive depths that would be lethal to anyone else.... and they would not think twice at dragging an enemy down to implode in the deep deep water so they can feast upon their remains."

Shao seems to comment something to both Merrisol and Maggie before taking his seat. A food vendor passes by and Shao stops him to buy treats for the trio.

With the show having started, Miriam's attention is focused forward. She then misses the arriving group with familiar faces. Her guards are paying more attention to the crowd though, and draws her attention in their direction. She looks, then smiles and waves before looking again towards the show.

Ryika waves to the M's and Shao as they arrive just a touch late, offering a bright smile before looking back to the show.

One of the characters is a cocky youth with blonde hair and a crown. Maybe meant to be a parody of Martin and/or Random. He's clearly some kind of royalty walks around being a little offensive in nature. More so than the previous show.

Many in the crowd of course are vastly entertained by the antics of the blonde wearing the crown as he takes advantage of his position. Some know what's coming! Everyone loves to love a villain, after all.

Flitting about the circus are little humming bird tiny water sprites with fins. Thieves... and they'll steal loose bling while the crowd is enthralled. They are quite fast and choose their targets VERY carefully. Adorably cute, mostly nude thieves.

Liya is late, perhaps having had to convince herself to come. She stays back in the nose bleed section so to speak, looking around to see if she spies anyone she recognizes.

Miriam looks to be enjoying the show well enough, smiling as she listens. The two men of Tir who hover near her seem more interested in things like the little thieves. It looks very likely they'd have no qualms about squishing them like little grapes if they come too close. Charming fellows.

The Ringmaster continues, his voice seems to carry about everywhere. "But like all cities of power, It'rla fell to greed and corruption after a time. Their youngest prince.." The audacious looking blonde with the crown smirks and salutes the crowd as he is pointed out. "Was arrogant and sought to control the best of all the Kelpies. His target was his older brother's steed... a prince among the Deep Horses, not to be trifled with. What good are names when a tale is this old.. pray follow along if you would, my friends." The one eyed Ringmaster's single eye gleams with a somewhat apologetic manner. "I could call them any name, but their real ones are lost in time. One fateful day... The Young Prince decided he was going to best Kelpie Prince... and he would do so by devilish means." Maybe the blonde is meant to be Random. He and his cronies... Each time something happens the actors act out the scene. "Drank too much and whored too much one day.... and they cornered the Kelpie Prince." All the actors are now looking drunk and evil of course and there is one rather majestic looking Kelpie and a number of nobles advancing on him in a time of 'night'. Which can never quite be envisioned underwater... the mirrors are clearly showing darker water, anyway.

The thieves are likely to be disappointed finding loose bling on Ryika, but she waves towards Liya, offering a warm smile. She chuckles softly at a quiet murmur from Corwin, sending him a grin. She nudges Corwin at the mention of evil Kelpies, dragging people down to the depths and her smile is bright, innocent.

Maggie is not wearing much in the way of bling, having lost a pearl and coral pin to the little thieves the night before. When she spots Liya up in their section, she waves to attract the other woman's attention. She is holding something in her hand and will offer it to Liya. From a distance it looks to be a fan made of peach gauze with coral spires for the spines. Good for... well one would not need to fan oneself under water, right? Maybe they are used to encourage the fairies to move along. Then she turns her attention sort of grimly back to the stage.

Corwin isn't wearing any bling that can be poached, unless they want to try for his sword or armlets that seem securely fastened and when the creatures draw even close enough, there's a swatting motion of his hand. The nudge from Ryika draws and her smile draw a grunt and a smirk from him.

Liya waves to Ryika as she spies that wave, her head dipping slightly to Ryika's companion, if less warmly. She blinks at Maggie, and then takes the fan, blinking curiously at her friend, and murmuring something softly to Maggie. Her gaze goes to the show, listening briefly to the story, and she winces. Better to focus on Maggie anyway, really. At least as much as she can.

Shao waves back to Ryika. He waves again, but to whom? Perhaps he is shooing a faery pickpocket.

The Ringmaster's face manages to deliver a look of doom., not that having one eye in the middle of your forehead does not do that anyway... but he certainly doesn't look cuddly. "They did not know of the secret of the Kelpie; the terrible secret that the Deep Horses were keeping from their 'Master's'. Had they known, perhaps this day would not have come! Once they fell upon him and tried to subdue him.. they stuck to him! He'd activated his power. In a proud rage the Kelpie Prince took all his attackers with him, they could not get free!" One thing to note is the relative age of the people attacking the Kelpie. It can be noticed now that they are made to look rather young. 17, 18? Brash Youth! Children in the ways of the world. There is wailing and crying from the actors as the kelpie 'runs around... further downwards' with them. "Only one escaped by cutting off his own hand!" Slice! Fake blood of course... just red cloth. The one that escaped is now swimming away from the others who are dying in the depths below. The red cloth swirls around and around and goes deeper and deeper. "No one knew what slept within the trench nearby the city.... the thing that gave it power." The mirrors show something coming out from deep in the trench...to grab the 'blood' and ferociously swim up towards the city! The jaws of that great formless creature swallows whole the Kelpie Prince, and the nobles who had attacked him. Except the one who had escaped. The mirrors begin to show a gigantic Horse-demon with wings. This not like the smaller kelpies, it's gigantic and begins to destroy the city and kill everything in its path without discrimination. Kelpie and human alike. "The Ancient Mother of the Deep Horses had awakened far too soon for she was supposed to sleep until the End of Days. The Great Hippocampus, the Deep Horse Goddess... proceeded to rain destruction down upon the city for she had been sleeping for millennia." Clearly he's embellishing a little bit from his previous tale.

Miriam simply listens and watches intently, paying no real attention to any other things going on around her. She has people for that.

Liya murmurs quietly with Maggie a bit, and then she turns to look through the audience, as if searching something out. In the process, she spies Shao, and offers him a wave and a smile. She seems to be familiar with the little sprites at least, her gaze catching sight of one coming a bit too close to her and fanning it away. "Thank you, Maggie," she says, with a warm smile that way, her voice still low. "You're right, this is useful."

Although Corwin's attention had lingered amongst the crowd, he had been paying attention to the show at hand and as the Great Hippocampus is mentioned, there's a cant of his head to the side. There's a furrow of his brows and he's offering, almost without thought, "Trapped by a mage of great power ..." Then, there's a shake of his head and a furrowing of his brows further, only to have him murmuring to Ryika, "I remember this. Bits of it .. at least."

Maggie speaks softly to Liya, though her attention is drawn again to the stage. Opening the fan, she helps to scoot the sprites along, though her gaze slips to one that does get too close. She inhales deeply of water and whatever scents it carries before pushing the little creature away. Her glance flickers to Corwin, then to the stage, then to Corwin. She murmers something to Liya then falls quiet again.

Ryika leans in a touch towards Corwin and shhhs softly. "No spoilers, m'dear."

Shao greets Liyandra with a bow of his head and a kind smile. He even offers her the remainder of his treats.

Unlike his redheaded brother, the brunette doesn't deliver the whole page of the end of the book! It must be the bard in him. There were a few Rebmans who would have thrown the underwater equivalent of popcorn (seeds) at Brand if they dared. The flamboyant Ringmaster gleefully weaves a tale of death and destruction. "The Great Mother destroyed the city because of the foolish prince. It happened that a visiting mage returned to force her back down into her lair under the trench and seal her within." He is shown as a man cloaked in abstract robes, perhaps a little Pathian in nature since only they actually wear robes underwater for inexplicable reasons. His face is not revealed nor his coloring. The wizard-savior seals her back in place and charges the remaining Kelpies to guard the city forever while the people of It'rla have no choice but to scatter, broken and devastated. But wait... there's more! "And now I am here to tell you that I, Tallymander am a descendant of It'rla!" He calls out triumphantly. "And only I have managed to find and capture a Kelpie to show you here today! The last of its kind. There are no more native to the land ruled by his Lordship, Martin, Regent of Rebma! I give you... The last Kelpie!".... And then there ominous sounds as the area darkens around the caravan and the chains holding the top on begin to 'break' one by one soon to reveal the last of the demon horses. All throughout the tale there is some kind of music that goes along with it. Music is eerie when performed in the deep and it is kept at a minimum.

Liya shakes her head negatively to Shao. "Thank you, no," she says, declining the treats. She might look a touch green, in fact, not her usual colour. She does give Maggie an arched brow at something she hears, before her gaze goes back to the show, her hands fisting at her sides.

Once it's finally time for the unveiling, Miriam looks just a bit more attentive than she had during the story. Not that she hadn't been paying attention before, but there's more given now.

And so it is revealed. He is a magestic... frightening... nightmare, oh yes, this one is real. Unlike many of the other creatures in the carnival, this beast is a thing of days gone by. The huge muzzle bursts with bubbles of anger as the Carriage top drops ... and behold... The Kelpie. The height of two men, the creature stands with pride in spite of the curse keeping him exactly where he is. A fabulous black tail flutters behind him and his coiled tail flicks as he rises and his hoofs extend. His fierce eyes are bloodshot and his jaw salivates with razor sharp teeth and a thick tongue that drips saliva and the flesh of whatever he last ate. His pelt is slightly scaled and black, blue and green... sort of a motley mix. His mane lifts dramatically in the water and he lands down with a thump, causing a sonic effect that ripples outward into the crowd. Not to worry... the Kelpie is bound. It snarls and roars. "I give you Oshan! The last of the Kelpie!" The Ringmaster cries out. "Down!" In a voice that snaps. "You will allow me to ride you now." Get up on that beast? Is he crazy? That beast looks like it could take on Morgenstern! A collective gasp of terror rises up through the crowd.

Maggie's hand tightens on Merrisol's arm. the other folds the sprite scooping fan away then reaches to rest lightly on Liya's shoulder. That is... quite something. Even though she was here to see it last evening, it is an awe inspiring sight. Leaning slightly to one side, she whispers something very softly to Merrisol.

Privately, to Merrisol, Maggie says, "You can understand him? Can you speak to him too?"

So taken he was by his seacrisps and the show, Shao forgot to get his vellum and stiletto ready. He does now, in a hurry. He sketch-scratches while looking, his hand not needing his eye it seems.

With clear reluctance, the Kelpie bows to its master... having no way of defending against whatever curse is on the cage. And so the Ringmaster gets upon the steed to show the crowd the glory of riding a Kelpie... there's a lot of people watching. The Kelpie complies, a snarl upon its jaws. Such a terrible thing, such a beautiful thing, and there's a roar about the crowd of applause and of course people throwing things at the stage for the actors. Pearls etc. The crowd is stunned by the amazing display.
Miriam's eyebrows rise as she studies the creature that is revealed. She doesn't gasp at the notion of the Ringmaster riding it. Rather, she looks fascinated. Though, she also wrinkles her forehead as though trying to figure something out.

Merrisol holds his position with his group while the spectators to all sides mill in fear and amazement, all the combined gasps constituting a dizzy ripple through the waters of the stadium. Merri squints through it at the cyclops ringmaster and subjugated Kelpie, noting the dissimilarities between routines past and present, but subsiding into unfocused thought. Maggie's words to his ear draw him out enough to turn his head, considering her.

Privately, to Merrisol: From your vantage, out of the corner of your eye you notice Ai, being led somewhere by Nicola. He looks like he's in trouble because his wrists are bound.

Privately, to Maggie, Merrisol says, "I can. It asked me if I was a god... That's an odd question, wouldn't you say? But it may have hoped I therefore would have the means to release it. It promised It'rla's riches in return for freedom. I would settle for it not calling the wrath of the Hippocampus upon Rebma, really."

The nosebleed section shifts with reaction. Some lean forward for better looks while others lean back in shock and fear. The seats are at such a height that the resulting collisions and near collisions very nearly give truth to the section's name. It is mostly through luck that blood is not spilled up there. Maggie watches Merrisol as he considers her. She half smiles at something, then turns to regard the Kelpie once more. Shao's drawing is noted with interest, but she is a good patron of the arts and won't peek until given permission. Rather, she speaks softly once more to Merrisol.

Despite that most of her attention stays on the kelpie, Miriam finally moves. She and her shadows move towards Maggie and Merrisol, and those with them.

Privately, to Merrisol, Maggie says, "That is an odd quetsion, seeing as we know more than one who do claim that designation. Poor guy. I agree, though. I don't want It'rla's riches either. Freedom for him and safety for Rebma. That is enough. It is interesting that you can speak with him, though. That can't be common."

Shao grunts, his view being blocked momentarily. Although it is very bad form to leave one's seat to hover higher, since it may cause accidents, he does so. He may not have another shot at this.

Liya stays where she is, maybe moving a bit closer to Maggie and Merrisol. There's a sort of set look on her face, and she's rather glad at the moment that she is a bit far away. She nods to Maggie, sort of belatedly, having been distracted by the show, and just watches quietly now.

There is a ripple of excited approval in some areas of the crowd and pearls begin to fall more steadily onto the stage, though some are nabbed mid flight by sprites. Whispers ripple across the audience from one side to the other though the details are lost to sea water and the tumult of tingling excitement.

Merrisol checks on the performance sidelong, gaze straying to chase the small fry that dart after the jetsam pearls, then he blinks at Liyandra, with peculiar significance. Listening to Maggie, he starts to look back at her, but stops when he spots Miriam making her way up to their level of bleacher. He lingers long enough to acknowledge her presence before leaning to respond to Maggie's ear, just a remark or two. Straightening away at that point, he pivots sharply to stare over the jostling crowd and through whipping currents and funnels created in the furor. "Shao-san," he says, reaching up to tug the Penglai's modest pant cuff briefly. "Look.. that way. That's the fish man, isn't it?" he nods his chin over yonder, two figures wending their way elsewhere. "And the woman, Nicola. His hands have been tied," he notes with concern.

Miriam reaches the others, and smiles to the ones she knows. "I hope'm not intruding?" she asks. The men with her hang back enough to give them some privacy.

Shao halts his scribbling to strain his slanted eye at the spot Merrisol point at. "I believe it is them, Kerfu-san," he confirms. He looks harder. "Why would he tied up in that fashion? Ai-san is too tame for need of cuffs, don't you think?" He looks to Maggie. "There is more than what we see, Captain." He swims back down, to greet Miriam. "Not at all. Have we met... and have you met the fish man over there?"

Maggie glances up at Merrisol after his low comment or two. She then follows his glance off over toward the fishman and company. A frown begins, though it fades as Miriam comes up to their level. The Tir Lady is given a quick smile, "Hello. If you have not met him, this is out ship's cook Satoshi Shao." Turning to look up to where the Panglai man is, she adds, "Shao-san, this is Princess Miriam of Tir." Introductions taken care of, she nods to Shao, "Oh, aye. That... Is true." Putting two and two together she looks after the fishman and the manager again, "Hrm."

"Ai-san?" Merrisol catches hold of that name as he learns it, standing straighter and lifting his chin to see further, sighting the path and likely destination of the frog-marched carnie. "Either he's always in trouble.. or -we- got him in trouble." The sound of Miriam's distinctive tone draws his attention for a couple of seconds, and he offers, "Not at all, Princess." Another glance to the Jadean artist now back at their level and introduced, then he goes back to tracking Nicola and Ai. He moves as necessary to keep them in his sights. "Ai-san.. was trying to warn us to get Martin out of here before the Manager spotted him.. and he had a couple of things to say about the Kelpie, about the curse and its hunger for killing," he explains as he goes.

Miriam looks to Shao, thinks for a moment as her head tilts a little to the side, then she shakes her head. "I don't think so?"

Maggie introduces him them, and she smiles. "It's very nice t'meet you." She looks then towards the fish man Shao indicated, and shakes her head again. "This was my first time seeing this. I'm not sure what t'make of it all."

"The honor, Princess Miriam, is all mine," Shao says quietly, trying to bow the best he can, even though water is never in his favor. "Only the Manger, or the Lord-Regent, would have authority here. I suggest caution."

Maggie fades back a little, then up so she can see the fishman and his Manager. "Okay. If we got him into trouble, let's see if we can get him back out." Though out of the carnival or out of trouble is hard to say. Turning back, she nods to Miriam, her voice low, "It is a little confusing. There is something going on here beyond what we are seeing." Without noticing it, her hands have sort of folded over her thumbs. Nodding to Shao, she sighs a little, "Caution is good advice. But, we don't want to stand here for too long. Aye?"

Given the late night the crowd is starting to thin a little. The Kelpie is being put back into it's cage and the stage is clearing after the actors talk to the populous who wants to. A few people are flocking to the Adult Tent. Ai seems to be moving in the direction of the Manager's caravan. His head down, he doesn't look very happy.

Miriam nods to Shao when he bows, and looks pleased that he's made the effort despite that he's clearly not all that practiced at doing so underwater. Her eyebrows rise just a bit then, and she looks towards Maggie's hands. "Are... This'll sound weird. Are your thumbs prickly, looking at all that over there? And Lady Jira was saying th'other day that there's some that can change'rtwist the bodies of creatures. Is that what th'kelpie is, do y'think? Some magic trick?" Her voice is kept on a low side.

Merrisol is on the verge of excusing himself to go off the side of the platform, but he turns back at the last moment, glancing between Maggie and Miriam. His gaze drops to study Maggie's hands as Miriam calls notice to her thumbs, but he only headtilts in momentary confusion. "Shao and I were probably seen with Ai-san at the Kelpie enclosure. If this is to do with that transgression, we will only get him in deeper with his company by intervening now," he reasons. "But Maggie.. and Princess Miriam - if you could divert the woman away from him, and free him. He would be motivated to come away and help us." He looks at Miriam more directly and adds quietly, "The Kelpie is real."

Listening to Merrisol, Shao shows more and more uneasiness with his plan but he has to agree with the logics of it, too. "Princess Miriam, I fail to see how the woman Nicola could refuse a request from you. That should let Captain... Lady Margaret free Ai-san unsuspected."

Nicola: A tall, athletic woman with tanned skin who wears only a very tiny string bikini bottom. That is because her skin is rough green, etched with abstract ink and covered with peculiar silvery anemones that grow out of her. They would make wearing clothing somewhat difficult though she occasionally wears a mesh shawl. Each toe contains a ring and she has no hair and her eyes are crystal blue. She moves with assured grace in the sea and is the animal trainer and has an unusual way of charming animals.

Maggie nods once to Miriam's query, "Aye. They are. They were yesterday as well when I was here now that you mention it." Having had it pointed out, Maggie carefully uncurls her fingers to let her thumbs free. Wriggling them a bit, she nods to Miriam, "Are you willing, Your Highness? I think that, if you catch her just over there..." She indicates two attractions nearly side by side, "I can get to Ai from between and free him. If we time it right, she won't realize that you have anything to do with it at all." Not only that, but Miriam has Big and Brawny to help keep Miriam safe.

It does seem like that is a plausible plan.
Or at least not immediately suicidal.

Miriam looks at the others, and her expression shows her puzzlement. "I... don't understand at all whats going on. What're we doing? Who is 'Ai'? Which woman should we distract?" She clearly came in late on something serious, but has no idea what. She nods despite not knowing though, apparently trusting Merrisol and Maggie. "I mean, I'm happy t'help, sure." Big and Brawny seem to just be happy there's less of a crowd now. Also, they aren't listening to the conversation.

Merrisol hesitates in the plausible-not-immediately-suicidal execution of the plan to just stare at Miriam as she admits to being two, maybe three pages behind in the script. Warning flags pop up in later pages, indicating the plan is probably now less probable and more suicidal should they proceed in this state. "Right.." he decides, "We'll all go, I'll explain along the way, Princess." He offers to see Miriam down from the top of the stone bleachers, with a glance beyond her to the unobtrusive bodyguards. "We've been looking into some issues with the Deep Menagerie.. The last time it came to the capital was 50 years ago, and as it moved on House Dilwen reported one of its young daughters had gone missing.. Lady Fioled. A search of the caravan turned up no sign of the girl, and later it was noticed that two other girls from amongst the citizenry were also missing. Now that the Menagerie is back, Dilwen wants answers."

Two to three pages behind, at the very least. Miriam stares back at Merrisol with an expression that asks 'Should I already know what's going on?' She nods though, and follows along. When it's explained, she ohhhs then looks at the carnival. "Did th'girls have anything in common? Were they, you know, a particular type? Do y'need t'see if they try t'make off with me?" She and her people are somewhat an oddity, after all. "I could order my men t'stay back?" At least she seems into the idea of helping.

Merrisol can't exactly keep a low profile either, but at least he's pacing the sea floor instead of swimming. Maggie and Shao appear to be taking a separate route, lost from view in the head-bobbing bustle of the carnival night life. Or perhaps one or both have already been kidnapped. Merri frowns over their absence briefly, looks ahead to the area of wagons and trawlers where this mysterious Manager's tent is apparently located, then shakes his head to Miriam. "I have no intention of asking you to pose as bait, Princess." With that, he continues along. "I don't think they had anything peculiar about them, but all three were said to be friends... and Lady Fioled apparently had a brief romance going with someone in the carnival. To be clear, though.. after 50 years, I don't know if anything can be found on the fairgrounds that was not available then. The other, more immediate issue is the Kelpie itself. If you believe the theatric tale, it was captured from a ruined city, It'rla, under which a behemoth is sleeping.. which may mean that the Last Kelpie, if it is the last, is no longer guarding the Hippocampus's rest. That would be disastrous, if so." Merrisol looks away abruptly, as though one of those pesky fish-fae had tugged at his hair.

To the image of Maggie, Merrisol is surrounded by Rebmanity passing him from all directions, with Miriam being the only other familiar face nearby. "Yes - go ahead?"

Merrisol is surrounded by Rebmanity passing him from all directions, with Miriam being the only other familiar face nearby. "Yes - go ahead?"

Miriam listens, her head tilted slightly. "It was'n interesting story. but I had no idea'f it had much basis in history. Do we need t'free the kelpie? Is that part've it? Has anyone talked to it?" She sees he's apparently got some sort of call, and quiets for the moment.

The image of Maggie is seated on what appears to be sand beneath a gloriously spangled star field. She appears to be wearing a black coat that is much too big for her. Nearby, but out of the field of view something is glowing softly silver. "Hey, love. It's Maggie. I'm safe. Dad decided that we are going to talk. Now. Anything I should convey on your behalf?" She glances briefly to one side, then back again, "They want to know why I call you 'Kerf'. Mind if I tell them?"

To the image of Maggie, Merrisol looks at Miriam as some questions slip free before she quiets for his incoming call. He nods wordlessly but emphatically enough for her to perhaps understand it's a 'yes' to all three. Then his gaze slips focus again as he says in a distracted tone, "My behalf..? No. And.. tell them about Kerfuffle if you like, it's.. inconsequential." He takes a moment to mentally reorder the situation. "I didn't see you leave, Maggie.. thought you had gone with Shao. I've got Miriam with me enroute to intercept."

The image of Maggie nods slowly, her gaze remaining focused. There is silence then, pregnant with uncertainty. It lasts the span of a breath before she nods, "Okay. I will be back as soon as I can be. Please trump if you wish. I'll ask Shao-san to pull me through once this is settled. Please save me some time later though?" She glances to one side again, but her focus returns readily enough. "Talk to you soon."

To the image of Maggie, Merrisol lifts his gaze, thoughtful as he puts more focus into noting Maggie's behavior on the other end. "All right.." he agrees. "After this is done, we will talk."

Miriam continues to wait. She doesn't look like she's in any rush.

The image of Maggie smiles then, "Thanks. Talk to you later, Kerf." Then she lifts a hand to blank the card, ending the conversation.

Merrisol regains his bearings with a blink, and narrows his eyes again, scanning for their quarry. "Uh. Maggie is.. she's not here anymore. But she'll be back," he relays to Miriam, and ushers her anew. "This way, Princess. The lead critter handler of the outfit is Nicola. She has taken one of the workers, Ai, into custody. No one was allowed to see the Kelpie outside of showtime, but Ai enabled me and Shao-san to do so. Aside from that he said Martin knew the Manager and it was dangerous to let them meet. I'm not certain why. In any case, Ai is likely in trouble for associating with Shao and I, and as our best source of information, we are doubly motivated to help him out of this pickle." Beyond the crowd, twinkling lights, and miasma of carnival 'smells', Nicola is marching Ai towards what must be an administrative section. Merrisol turns aside from the direct trail to find a spot somewhere ahead of them. "Nicola is outwardly charming, from what I've seen.. she may be pleased to be diverted by you, Princess. Do you think you are up to this..?" Merri asks, finally, as they verge upon the proverbial last minute.

Miriam nods to Merrisol, then continues to follow him. She ohhhs as he explains further, obviously giving the whole matter some thought. Finally, she nods slowly. "I'd like to think I can be diverting?" she says with a bit of a smile. "That's all I need to do, right? Distract her? Maybe ask her for a tour?" Though, something that seems to be niggling at her mind is finally expressed. "How could't be dangerous t'let her and Martin meet?"

Merrisol has taken to crouching a little, to keep his blondness from looming conspicuously in Nicola's direct line of sight. He nods with decisive approval as Miriam accepts the mission, all business at first and backing off into the crowd, but a beat passes after the first question and then he stares again, halting. Was that a rhetorical? "Uh," he starts to nod again, with a quick glance to check on the target's proximity. "Oh.. that isn't her. The Manager, I haven't seen that one yet. Another lady, I've heard. Something about.. having changed since Martin last knew her." The idea surfaces briefly that they could get a glimpse of the Regent's former acquaintance if they simply followed along and let Ai meet his disciplinary fate. He shakes his head. "You'll do fine.. but.. keep it simple and truthful as you can manage - Her eyes.. we don't know the extent of her powers. I'll be close by," he promises, bodyguards' presence notwithstanding, before making to fade back to another vantage point, once more.

Nicola keeps her self-assured saunter toned down to keep from attracting too much attention to her unique skin condition. She doesn't have to lay a feelery finger upon Ai to make him go - she only has to say it, and the poor guy shambles along with his goggle-eyes pitifully downcast. The iridescence of his blue-scaled hide is scuffed and dented in spots, but the jerky way he moves is more the result of him being plain ol' awkward and gawky, rather than from serious injury. The two of them are keeping to the sidelines of the night's crowds, and nearing the emptier alley between the housing trailers understood to be a Carnival Staff Only sort of zone.

From off a ways away from where Merrisol and Miriam wait for Ai and Nicola, rainbow sparkles herald the arrival of someone via trump. Though the arrival causes a bit of a stir among the nearby Rebmanity, the huff is quickly softened and fades away again. True to her earlier word to Merrisol, Maggie appears holding Shao's hand. Rather than wearing her typical Rebman atire, she wears a flutter of deep blue gauze that winds from her shoulders down over her form. It appears at first blush to be more of a festive Rebman cut, but manages to keep her assets modestly masked. Bling hovers here and there just to help her blend in more and, for a change, the vibrant flame of her hair is utterly hidden beneath a darker blue swath of fabric. For those used to naming her by that fire, she might actually seem more anonymous than usual. Shao is given a smile, "Like this? Ready?"

Shao gives Maggie a once over. He pushes a stray lock under the makeshift scarf, twisting with other hair so it does not slip off again. He nods. "It would be better if I had thought of a real mask but at least, we can deny it was you or one of your siblings," he says. He shows he has a trump ready and Maggie woud recognize her own ressemblance. "Quick and easy, I get you back here."

Miriam doesn't need to blend in. Which is a good thing, because she certainly looks like neither Rebman nor Amberite. She nods to Merrisol, then heads towards the staff area of the carnival. Her guards, of course, immediately swim to catch up with and then accompany her. When she's closer to where the interesting staff might see her, she looks like her curiosity has sort of wandered off with her. Certainly, she doesn't look like she intends to snoop or anything. She's actually pretty good at that expression, too.

Merrisol's idea of 'close by' is retreating fully across the thoroughfare and loitering on the steps of a giant cowrie shell-house scrawled with pseudo-psychic symbolism. Fortunes, Forecasts, Lucky Charms! Mere Destinee, with pale pearlescence where pupils ought to be, lurks within, busy with a new client. Gaze mostly pinned to Miriam and her guards, Merri glances up and down the avenue for a glimpse of russet flame, to no avail, and frowns. That means the Maggie Makeover is totally working!

Ai and Nicola step past the invisible line and leave the nightlife behind, or so they thought. When a bit of that nightlife, namely a glimmer of the moon itself, wanders into their path ahead, Nicola gives her a moment's study, then offers a thin but solicitous smile. "My dear lady, you are in a restricted area," she informs Miriam smoothly.

Maggie nods, "Alright. Go ahead and head somewhere safe, then contact me. When I touch him, pull us through, please." She gives him a thumbs up, then slips off into the crowds, swaying and mingling and being as giddy a Menagerie visitor as any other. The fey thieves flit among the crowds stealing bling where ever they can manage it. Whether one snags something from Maggie or not, she frowns and starts hurrying after one of the little buggers. It, or a reasonably mimed facsimily of one of them leads her onward toward the fringes of the crowds. Once on the sidelines, she ducks between two wagons. Once in the shadows, she removes all the shimmering bling she wore and tucks it all away into a pouch on her belt. Then the veil is lifted and tied into place so that her face is hidden behind blue fabric. Then she moves from that hiding place. Hugging shadows, she flits as silently as she can to that alley that seperates the Night Life with the Staff Stomping Grounds.

"Hai hai, Captain," Shao says, although here she is more Lady Margaret. Old habits or is it too many hats. He gives the surroundings another look, making sure he's had his landmarks right the first time around. If he is right, the frozen crabshell over there would give him a good overview. That was some crustacean once it live, bigger and wider than a wagon with pincer big enough to cut a horse in half, in theory. He paddles over there, as good as he can.

Miriam looks at Nicola, then forms an 'O' with her lips. "I'm so sorry!" She gives the woman a sheepish smile. "I get caught up sometimes, and don't pay enough attention. All of this is just amazing!" Her men hover nearby, trying to get her to return with them. She sighs a bit, then says to them "I'm sure I'm perfectly safe here." She looks at Nicola again and sighs, her expression saying her 'babysitters' are wearing thin on her. "I'm sorry about them." There's another smile, and she asks "What do you think I should look at, next?" There's a smile for Ai, but no sign of interest.

Merrisol leans his shoulder into the shadowed doorway, while glowing limpets on the stairway cast his features in up-lit relief. Except, he's not relieved at all, watching Miriam brave the Staff Path with no sign of the wingmen anywhere who must swoop into action if the Princess succeeds in capturing Nicola's attention for a few moments. He mulls the absence to himself, and seems to realize this could just as well mean they are simply doing a bang-up job of being sneaksy. He draws in a patient breath, continues to watch Miriam.

Ai raises his face on a confused angle, looking at Miriam during her 'perfectly safe' remark like she had just painted an X-marks-the-spot target on her head. Consternated as he is, the fish-eyed guy doesn't say boo to her.

Nicola blinks slowly with cool curiosity, over Miriam's effusive speech, but her reply is clipped, just this side of polite. "I might suggest the Adult Amusement Arena, milady. There are a great many sights that would seem to be missing from your experience, housed there." She glances at Miriam's 'handlers' and tips her head in silent communication that they should do their jobs and get the naif outta there. She starts to usher Ai past and on their own less than merry way, with a gently ominous: "Move, Ai." Which he jerks to obey.

Flitting down the alley, Maggie hears Nicola's growl to Ai and hopes that she is not too late. Ducking beneath one of the caravan wagons, she edges to the proper end of the proper alley and lies in wait. The shadow where she is lies thick on the seafloor and extends a bit out into the biway. Though she does not speak aloud, she mutters 'be ready' to Shao via their trump link. She only needs one moment more to perform the proper snatch and flicker away.

Since they already are in contact, Shao should be ready. He closes his eyes and clears his mind the best he can, in case he would require a little more concentration or worse, have to do the trump call thing all again. 'Yes', he says in his mind's eye, somehow knowing Maggie could hear that.

Miriam's eyebrow shoot upwards, and her cheeks darken. "I'm... pretty sure they're not letting me anywhere near there." She explains then, saying "Something about letting th'princess do that kind've thing." There's some regret there. "Anything else I should try? I mean, if'm not keeping you from whatever y'need t'do with your... whatever." She doesn't look very concerned for Ai.

The darkened area the carnies are moving through is essentially an oblong ring of caravans, circled wagons so to speak. At the end of the line is a Whelk the size of a whale, sitting in the silt with its spiral spines bristling up into the waters. A glow emerges from the alcove of its entryway, different from the simple luminescent limpets clinging to other stoops and shell walls. It is to this Whelk that Ai's is being marched. Sashaying a few more steps after Ai, Nicola pauses again to look sharply at Miriam. "A princess..? I see, well, perhaps someday, I'm sure," she offers a curvy, wicked smile, then goes back to her semblance of courtesy. "Ah, you should go cross Mere Destinee's palm with silver, and have your fortune told." Oh. Hi-larious. "She will spot a Prince in your future, I think." With that teasing rejoinder, she turns back to lengthen her stride in order to catch up with Ai.

So close. Maggie almost darts forward when the mention of Miriam's status takes the woman's attention away for a moment. But, the moment is not long enough and Maggie misses that chance. Ai moves on and Maggie must crab-walk a bit to keep him in range. She does not risk looking up at Miriam or Nicola, though she does glance ahead. The lights of the Whelk ahead shimmer in the gathering gloom. This darkens the shadows and helps to hide the kicked up silt of their movements, but poses its own unique risks. She inches closer in case she gets another moment like the last. Or, in case she just has to snatch the fishman out from under Nikola's nose.


Watching the events unfurl through Maggie's playcard, Shao is almost all powerless. He forgets to breath when he catches the light at the corner of Nicola's eye, for she might have seen Maggie then. 'Keep going, Captain, he thinks. I have your back. Just reach...' he thinks, as loud as he could.

Miriam nods to Nicola. "Of Tir-Na Nog'th." she replies, then looks interested. "Mere Destinee? I could afford a reading." She looks back towards the main part of the carnival, then again to Nicola. "Show me where she is?" She adds then "Please? I know you're busy..."

Ai does his Dead Fish Walking impression, plodding towards The Light and simultaneously shrinking back from it even as it scalds his blue scales with sickly glister. He doesn't seem aware that he has outpaced his taskmaster and could just stop in his tracks for a little while.

Nicola's tendrilly spine stiffens slightly as Miriam calls after her, yet again, some more. "Oh-" she bites back a flash of impatience, and instead tosses a reply silkily over her shoulder, a sense of crafty suspicion lying beneath the smooth veneer, "Just how you could have missed it before stumbling through here - it is only across the lane.. dear girl." There is a finality to her tone, and a look at fixes Miriam's face in her bright crystal blues.

Merrisol has since abandoned the doorway to make his own way through the nightlife, now that Miriam appears to have been left behind. If he has seen Maggie stealing through the shadows in her blue veils, he gives no indication in his determination to call Miriam back from the restricted zone, for better or worse.

Ah, Maggie smiles on hearing Miriam's question. She does not tense, but moves, quick as a flash. Her hand closes around Ai's ankle and she whispers, 'Now' through the connection to Shao as she reaches for the connection with her other hand. But there is something wrong. Her face loses it's color as something hits her. She clenches her teeth against an immediate desire to pull away and though she takes a deep breath, she holds it rather than take any more of the scent of that ... thing... with her. Now, her mind repeats, oh please, now.

Is than an ankle? Now. Yes, Maggie's hand is around a part of someone, that should do it. He reaches, equally with his mind than with his hand it feels to him, to get hold of Maggie and pull her through. Remembering Rebma is nothing like anywhere else, he wishes his luck holds, if just for a few seconds more.

Miriam replies "I'm not always aware've what's going on around me. How do y'think I ended up here?" When Nicola then fixes Miriam with her bright crystal blue eyes, Miriam stares back. It's possible there's a bit of a twinkle there. Like perhaps she's enjoying being a bit of a pest. That could just be a spoiled princess thing, of course. Perhaps someone should teach her some manners. Her guards look almost as impatient as Nicola, really. They would obviously like to get out of there already.

It would seem Nicola is now fully advised of Miriam's mischief, and just finishes giving the Princess the Eville Eye(tm). She then turns back to her business, only to see her business folding into two-dimensional space and vanishing in a sparkle of rainbow light, itself saturated with the unfriendly glow from the Whelk. The way the beast mistress's anemone flesh has begun to writhe and crawl, you just know she is in the manners-teaching mood by now. She pivots gracefully back to face Miriam...

Ai is in mid-Awwk! as well as mid-flail, as he reappears under cover of crustacean. He shimmies his ankle in Maggie's grip, threatening to leave behind a handful of flaky scales. Ungrateful fishboy! Then he focuses on Shao and stops shrilling. Hark... a Hero in his midst? Two heroes? "Ohh. Oh. Ohh bad. This is bad," he mumbles, quaking in his bony frame. "OH. My head.. fried for sure..!" Yep. Ungrateful fishboy.

...Only... Miriam is gone! Well. No. Only Merrisol, sussing the situation from the edge of the Zone, has leaped out with a twist and a kick, to snag the Tir Princess Gone Wild around the waist, turn, and swim her bodily back to the safety of the night crowds, body guards hopefully in tow.

Maggie does not release the Fishman's ankle until he stops squirming. Having landed flat across the crustation's head, she sits up once she does and motions for the others to move back a bit. Releasing the held breath with her veil, she shudders at the memory. Looking at Ai, she clears her throat, "Calm down, please. We need to get you away from here. Can you breath air?" She looks up at his fishyface, lit now by the ambiant glow of lights flickering more there than here. "Are you okay?"

Miriam is Eville Eyed(tm), and it's possible that may be unfortunate for her. But right at the moment she's busy being grabbed suddenly by Merrisol and dragged away. There's a muffled sort of a startled squeal from her. The two Tirian guards are very quick and very pleased to be leaving this situation, certainly. They're right behind the pair, one watching behind them. Just in case.

Shao let go of Maggie but not before he could place himself at least a little between her and Ai. "Ai-san, if you would show your hand, I will try and free you now. You are with friends. We are here to help," he says, keeping his tone even and showing a finger, a finger he moves continuously into Ai's gaze to get his full attention.

Words are so often lost on the permanently nervous and bewildered fishman, but Ai calms down enough by staring dumbly at Shao's finger. Maybe because it looks a bit like a worm? "No," he abruptly moans. "I can't leave. My head.. it will.. explode!" Is there anything fish heads can't do?



Evening deepens shadows even down on the ocean's floor. Hiding out behind the shell of an enormous crab, sheltered by the spines and crenelations, Maggie stands to face Ai. The blue gauze of her disguise wafts gently in the shifting sub-currents that slip around their hiding place. The blue is almost the same color as the water's shadows, which aids camouflage but might give her an indistinct outline. Multi-colored lights flicker around the Menagerie's camp site as fun-seekers skip hither and thither. Sounds and smells waft their way in a muted cacophany of sense-beguiling weave. "Wait. Your head will explode if you leave?" She sidles a glance toward Shao, sighing, "It is a bloody good thing we did not zip him to the ship, then." Looking back, she adds, "We want to help you. I am Maggie." Keep it simple, right? "Please tell us why you say your head will explode?"

Passing light reflects off Ai's staring flat eyes with the round pupil seemingly painted in the silvery center. His swiveling glances pull at the scaled flesh of his sockets as he looks plaintively from Shao to Maggie. "Maggie," he repeats, then stutters what he remember's Shao's name to be apologetically. "Sashy-shao." He considers his bound wrists and Shao's blade, and refrains from offering them to be freed. He is perhaps a little smarter than he looks. "Maybe.. if I go back and say... Ai ran away. No one helped Ai. Then kindly friends of Ai will not be punished, when they come for Ai," he speculates desperately. He goggles at Maggie, and lifts his hands to waggle them around one side of his head, then the other. "No one leaves. No one with the Mark of the Manager." With a shimmy, he shrugs aside a flap of his patterned garment to show a dark imprint on his shoulder that resembles a seven-armed starfish in purple. "Head... explodes," he shudders, "and then.. we come back."

Shao considers the ties at Ai's wrists and foregoes cutting them for now. The tatoo is way more intereting. He gets his one-eye a little closer, to get a better view. He is looking at the quality of the drawing itself, at the pigmentation. "Ai-san, did you try leaving before?" he asks. He gives back Ai his personal bubble. "Or seen someone try to escape?"

Maggie shakes her head a bit firmly, "No... No, Ai-san. I can't let you go back there alone. You might be hurt." Or worse. "It is our fault that you were in trouble in the first place." She watches him gesture with his bound hands to either side of his head, frowning slightly. About to comment, she notes the mark on his shoulder. Once Shao has examined it, she leans a bit closer to inhale near it. The sniffing is a bit reminiscent of Quinlan's searching for magical traces. Standing again, she murmers an apology to Ai, "Sorry..." Folding her arms in front of her, she nods to Shao's question, then adds another, "Do you remember getting the mark? Can you tell us what happened?"

Ai peers furtively through the exit from the shell, as a clarion call signals a fifteen minute notice for the close of the nighttime fairground. Noise garbles throughout the carnival as many attendees begin to move in clusters down the lanes. The fishman ducks back, wringing his hands.. or at least chafing the wrists. "Yes, yes. I tried to leave, long ago. Ten years. Ai was new and did not understand... Who Ai was and where Ai was from... why Ai is no longer..." He looks for the term, and gestures helplessly out to Maggie's face, webbed fingers pointing directly at her eyes. He repeats the same towards Shao, although he stops short of pointing to Shao's unseen eye. Gulping, he waggles at his earholes again. "I swam away but... The insides of Ai came out... Red clouds to blind Ai... I awoke back in the Menagerie. First, I worked with clowns. Now I work with animals. I am good with animals.. most animals," he amends, with another glance outwards towards the Kelpie housing.

Shao nods, nods. He glances to Maggie, his traits showing concerns. "I believe you, Ai-san. You are most sincere and your ink is of the richest of designs," he says, his voice quiet and low. He would pace now, although it does not work underwater and instead begins a slow tumble he has to correct. "I could always find a way to disguise you until we can counter this magic. I doubt this would be of much help against such sorcery..." He glances to Maggie again, embarassed.

Maggie presses her lips together as she listens to Ai. Nodding once, she motions to the mark, "It is similar to tattoo magic. We will need to know how to counter it. That might take time." Then something said hits and she lifts her gaze to Ai's face, "Wait. Are you saying that you were like me when you came here first? You were human?" She flickers Shao a glance, then looks back, "If so, I think we know what happened to the girls who went missing." She glances toward the exit to their hideaway and winces, "That bell. We don't have much time. I do not think we should be here when the Menagerie is closed. Ai? Do you know if the spell's range extends above? If I move the Dancer to the sea above the Menagerie, perhaps you can hide out there until we can figure this out. Dad might be able to break the spell. Or another tattoo worker. Let me see whom I can find quickly. Sadly, I am not a spell breaker."

"Human!" Ai blurts the word in amazement, like he has not heard it in some time. "I am human. Yes." No he isn't, silly fishguy. Look at the eyes, the flaky blue skin! He boggles, "But.. I cannot hide by dancing.." He thinks further about Maggie's first question then. "I am human, but the Manager made Ai not human. The Manager has powers of forcing. Forcing Ai to forget, forcing Ai to stay and work, forcing Oshan to obey." He is quiet for a moment, and when he looks hopefully at Shao, it's to lift his bound wrists again to invite the knife. "Sashy-shao can make Ai look like..." he goggles over at Maggie with her veils and head wrap. "...Dancer?"

Shao moves his lips under the strain he puts his mind through, watching the light deep inside of Ai's eyes. So many questions would like to come out, most of them inappropriate in this breakout setting. "Maybe you remember ships, Ai-san?" Shao says, leaving Maggie to explain more. "I can try to hide you with clothes, that may or may not help." He tries his knife at the ties, uncertain if they hide magic too.

And all of this just complicates things. Maggie watches Ai and Shao, looking back and forth, "Does Oshan have a mark as well?" She is thinking. Wheels are turning. A frown is building. Nodding to Ai, she begins to remove her gauze coverings to give them to the fishguy and Shao. She does wear her Rebman clothing, such as it is, beneath and the flame of her hair floats free in the water. "Okay. One question answered. So many more to ask." She pauses, "Hey, Shao-san? If you have your drawing stuff," then she turns to Ai, "and you consent... I can draw a trump of you. That way, we can call you and you can come through to us." In case. And that is when her eyes sort of unfocus and she blinks, "One sec. Kerf is trumping." How does she know? She knows.

Privately, to Maggie, Merrisol is calling from someplace on the fairgrounds still, Miriam and her goons in accompaniment. Folks are threading by in clumps and trickles, dimly lit outlines beyond with the occasional blowfish lamp casting gold tinting upon various surfaces. He squints at her surroundings. "Maggie.. are you still.. inside? Things are shutting down here. Do you have Ai? And Shao?"

The blade slices clean through the bonds, for they are only thick twists of net. Ai only stares at Shao uncomprehendingly while his hands feel over the rope dents in his scales. "I do not remember any shipments to the Deep Menagerie," he quavers apologetically. "We gather our food.. and find homes to join the caravan.. and capture the animals of the Menagerie. The Manager says what to capture, how to capture. She knew the foods of the Kelpie and where to find it. When we had enough Oshan came. The Manager put the curse on Oshan. I do not come close to the Kelpie to see the mark. I do not know." He goggles between Shao and Maggie, not even attempting to answer to the offer to... draw -him-? Nevermind drawing him in the water.

Maggie walks slightly to one side, moving away from the fishman and Shao. Speaking through the trump to Merrisol, she keeps her voice lowered, but not entirely a whisper. "Yes, Kerf. We are all still here. But, we have a couple of problems." Glancing to one side to where Shao andg Ai might be, she offers a slight nod that way, "Here is what we found out. At least some of the people here were human before coming here. Ai was. They are changed by the manager. She marks them with something that seems like tattoo magic. This apparently changes their form and erases or changes their memories. Ai said that if anyone marked by the Manager leaves their heads explode and they wake up back in the Menagerie. Now... Ai said that he remembers blood and... stuff... But how much of that is actual explosion and how much is memory provided by the spells? Oh... Also... He said that they gathered food for the Kelpie and when they had enough Osham came. But, Kerf? I'm not sure how much of that is implanted memory. If Osham has a mark, he might not actually be a Kelpie. And he would not even know it." She sighs slightly, then adds, "Anyway. We can't take him out of the range of the Menagerie. I do not know if the range is horizontal only, or vertical as well and I don't want to experiment. Under the circumstances. So, I think that we need someone who can either break or disrupt the spells. That might be a Custos." She is no longer wearing her blue gauze disguise, "Shao is going to try disguizing Ai-san." The group are inside what appears to be an abandoned building made of a giant crab shell.

"Ai-san, I will now dress you like I did for the Captain," Shao warns the Fishman, although consent was already given implicitly. He begins with dressing Ai's head with the night blue scarf, leaving a slot for his eyes. "Of course, if I knew where the Manager is, I could find a way to keep him busy..." he adds. Now he covers Ai's hands in strips of cloth swiftly and kneels to do the same with Ai's feet. He nods in Maggie's direction. "Do no worry, Ai-san. The captain is talking with an associate through a talisman."

Merrisol loiters around some token booths just inside the gateway through which the night visitors are currently trickling, now that a mere handful of minutes remain to depart before the carnival is declared closed until morning. He had brought Miriam this far, concerned about backlash for her part in the scheme, but now he is concentrating on a trump and Maggie's team, who are still in hiding on the fairgrounds for some reason. He listens with shock and concern as the explanation for the delay is revealed. "Right.. well. If Ai is stuck here that may mean the others will be sweeping the area for him once the grounds are emptied. Is that location secure? And.. the Kelpie is real," he repeats, frowning. "I can believe there is magic that changes a body.." Of course he can. "But.. not into something like -that-."

Miriam continues to look a little out of her depth about everything going on around her. She stays very near Merrisol for the time being. She has, though, sent her men back to the city. They were not pleased to go, but she insisted that a larger group was more easily spotted. She was left with one of their swords, though. They insisted.

Liya has been here and there, but at the moment, she comes up just outside the gate, able to see Merri and Miriam, but not within the "get out now" zone. She is simply watching at the moment, curiously.

Ai is mesmerized by Shao's soothing words but not quite so convinced that things will end smoothly. He's clearly one terrified fish-boy. "OK...yes." He shifts his googly eyes from one to the other. "The Manager is always in her Caravan. You don't see the Manager......" He croaks out and looks like he's waffling between letting them do what they want to do and fleeing. "You ah...." He stammers... "H-h-hear the Manager."

Maggie continues to pay attention to the trump connection, "Oh, I think you are right about that. They will almost certainly do a sweep and will find us where we are." She begins to turn slowly to give Merrisol a look at their locatoin. "It is defensible, yes. There is really only one opening and that is the door there." By that point, she has turned around until her back is to the door. "I imagine that we can come up with some reason to still be here, especially with Ai-san decked out as a dancer." She tilts her head slightly, then nods, "Okay... Oshan is an actual Kelpie. That is good. I... think." Her smile is a bit nervous, "I'm going to draw a trump of Ai in case." Pausing, she frowns slightly, "Um. Ai said that you never see the Manager you hear her."

Shao seems done with hiding as much of Ai's exposed skin as he can with what cloth he has to work with. "In that case, I have to agree with the Captain and request you let her draw your portrait, so we can call upon you, Ai-san," he surmises, wording out his thoughts so Maggie can catch on with his strategic opinion. "It is possible we cannot find a way to beat the Manager at its game before they close the fairground to visitors." He searches his sash for the roll of vellum and the stilleto he used to sketch the show with, so Maggie can begin working on a trump of Ai as soon as she frees her mind. "Ai-san, if we let you go back to Nicola, what is the story you will tell them?" he questions, arching an eyebrow.

Merrisol nods thoughtfully. "That sounds in keeping with the original warning that she doesn't want Martin to see her. But it also seems.. not -just- him." Merri turns slowly as he becomes aware of Miriam in his personal space, and.. is that a sword or is she just happy to, er... nevermind. It does inspire a helpful new idea, however, and he channels his focus back into the trump to suggest, "Does he have any close friends amongst the other workers? Anyone he thinks might harbour him until you can bring a Custos in. It would be preferable to playing trump tag all around the grounds.. or.." he looks reluctant to continue, "..or braving Oshan's lair." Of course, now that he's said it, it can't be unsaid. "Give me a moment to speak to Princess Miriam.. we had a bit of a close call - I think Nicola may be on to the diversion tactic. Contact me when you are ready to move, Maggie, or.. if there's trouble."

Miriam is, indeed, encroaching some into Merrisol's personal space. Not enough so as to touch him, of course. He's busy on a Trump call. When he wants to speak with her, she looks curious and waits.

Ai has friends! Underwater clowns, cause everyone loves clowns! Except that he didn't hear that so he doesn't tell you lot. He looks grateful for being patched up. "Lady Captain... yes, you can draw." He still cannot fathom how exactly, in any case he seems to realize at least that he's among people with all sorts of odd talents. "Ai tell her... Ai couldn't tell her anything. Ai too afraid of strangers. Not supposed to talk to them. The Manager might know." He moans pathetically as he thinks about facing the manager and wrings his bandaged hands nervously. It is slowly becoming clear that if they linger any longer they might be caught.

Liya is not near enough to hear, but she is waiting to make sure that everyone makes it out successfully. The back-up cavalry or something. She frowns a bit, as it seems there is still something going on.

Once he has palmed the card, Merrisol takes a moment to tuck it under an armband while looking over at the departing visitors, the last trickle of them. He and Miriam will stand out like sore fins once the trickle ends. His gaze stops on Liyandra beyond the admission gates, and he sighs with relief knowing she is the link to the outside. He tries to catch her eye and taps two fingers on the trump tucked face down on his arm. Presently, he turns to Miriam and leans down, head tilted, to examine and address her directly. "How are you, Princess? The others are hiding, they found out there's a.. a condition on Ai.. which makes it very dangerous to leave the vicinity of the Menagerie." The significance of that detail might become clear as he gazes at Miriam expectantly. They haven't gone off the grounds themselves, yet.

Miriam looks puzzled for a moment. "How'm I?" she asks. "I'm... fine? I am fine, right?" Her forehead wrinkles a little. "Is... there a chance I can't leave? Did she do something? She did stare at me..." Her forehead wrinkles more, concern in her expression.

Liya nods her head, looking at Merrisol. She's got oh. wait. She pauses, looks a bit startled and then shakes her head. Then she swims over to Merrisol and Miriam, darting in swiftly. She paid - she was in there, so she's still got her bracelet or handstamp or whatever. Her voice is low as she gets there. "Kerf, I don't have any of your trumps." A smile and a bow of her head to Miriam.

Merrisol offers a minute gesture of uncertainty. "I think she knew you were up to something," he says, "though I don't know if she is capable of stopping you from leaving. She is not this elusive Manager we're hearing about. But to take you across that line, while we are not sure.." He lets the rest of that statement hang a bit obviously, turning again as Liyandra hustles in to join them.. a bold and surprising move, considering.. "You.. have Maggie's though, don't you?" he prompts, bewildered, and glancing beyond Liya to wee if anyone is coming over after the Bikini'd Suhkoti. "I think.. we had best regroup with her, now," he says, decisively reaching back up to pull the trump from under his armband.

Once the trump call ends, Maggie taps the card lightly on her palm, then tucks it away. Turning to Shao, she notes the vellum and stylus. A smile begins and she pushes toward them through the water. Taking them, she nods to Ai and Shao, "Thank you." Setting stylus to the vellum, she begins sketching quickly. Concentrating on the Pattern in her head, she draws on its power and pours it through her arm, through the stylus and onto the vellum. An image of Ai begins to form. The fun thing about trumps is that they draw the essence of someone. Who they are in their core. This one, sadly, will be a bit rough though if it does the job, that is fine. "Okay," she says as she finishes. Looking up at Ai, she smiles, "okay. Uh... You may not have had anyone contact you via trump before. Have you, Ai-san?"

Miriam chews on the bottom of her lip. Liya's arrival gets a smile in return, though it's a distracted one. She looks back to Merrisol, then towards the exit, then back to Merrisol. Finally, she can only shrug. Clearly, she has no idea.

Liya shakes her head again. "No, I have none of your cards, so I wouldn't be able to do much, as a rescue." She frowns briefly. "And I'm not sure how good I am at waiting. Maybe better if I come along?"

"Captain." Shao seems concerned but does not want to distract Maggie too much from her artistry. "Unless Ai-san can come up with a better idea, I fear I will have to try and remove his tattoo without the use of magic." He gives Ai his most apologetic looks as he places his hand upon the handle of his knife. "Time is running short, Ai-san. We cannot risk being discovered and we have nowhere to hide. Please show me your shoulder again, I will try to be quick and gentle." He presses his lips together in a thin line.

Ai squeaks, "wait... wait wait." He darts away from Shao his eyes wide with terror at receiving pain. "Ai has friends." He says quickly as though the pain had suddenly put a lightbulb on in his mind. "Ai stay with them? You come? Quick...."

Merrisol casts Liyandra a chagrinned look sidelong, but he doesn't spend their precious time recounting all those trumped appearances that - ohhh wait, those were Maggie's and Quinlan's trumps then - and instead flips his card for Maggie face up once more. "Yes, you're both coming with. Anyone watching will see us fade out, and with any luck just assume we've left." He sinks his concentration into that card now. "All you need to do now is put your hand on me," he remembers to murmur then.

Maggie lifts her gaze from the vellum, the stylus slipping disasterously to one side, "Oh, Shao, no. I don't think that will be..." Her attention wavers then, "Yes? Oh, Kerf. Hello. I think that Ai might have a better place for us to hide. I'm not sure, though." Blurt. That's apparently something that Maggie is good at. Info dump! It would be better, however, if she had an editor who would fact check, right? Right.

Miriam dutifully rests her hand lightly on Merrisol's arm.

Liya too moves to rest her hand on Kerf's arm.