[Nexus] Underside - The Second!

[The Bushranger]

Jamie gives Natalie a quick smile.
"We're friends now. You don't have to worry about being on your own."

[iElf]

[Temple - Leaving]
She'll get her outta there.

((Well, I'll try to be ready for when I get home tomorrow.))

Din waits until they're out of teleport range, and changes to her normal form, hugging Thruaill "...let's go drinking..."

[Murkus]

[GC]

"I can learn too!" Sarah says, not wanting to be left out. Besides, she doesn't want or need to go to school because of the thing in her brain. Might as well know something that the Object can't show her. "Might be fun."

[The Bushranger]

[GC]

"We can all learn then," Jamie says happily, going to give her adopted sister a hug.

[Murkus]

[GC]

Sarah is hugged! And looks embarassed cuz it's in front of other people. She giggles, scooching away some, before turning to enjoy the scenery a bit more. "Wonder where we're going?"

[Rae Artemi]

[GC]

All? I think Jamie is forgetting one, though Saera's just been silently following along for the past little while. She's not speaking up, though. Learning goblin with all of the other girls could be fun, but in her opinion knowing two languages is enough for now.

[Morty]

[Goblin Colony]

We're going to my place! Brinika announces cheerfully. It's pretty far so we're taking the lizard.

[The Bushranger]

[Goblin Colony]

"First time I've had the chance to ride a beast like this," Jamie says with a smile. "It's really cool!"

[Earl of Purple]

Goblin Colony

"Don't worry, Jamie; I knew that! It's just that private tutors are horrible. I've never ridden a khatzobas before, or anything like one. Or anything alive except my Daddy, now that I think about it." Natalie returns Jamie's smile.

[Murkus]

Goblin Colony

"You don't see a lot of reptiles that get this big." Sarah remarks.

[horngeek]

Goblin Colony

Abigail glances at Natalie at the clarification of 'anything alive'. "In my case, mostly cars and stuff. Too big for Dad to carry me when he adopted me."

[The Bushranger]

GC

"I usually ride my Windblade," Jamie confesses. "I need to practice on it some more..."

[Earl of Purple]

Goblin Colony

"I ride a scooter, sometimes. I can't ride a bike, though, and usually I either walk, take a bus or get Daddy to drive me to places I need to go. I enjoy walking and scootering the most." Scooters are really fun, though likely not quite as fun as a windblade.

[Morty]

[Goblin Colony]

The lizard trods through a long, straight tunnel. It passes by other such lizards on its way, as well as many pedestrian goblins - of note are two goblins in heavy black robes with hoods pulled over that other goblins seem to avoid - and one giant beetle running at a high speed through the tunnel, bearing a goblin rider. The tunnel appears to be a major artery in the colony and branches off into other passages. Finally, they reach another large, circular cavern that appears to lead to several smaller ones. There's a hole in the ceiling through which faded daylight enters the cave. We're here! Brinika announces.

[The Bushranger]

Goblin Colony

"Maybe we could swap sometime? I should show you how to use the windblade and you could show me how to use the scooter?" Jamie asks Natalie with a grin. Even as she nods in agreement with Sarah - then eeps, wide-eyed, as a beetle skids around a corner. "...you don't usually see bugs that big either!"

When they arrive, she grins at Brinika, then looks round.

[Morty]

[Goblin Colony]

The cave is circular and has two levels with four doors on each. There're plaques next to each door. Two stairways link the two levels. The cave's walls are adorned with vines and shiny rocks and crystals that glitter in the dim light entering through the skylight in the ceiling.

[Earl of Purple]

Goblin Colony

"That was a beetle, not a bug. You can tell by the mouthparts; bugs have piercing sucking jaws to eat sap, bug-juices, and so on whilst beetles have mandibles that can cut through things like paper, wood, flesh and bone. And that sounds like a good idea, Jamie. I'll have to find it, though; I left it at home. Oh, wow." Natalie looks around the large chamber, completely awestruck.

[horngeek]

"Aren't beetles just a kind of bug?"

Abigail is pretty sure that's what she's been taught.

She looks around as they enter the new cave, smiling.

Seems a lot more comfortable here than before. Maybe because this cave is open to the air?

[The Bushranger]

[Goblin Colony]

"It bugged me. Therefore, it was a bug," Jamie says matter-of-factly, and looks around in wonderment. "Wow. This is beautiful! Kevin would love it here..."

[Earl of Purple]

Goblin Colony

"People use 'bug' as a catch-all term for all invertebrates, but scientifically speaking, a bug is any insect of the order Hemiptera. A beetle is an insect of the order Coeloptera. Beetles are the largest order of insects; bugs the second." Although I'm not entirely sure I've spelt Hemiptera right. And I really don't like 'bug' being used as a catch-all term; it is a sign of ignorance about the most fascinating animals on the planet.

[Morty]

[Goblin Colony]

Come on, girls, let's go to our house. It's on the second level. Brinika's mother will lead the entire group upstairs towards one of the small doors.
Brinika, meanwhile, nods eagerly. Who's Kevin?

[The Bushranger]

[Goblin Colony]

"Huh," is Jamie's response to Natalie's bug briefing. Before she giggles and blushes a bit at Brinika's question. "Kevin Smith. He lives in Vulpania and he's a druid, he knows lots of things about rocks. He made this for me," she says, holding out her arm and showing the turquoise bracelet.

[Morty]

[Goblin Colony]

Oooh. It's nice. Shiny. Brinika admires the bracelet. She doesn't notice the blush.
Brinika's parents lead the LGS to the door and open it for them. It leads to a small corridor where clothes hang on the walls. The ceiling would be too low for a grown human - who would likely feel much like Gandalf in Bag End - but should be fine for the girls. The dinner will be ready in a moment, Brinika's mother says and she and her husband head off.
Do you wanna see my room before we have dinner? The little goblin asks the rest of the girls.

[Earl of Purple]

Goblin Colony- Brinika's House

Natalie also looks admiringly at the bracelet. "It's very pretty, Jamie." Then, turning to Brinika, she says "Yes, I would. Thank you, Brinika." Because Natalie wouldn't like strange children in her bedroom too much.

[horngeek]

It might be fine for the other girls, but Abigail...

WHACK! "Ow..."

She crouches down, trying to avoid any more close encounters between her forehead and a headboard. "I'd like to, but I'd probably make it a bit crowded."

[Murkus]

Brinika's House

Sarah giggles a bit at Abigail. The little girl heads on through, though, looking forward to some grub.

[Morty]

[Brinika's Hourse]

Brinika leads the Little Girl Squad through the living room and another corridor. The other kids might notice that while the corridors are fairly low, the ceiling in the rooms is much higher.
They eventually reach a square room that's about as tall as it's wide. There's a bit of a mess there, with clothes, toys and various other things strewn over the floor and furniture, which is composed of a large wardrobe, a desk, a chest and a small table. The bed is located in a niche in the wall. Right next to the bed is a circle-shaped box containing a pillow. The whole room is lit by several bowls of the glowing muck - most likely placed there in anticipation of the visit, since Brinika doesn't need so much light - the smoke from which escapes through several ventillation shafts. That's my room! And that pillow over there is for Caretaker.

[The Bushranger]

GC/BH

"I'd love to see it," Jamie says with a smile, nodding thankfully to Natalie - then wincing sympathetically as Abigail whacks her head! [color=yellowgreen"]"Hey, you OK?"[/color] she asks. As they follow Brinika.

"Wow. This is pretty neat!" she says as she takes in the room, giggling a little and smiling as Brinika explains about the pillow.

[horngeek]

"I'm okay, just have to remember not to do it again."

Abigail chuckles, and crouches down, waiting for the LGS to get back.

[Earl of Purple]

Goblin Colony- Brinika's Bedroom

"It's neater than my room at home. How are you so tidy?" Natalie sounds completely serious.