[Nexus] Trog's Tavern CCXXXVI

[Mr. Moon]

The masked, elderly woman puts a gentle, wrinkled hand on her fuzzy little shoulder. "What is the matter, Starchild?" She asks, in that grandmotherly voice of hers. "I understand our arrival might seem somewhat strange, but it's quite simple, really."
She slowly gets back up onto her feet, her knees creaking slightly. Once she's standing, she waves her arm towards a window, where the silhouette of K'rax can be seen."The Warden is too busy Protecting Us All to run the tavern, you see? As Great and Powerful as She may be, she cannot run this Holy Place at the same time. So the Watchers have taken it upon ourselves to Take Her Place. We are quite happy to help out in any way we can, should you allow it."

[Rebonack]

The chimera watches the old woman.

Looks out the window at her Mother as said old woman gestures.

Blinks at the old woman as she explains her reason for being in the tavern.

And then-!

"Ooooh! So you're going to help clean up Trog's and fix sammiches for Mother while she's busy helping the heroes save the Nexus?"

Wow!

That seems like a really nice thing to do.

A beat.

"Does Mother know you're here?"

[Mr. Moon]

"Yes, that is right." Mother Tarid nods, her ferret mask bobbing up and down. "We may not be able to aid The Warden in combating those She Watches, but we're more than able to help Her here."

Turning, she nods at the other masked men and woman, motioning for them to come forward. "Jeffry, I would like you to finish putting all the furniture and table settings back in place." A taller man in a frog mask nods, bows to the chimera, and sets off to do just that. "Allysa, please go see if there's any way for you to help out in the kitchen?" A younger woman with short-cropped blond hair and a zebra mask nods as well, bows to the chimera, and heads off. "Sage, will you stay with my by the counter and serve food to our Customers?" The third figure, an androgynous man in a robin mask nods, bows, and takes his place at Mother Tarid's side.

At the question, Tarid glances at the chimera and chuckles. "Of course she does, Starchild. The Warden knows all."

[Lost_Deep]

Darst finishes his meal and heads back outside. Well, Inside. Hey, he's got stuff to do.

[Rebonack]

"Mother is really smart and she knows a lot of things..." the lil' white chimera replies somewhat hesitantly. "But I don't think she knows-"

Suddenly her little eyes go wide!

"Oh! No, wait! Don't go in there!" she darts around the nice old lady in the ferret mask and goes bounding after the fellow heading for the kitchen! "It's dangerous in there if the Kitchen doesn't know who you are! It might think you're some new meat for the soup!"

Sure enough, above the door, there's a sign that reads 'Employees Only. You've been warned.'

Seems Zee had the forethought to create this particular chimera with a little bit of knowledge about how things work at Trog's. Makes sense due to the fact that this is where she would be keeping Mychasi busy until the Stars Are Right business blows over.

...or until That Day comes.

[Mr. Moon]

Allysa pauses as the little chimera bounds in front of her, taking a half step back. "Oh." She pauses, looking uncertainly at the Kitchen Door, before glancing back at Mother Tarid.

"I see." Says the woman with the ferret mask, walking over to stand behind them. "Is there... a way to get The Kitchen to recognize us, Starchild?" Tarid asks, pulling over a stool and sitting down primly on it."I'm afraid we'll be needing to use it."

[Rebonack]

"Umm... well..." the chimera begins in that quiet voice of hers. "Cosmo or Nina or Paige could introduce you. That would be nice. Or Mother could when she isn't busy-"

She glances toward the window just in time to see K'rax fall.

"-anymore... No! Mother!"

She goes bounding over to the window, hopping up and placing her fuzzy little feets on the window. She watches as the Far Chimera descends. Watches as she strikes the ground and the whole tavern shakes. Watches as the shock-wave approaches, blasting the glass out of nearby buildings.

And only pulls herself away to avoid the flying shards herself.

The lil' chimera plops down on the floor, body shaking and eyes misting. Who's going to give her a name now...?

She begins to cry.

[ThirdEmperor]

Marv sighs, annoyed with the short-sightedness of his comrades. "Kay, fin€, it can g€t wors€. But w€ gotta do so^^€thing."

[Mr. Moon]

Mother Tarid stands as the chimera runs off, helplessly watching as the child witnessed her leviathan mother's death. The Watchers fall into a deep, grim silence as they watch in horror.

Sage, standing by Tarid, edges closer and puts his hand on Tarid's shoulder. The old woman leans on it gratefully, and has to grab the man's arm to steady herself as the earthquake shakes the tavern.

When the shaking fades away, Tarid looks at Sage, patting his hand quietly. The robin-masked man nods and releases her.

"Sage, Jeffry." Mother Tarid says in a soft voice. "Please clean up this mess." The two nod and begin to set about picking up the broken glass.

Walking slowly, on creaky knees, Mother Tarid makes her way across the tavern to the young chimera, and kneels down next to her. Quietly, and with a faint whiff of perfume, Tarid pulls her into an embrace.
"Oh, my child..."

[Rebonack]

For a long time the poor little girl will just cry into the kind woman's robes, even shifting back to her humanoid form to do it. So many conflicting emotions.

Most of them having to do with why anyone would want to harm her Mother.

She's so kind.

She was just trying to help.

Why would anyone do such a horrible thing?

Eventually the sobs quiet slightly.

Eventually she seems content with just clinging to someone.

"My tummy hurts..."

[Mr. Moon]

Mother Tarid sits there with the chimera child for the entire time, kneeling in the broken glass as her followers work around her. She rocks the child back and forth slowly, rubbing her back with an wrinkled hand.

Once the child has calmed down a bit, Tarid gathers the chimera up in her arms, and slowly stands. "I know it does, Starchild." The woman says, swaying back and forth gently to rock the child. "It's okay. How about we go into The Kitchen and Allysa and I will make you something warm so you'll feel better, hm?"

[Rebonack]

And the little girl seems happy with that.

Or...

Not happy.

But comforted to have someone to hold onto. She knows that her mother will wake up eventually. But she doesn't know how long that will be. It's hard to see someone you love hurt.

She clings to the old woman absurdly well.

Probably those gecko toes. The little girl just nods at the offer.

Cosmo mentions that he's cleared several of the cultists for work in the kitchen. She seems to be glad that someone will be picking up the slack with... well... Zee incapacitated. "It'll be a tough here without her. Because she did a lot of work. Not because I'm going to miss her or anything."

...

"I... I've got something in my eye..."

The usually grumpy gnome hurries out of the room.

[Mr. Moon]

Tarid is doing her own part holding the poor dear up. She's a tough old lady, she probably has lots of experience comforting upset grandchildren.

When Cosmo speaks up, Tarid nods and thanks him quietly. She doesn't stop him when he leaves or speak up - the man needed some time on his own.

"Sage, Jeffry, stay out here. Finish cleaning up and let Allysa know if anyone comes in." The two followers nod. Allysa pushes the door open, and she, Tarid and the little chimera Tarid is carrying step inside.

"Hmm. I think hot chocolate is a good place to start, yes?" She pauses and looks down at the child in her arms. "That is, can you eat chocolate, Starchild?" Mother Tarid most certainly did not want to accidentally poison The Warden's daughter. That would be horrible. And since most animals react poorly to chocolate...

[Murkus]

"I... Cannot. It is not a matter of simple desire, or I would rid myself of them, but.... I need them. I do not think I can achieve freedom without their power." Prometheus says, sounding very annoyed at how helpless he is.

"Then I'm afraid there is little I can do for you. Beyond an understanding of the issue and a willingness to listen." Bellan gives a mild, concerned shrug. The giant takes pause at those last few words, however. "You speak of freedom. From what?"

[Rebonack]

"Chocolate is okay," the little girl eventually replies, wriggling slightly to let it be known that she wants down. "I... think we can eat most anything. Mother made sure of that."

Because she's a good Mother and she wants to make sure her children don't go hungry! Very very thoughtful of her.

"Oh! The brownies are done. We should take them out. Mychasi will probably like to have some too."

D'aaww...

She's so thoughtful!

"Mother taught me how to make them like she does. It's important because... she knew she would be going to sleep," she glances up at the kind old lady, her eyes misty again. "And she knew someone would have to make them for her."

[ThirdEmperor]

"Myself. I am not entirely human, I was created, genetically engineered to be the perfect commander for a perfect army. To ensure this, my mind was designed in very specific ways, designed so I cannot forsake my mission." Prometheus says, not entirely sure why he's telling Bellan all this. The drink he ordered not long ago arrives now, and Prometheus stares at it, trying to decide what to do with it.

[Murkus]

"Some sort of mental bonds? Perhaps visiting a psychic would be best." Bellan has trouble pronouncing 'psychic', as those with psionic abilities go by a different name where he comes from.

After a brief hesitation, Bellan also adds, "I could also make an attempt, but I cannot guess at the effectiveness."

[ThirdEmperor]

"I am afraid such a thing would be of little use. The offer is appreciated, but my 'programming' is imprinted directly into my brain, anything that would fix it would also change my personality, thought process, erase memories... I would die in the mental, and I suspect spiritual, sense." Prometheus sighs, picks up the wine and takes a drink. It would be rude not to, after all, and that is the reason he originally came to Trog's.

[Murkus]

"Ah. I see. But you won't get a less damaging solution out of the Objects, I assure you. If you must continue to collect them, I urge you to avoid altering your mind with them."

Bellan sounds especially concerned for this stranger he barely knows. Of course, given his people's 'equal love' philosophy, that might not be too strange.

[ThirdEmperor]

"I had intended to use them to free myself in a less direct manner... My creator did not imprint any commands past the completion of my mission, so my best chance of freedom is to simply do what I was made to do." Prometheus grimaces slightly at the taste of the wine, but it's better than he remembers at least, and he takes a second, much smaller sip. "As regrettable as that is."

[Eadin]

Eadin enters the tavern, still shaking the deadtime dust out of her hair.
Been a while since she went to work, and one needs money.
So she makes her way over to behind the bar, making some sandwiches.

[Baeleck]

Once the brownies had been shoved in the oven, Mychasi had proceeded to nod off, the effort of ferrying, gobbling and then making more brownies having worn him out somewhat. Thus, he's having a little snooze now.

The breaking of glass from the shockwave did not wake him, but of course, the scent of fresh baking is causing him to stir (protip: If you want to wake him, wave something delicious in front of his nose).

[Rebonack]

Brownies are removed from the over by the little girl!

She...

She doesn't even use oven mits. Just pulls that ridiculously hot glass pan out and sets it on some hot-pads behind the counter. The heat doesn't appear to bother her in the slightest.

'cuz chimeras are tough. That's true about far things in general, really.

It'll take a while for the brownies to cool enough to be cut. Though once they are...

The little girl creeps over to the snoozing dragon, brownie in hand.

And waves it under his nose.

Wonder what will happen!

[Baeleck]

The wyrmling's snout twitches.

Then his head.

Then his whole body.

He's not even awake properly when he snaps his little jaws up to try and bite the thing clear out of the little girl's hands!

Said hands might get bitten. But, as was already stated, chimeras are tough. So it's probably no biggie if he does.

[Rebonack]

"Eep!"

The little girl's fingers do indeed get snapped slightly. Though her skin seems to be unnaturally resilient. Feels more like stone than it does like flesh. Hopefully Mychasi doesn't chip a tooth on her. That might hurt!

And that would be terrible.

As soon as the little dragon opens his eyes he'll find the little half-drow girl smiling at him. "Good morning Mychasi," comes that quiet, soothing voice of her's. "I finished the brownies for you. And I think the heroes were able to save the day. Though..."

She glances out the window, longingly looking toward the place K'rax once stood.

"...I think someone hurt Mother..."

[Baeleck]

A reply is given only after he has chomped his way through his 'breakfast'. "Mmrh, so good. Freshly baked... always the best. Oh, er, and good morning."

Heroes saving the day comes as good news. Hooray for the world not ending!

The other news is less good.

"She's hurt? Will... she be okay?" He bites down on his lip. There wasn't much that could hurt Zee, and what could... well, he'd expect it would do a lot of damage.

[Rebonack]

The little girl is nommon on a brownie herself. Though she's not quite as... eerr... enthusiastic about it as Mychasi is.

Just nibbling on a corner of it carefully.

"I think so. Mother can't die. Not forever," the little girl explains. "She'll just take a nap and then it'll be 'kay."

She sounds comforted by saying this out loud.

But she's going to miss her Mother while she's asleep. And she's still sad that someone had the audacity to hurt her!

That makes her so mad!

So mad she could just...

Just...!

"...rawr..."

Rawr very quietly.

[Mr. Moon]

In the meantime, Mother Tarid has set about making some hot chocolate. It's about now that she steps behind the chimera, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and offering her the mug. It's the largest mug she could find in the kitchen, the kind they use to serve ale to dwarves (carefully washed, of course), and it's almost impossible to see the rich, creamy brown goodness below the gigantic amount of marshmallows floating on top.

"Come to the table, Starchild." She says in her soothing grandmother's voice. "Allysa's made you a sandwich, and you have to eat your lunch before you can have dessert." As she speaks, Allysa sets down a plate on the table behind them and Tarid gently tries to guide the chimera towards it. There's also a sandwich for Mychasi, should he want one.

[Rebonack]

The little girl, who we'll call Plum since that's her speech color, obediently walks over to the table and takes her seat. And upon spotting the cup of coco her eyes get about as wide as the mug itself!

She...

She hasn't ever eaten hot coco before.

Before she came to Trog's the only thing she ever ate was a starspawn of Hastur that she had killed. It was terrorizing a family of gnomes and it tasted like old socks.

But then she tried brownies!

And oh my gosh they were so yummy!

Now she gets to try more things!

Plum picks up the sammich, gives the elderly woman a questioning look, and then carefully takes a bite...

[Gullara]

Suddenly! The door opens and a completely unremarkable man walks in.

...

But then suddenly some sort of creature takes advantage of the open door to fly in! It's a strange creature. It's lower body, talons, and tail resemble that of a red-tailed hawk. It's upper body, arms, and head look like a raccoon's. It has the fangs and hood of a king cobra, and on it's back are two sets of bat's wings. It's feathers, fur, and scales are primarily coloured black. Its tail feathers, lighter pattern on its fur, and the sigils on the inside of its hood and outside of its wings are all an iridescent blue.

The chimera flutters across the room and lands on the back of a chair. The star spawn waves one of its little paws at Plum.