[Nexus] The Dancing Fox Inn II: Title, Title, Who's Got The Title?

[Lady Serpentine]

Oh!
Oooooohohooohohohoh!
You haven't met the elf yet!

He's a slightly crazed looking elf, sitting off at a random table, nursing a mug of something, and mumbling about 'lost treasure' and 'bloody dragons'.



Aaaand a few moments after Naku heads behind the blanky, she comes back out, grinning.
"Ready?"
She asks Sorrow.

"Yep. As long as you don't mind if Fear and I take a bit of time off, we should be able to make some good stuff. Good enough to sell, hopefully."

[Mee]

"Yep. As long as you don't mind if Fear and I take a bit of time off, we should be able to make some good stuff. Good enough to sell, hopefully."

"What?
Oh, I just meant for doing this."
Naku says, pulling down the blanket.

Whoa!
The wall!
It be fixed!

[LadyOfWar]

He's a slightly crazed looking elf, sitting off at a random table, nursing a mug of something, and mumbling about 'lost treasure' and 'bloody dragons'.

Lady Raennal re-enters the inn and slowly heads for the counter. She still holds her head high and moves with the grace of a tigress, but her gait is slower and exhaustion shows at the corners of her eyes.

Along her way she passes the random table, only to hear the Elf once again mumble “bloody dragons”. This clearly piques her curiosity. Her eyebrows go up, and she starts to turn toward him, but for the moment exhaustion wins out. She finishes her walk to the counter and addresses Naku. “May I have two rooms for the night, please? Also, two stalls in the stables for my horses.”

Perhaps once she’s secured lodging she will investigate this matter of Elves mumbling about dragons.

[Mee]

Lady Raennal re-enters the inn and slowly heads for the counter. She still holds her head high and moves with the grace of a tigress, but her gait is slower and exhaustion shows at the corners of her eyes.

Along her way she passes the random table, only to hear the Elf once again mumble “bloody dragons”. This clearly piques her curiosity. Her eyebrows go up, and she starts to turn toward him, but for the moment exhaustion wins out. She finishes her walk to the counter and addresses Naku. “May I have two rooms for the night, please? Also, two stalls in the stables for my horses.”

Perhaps once she’s secured lodging she will investigate this matter of Elves mumbling about dragons.

"Hmm? Oh, of course.
The rooms upstairs are free, except for the one in the back where my kids stay, so you're welcome to whichever rooms you want.
Though I'm afraid that you'll have to stable your own horses. Room is yours, but you'll have to tie them up.
I've never been that great with horses."
Naku says, grinning crookedly.

[Chezmarine]

Ashtrek smites the Horrible Butterfly with her Katana, Wrath of Amaterasu.


"DIE FIEND!"

[Lady Serpentine]

"What?
Oh, I just meant for doing this."
Naku says, pulling down the blanket.

Whoa!
The wall!
It be fixed!

"How does that work, anyway? What can you tell me about the magics involved?"

[Chezmarine]

"Fear Not, Naku. I have dispatched the fiend."
Ashtrek smiles.

[Mindfreak]

“I’m ready for anything you are!” Thein says with gusto. He grabs a handful of Songdancer’s purple mane, just in case he’ll need it to steady himself, but he does not pull on the pony’s hair.

Just then Lady Raennal steps out of the Dancing Fox’s door. She takes in the entire sight at a glance. The twin mustaches warrant a brief squint of confusion, then she just smiles slightly and shakes her head as a rather exasperated mother would. “I should have known you’d end up riding anything equine we encounter.” She says to Thein.

After giving Songdancer a quick glance over Raennal clearly decides that the cute, brightly-colored black and purple pony means her young friend no harm. “Bring him back in one piece.” She says to Songdancer.

Then she turns back toward the door. "I'll be inside, getting keys to our rooms. Don't go too far." She tells Thein.

Songdancer began trying to cloak both him and Thein in his shadowy aura as he began to levitate himself through the air with Thein on his back!
After a bit of flying he'll levitate himself down again.
"How was that?"

[Mee]

"How does that work, anyway? What can you tell me about the magics involved?"

"The inn . . .
According to something I found under the counter, has this . . .

It heals itself, basically.
It just needed a kick-start.
Besides that, the magic is beyond me."

"Fear Not, Naku. I have dispatched the fiend."
Ashtrek smiles.

"Thank you, Ashtrek.
Those things are deadly."
Naku thanks her, smiling.

[Chezmarine]

"Thank you, Ashtrek.
Those things are deadly."
Naku thanks her, smiling.

"You're Welcome. I wouldn't want it Hurting You."
Ashtrek bows. She practically Naku's Bodyguard now.

[LadyOfWar]

"Hmm? Oh, of course.
The rooms upstairs are free, except for the one in the back where my kids stay, so you're welcome to whichever rooms you want.
Though I'm afraid that you'll have to stable your own horses. Room is yours, but you'll have to tie them up.
I've never been that great with horses."
Naku says, grinning crookedly.

“Thank you.” She replies to Naku. “I always stable my own horses. Are there keys for the rooms?” Naku’s mention that she is not good with horses, and something in Naku’s smile make her uneasy, though she hides it well. Just then she is abruptly interrupted.

Ashtrek smites the Horrible Butterfly with her Katana, Wrath of Amaterasu.


"DIE FIEND!"

The sudden shout causes the Lady to spin around toward Ashtrek’s direction, both of her swords out in an instant and ready for trouble. Her long hair swirls around her as she turns, emphasizing the grace of her movements.

Seeing nothing at the end of Ashtrek’s sword she asks, “What is it?” from between clenched teeth.

When Naku responds calmly, she begins to relax. “What was that? I see nothing.”

Meanwhile, outside the inn:

Songdancer began trying to cloak both him and Thein in his shadowy aura as he began to levitate himself through the air with Thein on his back!
After a bit of flying he'll levitate himself down again.
"How was that?"

“Whahooo!” Thein says as they take off. “That was amazing! Can we do it again? How high can you go?”

Caramel grumbles a little, uncertain of this new development. “Be careful! Thein cannot fly. From that height he could break an arm if he falls.” The pony says to Songdancer, sounding very responsible and protective of his human.

[Chezmarine]

The sudden shout causes the Lady to spin around toward Ashtrek’s direction, both of her swords out in an instant and ready for trouble. Her long hair swirls around her as she turns, emphasizing the grace of her movements.

Seeing nothing at the end of Ashtrek’s sword she asks, “What is it?” from between clenched teeth.

When Naku responds calmly, she begins to relax. “What was that? I see nothing.”

"An Evil Bloodsucking Mothran." She growls, Picking up the Dead Bloodsucking Butterfly.

[Lady Serpentine]

"The inn . . .
According to something I found under the counter, has this . . .

It heals itself, basically.
It just needed a kick-start.
Besides that, the magic is beyond me."

"Hm... Would you mind if Torment takes a look at the enchantments?"

[Mee]

“Thank you.” She replies to Naku. “I always stable my own horses. Are there keys for the rooms?” Naku’s mention that she is not good with horses, and something in Naku’s smile make her uneasy, though she hides it well. Just then she is abruptly interrupted.

"Yeah, the keys are in the rooms; Hanging on a nail, just to the left of the door."

And then back to Sorrow:
"By all means. You're welcome to. Just don't break them, please."

[Lady Serpentine]

"Yeah, the keys are in the rooms; Hanging on a nail, just to the left of the door."

And then back to Sorrow:
"By all means. You're welcome to. Just don't break them, please."

"Of course. Does the magic restore ingredients and such when it fixes things?"

[LadyOfWar]

"An Evil Bloodsucking Mothran." She growls, Picking up the Dead Bloodsucking Butterfly.

Seeing the source of the commotion lying dead in Ashtrek’s hand (or should one say paw?) the Lady gracefully slips her swords back into their sheaths.

"Yeah, the keys are in the rooms; Hanging on a nail, just to the left of the door."

“Thank you, Ma’am.” She replies to Naku, without turning back toward the vampire. The calmness of the vampire’s reply seems out of place when moments before, just across the barroom, a she-wolf was swinging her sword and shouting. Raenall is focused on Ashtrek now. “This requires a closer look.” She says simply, and walks over to the she-wolf.

She inspects the butterfly as closely as Ashtrek will let her. “Those are dangerous here?” Her tone is incredulous. “It looks like a butterfly. May I see it closer?” She holds out her hand.

[Mee]

"Of course. Does the magic restore ingredients and such when it fixes things?"

Naku nods at the woman's back, then replies to Sorrow.
"No. Those come from separate sources downstairs.
I'll show you, if you like."

[Chezmarine]

Seeing the source of the commotion lying dead in Ashtrek’s hand (or should one say paw?) the Lady gracefully slips her swords back into their sheaths.



“Thank you, Ma’am.” She replies to Naku, without turning back toward the vampire. The calmness of the vampire’s reply seems out of place when moments before, just across the barroom, a she-wolf was swinging her sword and shouting. Raenall is focused on Ashtrek now. “This requires a closer look.” She says simply, and walks over to the she-wolf.

She inspects the butterfly as closely as Ashtrek will let her. “Those are dangerous here?” Her tone is incredulous. “It looks like a butterfly. May I see it closer?” She holds out her hand.

Ashtrek Looks at her and Shows her her Paw.
"No Idea. I asked Naku. I don't have them where i'm from."

[Lady Serpentine]

Naku nods at the woman's back, then replies to Sorrow.
"No. Those come from separate sources downstairs.
I'll show you, if you like."

Sorrow nods.

"Sounds good to me."

[Mee]

Sorrow nods.

"Sounds good to me."

"All right, come with me."
Naku says, opening the trapdoor hidden away behind the bar.

She drops down first, then waits for Sorrow to catch up.

[Lady Serpentine]

"All right, come with me."
Naku says, opening the trapdoor hidden away behind the bar.

She drops down first, then waits for Sorrow to catch up.

Sorrow follows, making sure not to drop onto her, and looks around.

[LadyOfWar]

Ashtrek Looks at her and Shows her her Paw.
"No Idea. I asked Naku. I don't have them where i'm from."

Lady Raennall takes the smashed butterfly carefully from Ashtrek's paw and examines it.

The now crumpled wings are rusty red with dark black lines running along the veins. She looks closely at the butterfly’s proboscis. It coils into an adorable curl.

“It is called a butterfly. We have many where I am from, but they are rarely this colorful. Usually they are brown. They drink from flowers.”

[Chezmarine]

Lady Raennall takes the smashed butterfly carefully from Ashtrek's paw and examines it.

The now crumpled wings are rusty red with dark black lines running along the veins. She looks closely at the butterfly’s probiscus. It coils into an adorable curl.

“It is called a butterfly. We have many where I am from, but they are rarely this colorful. Usually they are brown. They drink from flowers.”

"A Butterfly? So it doesn't Suck Blood?" She asks.

[Mee]

Sorrow follows, making sure not to drop onto her, and looks around.

Downstairs is fairly small. Maybe a 10 by 15 foot room, with a large barrel on one wall.
Each of the walls leading to it is lined with bottles upon bottles upon bottles of drink.
There's also a cupboard on the last wall, just behind where the ladder drops them down to.

"That,"
Naku says, pointing at the giant barrel.
"Makes drinks.
And that."
She says, pointing at the cupboard.
"Is where all the food comes from.
All of it."

[Lady Serpentine]

Downstairs is fairly small. Maybe a 10 by 15 foot room, with a large barrel on one wall.
Each of the walls leading to it is lined with bottles upon bottles upon bottles of drink.
There's also a cupboard on the last wall, just behind where the ladder drops them down to.

"That,"
Naku says, pointing at the giant barrel.
"Makes drinks.
And that."
She says, pointing at the cupboard.
"Is where all the food comes from.
All of it."

"Enchanted, I take it?", he says, examining it closely.

[LadyOfWar]

"A Butterfly? So it doesn't Suck Blood?" She asks.

"No, this one does not." She turns the butterfly over and gently prods its mouthpiece with one finger. "This is its mouth, and as you can see, it is not sharp enough to pierce the skin."

She holds it out to the wolf again.

"But where I come from we do have insects that suck blood, so your confusion is understandable." She adds with an understanding smile.

[Mee]

"Enchanted, I take it?", he says, examining it closely.

"Both, heavily."
Naku says, nodding.

Nothing too special about either one. They look all . . . plain. And boring.

[Mindfreak]

“Whahooo!” Thein says as they take off. “That was amazing! Can we do it again? How high can you go?”

Caramel grumbles a little, uncertain of this new development. “Be careful! Thein cannot fly. From that height he could break an arm if he falls.” The pony says to Songdancer, sounding very responsible and protective of his human.

"<Calm down Caramel! If he falls I'll levitate him to safety!>"
Then he looks back at Thein.
"Sorry Thein, but that's all I can do. Truth is, riders are uncomfortable for me, so even lifting you up for this special honor felt weird."

[Chezmarine]

"No, this one does not." She turns the butterfly over and gently prods its mouthpiece with one finger. "This is its mouth, and as you can see, it is not sharp enough to pierce the skin."

She holds it out to the wolf again.

"But where I come from we do have insects that suck blood, so your confusion is understandable." She adds with an understanding smile.

"We mostly have Beetles. Funny looking round things that fly around." She says.

[LadyOfWar]

"<Calm down Caramel! If he falls I'll levitate him to safety!>"
Then he looks back at Thein.
"Sorry Thein, but that's all I can do. Truth is, riders are uncomfortable for me, so even lifting you up for this special honor felt weird."

Caramel lowers his head a little, “I apologize,” he says in equine, “I should know you would not allow him to be hurt.”

Thein dismounts from the pony. “Oh, I understand,” he says. “Thank you so much for the honor of flying with you.” He gives Caramel a half-nod half-bow that he clearly has given many times before. It would be reasonable to assume it is a custom in his land.

"We mostly have Beetles. Funny looking round things that fly around." She says.

This makes the lady smile and her green eyes shine. “We, too, have beetles, many many kinds in all different colors. I like the big brown ones that buzz around in the spring. They have fuzz under their big brown shells.”

She offers to hand the butterfly back to Ashtrek.