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

[Lady Serpentine]

Sorrow and Fear are doing their jobs, looking quite happy that the dwarf didn't share those pancakes.

[Mee]

Naku, at the moment, is just holding her head in her hands, muttering something to herself, rocking back and forth slightly, and generally paying no attention to the world in the slightest.
Someone'll need to poke her to get her attention.

[Lady Serpentine]

Since there aren't really any customers at the moment, Fear heads over, and says "Naku? Are you okay?"

[Mee]

Since there aren't really any customers at the moment, Fear heads over, and says "Naku? Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I'm okay."
Naku says, looking up and smiling at Fear.
"I could just use a salad if you're willing to get me one."

[Slii Arhem]

Naku, at the moment, is just holding her head in her hands, muttering something to herself, rocking back and forth slightly, and generally paying no attention to the world in the slightest.
Someone'll need to poke her to get her attention.

Oh boy, Ceres knows those symptoms, or at least he thinks he does... He's over by Naku's side as quickly as possible, and attempts to put an arm around her shoulders.

"Withdrawal?" his question is simple, but if she's still coherent Naku should know what he means.

[Mee]

Oh boy, Ceres knows those symptoms, or at least he thinks he does... He's over by Naku's side as quickly as possible, and attempts to put an arm around her shoulders.

"Withdrawal?" his question is simple, but if she's still coherent Naku should know what he means.

"Just . . . need some food."
Naku says slowly, shaking her head.

[Lady Serpentine]

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I'm okay."
Naku says, looking up and smiling at Fear.
"I could just use a salad if you're willing to get me one."

Fear returns the smile, and says "Of course I can get you a salad. What do you want in it?"

[Slii Arhem]

Fear returns the smile, and says "Of course I can get you a salad. What do you want in it?"

"Whatever you do, let her pick the dressing." Ceres manages with a smile, although the concern is still apparent on his face.

[Mee]

Fear returns the smile, and says "Of course I can get you a salad. What do you want in it?"

"Anything but meat . . ."
Naku says quietly, still with her head in her hands.

"Whatever you do, let her pick the dressing." Ceres manages with a smile, although the concern is still apparent on his face.

Naku just gives him a fairly weak smile.

[Lady Serpentine]

Fear heads off into the kitchen, to get Naku a very large, and completely meat-free, salad.

[Slii Arhem]

"Anything but meat . . ."
Naku says quietly, still with her head in her hands.

Naku just gives him a fairly weak smile.

"You know, Ceres begins, trying to keep her mind off what he suspects is bothering her, "You did promise me to tell me what the vampires you're used to are like once. If you don't think it would turn your stomache, I'd like to hear it."

[Mee]

Fear heads off into the kitchen, to get Naku a very large, and completely meat-free, salad.

And Naku would be much obliged for it.

"You know, Ceres begins, trying to keep her mind off what he suspects is bothering her, "You did promise me to tell me what the vampires you're used to are like once. If you don't think it would turn your stomache, I'd like to hear it."

"Well . . . they have a choice. And they can either be some of the most powerful beings of the Darkness, or can flat out turn their back on it.
Not . . . not many have, though."
Naku says quietly, waiting on the salad.

[Lady Serpentine]

Fear returns, with the salad, which contains various varieties of cheese, vegetables, and anything else other than meat that would go in a salad, and should be quite delicious.

The Tiefling attempts to hand the massive bowl of food to Naku, saying "Here. Will this work?"

[Slii Arhem]

And Naku would be much obliged for it.

"Well . . . they have a choice. And they can either be some of the most powerful beings of the Darkness, or can flat out turn their back on it.
Not . . . not many have, though."
Naku says quietly, waiting on the salad.

Ceres nods thoughtfully, "Not many who get such a choice would. Is that what you've done?"

[Chezmarine]

Better hope she doesn't mention this to Naku.
While Naku really doesn't mind the other bars, Ashtrek was supposed to be working in the time she, apparently, went off to go frequent another bar.
She might feel slightly betrayed. >_>

Ashtrek Hardly Frequents Trog's and I Doubt she'll be going back for a While.

"Nothing like a Cold Can of Radioactive Cola." She states.

[Mee]

Fear returns, with the salad, which contains various varieties of cheese, vegetables, and anything else other than meat that would go in a salad, and should be quite delicious.

The Tiefling attempts to hand the massive bowl of food to Naku, saying "Here. Will this work?"

Naku just nods, takes the salad, and devours it quickly.

Ceres nods thoughtfully, "Not many who get such a choice would. Is that what you've done?"

Naku nods again.
"The power comes with The Madness. I don't want that.
You saw it yourself . . ."
On that first day. He should remember.

Ashtrek Hardly Frequents Trog's and I Doubt she'll be going back for a While.

"Nothing like a Cold Can of Radioactive Cola." She states.

Not that Naku knows any of that.
Nor does she answer, as she's kinda being all hungry and stuff.

[Slii Arhem]

Naku nods again.
"The power comes with The Madness. I don't want that.
You saw it yourself . . ."
On that first day. He should remember.

Ceres frown deepens. The concern is still there, but it's tinged with a hint of pensive thought, "And there's no way to seperate the two?" Then something else she said during their first meeting clicks, "You said you had to get blood at some point, how long can you go without?"

An Inn really isn't the best place to hold out in the event of a mad vampire attack after all.

[Mee]

Ceres frown deepens. The concern is still there, but it's tinged with a hint of pensive thought, "And there's no way to seperate the two?" Then something else she said during their first meeting clicks, "You said you had to get blood at some point, how long can you go without?"

An Inn really isn't the best place to hold out in the event of a mad vampire attack after all.

"As long as I need to, honestly. I just need plenty of other food.
It's not as good, but it will suffice.

I mean, there were always times back home when there just were no humans. If we couldn't adapt to that, we'd all be gone."
Naku says, sounding much better already.
"And no, not really.
You can't tap into the true power unless you give in to the madness.
What I have now is just a small fraction."
Naku says, shrugging slightly.

[Slii Arhem]

"As long as I need to, honestly. I just need plenty of other food.
It's not as good, but it will suffice.

I mean, there were always times back home when there just were no humans. If we couldn't adapt to that, we'd all be gone."
Naku says, sounding much better already.
"And no, not really.
You can't tap into the true power unless you give in to the madness.
What I have now is just a small fraction."
Naku says, shrugging slightly.

Ceres nods, remembering how tenaciously Naku had fought when she was gorged on blood. "What you have now is enough in my opinion. Despite what you may hear not every barkeep and shopmind needs to be a force of destruction."

He strokes the sparse blonde hair on his chin thoughtfully, how best to put this delicately... "I may be prying here, but can I assume that you and your... other half have merged somewhat? For lack of a better term. It's just I'm having a hard time reconciling the haughty 'I can destroy you with but a thought.' woman I met in a cage so long ago with the gentlebeing before me now."

Well that was certainly... tactful? Certainly never thought I'd see a Demi-Horror hit on a capital V Vampire. But if Naku is looking at Ceres' face she may see a faint glimmer in his eyes. It's clear he's just having a bit of fun.

[NotScaryBats]

A woman -- and she can scarcely be classified as such -- staggers into the room and into a seat, muttering, "Mmmm...Mmm...mmmeat... Nnnneed... Mmmmme...eeeatttt..."

She is incredibly emaciated, to the point of near-mummification. Her hair is shoulder length and scraggly, and is black in color. Her yellow eyes are crazed, looking this way and that. Dressed in once-fine clothes, the woman looks like she walked through several deserts, marshes, and acres if sticker bushes to get here.

[Lady Serpentine]

Fear, after taking one look at her, runs into the kitchen to get her some, shouting to Sorrow to get her something to drink as she does.

[Mee]

Ceres nods, remembering how tenaciously Naku had fought when she was gorged on blood. "What you have now is enough in my opinion. Despite what you may hear not every barkeep and shopmind needs to be a force of destruction."

He strokes the sparse blonde hair on his chin thoughtfully, how best to put this delicately... "I may be prying here, but can I assume that you and your... other half have merged somewhat? For lack of a better term. It's just I'm having a hard time reconciling the haughty 'I can destroy you with but a thought.' woman I met in a cage so long ago with the gentlebeing before me now."

Well that was certainly... tactful? Certainly never thought I'd see a Demi-Horror hit on a capital V Vampire. But if Naku is looking at Ceres' face she may see a faint glimmer in his eyes. It's clear he's just having a bit of fun.

"No. No we haven't 'merged'.
She's . . . the one you saw?
Was The Madness.
I don't want to let that side of me out again.

Okay, so, the way the Madness works,"
Naku says, taking a deep breath, and slowly releasing it.
"The more that I feed, the more powerful and domineering it will get. Until one day it's in control, and can keep me shunned off to the side.
I'd rather not have that. . ."
Should this make any sense or not, would probably depend on Ceres himself.

[Slii Arhem]

"No. No we haven't 'merged'.
She's . . . the one you saw?
Was The Madness.
I don't want to let that side of me out again.

Okay, so, the way the Madness works,"
Naku says, taking a deep breath, and slowly releasing it.
"The more that I feed, the more powerful and domineering it will get. Until one day it's in control, and can keep me shunned off to the side.
I'd rather not have that. . ."
Should this make any sense or not, would probably depend on Ceres himself.

Hmmm, I guess subtle flirting isn't really working, "That's good. I'd much prefer you over her any day." Ceres attempts to put one of his hands on Naku's shoulder.

"Not that Crazy Naku wasn't a barrel of laughs to be around mind you, but you're more my cup of tea." There, now he's gone out and said it. Let's see if she can stay mopey and dramatic while he tries to embarrass her out of her skin.

[Mee]

Hmmm, I guess subtle flirting isn't really working, "That's good. I'd much prefer you over her any day." Ceres attempts to put one of his hands on Naku's shoulder.

"Not that Crazy Naku wasn't a barrel of laughs to be around mind you, but you're more my cup of tea." There, now he's gone out and said it. Let's see if she can stay mopey and dramatic while he tries to embarrass her out of her skin.

Naku just "Heh."s.
"Well, I'll keep doing what I can to keep her gone. Promise."
Then, with one last sigh, Naku stands back up.
"Well then. Back to work, eh?"

[Slii Arhem]

Naku just "Heh."s.
"Well, I'll keep doing what I can to keep her gone. Promise."
Then, with one last sigh, Naku stands back up.
"Well then. Back to work, eh?"

"Mmmm, looks like you've got one sick puppy of a customer over there, but I think I saw the doublemint twins taking care of it." Ceres gestures to the desicated woman near the door.

"Let me know if you need me for anything, for now, I think I'll try my hand at barding." He reaches up to scratch his hair, and when it passes behind an ear he plucks a harmonica from nowhere and begins to play a slow, deep melody.

(In reality, he's just using his psionic ability to shape sound to mimic a tune he's heard. It's the same way he spoke back before he developed real vocal cords. The harmonica is just an illusion wrapped around a block of wood.)

[Mee]

"Mmmm, looks like you've got one sick puppy of a customer over there, but I think I saw the doublemint twins taking care of it." Ceres gestures to the desicated woman near the door.

"Let me know if you need me for anything, for now, I think I'll try my hand at barding." He reaches up to scratch his hair, and when it passes behind an ear he plucks a harmonica from nowhere and begins to play a slow, deep melody.

(In reality, he's just using his psionic ability to shape sound to mimic a tune he's heard. It's the same way he spoke back before he developed real vocal cords. The harmonica is just an illusion wrapped around a block of wood.)

"Aaaall right. Good luck with it."
Naku says, back to serving drinks.

Though the music was fun to listen to.
Even if it was fake.

[Slii Arhem]

"Aaaall right. Good luck with it."
Naku says, back to serving drinks.

Though the music was fun to listen to.
Even if it was fake.

Oh no, the music is real, it's just made up of ambient noise twisted to sound differently. The harmonica is definitely fake though.

"Well geeze lady, s'not like anyone around here is looking for a tall tale. Besides, we're short one bard, so I may as well pull double duty for now."

Ceres changes his tune a bit, pulling a (fake) banjo out from behind his back before beginning to strum a quick little ditty that sounds like it came straight from a port town.

True to what he told Naku during his job "interview" he doesn't attempt to sing. No sense scaring off more customers after all.

[Mee]

Oh no, the music is real, it's just made up of ambient noise twisted to sound differently. The harmonica is definitely fake though.

"Well geeze lady, s'not like anyone around here is looking for a tall tale. Besides, we're short one bard, so I may as well pull double duty for now."

Ceres changes his tune a bit, pulling a (fake) banjo out from behind his back before beginning to strum a quick little ditty that sounds like it came straight from a port town.

True to what he told Naku during his job "interview" he doesn't attempt to sing. No sense scaring off more customers after all.

"S'true. Honestly, at the moment, we have too many people working here, and not enough customers."
Naku says, sighing slightly.

[Slii Arhem]

"S'true. Honestly, at the moment, we have too many people working here, and not enough customers."
Naku says, sighing slightly.

"Yup, it's almost as if there are, y'know, Other bars around that are drawing all the customers away. Perish the thought." Ceres grins at the little barb. As nice as this place is for folks like him, it would have to do some serious advertising to regain some of its former glory in his opinion.

[Lady Serpentine]

Sorrow arrives at the half-dead woman's table with a massive pitcher of water, and a large glass.


Meanwhile, Fear is cooking plenty of meat for her in the kitchen.