[Nexus]The Dancing Fox Inn IV: Strangely, More Wolves Than Foxes

[LadyOfWar]

[Stables]

No one stops Banana Cream from heading off, they just wave and whinny goodby as fits their species.

Thein goes about feeding the horses, talking with them all the while.

[In the Inn]

"Oh, certainly, though there is not much to tell. Where I am from vampires are more a legend than a reality. There are supposed to be some in the south, but I did not ever meet one during my time there. According to the legends, the vampires of my land cannot fight their blood-drive, they cannot survive the sun, and to be bitten by one results in death or being turned into a vampire. As I was exposed to more and more of the strange creatures found south of our borders I became very wary."

[Mee]

[In the Inn]

"Oh, certainly, though there is not much to tell. Where I am from vampires are more a legend than a reality. There are supposed to be some in the south, but I did not ever meet one during my time there. According to the legends, the vampires of my land cannot fight their blood-drive, they cannot survive the sun, and to be bitten by one results in death or being turned into a vampire. As I was exposed to more and more of the strange creatures found south of our borders I became very wary."

Naku nods.
"Sounds about right. Back home they don't fight the urge, simply because they don't want to.
The power it offers is . . .
Amazing, if you feed it.


Back home, Vampires . . . well, no one knows where they came from, but it's a disease.
That's all it is. From what I hear, the ones here are already dead, which I don't understand much.
How can they be dead yet still moving?"

[Lady Serpentine]

She cracks her knuckles and...
First, she causes herself to appear fully human. Then she runs through a few other appearances, including L'lanyaea's and those of a few passerby.

"Nice job, Carciza. You should make a fine Illusionist quite soon, if you haven't already. Not many are that quick at switching illusions."

[Beans]

"Nice job, Carciza. You should make a fine Illusionist quite soon, if you haven't already. Not many are that quick at switching illusions."

The execuloth chitters pleasedly yet again, enjoying the praise.

[Lady Serpentine]

The execuloth chitters pleasedly yet again, enjoying the praise.

L'lanyaea smiles at her, glad that her new companion is happy.

"Do you like reading, or anything else like that? I don't have that much back at the warehouse, other than some reference texts, but if you want, I can pick some things up while we're out..."

[Beans]

Perhaps some texts on somewhat obscure schools of magic, unless you currently have some?

[LadyOfWar]

Naku nods.
"Sounds about right. Back home they don't fight the urge, simply because they don't want to.
The power it offers is . . .
Amazing, if you feed it.


Back home, Vampires . . . well, no one knows where they came from, but it's a disease.
That's all it is. From what I hear, the ones here are already dead, which I don't understand much.
How can they be dead yet still moving?"

"Where I am from Vampires are said to be created by Dark Mages and it is their evil magic that causes the dead to act alive. I do not know how true that is, but I have met some of those mages, and they are indeed evil. I believe it is possible their crazed followers' ritualistic killings may be the cause of the legends."

[Lady Serpentine]

Perhaps some texts on somewhat obscure schools of magic, unless you currently have some?

"I might. What schools are you thinking of?"

[Beans]

"I might. What schools are you thinking of?"

She lists a few weird ones. They're... I can't think of things right now, but trust me on how weird they are.

[Lady Serpentine]

She lists a few weird ones. They're... I can't think of things right now, but trust me on how weird they are.

"Hm... I might have one or two books in one of those, but that would be it. So we'll definitely swing into an arcane bookstore on the way home."

[usourselves&we]

The woman in a gas-mask finds her way to a small table. Sitting down she looks across the table to the empty seat in front of her, as if someone was just there a moment ago. If one would be able to see through the mask they would see a frown cross her face after a minute of watching the empty space.
---
From the main door walks what some would mistake as the soldier’s sister. Her face seems to not be covered, but the trained eye may see the glint of a force field as she breathes, she is clothed in a pure white suit that covers all of her skin below the neckline.

The woman in white takes her sweet time walking to the occupied table, when she gets there the soldier is furious.

“Why do you waste both of our time by taking the slow path!”

Unfazed by the comment the woman in white speaks “You are not here to meet yourself, my junior.”

“I’m meeting you aren’t I.”

“Only for your ineptitude.”

Irritated the soldier stands “Look just tell me who I’m meeting today if it is not you!”

“I can’t think for you all the time, otherwise you will never become me.” With that the woman in white vanishes, leaving the soldier irate with half a mind to rip off her mask and succumb to the madness in the air.

Unless approached the woman in the gas-mask will walk up to the bar still muttering under her breath about the recent encounter, and probably take a seat next to Maerndra.

[Zefir]

Fade stands up and goes behind the bar. he places himself in front of the woman with the gas mask and Maerndra.

"Can I bring you anything now?"

[Lady Serpentine]

Maerndra, who has short, somewhat spiky, brown hair, and a green right - her left having been replaced with a clock face, it's impossible to tell if her it matched - eye, is wearing a fairly nice red dress, and has quite a few odd symbols tattooed on her body at various points, some of which are still filling in, as though they're in the process of being applied, looks over at the woman in the gas mask curiously, ignoring Fade for now, as she already has a drink she hasn't finished.

"I overheard your conversation... I don't usually meet anyone else who messes with time. At least, I'm assuming that's what you do. That was a future you, right?"

[usourselves&we]

Fade stands up and goes behind the bar. he places himself in front of the woman with the gas mask and Maerndra.

"Can I bring you anything now?"

To Fade as she rubs her temples “It’s very, very tempting, but I’ll pass.” Yeah for will-power!

Maerndra, who has short, somewhat spiky, brown hair, and a green right - her left having been replaced with a clock face, it's impossible to tell if her it matched - eye, is wearing a fairly nice red dress, and has quite a few odd symbols tattooed on her body at various points, some of which are still filling in, as though they're in the process of being applied, looks over at the woman in the gas mask curiously, ignoring Fade for now, as she already has a drink she hasn't finished.

"I overheard your conversation... I don't usually meet anyone else who messes with time. At least, I'm assuming that's what you do. That was a future you, right?"

The woman in a blue military uniform continues her massage not turning to greet the traveler that is now talking to her. Irritation still plainly in her words “That would be her, yes.”

Quite plainly mad at her would-be-self she failed to hear the note that was just laid about Maerndra’s own standing with time.

[Mee]

"Where I am from Vampires are said to be created by Dark Mages and it is their evil magic that causes the dead to act alive. I do not know how true that is, but I have met some of those mages, and they are indeed evil. I believe it is possible their crazed followers' ritualistic killings may be the cause of the legends."

"Well that . . . that sounds cheerful.

But if they were created by dark magic, can they still infect others by biting them?"
Naku asks, eyebrow raised.
"And if so, how would that even work? Would it spread the dark magic?"

[Zefir]

"I'm not sure what you mean."

Fade shrugs. Tempting? Did he do anything wrong? Well maybe this is this kind of metathore which should tell you to go.

[Mindfreak]

Seeing no reason to stop singing, Songdancer begins an edited version of a song some of you might know.

"My name is Songdancer (Hello!)
And I am here to say (How ya doin'?)
I'm gonna make you smile
And I will brighten up your day
It doesn't matter now (What's up?)
If you are sad or blue (Howdy!)
Cuz cheering up my friends
Is just what 'Dancer's here to do!
Cuz I love to make you smile, smile, smile!
Yes I do!
It fills my heart with sunshine all the while!
Yes it does!

Cuz all I really need's a smile, smile, smile
From these happy friends of mine!
I'd like to see you grin. (Awesome!)
I'd love to see you beam. (Rock on!)
The corners of your mouth turned up
is always 'Dancer's dream. (Hoof-bump!)
But if you're kind of worried,
And your face has made a frown,
I'll work real hard and do my best
To turn that sad frown upside down!
Cuz I love to make you grin, grin, grin!
Yes I do!
Bust it out from ear to ear!
Let it begin!

Just give me a joyful grin, grin, grin!
And ya feel me with good cheer!
It's true some days are dark and lonely.
And maybe you feel sad?
But 'Dancer will be there to,
Show you that it isn't that bad!
There is one thing that makes me happy,
And makes my whole life worthwhile!
And that's when I talk to my friends and get them to smile!
I really am so happy
Your smile fills me with glee.
I give a smile, I get a smile
And that's so special to me.
Cuz I love to see you beam, beam, beam!
Yes I do!
Tell me what more can I say to make you see,
That I do!?
It makes me happy when you beam, beam, beam!
Yes it always makes my day!


Come on everypony
Smile, smile, smile!
Fill my heart up with sunshine,
Sunshine!
All I really need's a smile, smile, smile!
From these happy friends of mine!
From these happy friends of mine!
Yes the perfect gift for me! (Come on everypony, smile, smile, smile)
Is a smile as wide as a mile! (Fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine)
To make me happy as can be! (All I really need's a smile, smile, smile from these happy friend of-)
Smile!
Smile!
Smile!
Smile!
Smile!
Come on and Smile!
Come on and Smile!"

[Beans]

"Hm... I might have one or two books in one of those, but that would be it. So we'll definitely swing into an arcane bookstore on the way home."

She chitters happily.

[Lady Serpentine]

The woman in a blue military uniform continues her massage not turning to greet the traveler that is now talking to her. Irritation still plainly in her words “That would be her, yes.”

Quite plainly mad at her would-be-self she failed to hear the note that was just laid about Maerndra’s own standing with time.

"So, how did you split off a full body? The most I can usually do is pull parts of myself from the future/past."

---------

L'lanyaea smiles, finishing her drink, though she doesn't order another just yet.

"Let me know when you're ready, then."

It's worth noting, given Carciza's background, that the summoner doesn't sound impatient.

[Beans]

She finishes her own drink and stands.

[Lady Serpentine]

The war-mage stands with her.

Presumably, they head off to Mallside, to acquire books?

[Beans]

Probably, but we could handwave that as I have to sleep quite soonly.
Soonly is totally a word.
EDIT: Whoomp, there I go off into the clouds. Nighty!

[usourselves&we]

"So, how did you split off a full body? The most I can usually do is pull parts of myself from the future/past."

Regaining some semblance of control “Pulling a body-part across time? That sounds rather . . . painful.” Skillful/not so skillful dodge of the question. This little lady has no clue how she can do what she does (though the player knows of course).

[Lady Serpentine]

Probably, but we could handwave that as I have to sleep quite soonly.
Soonly is totally a word.
EDIT: Whoomp, there I go off into the clouds. Nighty!

Night! And in that case, let's just play it out in the morning.

Regaining some semblance of control “Pulling a body-part across time? That sounds rather . . . painful.” Skillful/not so skillful dodge of the question. This little lady has no clue how she can do what she does (though the player knows of course).

"It's more like... Instantaneous transference. If I were pull a finger across time for some reason - for example, to help in a future fight where it was damaged - current-me's finger would appear in its place, attached and as functional as it was here. The exception would be if I got, say, a prosthetic hand. Then a me with that same hand would have to do it, because a fleshy finger, or one from a different model of hand, wouldn't attach right, unless, possibly, it was a tank-grown limb, rather than cybernetic."

[LadyOfWar]

"Well that . . . that sounds cheerful.

But if they were created by dark magic, can they still infect others by biting them?"
Naku asks, eyebrow raised.
"And if so, how would that even work? Would it spread the dark magic?"

"Hmmm... that is a good question. It is said to be a curse, so perhaps it spreads the mark of the curse and gives the mage some degree of control? I do not know. We do not touch such topics in the Northlands. Our powers do not come from evil pacts with darkness, instead we are blessed with Talent that comes to us naturally. We have no witches, no wizards, no mages."

[usourselves&we]

"It's more like... Instantaneous transference. If I were pull a finger across time for some reason - for example, to help in a future fight where it was damaged - current-me's finger would appear in its place, attached and as functional as it was here. The exception would be if I got, say, a prosthetic hand. Then a me with that same hand would have to do it, because a fleshy finger, or one from a different model of hand, wouldn't attach right, unless, possibly, it was a tank-grown limb, rather than cybernetic."

“I see. . .” she is now thinking about how that compares to her experience. “Do you need to stand in the same location you are sending the limb?” (The soldier’s superhero nickname would be Inquisitive Girl (just don’t ever tell her that), but if it weren’t for that she would never become the scientist (aka the woman in white).)

[Lady Serpentine]

“I see. . .” she is now thinking about how that compares to her experience. “Do you need to stand in the same location you are sending the limb?” (The soldier’s superhero nickname would be Inquisitive Girl (just don’t ever tell her that), but if it weren’t for that she would never become the scientist (aka the woman in white).)

Maerndra shakes her head, smiling, apparently quite happy to talk about this.

"Nope. For example, I got these tattoos a few weeks from now in Inside. And the dress comes from just before a formal event several years ago on another planet, though in that case, I re-patterned the clothes I was wearing while they were in transit."

((Deadtime, possibly until morning.))

[usourselves&we]

“So . . . do you know much about your future?” Hmm. It might be an uncomfortable topic if the question was reversed, but it would probably explain a good bit about her.

((We'll probably be back 11 hours from this post. . . maybe.))

[Lady Serpentine]

"It's not set, so... Not a lot. For example, if the tattoo artist that gives me these gets shot before I would have gotten them, they'll vanish. Or if I were to bring my drink from ten minutes ahead back to now, but drop the original in five minutes, the only copy of it around will be the that I dropped."

"There's no legal restrictions on learning to use magic where I come from, and magicians of all strengths come from a variety of sources. While there are aristocrats who are bred for better magical abilities, magic isn't an entirely predictable thing, and you never really know how much innate talent you'll have. After that, training can improve it, but it's not a class division there - more of a division based on ability and willingness to learn more."

Xalicus paused to take a few breaths before continuing, contemplating the addition of techniques for monologuing without wearing out your voice to the standard arcane curriculum. "And the personality-based powers... Well, I believe you know magic, so do you find it easier to cast spells that fit you?"

"I'm back!" Kyinde, having finished her dragon-petting, took her seat with them once again. "I was just helping with an argument and getting a job."

"...Of course, the connections can sometimes be rather unexpected."

"In that I've mostly learned spells that fit the types of things I'll want to do, and practiced those more, as I'm more likely to use them, yes. But otherwise, not really. But I'm not fully human, so my magic is, in some respects, a bit different from that of those that are. You'd have to talk to a Sorcerer for that. Of course, if you want to, there have been rumors that one, and his Bond-Mate, are in Inside, so we might be able to track them down..."

[Mee]

"Hmmm... that is a good question. It is said to be a curse, so perhaps it spreads the mark of the curse and gives the mage some degree of control? I do not know. We do not touch such topics in the Northlands. Our powers do not come from evil pacts with darkness, instead we are blessed with Talent that comes to us naturally. We have no witches, no wizards, no mages."

"If you have no witches, wizards, of mages, then pardon my question, as it might sound rude; but what do you have?"
Naku really doesn't mean to sound rude, it may come across as such, but she's just curious, and had no other way of phrasing that sentence that she could think of.