Heart of Harts - Cats in the Walls [IC]

[Tiki Snakes]

Penelope's senses swam, blurring together in an indefinite haze of conflicting signals. It was all just so much and so good. So many delicious dishes around her, and then eventually a Pie of her very own had arrived on the table, though she hadn't really noticed when or where from.

She had stared at it for a minute or so, her mouth open and her eyes unblinking, simply drinking the sensation in. Her whispy, gravity defying hair fluttered idly in a breeze that wasn't there. It was the only motion, the only sign of life from the big eyed ogre girl.

Her wide open mouth twitched upwards into a lazy smile as feelings of deep contentment threatened to overwhelm her entirely. She brought her feet up from the floor and she half curled up on the chair, bringing her knees in to her body and hunching further over the pie.

Slowly, deliberately, Penelope hovered her human hand over the top of the steeming pastry. She extended a single finger, rigid and full of purpose towards the dish, as if carefully indicating its continued existence to anyone watching. Pointing out to the world that there was a pie on this table and it was right here.

With an almost reptilian, implacable pace she lowered her hand, finger first. Her fingertip made gentle contact with the pastry lid and almost stopped for a moment before it forced it's way through with a mouth watering little crunch, barely heard above the background hum of conversation. Hot savoury filling scolded her finger, but she didn't even wince. She raised her finger back up in front of her, dripping in the savoury magma the pie contained.

She stared at the finger for a moment with that same wide mouthed idiot grin before popping it into her mouth and sucking the filling off with a slurp.

Penelope giggled to herself, eyes still utterly transfixed by the culinary delight to the point that she almost didn't notice when the hypnotic bird-girl at her table was speaking.

[Deadly]

Thistle arrived stealthily with their food, setting the three dishes down and curtsying with a flourish and a needle-toothed "Bon Appetit!" before draping herself in the shadows like a cloak and disappearing again to some other part of the room with a low cackle.

Penelope's pie was a puff pastry crust with a savory filling of potatoes and meat. It came with fresh bread, salad and mozzarella cheese. It was a hearty meal, and every bite made the next one seem all the more irresistible and mouth-watering. Perhaps that was simply Penelope tasting real food made with real love for the first time in a long while. It would almost be a shame to stop eating, eventually, though.

Nameless got her fish, and Nabi received a dish of rare tenderloin, seasoned and grilled just enough. It all looked exceptionally tasty, and the scent wafting up from each plate was alluring, tempting the three of them to savor every taste and every bit.

[Anarion]

Nameless looks at the hand on her arm, thinking.

"I can't trust a man whose dreams I don't know, and who doesn't know my dreams, Nabi. If you'll fight to save me unknowing, you fight for yourself. I'll trust you and aid you, but only if more than as an ally of convenience, Nabi. I will trust you as a friend if you'll do the same."

Nameless got her fish, and Nabi received a dish of rare tenderloin, seasoned and grilled just enough. It all looked exceptionally tasty, and the scent wafting up from each plate was alluring, tempting the three of them to savor every taste and every bit.

Nabi looked over at Penelope, almost ignoring them as she savored her pie, while his own food made his mouth water with the smell of meat. Then he looked up at Nameless. "Then let us join our dreams and earn each others' trust. Yours too Penelope" he taps her and subtly but firmly demands her attention after she finishes her bite of pie. "We'll do this formally, and stick to our tasks. For the next month, let us each share and guard each other's dreams, night in and night out, and may we be blessed by our shared trust, and our blessings turned to ash if that trust ever be broken."
[For all, dreaming task, medial blessing, poisoning of boon, one month duration, as proposed IC.]

[Tiki Snakes]

Penelope blinked, hard. She looked over at Nabi, her expression a touch defensive.

"Wha? I'm, uh, I'm eating a pie. It is meat and potato." She stared at him blankly for a moment, dagger-tip teeth glinting in the candle-light. "I wasn't listening, because I haven't eaten a pie since I was a little girl. I'm sorry? I have no idea what you're asking."

[Anarion]

Penelope blinked, hard. She looked over at Nabi, her expression a touch defensive.

"Wha? I'm, uh, I'm eating a pie. It is meat and potato." She stared at him blankly for a moment, dagger-tip teeth glinting in the candle-light. "I wasn't listening, because I haven't eaten a pie since I was a little girl. I'm sorry? I have no idea what you're asking."

"Keep eating, Penelope. But listen too. We're asking to see each others's dreams and guard them. Just for a month. And to reward our oath, we would each receive a blessing of our choice, so long as we kept to our word."

[Tiki Snakes]

"Keep eating, Penelope. But listen too. We're asking to see each others's dreams and guard them. Just for a month. And to reward our oath, we would each receive a blessing of our choice, so long as we kept to our word."

Penelope stared at Nabi. There was a faint sound like a spring coiling, then silence. She scowled a little.
"Guard each others dreams? Why would we need to do that? Is there something troubling your sleep, Nabi? And why for so long as a month yet not a day longer?"

She broke off a piece of pie-crust and popped it into her mouth. It vanished from this earth with a decisive crunch. She flicked her gaze from the pussycat to the owl and back again.
"Is there something I should know?"

[Anarion]

Penelope stared at Nabi. There was a faint sound like a spring coiling, then silence. She scowled a little.
"Guard each others dreams? Why would we need to do that? Is there something troubling your sleep, Nabi? And why for so long as a month yet not a day longer?"

She broke off a piece of pie-crust and popped it into her mouth. It vanished from this earth with a decisive crunch. She flicked her gaze from the pussycat to the owl and back again.
"Is there something I should know?"

Nabi shrugs as he digs into his own meat and juices from it run down his whiskers.

"It is not my decision, but that of Nameless, that we ought to know each otherss dreams to truly trust one another. Added on that there is always the threat of the true Fae poisoning dreams and it made as much sense to me as any other oath to establish our trust. A month is just a balancing time, it could as well be a week and lack any sanction for breaking it."

Nabi takes another bite and sighs in contentment "Ah, that is good. Truly my compliments to the chef."

[SiuiS]

Spoiler: In which deadly Adcoon reveals a lack of appreciation for fish ;3

Show

Thistle arrived stealthily with their food, setting the three dishes down and curtsying with a flourish and a needle-toothed "Bon Appetit!" before draping herself in the shadows like a cloak and disappearing again to some other part of the room with a low cackle.

Penelope's pie was a puff pastry crust with a savory filling of potatoes and meat. It came with fresh bread, salad and mozzarella cheese. It was a hearty meal, and every bite made the next one seem all the more irresistible and mouth-watering. Perhaps that was simply Penelope tasting real food made with real love for the first time in a long while. It would almost be a shame to stop eating, eventually, though.

Nameless got her fish, and Nabi received a dish of rare tenderloin, seasoned and grilled just enough. It all looked exceptionally tasty, and the scent wafting up from each plate was alluring, tempting the three of them to savor every taste and every bit.

Nameless stands somewhat fluidly, but still abruptly, and plucks a plump, steaming chunk of pinkness from the center of her meal and drops it casually to the floor. She then sits, suckling the juice from her fingers as best a beak will allow.

Penelope blinked, hard. She looked over at Nabi, her expression a touch defensive.

"Wha? I'm, uh, I'm eating a pie. It is meat and potato." She stared at him blankly for a moment, dagger-tip teeth glinting in the candle-light. "I wasn't listening, because I haven't eaten a pie since I was a little girl. I'm sorry? I have no idea what you're asking."

"Ah, devotchka." Nameless lets her interruption sit, idle, like a smiling cat in the room. She cuts a piece of the fish – separates it, really, the flesh parting on its own – and swirls it in the juices, before plunking it into her mouth for an amusing mix of decorum and sharp, parrot-like clicks of beak as she chews.

"Twenty nine days, to be exact. Because that is the turning of the face of the moon from smile to surprise to sorrow. Twenty nine silver because only was thirty silver called for, and it ended in treachery. And only twenty nine because that is all we need to learn each other's ways, and needn't be bound, after. Not the same. Bound only if we will it.

"And bound, young and fresh that you are, to teach you of sophist guile! You're dancing with knives and don't even know it." The owless' voice softens, lowers to an almost feline purr too soft to carry. "Your own oath was to never question Nabi if he were to never take you where you wouldn't go. But you are almost questioning and he is almost taking you down avenues you don't accept. This is why, devotchka, I would like access to the insides of your head."

Her talon taps gently on the other woman's forehead.

"So we can see these twists and expectations coming."

[Tiki Snakes]

"I promised to trust monsoir kitty-cat, that's true." Penelope nods. "But not to obey and with respect neither did I pledge either to yourself, Madame Owl. So if you want to crawl around inside my soul you will have to forgive me, but I think I'd like a better reason than idle curiosity before I agree to anything so invasive."

Penelope reached down with her human hand again and peeled a large chunk of pie-lid off. She took a small, measured bite, quite clearly savouring the pastry.

[SiuiS]

"We are the lost ones, devotchka." Nameless continues in low volume. "We don't have souls."

"The Wyrd lacks context. It gathers context from situations. If I know Nabi better, then the context of our vows will be more nuanced. I didn't say obey, but you did say not to doubt. I'm simply trying to help you avoid hanging yourself."

She pauses.

"Oh, in both senses. Now and future."

[Tiki Snakes]

"I don't know about you, Madame, but I know I have a soul." Penelope states with casual certainty. "Because I felt it tear when I pushed my way in through the briar that first time."

"I know exactly what risks I took in pledging with Nabi. I set the terms and chose the price. I may be dancing with knives, that is true. But if so, that is because I learned the knife-dance a long time ago from harsh tutors. I learned fast, so I survived."

"If you want to get to know me, you're going to have to do it the old fashioned way." She punctuated her reply by sticking her tongue out at Nameless. It was quite big and came to a pronounced point. It waggled in a vaguely accusatory manner for a moment before Penelope withdrew it.

[SiuiS]

Nameless smiles a sad smile, and lets Penelope be.

[Anarion]

"I don't know about you, Madame, but I know I have a soul." Penelope states with casual certainty. "Because I felt it tear when I pushed my way in through the briar that first time."

"I know exactly what risks I took in pledging with Nabi. I set the terms and chose the price. I may be dancing with knives, that is true. But if so, that is because I learned the knife-dance a long time ago from harsh tutors. I learned fast, so I survived."

"If you want to get to know me, you're going to have to do it the old fashioned way." She punctuated her reply by sticking her tongue out at Nameless. It was quite big and came to a pronounced point. It waggled in a vaguely accusatory manner for a moment before Penelope withdrew it.

Nabi sighs, long and hard. "I don't think we have souls either. Maybe pieces of them, little bits that are left over, but the thorns tore them away and, whatever we are, it's not human anymore."

Then he turns to Penelope, waiting for her to finish her last bite of pie so that she's paying attention. "You're fresh back, Penelope, and so I don't know what you know. But I'll tell you what I know. Whatever was done to us, dreams are part of our world now." He pauses, to take a bite of his own meal.

"We control our own dreams, and we can step into the dreams of others. Even without any pledge or contract to make it easier. Sometimes even without permission. Some of us can even shape and craft dreams, and some go around selling them. They are like clay to those with skilled hands. So, to make an oath of dreaming is not an oath to be invaded, but an oath to be guarded. It is a sign of trust, in that you invite someone to see your private fancies. But also a sign of friendship, as all in the pledge are bound to guard and protect the dreams of their allies, rather than be one of the invaders. I want you to understand that because I think that the oath Nameless suggests is a good idea. But, I do not ask you to trust me here. I just ask that you consider my words and choose for yourself."

[Tiki Snakes]

"I see." Nods Penelope. She continues eating for a while, deep in thought.

"If I start having problems with my dreams, I will ask you for your advice on what to do about it. But I think until I do, I'd rather have at least a little privacy left to me."

[Anarion]

"I see." Nods Penelope. She continues eating for a while, deep in thought.

"If I start having problems with my dreams, I will ask you for your advice on what to do about it. But I think until I do, I'd rather have at least a little privacy left to me."

"Then I wish you sweet dreams."

Nabi turns to Nameless. "Nameless, I accept your oath. Your dreams are mine, mine are yours, to our mutual safety and blessing for the next month."

[Nabi and Nameless only, the last oath on the table is dreaming, medial blessing, poisoning of boon, 1 month duration. Sound good SiuiS?]

[SiuiS]

"I see." Nods Penelope. She continues eating for a while, deep in thought.

"If I start having problems with my dreams, I will ask you for your advice on what to do about it. But I think until I do, I'd rather have at least a little privacy left to me."

Nameless seems to sink, withdrawing from the world for a moment and leaving, without her mind to guide it, raw animal splendor. But in her eyes, the the human light is diminished. Small and possibly alone.

"Privacy." It is a whisper. "I had... Forgotten. Yes. Privacy. Of course, devotchka."

Nabi turns to Nameless. "Nameless, I accept your oath. Your dreams are mine, mine are yours, to our mutual safety and blessing for the next month."

[Nabi and Nameless only, the last oath on the table is dreaming, medial blessing, poisoning of boon, 1 month duration. Sound good SiuiS?]

She nods, mind filling the body again, returning to the now. "det er gjort. It is done."

[Deadly]

Nameless' strange little demonstration and messing of the floor seemed to pass entirely without reaction or note. It wasn't immediately obvious where Thistle had gone and disappeared to - she might be hiding somewhere, glowering at the insult, but who knew? - the rest of the chefs were busy in the kitchen, and the other people at the tables were paying attention mostly to their own matters.

There was that one changeling at the bar who was watching them with a small and curious smile.

Nabi's dish was indeed delicious. It was indeed ... a little out of this world, as Thistle had put it. Or perhaps rather out of this body. With each taste, his possibly-non-existent spirit seemed to soar a little higher off the ground on the flavor, threatening to leave his body sitting there in its own bliss. It might be possible to stop himself before he lost too much hold on himself, but ... it was so damn tasty! And it didn't feel altogether unpleasant, almost like being slightly drunk without the mental cloud. Elated, perhaps.

[You may opt to make a Resolve+Composure roll to resist, if you like.]

[Anarion]

[why would Nabi ever resist such a thing?]

[Deadly]

With agreement came the faint glimmer of the Wyrd as it settled around Nabi and Nameless, the winding paths of their dreams tangling together in the mutual pledge.

The food was hard to resist, not that Nabi tried very hard. He was well through the plate when he slowly found himself looking himself over the shoulder, as if floating just behind and above himself. It became rather difficult to use his limbs as naturally and without thought as he normally would, as he had to coordinate limbs and muscles that were displaced from where they should be, under normal circumstances.

[For posterity: Nameless spent 1 Willpower

Nabi gains the condition Out of Body Experience: Nabi's consciousness is floating around just beyond his body. While he is mentally unaffected, it requires attention and focus to keep his physical body acting appropriately, including facial expressions. -2 on any actions with a physical component or when dealing with social situations (things like Empathy excluded).

It does come with potential benefits, like being able to look in other directions than where your head is pointed. It may even be possible to drift further away from his body, but it's not certain what might happen to the body if he gets too far apart.]

[Anarion]

Nabi begins by inspecting his hands. They are very fascinating hands. They have 10 fingers on them. And greyish fur with spots. Little claws too. He turns the little claws side to side. It's sort of hard, like moving a slide under a microscope and trying to keep it in focus at the same time, but he somehow manages it. The fuzz on them even extends past the hands and onto his arms. He is very thick and fuzzy. Fuzzy, fuzzy, everything is fuzzy.

It is about that point that Nabi finds himself locked into an embrace with Nameless, though he doesn't recall moving. She may recall him slouching into her unexpectedly.

[Tiki Snakes]

Penelope blinks in confusion, then blushes a little.
She goes back to eating her meal, watching the unfolding events out of the corner of her eye.

[SiuiS]

"Well, uh."
oh gud oh gud han endelig knipset katten prøver å spise fuglen. Or worse.

"Nabi, are you okay? You fell into my— oh you damn romantic i only had one glass!" Nameless looks around for a perch for the poor man with a dignity and composure that somehow makes her confusion and slight panic all the more apparent. She finds nothing. "Can you speak? Can you stand?"

Her head turns almost completely around to look hopelessly at Penelope and her pie.

[Anarion]

"Well, uh."
oh gud oh gud han endelig knipset katten prøver å spise fuglen. Or worse.

"Nabi, are you okay? You fell into my— oh you damn romantic i only had one glass!" Nameless looks around for a perch for the poor man with a dignity and composure that somehow makes her confusion and slight panic all the more apparent. She finds nothing. "Can you speak? Can you stand?"

Her head turns almost completely around to look hopelessly at Penelope and her pie.

"Well, I can" Nabi says, pulling a few of the marionette strings to get his body standing up. He's still holding onto Nameless though. "Did you know your feathers are very soft? Because they're very soft" he says, his hand lightly stroking Nameless shoulder and neck.

[Deadly]

Eyes were turned to watch the show. It was a small restaurant, and while the darkness and shadows provided more privacy than the space would otherwise allow, it seemed to have strategically decided not to do a very good job of it in the present case. Which meant that pretty much the whole restaurant was watching Nabi and Nameless.

[Tiki Snakes]

Helpless to resist the honeyed lure of Nameless's voice, Penelope turns her head to stare at her as she speaks, her mouth hanging open uncertainly. So when Nameless turned her own head to look, perhaps imploringly to Penelope, they locked eyes for a moment.

She blinked her large eyes and there was an audible click. Her posture shifted imperceptibly and Penelope's mouth spread into a slow, mischievous grin. She giggled a little, popping a chunk of gravy-soaked potato into her mouth happily as she watched the owl-girl squirm and fluster under Nabi's sudden inexplicable loucheness.

[Anarion]

Nabi wanders away from his body to survey the crowd. He idly wonders how far the puppet strings extend from him to himself, and drifts backwards towards the kitchen to see.

[Deadly]

The other guests were all watching with interest and the desire for a show. Some were cheering them on. Even the chefs were paying attention for a moment. People came here for a show as much as for the food, after all, though it was usually Thistle running that show. Speaking of the witch, there was no immediate sight of her.

Nabi found that it quickly got very difficult to keep his body under control the further he got away from it. He could probably wander the restaurant in sight of his body and still have some control, but moving any further afield or out of sight of his body would likely leave him with only the faintest grasp on himself.

As he backed through the kitchen towards the back, Thistle slowly became visible out of the shadows, leaning against the wall next to a door in the back of the kitchen with a drink in one hand while watching the show, a smirk on her face.

[Anarion]

Out of body Nabi tried to speak with Thistle. "Enjoying this, aren't you? It feels incredible to me. Everything is so new."

[SiuiS]

Beneath twenty years of growth, under her feathery bark and marked rings and beneath the hearts wood, so deep it even lies beneath metaphors for age, underneath Nameless Snow Owl's somewhat literal icy exterior, a confused cryptid, a modern French woman and a lost young girl wandering among the stones all meet, and in this imaginary quorum of the heart not a one knows anything to do that would handle this satisfactorily.

She could begin to play it off. Dance with the warm marionette and let him down after and wait for Penelope's eventual awkward and pointed questions to remind him of what he did and may have done or not done while drugged.

She could take refuge in her court and set him down, maybe say a few pointed words to make him look foolish in front of everyone gathered.

She could say they were both drugged, or drunk, or the two of them were both, or one was one and one, the other, and do whatever it was she would be expected to do following these sorts of circumstances.

She could do lots of things. But instead she just... Stands there, talons extended in the remaining vestiges of support. All of her pretenses gone. All of her defenses, also gone. She is literally ruffled, down at the throat flaring out of place with each beat of the heart. "What are you doing, Nabi?" She asks in a small voice.

[Tiki Snakes]

"Its okay, Madame." Penelope leans forward conspitatorially. "You make an adorable couple and I'm very happy for you. You shouldnt feel that you have to hide your feelings in public."

"There is nothing to be ashamed of if you are lucky enough to have found each other." she smiles warmly.