Dancing Fox Inn XI: The Menu's Made Up and the Drinks Don't Matter

[Deathkeeper]

Welcome to the Dancing Fox Inn! Come and try our one of a kind beverages and food, chat with friends, or grab a private room and relax. All are welcome to the Dancing Fox Inn.

We would like to ask, please, no smoking in the establishment unless you are on fire. We understand that there are often exceptions. Thank you for understanding. Be sure to enjoy your stay.
If your characters are upstairs, please say so to avoid confusing the other occupants

Description:
The inn is . . . indescribable. Size wise, anyway. It has as many tables as needed, and as many chairs as needed. So that needn't be said as well.

The floors are smooth hewn logs. In fact the whole inn is made of wood, with a solid foundation of stones. There is a downstairs common room of tables and private booths, and an upstairs with bedrooms. There is a bar, behind the bar is a kitchen. The tables and seats are made of well-lacquered and cared-for wood, old but cleaned often. The private booths are also made of wood but the seats are cushioned with new upholstery of deep, earthy colors. There is also a basement that acts as storage for the drinks and food (and a secret meeting place). Access to the basement is through the kitchen.

Mist Anders is usually at the bar, with all sorts of convenient tools in his pockets. The fox-boy is currently the bartender and the waiter despite co-owning the place, but don't worry, his hands won't shed into your drinks.
Kitty is around the inn, waiting tables and keeping things running. Just don't stare at her poofy dress. Or the tails that it's supposed to be hiding.
Kestrel is...around. He does lots of things, and it's kind of difficult to pin down what he's doing and where he's doing it at any given time.

The inn as a whole can be described as homey, and great pains have been taken to fix it up and make it as good as new where it counts. New paint, new wood, everything. It's not the kind of thing to be shiny, but if it was, Mist would have gotten it sparkling.
Current Staff:
Mist Anders- Barkeep And Waiter And Owner (LordDeathKeeper)
Kitty- Waitress (Gulaghar)
Kestrel- Janitor, Medic, and All-Purpose Employee (recaiden)
Vemnon - Cook (Devixer)
Empty - Bard

HIRING: Pretty covered right now.
THE MENU:

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Under Complete Overhaul. Until it's done, just ask Mist or Kitty for something.

Wines*:
Fender Bender Mender: A nice wine mixed with a healing potion. Comes in non-alcoholic. No one can quite decide on what it tastes like, as it likes healing taste-buds and making itself taste divine.
Bar Drinks*: Nuka Cola Cleansed. A fairly decent knock-off without the unfortunate ingredient of radiation. Plus all sorts of other things on tap!
Beers, Ales & Such*: If it's found in the Nexus, there's probably a pint of it somewhere
Food: Roast Pheasant, barbecued ribs, fresh fruit, and honestly anything you could probably think of. Once we have a cook, that is.
Dessert:

*Can substitute the alcohol for a magical liquid that can make anybody drunk, no matter what the resistance, for a little extra.

Some Excellent Poems
Dancing Fox Inn and DFI '09
The Ballad of the Inn
We Dream of a Town

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Side note: The DFI is not in any way, shape, or form, inside Inside. It's just a quiet little place off somewhere, that would like to stay free from apoco-plots, various inter-warring factions, and all that jazz.
Everyone is equally welcome here, just please leave it at the door.

And, as such,
On Violence:

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The DFI is a peaceful place. There has been some IC, as well as OoC, talk about it, and the end result is 'please, for the sake of everyone else, don't do it'. If you want to fight, go elsewhere.
If you insist on fighting here, you will probably find your weapons turning into nerf versions of what they used to be, until you leave. After you leave they'll be returned to what they should be.
If you try to teleport someone out so you can kill them, it will fizzle and not work. Teleporting out in order to go do plot or RP stuff is fine. Just not to work around the rules and kill someone.
Lastly, if you choose to ignore these and keep trying to fight, you will either be ignored, or the entire inn and everyone else in it will be teleported off somewhere else, leaving you where it had been completely alone.
Or, you might find that there's a Nerf gun in your holster instead of your Glock. And a cheese stick in your knife sheathe. And generally other odd coincidences which would make that loadout rather useless.

Though please just don't.

Enjoy your stay.

And no, Mist can't dance, no matter what the name might have led you to believe. Kitty might. He hasn't asked her yet.

[Recaiden]

The more important question: if there's another Fox sort of person here, can she dance?

Cleo, one of many (currently) unofficial bards, has no interest in this question though. She's settled in her corner, playing one of her favorite background tunes.

The fact that the set of pipes it's being played on magically encourages calm and good cheer in those hearing it doesn't hurt the Inn's ambiance either.

[Mee]

Mist smiles.
"I'm glad to hear that, Naku. I really am. And thank you, it really means a lot to have people here. I'd say more than you know, but I think you probably do.

I think it'll really help a lot in the NEW THREAD."

"I'm glad you're glad." Naku says, before grinning at him again, and hugging him tightly. "Anything you did want to ask or talk about? Since we're talking now already?"

[Baeleck]

At some indeterminate point during the day, there is a flash of light from one corner of the inn. It's this brilliant, golden, unnatural light that seems to permeate every corner of the room, casting no shadow. Curiously, it is not blindingly intense, and lasts for barely a second before dissipating.

A curious individual stands in what before was an empty spot. They are naked, but their figure is completely androgynous; the skin glows with the same golden light that signalled its arrival, and is marked with darker, patterned areas. Their head is hairless, and bears pair of downward-facing horns sprout from their temples, which look to be iridescent bronze in colour.

Whether this being is divine, demonic, or indeed neither, remains to be established.

For the moment, they just stand there, appearing to be in a state of utter bewilderment.

[Shadowcaller]

Fortuna's communicator will suddenly start to beep. It looks like Cessie Mithar is calling her.

[Rebonack]

May as well provide a physical description of Fortuna, right?

She's a serpentine creature with a build that's a strange fusion of equine and feline, almost akin to an oriental dragon, though with a better defined body. Thick, dark grey fur covers most of her body, her underbelly is clad in obsidian scales etched with gold. Two Maleficent style horns grow from the back of her head with a third sabre-like horn sprouting from her forehead. Her eyes boast golden sclera, purple irises, and vertically slit pupils. Eyes that express far more than just a little bit of mischief. Her front limbs are equal parts eagle and lion while her back legs have all the strength and thickness of an earth pony's combined with the glove-hoofed grace of a unicorn. Two pairs of wings adorn her back, a larger pair equal parts dragon and griffin near her shoulders and a second, smaller pair like a congealing of pegasus and bat pony at her hips. Her tail is long and lithe, ending in a golden, a trapezohedron that appears almost like a spear point. The point appears to be a hollow frame containing stellar blackness flecked with flowing points of light a slowly turning galactic splash of blazing purple. A star trapped within a gilded cage.

Though perhaps her most striking feature is the pair of golden d6 faces on her haunches, as though she had a huge die simply growing out of her. Little purple tropical storm symbols of star sapphire surround each of the die's dots, slowly rotating.

She's wearing a pulp adventure style flight jacket sized for her unusual body, has a pair of flight goggles around her neck, and a fancy looking wrist computer on her front left leg.

Fortuna waves at the unusual newcomer, a slight tinge of concern on her face. "Hello there? Are you feeling alright?" she asks.

Then her PIPcolt begins warbling at her! She boops a button on it. "Hello Cessie. What's up?"

[Baeleck]

At first, it seems that the newcomer is entirely oblivious to anything around them. They take a few steps forward, turn slowly on the spot, and generally look completely spaced out.

Then, the person half collapses. Doesn't even bother to find a chair or anything, just sort of floomps down onto their knees. Very slowly, their slit-thin eyes turn to look at Fortuna.

'This is some sort of trick, right?' It's not clear if she's directly addressing Fortuna directly, though from what she says next, one would hope she isn't. 'This is sick. You people are sick! It's one thing to trap me, but giving me false hope like this? That's low. That's so, so low.'

[Rebonack]

Fortuna frowns at that reaction. Certainly not what she was expecting by any means! When the strange being collapses, she moves to try helping her back up, a look of clear worry on her face. Obviously this person is in distress, what can she do to help?

"I don't know who might have wronged you, but this place is safe," she assures the newcomer. "I'm Fortuna the Golden Dice of Wonder, resident draconequus and bringer of auspicious changes in fortune. And this is the Dancing Fox Inn in the Nexus, a meeting point between all possible worlds."

That's probably a lot to take in at once, Fortuna.

"And don't think you're trapped here. Leaving the Nexus can be trying, but it's possible," she offers as reassuring of a smile as she can. "I've been working on a means to open bridges that have closed. I might be able to help get you back to where you belong?"

Fortuna's bridge project is nowhere near being done.

But...

Sometimes hope helps, right?

[Baeleck]

There's another long pause, as the glowing person tries to process this new information. There are a mixture of facial expressions that she makes - doubt, confusion, realisation, doubt again... and then, something that's probably very comforting.

Relief.

Not just 'phew, that was a bit worrying for a moment' relief, but all-encompassing, cathartic relief. Honey-coloured tears begin to trail down their face, but it's clear they are tears of joy, or at the very least, tears of being completely overwhelmed. She brings her knees up to her chest and lets out a long breath, then reaches forward to take Fortuna's helping hand.

'Do you know what I am, Fortuna? I think if you did, you'd know that I do not want to return to where I belong. So I should explain.'

Looks like she's about to tell a big story. Until she breaks down into sobs, that is.

'Just... sorry. I need a moment.'

[Rebonack]

Fortuna has no idea what this person is. There are plenty of things in the Nexus that she isn't familiar with. But that hardly matters to her. All she sees right now is someone who could use some comfort.

While the newcomer cries, Fortuna gently wraps a wing around her in a feathery embrace.

"It's okay," she says soothingly. "Take all the time you need."

[Baeleck]

It's a couple of minutes before the person has calmed themselves enough to speak. 'My name is Buhayyah. I am a djinn... one of an ancient race, who possess great power.'

A djinn, huh? She's certainly no genie in a bottle, that's for sure.

'In my world, djinn are prisoners to all the other folk of the world, who seek to use our power. We're hunted like game. Squabbled over like toys. Even if we manage to escape captivity, it's only a matter of time before someone finds us again, and locks us away. Most of my kin have given up on running any more,' she says, sadly. 'There's no point in putting up a fight. If you're lucky, your captor treats you well, and you live a secure existence for a decade or so, maybe more.'

Sounds like a pretty miserable existence.

'There was a man who rescued me, just now. I didn't know him. Not even his name. But he wished...' She pauses here, making a little gasping sound. 'I mean, he helped me to use my power to get here. To escape my world. I thought it was a trick at first, but if this truly is another world...' A broad smile spreads over her face. 'Then truly, I am free.'

[Rebonack]

Fortuna listens studiously to Buhayyah's story. Djinn... That isn't a word she's familiar with. She'll have to look it up later. But for now? Just being here and helpful is all she needs to do. When the tale concludes Fortuna can't help but laugh.

"Hehe, I'm sorry, but I'm just glad for you," she giggles. "Usually people who get whisked away to the Nexus are distraught over it. I'm glad it meant something positive for you."

She'll step back a pace or two to give Buhayyah some personal space.

"I suppose the next question is, what are you going to do with your new found freedom? And I don't think you have to worry about being captured again, at least if you stick to the City of Inside. Slaving of any sapient being is illegal there."

Not being able to grab people off the street and sell them is always a plus.

At least it is for the folks that don't like being grabbed.

[Baeleck]

At first, Buhayyah frowns at Fortuna's chuckling, but upon realising her compassion she smiles, managing a small chuckle of her own. 'This is about the best thing that could have happened to me, really.' As she calms herself, and wipes the last of the tears from her eyes, the glow of her skin slowly dies down.

As for next steps, Buhayyah bites her lip. 'I... I don't know. I always dreamed about what I would do if I were free, but now it's actually happened... I mean, would I need a job here? I don't really have any skills.'

Being a perpetual prisoner/fugitive doesn't leave much time for professional development.

[Rebonack]

Getting your hearts' desire can be a little jarring sometimes. Once you have it what are you going to do with it?

"Well," Fortuna huffs. "I guess that depends on what you need? There are a number of places around the Nexus that offer temporary housing for castaways."

A beat.

"Umm, that's the term used around here for new people that suddenly poofed in. Anyway, once you have some shelter finding a job isn't hard. The businesses around the Nexus are always looking for help since we have an uncannily high populations of adventurers, assassins, mercenaries, and bounty hunters. So everyone is always looking for someone who can lend some help. Even if they have to learn."

Imagine that.

A place where you can just walk into somewhere and say, 'I want to work here' and not have to worry much about being turned down.

Wouldn't that be great?

[Deathkeeper]

"I'm glad you're glad." Naku says, before grinning at him again, and hugging him tightly. "Anything you did want to ask or talk about? Since we're talking now already?"

Hugs!
"Well, right now my biggest project will be checking if I can find someone to replace our cook. That'll take some out-of-inn research. If you're ever on a trip and see something let me know, but that's something that really is my job to do myself."
Actually, Ally would probably be a better choice than him. She's probably better with contacts and info, but he can't reasonably ask her to go around talking to lots of people given her circumstances.
"We can talk later, I think we've got another newcomer to help." he says with a warm expression on his vulpine face.

Mist goes over to the faintly-glowing woman, carrying a throw blanket.
"Hello Ms. Buhayyah. Let me be the second to congratulate you. I'm sure you'll manage fine, especially compared to your history. If you need a start, you can take a room for the night on me. We're currently out one cook, but I can warm something up from what Strahd left in the pantry. And I think I can scrounge up something if you'd like some clothes." he says, offering her the blanket.

[Baeleck]

'So long as I have some shelter, I'll be fine I think. And even without I can make do.'

At the mention of bounty hunters, Buhayyah looks ever-so-slightly nervous, but reminds herself that there are laws in place to protect her here. 'I'd be very willing to learn a trade.'

Then, she looks over at Mist. 'Thank you, sir, but I'll be fine as far as lodging and food is concerned. I don't actually eat or drink or sleep, so...' She smiles. 'Oh, but clothes? I know I don't exactly have anything to conceal, but if it's the social norm, then I understand.'

Seriously, she's like a shop mannequin. Nothing there at all.

There's a pause, after which she pipes up, 'Uhm, maybe I could try... no, no, that's not going to work at all.' She, for a moment, was considering to learn to cook, until she reminded herself that she had no idea what food was meant to taste of. She'd likely be utterly awful at it.

[Rebonack]

Fortuna offers a kind smile to the djinn before returning to her table and wrinkling her nose at the tea. It got cold, alas. Thankfully she has the tool to fix that. The ambient temperature of the room drops ever so slightly as the tea warms back up. There! Much better! She pours herself another cup and sips it.

"I'm no cook myself," Fortuna admits. "But I can get word out that the Dacning Fox is looking for one."

Fortuna can cook, honestly. It's just like following any other kind of formula. But between her job at the weather factor, her research, and her friends she really doesn't have any time left over for helping out in the Dancing Fox' kitchen. It would probably be fun, and she really does love the little inn, but the time just isn't there...

If only she could be in more than one place at a time...

[Shadowcaller]

"Hello Geneva, you aren't busy at the moment are you?" Cessie replies. "I don't want to distract you from an experiment as it's not really that important."

[Deathkeeper]

Yes, because continuity doesn't already cry enough with one Geneva/Fortuna running around, it needs a canon copy so she can break its flow twice as much.
"It's a social norm, but as our friend Fortuna here makes obvious it isn't really required, although a more humanoid shape is usually expected to wear something. You're probably fine. If I can do anything for you, just ask. It's my job." he says with a smile.

[Mee]

Hugs!
"Well, right now my biggest project will be checking if I can find someone to replace our cook. That'll take some out-of-inn research. If you're ever on a trip and see something let me know, but that's something that really is my job to do myself."
Actually, Ally would probably be a better choice than him. She's probably better with contacts and info, but he can't reasonably ask her to go around talking to lots of people given her circumstances.
"We can talk later, I think we've got another newcomer to help." he says with a warm expression on his vulpine face.

Yay hugs!

"Well, I can cook basic things if need be for at least a little while. I'm no actually trained cook, but I could handle a few things for a bit. But yes, I'll keep an ear out for you.

Later is good, yes. Go be sociable and help them out. Boss." Naku delivers the last bit with a grin. Oh how the tables have turned.

Then after some eavesdropping, she offers: "I can go fetch some of my extra clothing? I have a few pairs."

[Baeleck]

'I don't want to make people uncomfortable,' Buhayyah says, pulling the towel a little tighter around herself. She'd be drawing plenty of attention anyway - golden, glowing people with horns tended to do that.

As for Naku's offer, she bows her head forward, thankfully. 'Everyone here is very kind... if you have spare things, I would gladly wear them.' Any degree of kindness was unexpected for Buhayyah, and these people were bending over backwards to help her. 'They should probably do up from the front, mind. Fitting something over my head might be a bit tricky.'

Those horns she has aren't exactly small.

[Mee]

As for Naku's offer, she bows her head forward, thankfully. 'Everyone here is very kind... if you have spare things, I would gladly wear them.' Any degree of kindness was unexpected for Buhayyah, and these people were bending over backwards to help her. 'They should probably do up from the front, mind. Fitting something over my head might be a bit tricky.'

Those horns she has aren't exactly small.

"Of course. I'll go see what I have." Naku replies with a bow of her own, before stepping back, and heading up the stairs to her room. She'll be back at some point with clothing.

[Rebonack]

Fortuna still doesn't really get the humanoid issues with clothing. But every culture has their own unique taboos, so who is she to judge?

"I'm just taking a little time to relax right now," she replies brightly. "No experiments. At least no formal ones. What did you want to talk to me about?"

[Shadowcaller]

"I just wanted to discuss a recent discover made in my world. I know you aren't familiar with it but I just wanted someone to discuss it with and I figured you might be interested." Otherwise she might call Riss or Dorota.

[Rebonack]

Ooooh.

Scientific discoveries!

Those are one of Fortuna's favorite things.

"Really? I can tell you're excited by what you found. I might not have the whole context to understand, but I'll do my best. By all means, what did you discover?"

[Shadowcaller]

"Actually, I didn't discover it, another group of mages from my world did, but their discovery will aid me a great deal here in the nexus. I'm not sure how much I'd like to divulge over the communicator but basically they have discovered the basic components of the eldritch realm. A form of 'unformed' matter if you will that's yet have been given a kami, a plan of how it should be formed. It's believed to be the smallest type of matter that can be given a kami, uh, plan. But I don't want to make too many assumptions yet, this is all very new even if hypothesis much like these have been hanging around for years this is the first time it have been testable enough to form a real theory." Cessie explains excitedly.

[Rebonack]

Fortuna's already running a number of different models through her head regarding this odd substance. She has heard of similar concepts in her reading on other forms of magic that have popped up in the Nexus, such as the ectoplasm that can be harvested from the so-called Astral Plane. In fact, that isn't terribly different from how conjuration spells worked back in Equestria, though such material typically wasn't very stable and tended to evaporate back into its proper place after a time.

"Interesting... Well, would you like to meet me at the Dancing Fox Inn?" Fortuna offers. "I'm just relaxing at the moment and I won't be going anywhere for a while. We could discuss the subject in a little more detail."

[FireFox]

Ashley giggles a bit. "Is that so? What kinds of hats are we talking about?" She actually did get the meaning behind that, or at least she thinks she did.

Wouldn't you like to know. The thief winks coquettishly.

Strahd drops the platter right in front of her. It's probably one of the least pleasant possible ways to give someone a handmade, lovingly made meal. There's coffee, glazed and powdered donuts, and bagels with cream cheese topped by slices of tart pickled watermelon and crispy bacon. A masterpiece of a breakfast.

He wipes his hands on his apron, before pulling it over his head and dropping it on the counter besides the tray. His chef's cap joins it there momentarily. "I'm reshigning ash chef. Shorry for the lack of notice, but I cannot work in thish environment if the co-owner ish a figure of interesht to the mafia. Or when she ish shomeone I have no experienshe working with and no experienshe of her own managing. Pleashe enjoy your breakfasht."

Previously, Mist just gives Ally a pained expression. He can be skipped for a bit.

I'm sorry to hear that, but I guess you're welcome for giving you an excuse. She crosses her arms and looks from Strahd to Mist. You know what I'm talking about? He didn't even give me a chance to show how I manage. I haven't even done anything with the authority he's imagining I can't wield competently. Apparently having bad people want to do bad things to me is cause enough to refuse to give me a chance. One can only imagine how lonely his life would be if he held everyone to that same standard. That's okay though, Mist, we can be offended together. After all, as I am your equal partner, he's refusing to give you a chance too. He is assuming, without any supporting evidence from me, that my bad can't be overcome by your good.

[Shadowcaller]

"Dancing fox inn? Been ages since I've been in a tavern. Let me just get changed and I'll meet you there then." Cessie replies. She would need to get her enchanted dress!

Said enchanted dress was to cover her pregnancy as for some silly reason, she couldn't show that in public. Cessie was a very silly person in that way. Still, she makes her way to the dancing fox inn but seem to have some difficulty locating Fortuna. Perhaps it's since she doesn't recognize her anymore. She might have to call her on it Fortuna.

[Rebonack]

Hiding pregnancy really isn't something ponies do, but they don't really talk about it. Doing so is rude because everyone can obviously tell by the scent. Fortuna still thinks that humanoid customs are really weird. But no doubt they feel more or less the same way.

Anywho!

When Cessie arrives Fortuna begins waving at her!

"Over here, Cessie!"

Fortuna won't comment on the scent of pregnancy, either. Especially in public. Because it's rude!