Dancing Fox In XII: Dance If You Want To

[Deathkeeper]

Luckily for Mist, he's too not-into-guys to fall for the vampire's masculine wiles.
"What would you like, sir?" he asks politely after the guest makes his request, though he's guessing the answer already.

[Mee]

Luckily for Mist, he's too not-into-guys to fall for the vampire's masculine wiles.
"What would you like, sir?" he asks politely after the guest makes his request, though he's guessing the answer already.

"Mmmmm. How much wine do you have? I would like an actual decent wine. It's been years since I've found any."

[Deathkeeper]

"How much or how many varieties? Because in quantity we have several barrels' worth. In variety we've got enough for a page, give or take." Mist responds after a moment's thought.

[Mee]

"How much or how many varieties? Because in quantity we have several barrels' worth. In variety we've got enough for a page, give or take." Mist responds after a moment's thought.

"I was thinking types, yes." He replies, grinning at Mist. He knew what he meant, but Mist was right, he hadn't gotten his point accross well. "I would like a single glass of each of your highest quality ones, please. Before we do that, though, I would hate to waste your time and swindle you. What currency do you take here? Is gold acceptable, or do you prefer paper?"

[Deathkeeper]

"Gold is fine, but we take all types." he says, and shortly should have produced five bottles from which will be poured five glasses. Two reds, two whites, and a pink.

[Mee]

"Gold is fine, but we take all types." he says, and shortly should have produced five bottles from which will be poured five glasses. Two reds, two whites, and a pink.

"Ooooh this is wonderful." The man said, taking the glass on his left, and sipping at it. He 'mmmmm's happily, eyes shutting half way. "Thank you very much for this. I'm afraid I didn't catch your name?"

[Deathkeeper]

"Mist, sir. Glad you enjoy it." he says, replacing the bottles into a refrigerator.

[Mee]

"Mist, sir. Glad you enjoy it." he says, replacing the bottles into a refrigerator.

The man murmur's Mist's name to himself a few times under his breath. He wanted to make sure to remember Mist's name. He'd kill Mist last.

"I was also wondering, would you be able to help me find a person, perhaps? I'm sure you see all kinds through here." He asks, sipping at his wine again.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist leans back against the wall, putting his hands behind his head.
"Find someone? Probably. Who're you looking for?" he asks casually.

[Mee]

Mist leans back against the wall, putting his hands behind his head.
"Find someone? Probably. Who're you looking for?" he asks casually.

"Her." He says, as a pile of papers appears in his hand with a snap of his fingers. He places the pile down on the counter, and gives the top of it a bit of a push, spreading them out somewhat.
The pictures were all of one person, though taken at different times in that person's life. The pictures at the bottom were earliest, and showed a very young little girl with a fairly familiar head of purple hair, and purple eyes. She was hugging a teddy bear, and looked quite happy, though she was standing in what appeared to be a bombed out shell of a building. A few pictures later, the little girl was around some other kids, and all were laughing and having fun. The very next one, the other kids were stealing her bear and running off with it. The rest of the pictures were taken across various times, ranging from still little kid, up to teenage years -- and more than a few of her being triumphant in what appeared to be some sort of training ring --, to when she was an adult.
The last of the pictures ended with her looking fairly tired, bloody, and her eyes had changed to red. The last picture was of her cradling a very definitely broken left arm, entirely coated in blood -- more than a bit of it hers --, but still katana out, bracing for something.
It was very definitely Naku in the pictures.
"By any chance?"

[Deathkeeper]

Mist stares at the picture, and not a hint of surprise shows on his face, as it's exactly what he expected. He examines the pictures, especially the newest one for a bit before asking a question, neither looking up nor answering the man's. And perhaps there's a reason for that.
"Your daughter?"

[Mee]

Mist stares at the picture, and not a hint of surprise shows on his face, as it's exactly what he expected. He examines the pictures, especially the newest one for a bit before asking a question, neither looking up nor answering the man's. And perhaps there's a reason for that.
"Your daughter?"

The man just smiles at Mist, not responding vocally. The smile speaks volumes, however.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist breathes out heavily.. "Hoo, boy. That's heavy stuff. I haven't seen her, sir, but that mop's pretty distinctive. I can ask around for you." he says at last. And there are two things in play at the moment, both important. The first is a reason, the second a detail.
Naku was very vocally not chummy with her kin at any point during her and Mist's years of friendship.
And Mist is a very good liar.

[Mee]

Mist breathes out heavily.. "Hoo, boy. That's heavy stuff. I haven't seen her, sir, but that mop's pretty distinctive. I can ask around for you." he says at last. And there are two things in play at the moment, both important. The first is a reason, the second a detail.
Naku was very vocally not chummy with her kin at any point during her and Mist's years of friendship.
And Mist is a very good liar.

"Hmmmmmmm." The man lets out a long 'hmmmm', contemplating Mist's words. He was glad he left out the pictures of her being in this exact building, talking to Mist. Mist bumped up a few ticks from 'kill last'. "Well, I would greatly appreciate that."

[Deathkeeper]

Mist nods.
"Of course, there's always the stereotype of innkeepers having tons of contacts, but I've only been running the place for a year. Still, I'll do my best. Give me a contact or stop in some other time, I guess."

[Mee]

Mist nods.
"Of course, there's always the stereotype of innkeepers having tons of contacts, but I've only been running the place for a year. Still, I'll do my best. Give me a contact or stop in some other time, I guess."

"Only a year?" The man asks, eyebrow raised. "These walls have more history in them than that. Who ran the place before you? A mentor, or family?" He sounds curious, not because he suspects/knows that Naku ran it before Mist, but in an honest sort of way. He found succession to be a fascinating subject. "Inherit the place, or was it gifted to you?"

[Deathkeeper]

"The place was left to me by the previous owner. She left without saying a word to me, so I inherited it by default as the only other employee. I never disliked her, but she insulted my friends and tried to manipulate me on multiple occasions, so we never got along very well." he says, all accurate and truthful.

[Mee]

"The place was left to me by the previous owner. She left without saying a word to me, so I inherited it by default as the only other employee. I never disliked her, but she insulted my friends and tried to manipulate me on multiple occasions, so we never got along very well." he says, all accurate and truthful.

"Hmmm. She quite sounds my type. Where might she be now? I'd love to talk to her. Find out if she knows anything." The man replies, gathering up the pictures.
"Would you like this one?" He asks, leaving the one of Naku with the broken arm. "You seemed to quite enjoy it. She is quite nice in that picture."

[Deathkeeper]

"I haven't a clue. Haven't seen her since the day before she vanished." he says, still entirely true.
"I don't know what you mean by 'enjoy.' I'm spoken for and I don't look at other women if you're implying something. I can take it if you think it'll help me ask around, but I don't need it myself." he says, perhaps a bit miffed at the insinuation.

[Mee]

"I haven't a clue. Haven't seen her since the day before she vanished." he says, still entirely true.
"I don't know what you mean by 'enjoy.' I'm spoken for and I don't look at other women if you're implying something. I can take it if you think it'll help me ask around, but I don't need it myself." he says, perhaps a bit miffed at the insinuation.

"Well. Be that as it may." The man says, standing, all the pictures gathered up but the one of broken-arm Naku. "I appreciate your assistance." And then he's just . . . gone.
Like he was never there to begin with.

[Recaiden]

And here is that trio^* of people^** that Mist was told to expect. It's always good to practice doing...whatever one is doing, right?

We have this boy, maybe 14 years old, with mousy hair and demeanor and a big worn-out backpack with the straps as tight as they go. But he's actually the last of the three to enter, dragging his heels and very nervous.

In front of him with have this little pixie sort of person, a foot tall, with wings like an owlet moth, wispy blood-red hair, and a leather outfit. She flies in happily and vaults over one of the rafters.

And just ahead of the boy, pushing past and getting in his way in the doorway, prompting him to spin aside and grab hold of his pack's shoulder-strap, we have the young woman with the fox ears and the blindfold, moving as though she can still see perfectly well.
"We're here, if somehow you didn't notice."

[Deathkeeper]

Mist perks up from his spot behind the counter and eyes the arrivals.
"I did notice. I'm guessing you're my volunteers. I'm doing this for you more than me, though. Let me know if there's anything I should know. Any requests. And uh, who's going first?"

[Recaiden]

"Not you, Mister. Of course you notice."
The fox-ear woman steps up and leans on the bar.
"Me, it seems. I figure I need more than you can do for me, but let's see. Careful with the blindfold."

The boy takes a seat not too close to her, looking on nervously, and the pixie takes a seat on his shoulder.

[Deathkeeper]

"Well, how about you tell me what you need before I try anything?" Mist suggests, perking his ears at her comment. It's interesting. And a little odd. What exactly is she expecting?

[Recaiden]

"I'm not gonna say it would be nice to be normal. I just need to be able to make something of myself and not be a clumsy dirt farmer for the resta my life. But honestly I'm a coward or I'd already have set off for the big city with my stuff in a bindle. I'm not one for going in blindly. Pun intended, of course. Of course."

She slides into a seat, facing slightly away.

[Deathkeeper]

"Well, what's 'normal?' Do you mean you want to see, or have human ears? I can try to direct my powers more than just leaving it open." he suggests.

[Recaiden]

A shake of the head, with a smile.
"I like my ears and my eyes, whatever trouble has come from them."
"It would be good not to be so feminine. Can you manage that? Maybe less human, not more."
"There's something in my mind that I can't quite describe."

[Deathkeeper]

"Well, I can't really help you with it if you can't describe it, so I'll just work with what I've got. Are you ready?" he asks her one last time.

[Recaiden]

"Would I be here otherwise?"
"Yes, I'm ready."

She shuts her eyes extra-tight and waits.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist decides not to try pulling out whatever it is in her head that she can't describe. In the Nexus it could wind up being a past life as a comic book villain and then where would we be?
He puts a finger to her forehead and concentrates. He lets his magic do what it normally does to people with existing animal aspects. Less human? She can be a fox-person then. That usually comes with a broader sense of mischief and light-heartedness. And with a little extra effort she should become much more androgynous, in appearance, scent, and mannerisms.