Dancing Fox Inn XIII- Luck Costs Extra

[Recaiden]

Miri considers this.
"Hmm. That seems like it could be useful when there's a group all of the same sex, but the fact that it spreads makes it a bit...silly, doesn't it?"
She leans in as if to look at the occultists better.
"I suppose you are kind of cute."
For a moment she is again indistinct, poorly rendered, and when she gets back to normal she looks a bit confused, like something has gone missing. But she shakes it off. What a cool-sounding curse! Gotta ask about it!
"Have you noticed any non-obvious differences? When I would, well, have you?"

[Earl of Purple]

"Those that catch the curse from me get slightly younger, and I am chronologically three years younger than the age I had temporarily restored myself to with my own magic. And yes, it is very silly. I believe it was created by a powerful entity that derives pleasure from such." She smiles a little, quite pleased at the attention. "I don't think simply being cute is enough. And your face just... Lost its focus and went blurry. How did you do that?" It's a very interesting trick, however it was done.

But somebody's just entered the inn, and are looking around cautiously. They're a hooded figure, short and made shorter by their stooped back. The robes and hood they wear are a grubby grey colour, and all that's visible is a long, pink tail emerging from their back, a pair of long feet positioned in such a way that they're on permanent tiptoes and a digitigrade leg, and a long grey-furred pointy nose emerging from the hood, with long whiskers.

[Recaiden]

"And it wouldn't spread if they weren't grown enough to- yeah, yeah."
Miri observes.
"I tried to be the other thing, as a joke, but it didn't...work? Maybe I forgot how to do it; I think it's been a long time." she fails to explain. The actual fact of the matter is that she only has one pattern command module left, so she can't be the other thing; it wouldn't have a pattern.

But anyway, a rat-person is here now! They look like the sort of person who would insist on a safe meeting place, the way they're acting. That must be Benedict's contact.
Miri pushes the chair a bit away from the table, so as not to intrude on their trade.

[5a Violista]

Melissa nods.

Guess she has to drink it.

She holds her breath so that she can't smell it, and drinks a little bit while waiting for her cards to get dealt.

"Alright, yeah. Let's play."

[Hattish Thing]

Larza cackles as Melissa swallows a mouthful of swill, tapping her sharpened claws upon the table. The vile-tasting grog is strangely warm, and silt-like detritus sways at the bottom of the bottle. It's awfully strong, and it burns like fire, its flavor downright corrosive. Larza seems extraordinarily interested in Melissa's reaction, and leans forward slightly.

With a crooked grin, she interjects. "Ha! Look atcHU, ya DID it!"

"Bet that feels grrrrrRRRReat, huh??"

[5a Violista]

Ugh. It's pretty disgusting. Just like pretty much every other alcohol she's tried.

Still, Melissa doesn't give up.

She manages to swallow it down. "It's good, but a bit stronger than I'm used to," she says. She wants something else to cleanse her mouth. "What kind is it?"

[Hattish Thing]

Larza is clearly already quite out of it judging by her wild eyes and shallow, sharp breaths. As a handful of cards are placed before Melissa, the goblin takes yet another swig, the drink now splashing about as she slams the bottle back down upon the table, much to the chagrin of those around her.

Still, she giggles and seems quite pleased with herself. "Hrnk! It's - it's, uhhh, I don't remember, HA. I got it from this guuuuy, said it was the goOOOOoooooD stuuuuuuff, an' it is!"

"Dont'cha think?"

[Earl of Purple]

"It is a curse, it's not meant to be beneficial. Mine simply has a side-effect that isn't entirely bad." And is, in fact, exactly what she was looking for. Which is why she's not too interested in removing the curse as a whole.

The hooded ratperson approaches, glancing cautiously at Miri as it joins them at the table. "Ben'dict. Good-good to see-smell you. You see-smell diff'rent. Not got the sight-stink of stolen-loot youth-youth. You have the glow-rock, yes-yes?" It raises its forelimbs and rubs its paws together.
"Yes, Skitternitch, I do. It's on the table in front of you. Oh, and that's Miri. I met her here today, and have offered her a place to stay." Benedict pushes the crystal towards the rat-person, and it reaches out and pats the table several times before finding it and holding it up.
"Yes-yes, this is... This is what Skitternitch was look-looking for. Now for Skitternitch's end of the bargain, yes-yes." It reaches into its robes and pulls out a fluted rod of black obsidian, stars and nebulae vaguely visible within. Benedict licks her lips at the sight. The wand is enchanted to be hard to break, and when activated it projects a cone of auditory hallucinations, voices to distract and discomfort those that hear them.

[Recaiden]

"Hey Skitternitch." The rat is blind? And maybe also unable to smell? Or just bad at these things? It's unclear.

"Ooh, that could be a thousand years old."
Miri reaches towards the wand, but, no! doesn't touch it.

[5a Violista]

Melissa doesn't make any motion to get more.

It's pretty gross.

Anyway, she starts playing the card game. "It's the second-best drink I've had all day," she says. She doesn't say the best because it's the only drink she's had. Still has an awful aftertaste. She tries to get it out by swallowing more. "Too strong for me, though: I'm already feeling light-headed from it so I won't get any more."

[Hattish Thing]

Larza kicks back in her chair before resting her boots upon the table before her, cards held up in her lap. She stares around the table several times before playing a card somewhat absentmindedly. It's not an ideal play, and she appears to pretty much be playing whatever seems good on first glance. It's careless, despite the relatively large pot.

With a coy grin, she retrieves a small pouch from her pocket and slides it over to Melissa. It's a fine powder.

"Mix that with ya drink. Fix it right up!"

[Earl of Purple]

Skitternitch is blind. But his sense of smell is pretty good; he just speaks oddly.

The rat-person snuffles at Miri, its whiskers twitching. "Smell-sniff odd, Miri-Miri does. Skitternitch not like it. You no follow me. Stay well away. Yes-yes?" The ratperson puts the sphere in its robes and gets up to leave, occasionally turning back to make sure Miri and Benedict haven't got up to follow yet.

Benedict picks the rod up and rotates it in her hand, licking her lips as she weighs it in her hand and rolls it over to investigate it.

[Recaiden]

"Well that's not nice! I didn't say you look odd, even though you do! "
Miri doesn't follow the rat, though. And to be fair to Skitternich, she surely does smell inhuman. And in need of washing.

"So the rod makes people hear things. Is that right?"

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict draws a white shape in lines of light over the wand as she holds it. "Yes, it looks to be what it does. Seems a bit of an anticlimax, but I haven't tried it yet." And she can't try it in here; it's a weapon, and would violate the Inn's anti-hostility field. "Although a long enough blast with this thing may result in some kind of madness, and prove very distracting." Benedict wonders what, exactly, the hallucinations say. They might be more distraction-based than insanity-inducing, which would change how useful it is.

[Recaiden]

"You want to use it when people can't see you using it." Miri announces, looking away from the ominous wand and finishing her water.
"Are you going to stay here much?" After all, the trade is done now.

[Earl of Purple]

"Yes, that would be one way to test it. There are other ways." Benedict tucks the rod into her waistcoat. "I am waiting a little bit longer to make it clear to Skitternitch that I have no intention in following him, and also because my carriage is not here yet to take me home. They shouldn't be too long; five, ten minutes at most. Have you considered my offer of accommodation?" Because if so, Miri might be able to order a drink first.

[Recaiden]

"Oh, I mean when you're using it." Miri goes on to say.

"Yeah, I'll come stay with you. I already said that, didn't I?" She sighs, not in frustration with Benedict or even anything in particular.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict would need more empathy to notice and care about the sigh, so it goes unchallenged.

"Oh, did you? I apologise; I forgot as I am far too interested in my latest acquisition." And Earl didn't go back to double check. "Would you like a drink before my carriage arrives?" But Earl's running out of ideas for the DFI now, so that will probably occur next post.

[Recaiden]

"Well, it's not important. Yes, I would. Bartender, some hot chocolate!"
You know, people will just give you water? Amazing.
But if Benedict is offering to buy a drink, which is what it sounds like, she can go even further.
Miri will be so excited when the drink arrives.

[Earl of Purple]

Benedict does pay, with antique gold coins. He orders for himself a black coffee, with a dollop of honey to sweeten rather than sugar.

He takes a sip of his drink and looks over at the rest of the Inn.

[5a Violista]

Melissa is pretty sure she doesn't want to try it. In the first place, she has no idea what it is, and in the second place she's seen people who have mixed drugs and alcohol.

...
Not something she wants to do.

She needs to come up with an excuse to turn it down: "Not right now," she says, staring intently at her cards and holding her hand out in a 'stop' motion. "I have something big here." She then intently focuses on the other players, as if trying to read their thoughts on what they have and what they're planning.

Whew.
Crisis averted...hopefully.

[Recaiden]

The person Benedict is helping looks enviously at the gold coins. So intricate, so shiny!
"Oh, uh, thanks for the drink." Miri adds as an afterthought.

Is that the sound of a carriage rolling up outside? Goodness, they really haven't been here that long, have they?

[Earl of Purple]

Indeed, yes. "Ah, that sounds like my carriage." She can tell because the horses aren't whinnying or stomping as they wait outside. Benedict stands up and finishes her coffee, before offering an arm to Miri.

Outside, there's a black carriage, pulled by four skeletal horses with polished bones decorated with brass filigree. The coachman is an unnaturally tall figure wearing a smart tailored black suit and top hat, with leather riding gloves and a polished brass mask, featureless save for two glowing red eye-holes. The coach is a big, bulky vehicle, built more to be impressive than to be quick. Emblazoned on the side is a coat of arms, a silver shield with a black skull on a red bar, supported by two skeleton lions rampant. Benedict snaps her fingers and the door flies open, and a step drops down to help climb inside. From there, they'll go to Home.

[Hattish Thing]

Larza shrugs before cackling. "Ha, yer loss!" At that, she takes the strange powder back before setting the small paper bag to her lips and breathing in heavily. Her eyes widen as she does so, and as she rips the bag away, her dark lips have been stained blue. The goblin shivers before chattering a little, sharp teeth clacking against one another as she plays. "More than one way to have a good time, ya?"

With bloodshot eyes, she glances towards Melissa before asking, "So, tell me 'bout yerself, hun."

[5a Violista]

With bloodshot eyes, she glances towards Melissa before asking, "So, tell me 'bout yerself, hun."[/QUOTE]

Melissa is concentrating on the game. "I'm from Jersey," the New Yorker says. "Kind-of a battle-nut, y'know? It helps keep me out of a 9-to-5 job. That sort of thing would be literally the worst because I would get so bored of it. Kind-of seeing a therapist every couple days for it, if you know what I mean."

Hm.
Her cards.
She says something that is true: "You all should just give up now, because my hand's good enough to win this round." Everything about that statement makes it feel like a bluff. She sounds like she's bluffing. Her body language suggests she's bluffing. Even supernatural methods would say she's lying. But she does, in fact, think she's going to win it. It actually is pretty good, but she sounds like she's just (poorly) trying to convince everyone else that it's good.

"How about you?" she replies.