Home 26: Rooms to let, fifty cents

[Shadowcaller]

Dreaming of Fey

"Longer than I can remember." Jaahlyn remarks with a expression that suggests disgust. "It's weird since when I'm alone I can feel like just flipping the entire world off, but never when I'm with people." She observes but doesn't linger on the subject as Jim goes into more details about his friends.
"So he's werecrocodile... human? I only recall hearing about werehyenas back home but those were supposed to be witches I think." And they were also supposed to be really evil which didn't seem to be the case here. "Sounds like a really nice guy though. I know I work best with shy people with the whole polite thing I got going." She talks about it almost as if was a seperate personality.

[Rebonack]

[Jace's Place]

Ugh.

They're signing.

Why do they always have to be singing?

"Daaaad you're such a dork!" Khannie moans, just to make it clear how much her father embarrasses her. She wouldn't be a nearly-teen-girl if she didn't express such misgivings.

She loves him, though.

More than the whole world.

But her protestations don't stop her from scurrying over to her spot at the ta-

Ugh.

Double ugh.

Did is giving her that look as she reaches for the chair.

"Uuuuuugh!"

Over to the sink she goes to wash her hands.

With soap.

Then back to her chair again.

"And maybe a swim suit?" Khannie adds as she eyes the pancakes. "I want to visit a river or a pool or a beach or something."

Pokemon can just dive into the water all willy nilly. Little girls need swim suits.

"But... maybe no pokemon hoodies this time?"

[Recaiden]

"Never much to- wait, did you meet this Bird before?"
That would certainly be a coincidence for the ages.
"And he didn't say anything at the time but I don't want to be a target by something like that, no. Would you have any idea how to deal with it if I wanted it gone?" If it was harmless by itself it wouldn't be awful but he'd rather not anger any more fey lords by existing.

"Oh, not myself, or anything like that." Leah says, shaking her head.

"I think if you want to be rid of it, you need to trade it away, or understand it better."
"How much sleep have you had since the job?"

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming of Fey

"He told me it was a gift from a god in exchange for some part-time work or something. I wonder if he's contagious?" Div is probably immune being a fey being and already part animal.
"But yeah, he and his boyfriend are sweet guys. You'll like them I think. And if you want to keep stopping by to talk without your rules that's fine by me too." It sounds pretty awful, being chained to these rules.

Jace's Place

Khannie's protests cannot stop Jace's dad-ness. Nothing ever can.
"Yeah, we can find you a nice little swimsuit." One piece. Not two piece.
Jace was never sure about the pokemon hoodie. He doesn't remember buying it and Khannie wore it anyway even though she didn't like being a pokemon so he's not sure what was going on with that.
"Khannie's almost a teenager and everyone knows teenagers get hoodies with nonsense symbols and dragons on them." Zebes says wisely.

Skullfort

Krayger isn't sure what some of that meant.
"Who could I even trade it away to? And for what?
Sleep? Um, one night's. I didn't sleep terribly well." He didn't have nightmares or anything. He just didn't wake up feeling that rested.

[Rebonack]

[Jace's Place]

Nothing can stop the Dad Train once it starts.

Khannie gets to work on her breakfast and-

-sure enough-

-the scent of syrup soon rouses Maridia to join them. If allowed, she'll devour another quarter of her apple fritter, too. It's definitely good that she wasn't given permission to eat that whole thing at once. She probably would have been too heavy to fly.

"I saw some girls wearing hoodies that said 'pink' on them but the hoodies weren't pink at all," Khannie points out. "Does that count as nonsense?"

She thinks it probably should.

Why would your hoodie say pink if its black and white?

That's dumb.

Anywho!

Breakfast.

Much eating is done. Once Khannie is finished she'll hurry back up to her room to brush her teeth! She actually does a pretty good job of that since she definitely doesn't want any cavities. Once sufficiently brushed back down the stairs she'll go! There's definitely a bounce to her step that wasn't there last week. Khannie is, without question, happier.

"Are we going to walk or take the train or is Zebes going to fly us?" she asks

[Recaiden]

Krayger isn't sure what some of that meant.
"Who could I even trade it away to? And for what?
Sleep? Um, one night's. I didn't sleep terribly well." He didn't have nightmares or anything. He just didn't wake up feeling that rested.

"To another of the fair folk, or a spirit merchant, or a warlock." Not that she's suggesting anyone specific.
"You'd get something safer. Or something completely different; you're a professional after all. A skilled mercenary could find something to offer." Leah shrugs.

"These things are often clearer when you're dreaming. You would probably need a guide, not having experience with it."

[Deathkeeper]

Skullfort

"Oh, if you don't know anyone that's fine. But ah, yes. I've not exactly done dream things besides the usual stuff." he muses.
That is to say, he's dreamed like a normal person and not done fey bargaining.

Jace's Place

"Well, carrying two people has always been rough but I guess you're still mostly light enough..." Zebes seems unsure but he's willing to try it.
"And usually it's stuff people think looks like some tribal symbols but don't mean anything at all. If words are there but don't make sense it's probably a brand. Or a meme." You can never predict memes.

[Rebonack]

[Jace's Place]

Well then that means it is SCENE TRANSITION TO MALLSIDE time!

Khannie will eagerly wait for Zebes to get LARGE and EXTRA HUGGABLE before excitedly climbing aboard.

She weighs a fair bit less as a little girl than she does as a lanky teen pokemon. Khans are pretty darn big after all.

And then?

Fly away!

To Mallside!

Hopefully Khannie doesn't weigh them down too much on the way back with way too much clothing!

[Recaiden]

"Oh, if you don't know anyone that's fine. But ah, yes. I've not exactly done dream things besides the usual stuff." he muses.
That is to say, he's dreamed like a normal person and not done fey bargaining.

Leah laughs. Poor Krayger is really out of his element, isn't he? "Of course I know anyone. But I have to be fair about it."
She can't simply recommend herself, or anyone else.

"Probably, you should spend the day getting to know some birds, and then tonight, try to understand the title itself. I could be there to help you, in dreams, if you'd do me a favor in exchange."

[Deathkeeper]

Skullfort

Krayger does not understand at all why she has to be fair about it. The fact that he could get something out of trading this title away is a nice upside to this bad situation but if she could remove it for something as simple as a nice piece of equipment he'd be happy.
This must be some sort of fey rule.
"I don't really know how I would understand the title tonight but you're welcome to help if you wish. What favor would you ask of me?" She's never been unreasonable to him or Koshal before, so he does trust her.

[Recaiden]

It does seem like it must be some sort of fey rule.
Maybe Krayger could find a way around it.
"Things like this are more distinct in the dreamworld. If you really understand it there, you'll be able to deal with it while awake, get rid of it one way or the other."

"As for me, I need a bit of history, which I think you can get for me. I can give you the details tomorrow."

[Deathkeeper]

Skullfort

"Oh, like some historical documents? Sure, seems like the kinds of jobs I do." Unless she just means she wants an explanation of some history he would know.
"Well, I guess that's all I had to ask you. Um. So I just...sleep tonight?" Would she be able to find him if he just slept in his quarters like normal? That sounds like it could be abused if someone with that power wanted to. Not her specifically just in general.

[Shadowcaller]

Dreaming of Fey

"He told me it was a gift from a god in exchange for some part-time work or something. I wonder if he's contagious?" Div is probably immune being a fey being and already part animal.
"But yeah, he and his boyfriend are sweet guys. You'll like them I think. And if you want to keep stopping by to talk without your rules that's fine by me too." It sounds pretty awful, being chained to these rules.

Dreaming of Fey

"Mmm..." The subject of her rules doesn't seem to be something she wants to linger on however. Not now at least. "So, you think there's anything particular your friends would be interested in doing? Since I could always give you a tour somewhere, or... play some music, maybe do some magic?"

[Gnrlshrimp]

Felix's Tower

Krayger looks over with a look of immense self-satisfaction with only drops a little bit with Felix's musings aloud.
"For the record it was around three, I think." comes the answer to Felix's question. It might have been more but he was running away at the time. He has no shame about it either. It was the smart decision.

[Felix's Tower]

"Hmm, well three shouldn't be that bad, I-"

Somewhere, close by, comes the unmistakable sound of GggurrrrRRRGGGGKLE! followed by BLORP. BLORP. BLORP.

Just for a moment, the rounded bulk of the cauldron golem comes into view at the limit of their light range, before retreating into the gloom again. And following it, three more gloopy forms advance towards our heroic minotaur and his mentor.

"Ah." Felix mumbles, stroking his beard. "I think three just became six."

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming of Fey

Jim considers the question.
"Div is from out in the woods and Batu told me he's from a tribe that lived out in the wilderness. They might appreciate somewhere nice and quiet more. They seem alright with the city but I've definitely noticed it's a new thing for them. You know any pretty, quiet places? Of course you can still play music there too."
He admits he doesn't know these two as well as he should. But he'd rather introduce them than his old high school friends.

Felix's Tower

"Does this thing have an infinite supply of liquid?" he demands of Felix since he really thinks that's something they could be dealing with at this point.
But still, they have monsters to fight! Krayger takes a large step forward and lowers his wand for another blast! His blasts are still unfocused but that might actually work to their advantage: the wide, imprecise attacks may hit the slimes at once if they're bunched up.

[Recaiden]

"Oh, like some historical documents? Sure, seems like the kinds of jobs I do." Unless she just means she wants an explanation of some history he would know.
"Well, I guess that's all I had to ask you. Um. So I just...sleep tonight?" Would she be able to find him if he just slept in his quarters like normal? That sounds like it could be abused if someone with that power wanted to. Not her specifically just in general.

"That's right. Just remember this meeting, and I'll find you, and we'll get this sorted." Leah explains.
That's a little less but, but yes, it's a very unsafe power!

[Deathkeeper]

Skullfort

Krayger nods.
"Alright, Lady Danir. I'll remember. If that's all I need to do I suppose I'll see you tonight. I should visit my nephew while I'm here, unless you have him in full training today." Koshal's schedule is probably generous enough to fit in fifteen minutes with his uncle.

[Shadowcaller]

Dreaming of Fey

The wilderness? Jaahlyn had spent relatively little time in it for a good reason. Not too much jobs to find out there and it was simply uncomfortable living out there.

That said, 'relatively little' was still a long time considering how long she had been alive.

"Erm, well, I go out there to do jobs for fey at times. But there's some pretty chill fey that you guys might enjoy hanging out with. No parties or anything like that. I try to avoid that sort of thing anyway."

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming of Fey

Jim smirks. He understands that trying to avoid something still means it happens when you're a thousand. But it's still a little funny after what she just accidentally showed him.
"Oh, really? I didn't mean we had to go forty kilometers out of the city but yeah. What're they like? I imagine with all your work you must have met a few cool folks." and probably a lot of awful people but they're not going to dwell on that one.

[Shadowcaller]

Dreaming of Fey

Yes, that had very much been an unusual time for her. "Oh, it's fairly close actually. Just, ah, a walking distance from Inside." It wasn't like she had counted the distance. "Last time I was there you had some pixies, a pride... which is kind of a lion fey, and at least one elf but I avoided that one. No offense to other kinds of elves but you shouldn't trust them, Jim. Not that we're going to run into them if we're going there again and even if we did they're at least peaceful. I can gurantee there's nothing dangerous out there."

[Gullara]

Kitsune Recovery Service

”Um, okay, sure.” Ana can’t help but idly wonder just how much there is of a “rest of tonight”. Between everything that’s happened it feels like there should barely be a “tonight” left, and yet so much can happen in just a scant couple of hours.

Kitsune Recovery Service

"Uh... uhm... have a good night, Ana." Obriane remarks with a nod. The fact she would be using Kitty's old clothes only reminding her once again what had happened to her fiance.
But she couldn't exactly object, they weren't her clothes after all.

[Kitsune Recovery Service]

Kitsuki leads the short distance to the living room. "So we don't really have extra space, but the couch should be alright hopefully." She grabs a couple blankets and puts them down next to the throw pillows. "We'll try to keep the kids in check so you can sleep in." She chuckles.

[Arkhosia]

Kitsune Recovery Service

"Um, you too," Anastasia responds a timidly, turning from Obriane to follow Kitty into the living rooms. "That um - yeah like, that should be fine." That last remark gets the young kitsune to smile a little, and she'll slip into the makeshift bed soon enough, bundling up tightly.

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming of Fey

Yes, that had very much been an unusual time for her. "Oh, it's fairly close actually. Just, ah, a walking distance from Inside." It wasn't like she had counted the distance. "Last time I was there you had some pixies, a pride... which is kind of a lion fey, and at least one elf but I avoided that one. No offense to other kinds of elves but you shouldn't trust them, Jim. Not that we're going to run into them if we're going there again and even if we did they're at least peaceful. I can gurantee there's nothing dangerous out there."

Dreaming of Fey

"So it's some kind of popular spot for fey? Might be fun. Like I said, they're shy but I've been trying to get them out a little more. And if you think of any place near water we could get Batu to show off his swimming."
Batu doesn't show off anything besides his sorcery every once and a while but Jim is fairly confident in saying that a crocodile must be able to swim well. He's never asked but come on; dude's a croc.
"I'm getting the vibe that I shouldn't go trusting lots of fey from lots of worlds. Comes with the territory of some places, I guess." Jaahlyn is pretty great but fey from places that eat you if they ever find out your name are on a whole different level.

[Shadowcaller]

Dreaming of Fey

"I trusted fey and look what happened." She raises up on her knees to gesture down at her goat legs. Her eyes are then drawn to Jim's own legs. "But as you can attest Jim, nothing with magic should be fully trusted. I think the reason people focus so much on fey is that they can come off as pretty and harmless." She now gestures at her eyes. "At least I have some scary elements in me to keep the kids from being dumb. I intentionally make myself smell bad too. Keeps the idiots away." Jim has never experienced any of that though thankfully.

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming of Fey

"I guess I do know that. But I also know that sometimes you have to put your trust in something even if it's scary. And not everything with a dark side has to be scary in the end."
The image of Sticks, eyes aglow and brandishing his staff-bident is something that will never quite leave Jim's brain.
But he gives her a bemused look as he instinctively sniffs.
"Well if you actually do that I would appreciate it if you could refrain from doing so before seeing me and/or my friends. I don't want to become the guy known for the smelly date."

[Shadowcaller]

Dreaming of Fey

Jim's last comment is enough to make Jaahlyn blush. "Eh, yes. Of course. I'm, uh, also gonna wear something much nicer too. What you saw me in was really just my working clothes." She just needed to figure out how to arrange for all that. Just getting clean something of a challenge for her.

[Gullara]

Kitsune Recovery Service

"Um, you too," Anastasia responds a timidly, turning from Obriane to follow Kitty into the living rooms. "That um - yeah like, that should be fine." That last remark gets the young kitsune to smile a little, and she'll slip into the makeshift bed soon enough, bundling up tightly.

[Kitsune Recovery Service]

"Alright, great. Um, see you tomorrow. Sleep well." Kitsuki looks at Obriane and then heads toward the bedroom.

[Shadowcaller]

[Kitsune Recovery Service]

Obriane once again smiles to Ana before she follows Kitty out and towards their bedroom. "I know it will be hard for her but eventually we will need to talk to her about what happened. Maybe it was self-defense? I know it's just speculation but a girl like her must have had a good reason for doing something so awful." She asks once they're behind closed doors.

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming of Fey

Jim is oblivious to Jaahlyn's restrictions.
"Well, that's fine then. I'll look forward to it." He looks at her appraisingly. Is she the type to have a fancy dress? Or is she more of a suit and slacks kind of girl? Hm, no, she doesn't seem the type to go for full pants, ever. He'll just have to let himself be surprised by what she considers nice clothes.
"I guess it's a plan, then."

[Recaiden]

Krayger nods.
"Alright, Lady Danir. I'll remember. If that's all I need to do I suppose I'll see you tonight. I should visit my nephew while I'm here, unless you have him in full training today." Koshal's schedule is probably generous enough to fit in fifteen minutes with his uncle.

"I think he can find a little time for his family." Leah agrees, getting up from the meeting place.
"Go find him."
She will need to prepare for a potentially serious trip into the dreamlands, and find a little time to investigate the King in Rags, besides.