Riverside 22: Better the demon you know?

[Ironsmith]

[Eew Showers]

Mad but willing to forgive. That's... good, isn't it? Probably better than just not being mad; that means she doesn't have to worry so much about screwing up, really, doesn't it?

Tahara smiles slightly at that. Of course Leah's like that. She is pure-hearted, after all. Though she does still raise some good questions and points that need answering.

"I'm... not entirely sure what I am." She replies, visibly more at ease despite the uncomfortable subject. "I mean, I do know, but I don't think you'll find other people like me, so there aren't really words for it. I used to just be a girl, like you, almost. I tried to be nice to everyone and everything I met, even the little bugs." She holds up her hand, where a few of her roaches are skittering around. "I mean, everyone thinks they're gross, but it's not like they're doing anything wrong, right? They're just living in a place where people don't want them." She shrugs. "I, um... I guess that paid off, because one day a long time ago, I got into a fight with my sister. She beat me up really badly, and left me in a ditch. I probably would have died if my little friends here hadn't helped me out." She smiles and lovingly strokes the roach on her wrist. "We've been inseparable ever since."

She looks back up at Leah and gives her a rueful smile. "I, um, do have my own place to live, yeah. Kinda. It's not fancy, in fact it's an actual dump, but it keeps me warm, dry, and fed. I'll be fine when I leave, and I don't expect you to let me stay here... just to maybe, you know, come back." She shrugs. "And yeah, I'll be 'changing clothes' between visits. I don't want to make you sick or anything." That would just make her a bad friend, really, wouldn't it?

"So... are we still friends?" She asks finally, poking out just under the lid of the trash can.

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

The creature doesn't move but its clear that things are moving underneath its robe and soon enough two arms seem to raise underneath the blue cloth despite not being evident earlier-

But at that point they can hear a door opening behind them.

"Will you stop that ruckus- kids?!"

A blue skinned elf woman with long orange hair has swung it open as is now giving them a annoyed glare. She's wearing some rather unique harlequin-patterned underwear and has one hand firmly planted on her him while the other is keeping the door open. "What the hell are you doing here?" Her gaze shifts to Siana's stick which seems to make her even more confounded.

[Arkhosia]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

Spoiler

Show

[Meeting the Cast]

Siana jumps a little, too, but that has more to do with the frightened foxgirl screaming right next to her ear than the toothipede. She once again goes for her cane, but rather than draw her blade, simply holds it as if it's a weapon itself. Fusago might take a dim view of her potentially killing this thing, but a few smacks in self-defense are probably tolerable. More than it killing her would be, anyway. "What the hell are you doing here?" She demands of the creature. She isn't sure if it can understand her, or say anything back to her, but it may yet surprise her. At the very least, she wants to be able to say she tried.

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

The creature doesn't move but its clear that things are moving underneath its robe and soon enough two arms seem to raise underneath the blue cloth despite not being evident earlier-

But at that point they can hear a door opening behind them.

"Will you stop that ruckus- kids?!"

A blue skinned elf woman with long orange hair has swung it open as is now giving them a annoyed glare. She's wearing some rather unique harlequin-patterned underwear and has one hand firmly planted on her him while the other is keeping the door open. "What the hell are you doing here?" Her gaze shifts to Siana's stick which seems to make her even more confounded.

Anastasia startles again and whirls around to face the new speaker, her face going a little red when she sees how scantily-dressed the elf in front of her is. "U-um, sorry, w-we're guests of Mrs. Trued. I-I think maybe we got a little lost, or wandered in somewhere we didn't mean to?" She hesitates and glances back. "Y'see, she and I were - um, talking rather privately, and we thought someone was watching us. When we followed them, we ended up here." Ana jerks back a thumb at the toothipedequin to indicate who that "Someone" is.

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

The creature doesn't move but its clear that things are moving underneath its robe and soon enough two arms seem to raise underneath the blue cloth despite not being evident earlier-

But at that point they can hear a door opening behind them.

"Will you stop that ruckus- kids?!"

A blue skinned elf woman with long orange hair has swung it open as is now giving them a annoyed glare. She's wearing some rather unique harlequin-patterned underwear and has one hand firmly planted on her him while the other is keeping the door open. "What the hell are you doing here?" Her gaze shifts to Siana's stick which seems to make her even more confounded.

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

Spoiler

Show

Anastasia startles again and whirls around to face the new speaker, her face going a little red when she sees how scantily-dressed the elf in front of her is. "U-um, sorry, w-we're guests of Mrs. Trued. I-I think maybe we got a little lost, or wandered in somewhere we didn't mean to?" She hesitates and glances back. "Y'see, she and I were - um, talking rather privately, and we thought someone was watching us. When we followed them, we ended up here." Ana jerks back a thumb at the toothipedequin to indicate who that "Someone" is.

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

Siana lowers her cane, looking back at the elf lady and trying to determine how much trouble they were in. If this turned into a fight, she'd basically just cut off their only escape route, which would present an obvious problem for them.

But, fortunately, that doesn't look like it'll be happening. This is starting to look more like escort-out-by-your-ears sort of trouble, if that. Apart from the toothipedequin, that is, but she doubts it'll attack them now that there's another member of staff here to witness it; that would probably get it in as much trouble as the inverse would her.

"Really, it's more that she followed me and I followed them." Siana clarifies, pointing with her cane at the creature in the middle of the room. If they've offended by being back here, it only makes sense to not have Ana take the blame with her, especially since going after the toothipede really was her idea. "Miss Trued gave us permission to go anywhere, but it sounds like she didn't have back here in mind when she said that. We'll see ourselves out." She gestures toward the door they came through with her cane.

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

The elf's gaze goes back to the other door and her 'coworker' which is now making its way towards Siana and Ana.

She decides to step out of the corridor and slam the door shut right in its face. "Well, first of all, I'm pretty sure we aren't supposed to let-" Her eyes dart to the sides. "-whatever that is, out."

At this point she turns fully to Ana and Siana. "But you're the guests then? I really thought I'd be performing for an older audience unless you're- actually, how old are you two if you don't mind me asking? There's really no need to be nervous. I enjoy meeting the crowds." She smiles confidently, perhaps even smugly some might say.

[Arkhosia]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

There's another slight jump from Ana as the door slams and she simultaneously realizes that the creature now on the other side of it was heading right towards them. "U-um- I'm like, sixteen," the foxgirl clarifies, doing an admirable job at pretending not to be nervous.

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

Not supposed to let it out?

Siana frowns slightly as she ponders the implications of that statement. That means the toothipede is a prisoner of sorts. Or at the very least, not sharing the same sort of status as the guests. But why would Fusago and the Yu-Tender want it here at all? If they have the ability to track it, they have the ability to kill it. And more importantly, Fusago intervened to keep her from potentially killing it, either. What do they need it alive for?

Siana snaps out of her reverie, seeming to have noticed the awkward pause between Ana's answer and her own. "Likewise." She adds, setting her cane at a neutral position in front of her. "By which I mean, I'm sixteen, too." She stops and looks the woman up and down, an obvious question coming to mind. "What exactly do you do?" She doesn't see an instrument on this lady, and her costume isn't much of a costume. Maybe she does some kind of contortion act? Acrobatics? Dancing? Or possibly oral entertainment of some kind? Singing, joke-telling, poem recitals?

...Probably best to stop speculating and let her answer.

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

The woman seems to notice Siana's gaze and has an immediate reaction to it. "Aw ****. You can't see it either, can you?"

She let's out a loud dramatic sigh.

"But, to answer your question lady, I am Liemuria Ashleaves and I am a magician, adventurer, cobbler, artificer, alchemist-" She takes a step back to be able to make a deep bow. "-but tonight, foremost a performer." Which is a lot of words to say very little about what her act actually is.

"Of course, I'd look much more impressive if these damn clothes would actually be visible to anyone." Liemuria tugs at something close to her chest. "Try, feel them." She holds out her arm as if offering it up for them. "This outfit is invisible, see? Or, its invisible to most people at least. Right now I'm trying to determine what it actually looks like and I hope that eventually someone in my audience will be able to see it so they can describe them to me. No luck so far though, but I figured fey would be able to."

[Recaiden]

[Into the Looking Glass]

"Why, thank you miss Xar'Cha." Nye replies with a wry smile. "I try my best, which isn't always enough mind you." Her gaze then shifts to the King. "I shall address that question once we are in a more private setting. One ruler to another. For now though, we shall try to enjoy ourselves as constant business dulls the mind. Life is after all ultimately about pleasure. We might not always be able to gain it but it's what we long for."

She pauses and looks at Skye. "Ah, forgive me. I went on a little tangent there, didn't I? Well, to answer your questions, general. My mate isn't really looking for a specific sort of people, that's more of my domain. They're simply looking for people that won't shun them. That are willing to at least give them a chance. Fusago isn't not looking for worship, whatever the vision might have implied, they are looking for companionship. A relationship of mutual benefit."

She gestures at what now seems to be the wall. "But I will have my mate go into more details on that later on. For now, what about our first game and some appetizers? I will have one of the pawns go and check on Siana and Ana."

However the King in Rags ends up feeling - if that's a thing he does - The General has limited interest in convincing him of anything. He'll come around or he won't. And probably easier for the city if he is less involved, in the end.

"And these games are what you find pleasure in, Tender? As you say, let's get them stated." Personally she finds the party rather overwrought so far, but who knows that it might change? And hasn't it been a while since she stopped to enjoy a meal?

[Arkhosia]

Into The Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast

"Well, um, i-it's nice to meet you Liemuria," Anastasia responds, taking the elf in more properly with mild curiosity - although both parties here might be able to tell that she's very much trying to avoid from staring anywhere rude. "I'm actually kinda a performer too, I guess- I play guitar sometimes, though like, I don't think I could do it in a professional capacity."

The foxgirl will hesitantly reach out to touch Liemuria's arm, slightly confused but fairly interested to see if this lady was actually telling the truth or just mildly nuts.

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

The woman seems to notice Siana's gaze and has an immediate reaction to it. "Aw ****. You can't see it either, can you?"

She let's out a loud dramatic sigh.

"But, to answer your question lady, I am Liemuria Ashleaves and I am a magician, adventurer, cobbler, artificer, alchemist-" She takes a step back to be able to make a deep bow. "-but tonight, foremost a performer." Which is a lot of words to say very little about what her act actually is.

"Of course, I'd look much more impressive if these damn clothes would actually be visible to anyone." Liemuria tugs at something close to her chest. "Try, feel them." She holds out her arm as if offering it up for them. "This outfit is invisible, see? Or, its invisible to most people at least. Right now I'm trying to determine what it actually looks like and I hope that eventually someone in my audience will be able to see it so they can describe them to me. No luck so far though, but I figured fey would be able to."

Into The Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast

"Well, um, i-it's nice to meet you Liemuria," Anastasia responds, taking the elf in more properly with mild curiosity - although both parties here might be able to tell that she's very much trying to avoid from staring anywhere rude. "I'm actually kinda a performer too, I guess- I play guitar sometimes, though like, I don't think I could do it in a professional capacity."

The foxgirl will hesitantly reach out to touch Liemuria's arm, slightly confused but fairly interested to see if this lady was actually telling the truth or just mildly nuts.

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

"...Huh." Siana smiles slightly. "You know, that's one heck of a coincidence. When I was a little girl, my mum told me a story like that. A vain queen was approached by a fiendish trickster, who offered to make her a dress that was invisible to foolish people. She agreed and paid him a small fortune to do the job. He spent a while at her castle, ostensibly working on the dress, but her suspicions were aroused when he seemed to be taking longer than expected. So she sent a number of her advisors to check on the dress, and each reported back that it was a magnificent sight, not wanting to be thought of as foolish and reporting back what they'd actually seen, a naked dummy. Eventually, the fiend announced the work was complete and dressed the queen, who herself also did not see a dress but said nothing for fear of looking foolish. She went out on a procession afterwards, appearing before her people in what she thought was royal finery. She's been the subject of ridicule ever since."

"The dress was real, of course; it was still on display in a museum in Brefaisil when I was a girl. It's very beautiful. But since so many people couldn't see it, the queen essentially exposed herself to a large crowd wearing nothing but her crown. Which was, as the fiend admonished her at the end of the story, quite foolish." Siana smirks and fiddles with the sleeve of the dress, pinching the air and wiggling her hand back and forth if there isn't actually a sleeve there to grab. "The lesson we've always taken from the incident was a warning against pride. Had the queen worn something else under her dress, she would have appeared fine to some of her subjects and even finer to others. Instead... well, you know."

She blinks her way out of the tangent and smiles. "Sorry, I'm... not sure how much that applies here. It just reminded me of something nice from home, you know?"

[Morty]

[Into the Looking Glass]

"The mate and caretaker of a deity is a ruler of sorts," the King says, his voice somewhat sardonic. "There is power in such a position, is there not?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass]

"Oh, I wouldn't call Fusago a deity-" Nye glances at the walls. "In fact, they're rather sensitive about that sort of designation considering the nature of worship. It can be a fairly one-sided relationship in some instances, yes?"

She then nods to the king. "But yes, I am what mortals usually call 'royalty'. Not that I'm sure how they designate royalty, something with their blood being blue? But with my role as caretaker allows me the command of others. Like my pawns for instance-" She gestures at the two servants that are still present who both curtsies in response. "-and that's from what I can tell what royalty is." Nye shrugs. "But I could be wrong of course. I'm said to have a fairly relaxed attitude concerning this so perhaps I shouldn't go around making claims about things I barely know anything about."

"Anyhow, we're going to get into the appetizers first once Ana and Siana have returned." She looks to the white staircase where they both descended down into. "Which should be any moment now I hope."

Into The Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast

Ana can feel a soft, apparently invisible, fabric against her hands as she reaches out to touch Liemuria's arm. She really is wearing something that's almost impossible to perceive.

Siana on the other hand can't feel anything. There's clearly not any clothing there.

Liemuria listens to Siana's story with a seemingly neutral expression. "Frankly, it sounds like this queen was really into displaying her nude body to others. Exhib-tism or whatever it's called." Is her first remark once Siana finishes. "I mean, no underwear? I'm okay with people seeing my undies but strutting around naked on stage is a bit more than I can handle. At least people would have to pay me a lot more for that kind of performance." She remarks with a grin. "Like, can you imagine if you had a bra made of this cloth? Would people just assume your boobs were that firm just since they couldn't see what was holding them up? Crazy." The performer shakes her head as she gestures at her bosom. "Speaking of, you've given me some perspective with this story. Perhaps I should just wear my usual clothing for this one-"

At this point Siana and Ana can hear footsteps behind them and hear White Pawn's voice calling out.

"Siana? Ana? Are you here?"

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

Siana stares blankly at Liemuria as she goes into entirely too much detail about public nudity and the appearance thereof. People... actually enjoy exposure of that sort? As in, doing it themselves? Enough of them for Liemuria to have a term for it? And then she's going on to talk about her bosom to a perfect stranger and-

"Hi yes we're in here Miss Pawn!" She blurts, for once competing with Ana on how red her face can get. They probably weren't going to get in trouble for this and it's definitely time to leave this conversation before it gets even more awkward.

[Arkhosia]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

Ana's eyebrows raise as she feels the fabric around Liemuria's arm, and she looks over at Siana as if trying to tell whether she does too. She doesn't comment on having done so explicitly, but from the way she touches the garment and the reaction it provokes the elf may still be able to realize it. After all, there are interesting stories to listen to and not interrupt.

"I think it's, um, 'exhibitionism'," Anastasia helpfully offers, even as her own face gets a little red at how frankly the elf talks about such things. "It might be smart, yeah - o-or at least to wear something a little more, um..." The fox gets a bit redder, but is luckily saved by White Pawn entering the area. "Um - yeah, I'm here too," she adds, glancing over to see how far away she is.

[Recaiden]

[Into the Looking Glass]

"The relationship you showed us seemed immensely one-sided." The General observes earnestly.

For Nye's benefit, she explains, "Humans all have blood that is sometimes blue and sometimes red."
The details aren't important; there is no true royalty here in Riverside. Even 'King in Rags' is just a title, as far as she understands.

[Shadowcaller]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

Liemuria raises her eyebrows at the reactions of the two. "Yeah... definitively changing outfits." She comments, seemingly to herself, before the two turns to White Pawn as she enters through the secret door.

"Ah, you found the changing rooms. Suppose it won't be a surprise where the entertainers are coming from anymore then."

She smiles warmly at the two.

"However, I'm afraid dinner is being served right now so Lady Nye requests your presence at the dinner table. Are you ready to go?"

But before Ana can answer this question she can feel her attention being pulled to one of the doors in the corridor. The leftmost closest to the secret door.
She isn't quite sure why her attention is being drawn there at first as it looks exactly like the other doors but then she can hear her own voice whisper to her. Sounding like its coming out from the bottom of the door.

Spoiler: Lovely Whispers To a Lonely Gal

Show

"Ana... my lovely beast... I see you now... like I did before. Will you bring about... another beautiful end? For me?"

The others don't seem to be able to hear anything.

[Arkhosia]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

"Oh! Um, I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were holding things up!" The foxgirl looks fairly embarrassed to discover this, but she turns back to Liemuria first. "W-well, um, it was a pleasure to meet you miss Liemuria. I hope your performance goes well!" She smiles, and moves to join White Pawn - but then, her gaze seems to be drawn away, and she freezes, her face going deathly pale.

[Ironsmith]

[Into the Looking Glass - Meeting the Cast]

"Right. Best of luck, Miss Ashleaves." Siana gives the entertainer a polite smile and a little curtsy, wanting to maintain her manners even if the subject turned a little weird there for a moment. She's not a bad person, just... discomforting.

As Siana turns to leave with White Pawn and Ana, she naturally notices when Ana freezes in her tracks, and stops to address her. "...Ana? Are you okay?" She asks. If she doesn't get an answer, she'll follow the foxgirl's gaze to the door and fix it with a glare of her own, as though attempting to stab it with her eyes. "...Ana. We should go." She'll say, a little more forcefully, continuing to shoot the offending ingress a stream of eye-daggers, and tugging at her sleeves just a bit for encouragement.

[Reinholdt]

[Eew Showers]

"Sounds like an elemental to me." Or rather, a ghost of a young girl that's possessed garbage, but the implications of that is even more gross than the garbage itself. Though Leah still shudders at the roaches that scurry around Tahara's hand, what kind of sister would kill someone so young? Granted, Leah's understood the desire before with her own sisters but...

Also, Leah's just presuming this 'person's' age by the way she's been acting. It's impossible to know just by looking. The catgirl frowns and kneels down a bit so they're closer to level. "Yeah, I suppose. Still friends. How old are you anyways? If your birthday's coming up, I need to know." Friends get gifts for each other and throw parties.

[Ironsmith]

[Eew Showers]

Her b-birthday?!

Leah's seriously planning for her birthday?!

Squealing isn't a sound normally associated with cockroaches, so Leah might be a little surprised to hear it coming from her trash can. The catgirl really is just too nice!

After the initial excitement wears off, Tahara slowly lifts her head out of the can and gives Leah an embarrassed smile. "Sorry. It's just... nobody's even asked in a long time." She explains, poking her fingers together. "...But, I, um... I don't actually remember. I used to know, but every time my birthday came around and nobody said anything, it just made me really sad, so I tried to forget. I guess I succeeded."

She taps her finger to her chin as she thinks about it, dislodging little droplets of goop that run down her arm. "I can tell you it always snowed on my birthday. Every time. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, but always some. I'd usually start seeing a lot of candy wrappers and sappy greeting cards a while later, if that helps. And one time, my sister got me a record that had a nice song on it, as a birthday present... it was kind of sad, and I was too little to really understand it, but I liked the music." She clears her throat (kinda) and hums a few bars; it sounds vaguely jazzy, going by the cadence and the notes she emphasizes, but there's only so much to be gleaned from one voice humming the half-remembered melody of a song from her childhood. "...That's about all I can recall. Even the roaches just say I've been around for as long as any of them can remember. Which, um... isn't very long, I don't know if you knew."

"...Relatedly, it really only seems fair that I ask about your birthday, too." She says, sitting up straight. "I mean... you want something nice done for yours, too, right?"