Flight of Fancy: IC (Mature) {Currently Closed}

[Paladin Sheppard]

Ephrael stood very still almost disappearing into the wall despite her clothing slashing badly with it...A handy bounty Hunter/ Rogue trick, as the Rather pissed off Eden came stomping around the corner.

One simply does not tempt the wrath of a Demon when they are annoyed, its a good one of becoming a smear on said wall....Not that Ephrael wasn't confident of handling the Bunny, but why tempt fate? And ruin a friendship (Though some demons seemed to see fights as foreplay...)

Maybe Eden had found her 'friend' and he was on his way back, And if she hadn't The Devil would wait ten minutes and knock then.

[Tapewolf]

Jakob made his way to the messaging centre.  Finding a table, he wrote the message in a language known only to Clan Daryil that his master had invented for secure communications.
Then he encoded it using a one-time pad and, making sure that no-one would see the wing-morphing, covertly destroyed the plaintext using a wing-tentacle to shred the paper.  After all, someone might be able to deduce the language by analysis.  Finally, he ate the pad, which was printed on rice-paper and flavoured with mango juice.

Decoded and translated, it would have read:
"Dear Dar, reached Qaggath.  Trip uneventful, though magic suppressor may be more than it seems.  Had confrontation with one Aleyna Kresedia who threatened to hunt me down.  Believed to be smoothed over, but consider prime suspect should anything happen to me.  See you soon.  Love, Yak"

With a quiet smile to himself, Jakob went to the nearest counter.  "Good day, sir.  I would like to wire a message to New Zinvth," he told the clerk.

[Angel]

Kenyan was half-horrified, half-relieved when Xyrtia volunteered to scout for the cheshire. He should have known the fighter wouldn't be happy staying captive here until a better chance arrived. Truth be told, he wasn't sure a better chance would arrive at all. These people saw those in the slavehold only as weapons, true, but at the very least they were offering to free them. He didn't trust them...but he had no choice. This was the best way to keep his promise to help and protect everyone here. The tuft at the end of his tail twitched, and he sighed with a bit of growl behind it.

"...I know a way to find the things without being seen," he mumbled. "I will help, but I need to talk to some others first."

He walked over to Mateo, kneeling down to look the frustrated boy in the face, waiting until he had his attention to speak. "Mateo," he said softly. "Xyrtia wants to help these people to free us. I do not trust them, but I said I would protect you, her, and anyone else I can. You have Wallard here, and the others, so do not feel alone or useless. The best way to get out is to help those around you, one way or other ways. Do you want to stay and help them here, or to come with us?"

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Kirrin looked around carefully. He moves slowly at first through a few of the back streets of Qaggath. His white and black striped fur, partially stained and ruddy from some mud that he had walked through to get to town. Kirrin looked down at the intricate ticket he had pick pocketed  from some clueless nobleman and an eager toothy smile spreads across his face.

One may notice A rather nice Broadsword hanging from his left side and a Kukri at his right. At the moment he was wearing a hooded cloak to hide his face along with his rather unimpressive usual clothes, he also having took the time to hide his head wings lest his hood look odd. That being said, some may think him a mere demon by looking at the black bat like wings folded against his back.

Thin wisps of smoke gently waft up from the red embers on the end of a thick Cigar, they glowing brightly when he draws upon it. A thick cloud of smoke escaping his mouth as he walks up the ramp towards The Flame of Freedom. Casually he ignores the ticket girls looks, handing his ill gotten ticket to her and after it being Authenticated/hole punched. Kirrin ignores the casino at the moment and immediately heads towards the room number that was specified on the ticket, moving through the halls, intent on taking a shower, knowing he would have to leave his two visible blades in the room for now.

[Inumo]

Xyrtia left the slip of paper where it landed on the ground. "Ch'ka kree krr..." she muttered under her breath; to anyone listening, it sounded exasperated. Finding the vent in the slavehold, she opened it up and crawled inside. "Farewell," she said to those left behind, adding in her head, And may this journey take me home.

[Boog]

DELUXE INTERROGATION SUITE

"Mhmm." Low in the throat, like a man enjoying the burn of bourbon. The Captain smirked, "You're a diplomat by profession, right?" Either the interrogation was commencing or that was a shot at his bluntness. He gestured to a previously prepared table; the decor was classical, leather chairs and an antique cherrywood desk in the corner. A faux-fireplace was carved in marble; the thing obviously didn't light, of course, but it brought the room together nicely.
"Please be seated and just give me, in your own words, a summary of your purpose on the ship and the details of your trip so far." One of the guards took out a pad of paper and a pencil...
"Whenever you're ready."

Messaging Center

"Will that be land, air or magemail sir?" The single most bored Ram in the world slumped behind the desk, glass-eyed stare belaying the impotent defiance of low level government employees across the world. A look that said 'Tomorrow. I will burn this damn place down, tomorrow. Or maybe tuesday... Eventually, for certain.' "Landmail is of course free by the glorious costsaving measures of the illustrious Lady Selene, Airmail is five marques per pound with adjustments for distance and Magemail is a teleportation service priced entirely by distance..."

In the room Mel had been escorted to the mirror clouded briefly with frost. Icicles began to drip from the rims as the glass cleared, revealing a blue-haired polar bear in a suit.
The polar bear was one of Melodie's more tedious cousins, having gotten the short end of the genetic stick in his mixed being and dragon heritage and was quite happy to make his envy and frustrations known. It took an extra ten minutes of formalities before Mel could finally get on the line with her aunt. The mirror clouded and thawed again...
A massive, slit pupilled blue eye filled the mirror near to it's edge.
"It's good to see you, dear!" Mel's Grandmother had a surprisingly warm voice, for an ice dragon, "I'm sorry about the mirror, I believe someone tampered with my settings and I can never quite remember how to adjust it. Are you well? Taking care of yourself?
Oh listen to me, I'm sure they're charging you for your time. Brass tacks then. What's the state of my little investment, dear? Everything on the level?"

Kirrin's New Digs

"Sir, SIR," He was right at the door to his new room. From the look of things his mark's luggage had already been delivered to the room. What the hell was this- oh. Two demonic guards caught up with him, a pair of wolves.
"Sir, we have to ask that you check your weapon," One of the guards was rummaging in his pockets for a tag, "Ship rule, security purposes. Any hand weapon over a certain size has to be registered and kept in ship storage. Sorry sir."

[Tapewolf]

"I had hoped for a telegram - wired, wireless or teleprinter," Jakob said.  "But if you can't do those, magemail will be fine.  Though I will need an envelope if the whole letter is going to be sent, rather than just the message on it."

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Kirrin drew upon his Cigar,its embers glowing brightly. He about to turn the handle on his room and head inside. Then perking his ears his hand instinctively moves to his Kukri, as it's shorter and easier to pull free of it's place at his side. Seeing it was just a couple of the ships guards. "What's, this now?" He says in a slightly gruff voice to the guards, they more or less getting a face full of Cigar smoke for their trouble when he spoke. Hearing that he'll need to check his weapons, he silently curses and nods. "Right boys, just the broadsword then?" He says this, casually removing the broadsword from his side, scabbard and all. Though he does untie the kukri aswell prepared to hand it over if they say he needs to, Takeing another slow drag from his cigar as he does.

[Aisha deCabre]

Qaggath.  The first stop on the luxury airship's cruise; a city that Aisha hadn't heard enough about, really, being from a countryside of far-flung towns rather than big cities.  Upon disembarking, and seeing fair glimpses of elaborate, beautiful buildings out of the windows, she had the first assumption that this was a grand place made to accommodate the richest of the rich, the reputed high class.  A city that would rival shining utopias of long ago histories.  Of life, of light, of power, of fortune.

...Dear Gods in heaven, I was SO wrong.

When she managed to get an eyeful of the land past the heads of the disembarking guests, the panther stopped and raised an eyebrow with a sneer beneath her hood.  She had traveled along many roads before, and had seen many smaller places like this.  Paint-chipped facades that may have been beautiful in their youth, or at least were trying with minimal success to fake it.  Dirty, dusty roads that moved straight and narrow from beyond the docks and seemed to wind into chaos the further one looked, into shadowy, seedy streets.  Buildings that should have been condemned ages ago, or had looked it.  It was a glorified tourist trap-type ghost town, whose ghosts were of common blood and dirty flesh, and whose upkeep had to have been the bane of many for far too long.  But it was still a city, with somewhat-impressive sky-tickling buildings rising into dark silhouettes in the distance.

Maybe there would have been a grand history behind the city.  Or maybe the history was as false as its appearance, something for tour guides to drone endlessly on about in order to impress the curious crowds that swarmed about its feet.

Suffice it to say, Aisha's eyes weren't at all fooled by the sullen mimicry of beauty that was shown at the docks.  Many of the fancy folk had the same kind of look she had right then, but they still walked on, thinking that perhaps there would be something here to pass the time until the ship left once more.  Aisha sighed.  What does it say about a ship like the Flame of Freedom, that it has to stop here?  Of course, maybe it's a refueling stop.  In any case...I wonder if there's any trouble to get into here for a little while before it's time to embark again.

Humming in thought, the black jaguar wandered down the dock past people who looked to be able to get on the ship from here.  In the crowd she could pick out several interesting individuals, including a white tiger who reminded her much of Mistress Rynkura; but whose wings betrayed not an angel heritage, but a demon one.  She rolled her eyes and walked on without meeting his rather suspicious-looking sight, wondering when her tail ring would be able to glow again; surely the magic suppressant on the ship only lasted so far from the dock.  Ugh.  I only need to befriend one demon on this trip.  If I have to run into more, Gods help that I go crazy.

She looked around, wondering where to start just aimlessly strolling.  There were many attractions befitting a glamor-less gypsy wagon, people selling things on the streets, and signs everywhere: "Come See the Eleventh Wonder of the World, the World's Biggest Lint Ball!" and other such things.  Aisha kept a wary eye on the people beside and behind her, hands nearest her belt or on her bracer's trigger.  Her cloak still boasted the white-and-blue colors of the Healers of the Shadowed Depths, and thus, either there wouldn't be trouble, or there would be a pickpocket to kick in the nose.  Either way suited the huntress.

Then she thought of Rynkura again, and wondered if she should find a messaging center to check in on the Monastery and inform her respected teacher of the progress on things.  She'll want to know the status of the budget I have here, amidst the events, Aisha smirked.

*     *     *

Back on the ship, Jake had listened further in on their mysterious freedom fighter's terms, his talon-like arms crossed and himself silent as the other slaves on the ship murmured excitedly amongst themselves; though some still preferred to stay out of things and had stopped listening long ago.  One of these seemed to be Mateo, although his other young friends were trying to ask his opinion on the matter.

The Knight did raise his brow with concern in Xyrtia's direction when she volunteered for the stealthy mission in the vent, and his eyes could only follow her as she opened it and went on.  He knew that he was a little too big for a crawl through the innards of the airship.  But he did, however, find it an easy prospect to be one of the cheshire's "guards", and so that's what he conceded to volunteering for.  "Just out of curiosity," he asked when he had the cat's brief attention again, "What'll the guards have to do, just stand there and look fairly proper?  And I'll probably need to take care of these somehow," he pointed a claw briefly, with a chuckle, to the wing-weights that they had graciously given some of the more avian slaves to wear.

Wallard remained silent, watching the goings-on.  But he did narrow his eyes.  If somethin' happens to them, I'll hold these so-called freedom fighters as accountable as th' damnable Captain himself.

[James StarRunner]

Aisha's demon tracker would eventually glow again, dimly. Perhaps the suppressant from the ship was finally wearing off. There were a few demons as she walked down the street. Demons weren't unheard of in this town even if they were a minority and they certainly weren't any rampaging right now. Everything was fine.

Another demon got within range of her tracker. There was still a bit of dampening, but the ring was getting brighter as the new demon got closer to Aisha's location until it gave off a moderate glow. It must have been a particulary strong demon presence to make it glow even that much to overwhelm the residual dampening. It had to be almost on top of her too.

In one of the immediate alleys was a black jaguar just like Aisha. However, this one was carrying a bloody bag and he has walking strangely as if he was injured in a fight. He didn't have wings, but it could have been a patch...

(OOC: edited due to Tapewolf pointing out Aisha's ring wasn't working properly.)

[Aisha deCabre]

The panther paused in her tracks, feeling a pulse at the end of her tail.  A quick glimpse as she swished it into view showed a slight glow, which was getting a little stronger the further on she went.  Still, she had a message to deliver, and she at first ignored it.  In a city such as this, demons would be everywhere, she surmised with a barely-suppressed shudder.

But after another few moments, she couldn't ignore the signal.  She stopped at the side of a nearby building to inspect her ring, squinting a little.  Strange.  This is a VERY strong signal.  I don't believe that I've sensed this much black magic in a confined spot since...

Suddenly, there was a lurching movement down the alley, and with it, the glow intensified.  The panther's head whipped up, and her hand went to her bladed boomerang.  There stood a walking shadow; a feline of black fur.  He was giving off the very distinctive glow; but he had no outward appearances of being a demon.  He just looked like he'd been in a fight.  Walking through the hidden alley.

And from his pack, the strong stench and stain of blood.

To an adventurer, such a sight warranted some stealthy investigation.  To a demon hunter besides, it warranted immediate action.

Drawing her boomerang, Aisha followed him for a ways until he'd turned a corner, and then leaped between the buildings so that she would land behind him, where he'd be cornered between herself and the end of that particular side street.  She'd have probably surprised him, landing with fleet grace in a guarded, ready-to-fight-or-flee stance.  The darkness she felt was harsh, and her glow intensified even past the lingering effects of the magic suppressor.  It feels like the power of a centuries-old Creature...Gods, what is this thing?

"Perdón, kinsman," she addressed the other black jaguar, the expression in her glimmering red eyes serious, a fair aura of light showing on her chosen weapon.  "What's in the bag?"

[James StarRunner]

The male jaguar stopped mid step. This likely did not look good. He took to the alleys to avoid this very problem as he knew the blood would likely disturb the public. "Perdòn me, I..." He spoke with a similar accent too, but a bit thicker in deep gravely tones. He stopped mid sentance when he turned his head. His yellow eyes looked over the bounty hunter. There was an awkward pause as a drop of blood dripped on the ground. "Aisha?!" The accent had dropped suddenly. He was obviously hiding his identity. Surely it must have been a demon posing as a being! And he had a fresh kill!

[Kafzeil]

"Yes, I am, but I'm on vacation."Kafzeil answered, that or justifying his own bluntness. He took his seat, accidentally creaking the wood as he scrapped the legs on the floor. The ferret merely pretended like he didn't notice.

"I assure you, my story is not very interesting." He spoke frankly. "I am on my way out of the region, homeward. With my fiance, who acquired the tickets. Gifts I think. She dragged me along. Said it would be comfier. Personally I'd prefer a train but that's irrelevant." He thought about motioning to the guard with a notepad and saying "You don't need to write that down. Or this for that matter." But decided against it. "After that my wife disappeared to take in the view and set off without me for the same reason I headed to the bar; I suffer from a form of Acrophobia. So i mingled with a few of the patrons, bore witness to some idiot nearly get his arms ripped off for insulting some demons" Gazelle smirked a bit. "And continued to self medicate." The angel sighed. "Perhaps irresponsibly. I am usually better about that. After it's a drunken blur, I fond myself tossed in a broom closet. The door was open, so I headed back to my stateroom when I ran into your lovely gentlemen and my fiance." The angel leaned back. "and that was my first night on the Flight of freedom."
******

As Eden's mind stopped to process the information, she realized she caught a glimpse of something while storming back to the stateroom.

EPHY.

Leaping out of the still running shower, quickly wrapping a towel around her, the still wet demoness sped to the door, swung it open, and scanned for the tazy devil. Upon seeing her she stopped and pointed.

"YOU! Get your butt in here!" She yelled, obviously not caring who bore witness to this...scene.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Shaking the last of the water from his fur Paladin headed over to the free weights to continue his workout...




******

Rather less shocked than anyone else by the Bunny Demon's attire (or lack of), due to having seen it all the night previous, Ephrael (grinning) promptly Followed Eden (nude) into the room.

"I take it you found your 'Special' Person?" The Tazzy Devil said closing the door behind her.

[Aisha deCabre]

Keeping her stance ready as the demon--or whatever it was containing such magic that even now made her tracker flash steadily--turned to face her, Aisha scrutinized his countenance down to his regional accent, similar much to her own.  His eyes had widened in what she believed to be genuine shock; surely she had caught him in the act of something.  The metallic stench of the blood was already covering the alley like a shroud.

But when the thing's voice had risen, the accent dropping entirely, spitting out her own name on his breath...it was as if something had snapped in her mind.  A switch, a surge of adrenaline, a rising heartbeat.

There is no demon alive but the Beliaste marauders that would know me...

Instantly, her arm raised, and her boomerang flung.  "You had better start explaining yourself, you...!"

But she interrupted herself when she saw what happened next.

Aisha had originally intended the throw to just be a threatening one, to scare and unnerve him.  He should have easily jerked out of the way.

But she had briefly forgotten that her enchanted things were still regaining some of their power.  So her boomerang, a sawblade as it flew through the air, didn't respond to her direction to turn around...and it zoomed straight for him...

[James StarRunner]

He watched the boomerang nervously as it swayed viciously in her grip! But at least she was going to let him explain himse... "HOLY CR..." His eyes suddenly went black and hollow looking, but it was too late for his exposed neck!

SLASH!

The head came off and landed on the ground at the same time as the bloody bag which hit the ground with a sickening splat. The soulless empty eyes seemed to stare at her, unblinking. But perhaps more appalling was the suspected demon flailing about!

"Aiiiiiieeee! You crazy jaguar! I thought you were going to let me explain!" The voice seemed to come straight from his neck! He stumbled towards her, hands grasping out. "Do you have any idea how hard those are to replace?!"

[Aisha deCabre]

When the blade of her weapon went straight through the other jaguar's neck, a million thoughts ran through Aisha's dumbstruck mind.  Oh gods, I didn't mean to kill him yet, what should I do, I can't drag the body anywhere, I can't run away...

But despite the turbulent run of thoughts, she couldn't keep her eyes away from the fact that the body was still standing.  And stumbling around.  And shouting.

When the headless thing lurched toward her, Aisha backed up in shock and reached up to activate her lightning bracer.  Surely it would still have enough power to stun any sort of restless body.  Her eyes were darting up and down and back up again, her teeth clenched in confused anger, and she was more than ready to put the thing to rest.

But then it shouted, and everything seemed to run in slow motion as she registered what was going on.

The voice isn't coming from the head.  The neck isn't bleeding.  And his voice...so familiar...

...Wait.

"...Oh, wait just a gods-damned minute!"

To the familiar entity in the suit, Aisha would have sounded rather angry.  But when she held him at bay with a foot in his midsection and grasped the edge of the apparent disguise, she peered inside and laughed.  "Dios mio, James, is that you?"

[James StarRunner]

"Yes it's me you crazy woman!" James yelled, his blond hair just under the hole of the neck. He finally pulled down the suit and his head popped out. The blue squirrel's hair was a little messy, but otherwise he didn't seem injured... by Aisha at least. His eyes still seemed yellow rather than his natural teal. Contact lenses. That explained the holes for the eyes in the fake head when it fell.

James reached down with his right hand to get the fake head and grimaced. Wrong hand idiot. Quickly switching hands, he roughly put the fake head back on, a clear cut showing his blue fur underneath. It took a moment to line up his eyes again. But his identity should be safe again if people saw him from a distance. But all this time it was James in a black jaguar suit!

"You just killed my allias, Josè by the way. Geeze, now I'll have to wear a scarf to cover this cut... Why was I lucky enough to run into you here?" He spoke in his normal voice now for Aisha. The transformation was really quite good, but it didn't explain the demon presance on him. Inside his jacket pocket, slightly sticking out was a crew pass for the Flame of Freedom, "cook" it said.

[Kafzeil]

"Yes I did! And some fuckass guards after him." Eden didn't bother closing the bathroom door and tossed the towel back on the rack, hopping back in the shower.

The opened door let Eden communicate with Ephy as she showered. "Apparently he got drunk and made an ass of himself in front of some dumbass from Daryil Clan. DARYIL CLAN!"

Eden groaned, clearly working herself up. But having someone, anyone to vent to certainly helped. "Hell, Daryil is about as important as...as...Something really unimportant!" She started shampooing her hair.

"seriously Kaffie, maybe getting rip-roaring drunk on a ship full of important people is a bad idea! For a diplomat you can very godsdamn STUPID! Eden took a deep breath.

"Ugh and you wanna know what I pisses me off most about him?! About this whole crock of shit?! This is my fault!"

[Aisha deCabre]

Normally, Aisha would have felt a little insulted being called a "crazy woman"...but she was quite well used to that, and there was still a smirk on her face to denote fascinated surprise in running into an old acquaintance.  In the bounty hunting business, it wasn't odd for adventurers to run into each other and mayhap work together.  She knew that the squirrel--now again fairly convincingly disguised as a melanistic jaguar--could be called "crazy" in his own right sometimes.

With a flick of her arm, the boomerang (now fully under her control again) swished up from the ground to be caught by the handle into her right hand.  She examined the blade, the lines of the neat cut on the costume's neck, and back again before replacing the weapon.  "I apologize for that.  I was under the effect of a magic silencer for quite a while, and I had only intended to scare you with the throw.  The light magic that is a part of my command spell went awry."  She caught a glimpse of the ticket in his pocket.  "Though, that," she gestured, "Would tell me you know about the suppressor aboard the good ship, The Flame of Freedom.  And would explain your..." her nose wrinkled as she spared a glance at his bloody bag, "Rather incriminating package."

Her smirk became a friendly smile.  "It is still good to see you again, amigo.  What in the world are you doing on the ship, anyway?"

Then, her bright and steadily-growing tail ring caught her eye again, reminding her of the circumstances that led to the scuffle in the first place.  Her brow rose at him, and her voice lowered, should anyone have been nearby in the alley listening.  "...And why are you emitting energy equal to a powerful demon?  Another part of your 'José' alias?"

[Tapewolf]

Jakob was given an envelope, and shooed away from the counter.  Grudgingly he wrote the address of Lord Daryil's castle upon it, and after a moment's thought, added an addendum to the letter in plaintext.

"PS: They don't do telegraphy here yet.  Please send reply to next stop so I know you got this.  Love, Yak".

With that done, the wolf sealed the envelope, and with shocking effort, cast a spell upon the thing.  It wasn't much, just a simple magical seal in the shape of his master's clan mark to help prevent tampering, but the magic suppression effect from the ship still had a strong hold upon him.

Why would they do that? he wondered, suspicions resurfacing that the suppressor field might have an ulterior motive.

With a shrug, he headed back to the queue.  When he had finally got the letter underway, the wolf headed back towards the airport.

[James StarRunner]

James buried his head in his hand and looked down at the ground. "Yeah... I was hoping I could have explained everything but that... I guess I shouldn't be too surprised you can sense it." He looked back at her. "I'll just tell it all then. José was never meant to be a demon. I can't materialize demon wings on command. Well... Actually... Well, I'll save that for last... It's good to see you, it really is." James (or rather, José) smiled as he gave her a hug.

I'm sure you noticed the jaguar suit and the accent. Yes, those were choices influenced by you. I created José after our last mission together. I... well, I missed you. He's supposed to be a being, not a demon. I used him for a deep undercover mission as a cook. The alias I made developed and became popular here. Now not only can he get fresh meat at a discount here, but he was invited to help on the cruise. I figure I can learn several fantastic recipes since I may be soon changing my line of work. And yes, that's meat in the bag. Triple A grade steaks, still raw and bloody. There must be a hole in the plastic somewhere. And the reason for the change in career? Well, this will answer your other question..."

James walked over to a dumpster for cover, but still in Aisha's view. He took off the head and was wiggling out of the top part of the suit so that his real bare torso was exposed... He didn't have his armoured jacket on, way too hot and bulky for the suit. In fact, he was likely just wearing underwear underneath (his star boxers most likely). There was a sickly black mark covering much of the right hand side of his torso. The centre point seemed to be just by his right shoulder, under the collar bone. Much of the mark had traveled down his right arm to his wrist and down his side towards his right leg. Though it was impossible to tell how far down it went without the squirrel completely undressing. He gasped in pain as he summoned forth its power and his arm transformed! Where his arm used to be was now an all black, sharp, and demonic looking arm, tipped with long razored claws. He breathed heavily between his grating teeth in obvious agony. Angel bodies especially didn't respond well to demonic powers and visa versa. It was a dangerous reaction. He dismissed the transformation and his own own arm returned. He then slumped against the wall. "That... was the very same arm... that was thrust into me." He was still panting. It seemed to take a lot out of him and caused serious pain. It was a very disturbing development. "His taint is slowly taking over my body."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel managed not to giggle. The person who changed the settings on the mirror was Grandmother herself. She had a tendency to unconsciously rearrange her desk when deep in thought and this included twirling the knobs on the mirror. But as far as Luna was concerned mysterious pranksters invaded her office on a regular basis to move things around.

"I have checked every anti-tampering charm in the casino. No one has meddled with them. The anti-magic device is strong enough to prevent magical tampering with the games anyway. It would not stop a fae or someone at your level, Grandmother, but that list does not include many creatures." Mel stopped herself and thought a moment, "In fact the device is overly strong and the range too large unless you are expecting really serious magic to be thrown around. More than any subtle cheating would ever need. And they never turn it off, even when the casino is shut down in port."

Mel took a deep breath and gave her grandmother the serious stare. If her Grandmother was playing games with one of the other families leader it was above her magic class. "Grandmother, you really need to get someone else out here. You know I am no good at this sort of thing. Send Barron to play spy, he is good at it. Or cousin Billingsly, he is a combat accountant. Bill would love all the numbers in a casino."

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha returned the hug in full, and stood listening (patiently, this time) to her friend's explanation.  She couldn't help but notice that his features took on a rather serious appearance--she remembered him as serious when he wanted to be serious, and mirthful the rest of the time.  Now though...now, something was indeed off about his demeanor.

Still, she had to smile, amused and flattered when he said that his costume was inspired by her.  Indeed, except for the yellow eyes, José looked akin to a male version of herself.  He pulled off the look of a Being, but not the feel of one.

And then he revealed the reason for the massive energy signature still making her tail glow brightly in the shadowed alley.  The panther's eyes widened at the condition of nearly the entire right side of his body, and she couldn't help but gape.  The sight was ghastly, and she had looked at James again, about to ask what his affliction was.  But her tongue was halted by the sight of his concentration, of calling a sort of power into focus.  Her tail ring was flaring now, pulsating with intense urgency as much as the power around his arm transformed it into a dark thing bearing demonic claws.  She had taken a step back, her hand to her mouth, witnessing James' pain as he dealt with it--she was in fact close to shouting for him to stop, when he did on his own and crumpled against the wall.

When he would glance at Aisha again, her look was something rarely seen.  In her usually calm, fierce eyes, there rested concern--and dare one think, fear--for the Angel.

Once a silent moment passed, the information processed in her mind as he rested and waited for her response.  "Gods bless..." Her head shook slowly and she reached down to help him up again.  "I hope you don't see the need to do that again, amigo.  It seems that you can barely take it...but, a taint?  I admit, I've seen some bad curses and dark spells, apprenticing at the Monastery of Healing, but this..." she breathed a harsh sigh.  "This I can hardly believe.  I've not seen anything like it."

She waited for him to gather his strength and put his suit back on, and then hummed.  "I don't suppose you know if it's anything that can be cured?"  She rested her chin in her fingers, thinking.  "Why don't you come with me to the messaging center?  I was about to contact Mistress Rynkura; she knows more about things like this than anyone, and may have an idea, if we ask."

Just then, her eyes fell back to the bag of meat, and she bit her lip, uncertain.  "...Unless, perhaps, you have to rush back to the ship with that."  She gave him a light-hearted smile.  "If that's the case, we can meet there later; I could ask her about it myself.  And I'm involved in a rather big secret on that hunk of metal, and it sounds like something you'd have fun with."

[James StarRunner]

James had suited up once more as Aisha talked. His eyes lit up when she mentioned a secret about the vessel and he shook his head as Aisha finished. "Been there, tried that. Went to several sages, healers, shamans, even tried to pull a favor at SAIA. It's not so much as an infection now as it's become a part of me and reacts as such. There is good news though, kinda... Here, help me up, we'll talk on the way. I'd be most interested to hear of this secret. I don't have to be on board right away." James held up a hand and was helped to his feet. That cut on the neck of the suit would give James away and he knew it. He grabbed a piece a fabric from the dumpster that didn't look too bad. He tore off the stained edge and fashioned a scarf of sorts. He may buy a few scarves for the trip if he had the time. He grabbed the bag of meat once more and motioned for Aisha to lead the way.

"Anyways, there were research papers that might have been able to shed light on my case as it is highly rare, but not unique..." He spoke with the accent and deep gravely voice again as they walked down the street. He was Josè once more. "But those research notes were checked out by Runi a few centuries ago, a missing tri-wing who was the last of his clan. This demon lord that did this to me may have been the equivalent of a tri-wing in power. He likely thought we were all beneath him and he was probably right. He obviously didn't expect me to take his arm off when he ran me through with it. He's dead now thanks to the compadres I was with and won't be answering any questions. The body was cremated and his espíritu, his spirit, won't utter anything. I'm a little nervous that the rumours say I'll become a demon lord myself. Perhaps inhabited by the same demon we slew. It could be a means of self preservation. But the good news... I can slow it's progress with healing magic and Mistress Rynkura was really good in slowing how rapidly it spread. Granted, it's still creeping, but she gave me time. There is a way to seal it as the phenixes predicted would happen. 'An angel who uses the darkness as her cloak' can apparently help if I don't depend on this too often." Josè gestured to his arm which looked normal considering it was the suit's arm, but Aisha would know what was underneath. "Using it to show you may have been a little foolish, but I had to sustain it much longer to fight off mercenaries who thought they could finally take me down in my weakened state. Just one question before you tell me you secret chika... Do you find me ruggedly handsome like this?" Josè grinned.

[Aisha deCabre]

As Aisha led the way down the street and back into eyeshot of the bustling crowds, listening to James' explanation and quirking an ear when he effortlessly changed back to José's accent, she took off her glowing tail ring and placed it in a pocket within her shirt; hopefully, it wouldn't be so noticeable and it would stop once they could return to the ship and its magic suppressor, which was in that way a blessing to the trip.  Aisha didn't need to call that much attention to herself that she had a dark magic tracker; and thus, was a dark magic hunter.

She was surprised to hear that he had already been to Rynkura, and a little more so that all she could do was slow it down with a good healing spell.  Of course, even the most powerful of magics all have their limits.  That James had taken on the taint of a demon with the rumored power of a tri-winged 'Cubi...Rynkura was a powerful Angel, nearly a good thousand years old, but even she had only a trickle of magic compared to that.

"The Phoenixes are always so vague on their prophecies, true," Aisha sighed with a huff, knowing that all too well when she'd gone to them for aid before.  "But at least they always tell the truth.  That there is hope to seal it away is always a good thing, amigo.  But yes, try not to depend on it.  Place the best bet on Light Magic, we always say at the Monastery."

At his joke, she snorted and stopped to look him over, as if appraising the costume, and then trailed one finger over his scarf.  "You probably would look handsome like this, yes..." she nearly purred, and then flicked him in the nose.  "If it didn't make you look like my brother."  She turned with a dismissive whip of her tail and started walking again.  "Granted, Ayan wasn't a black-fur, but you've the same steely eyes as he did.  Like those of hunters, worn with pride as only a jaguar does.  It's well-done enough.

"But anyway, yes.  The secret."  As they walked along towards the messaging center, Aisha craned her head and ears around all over to make sure that nobody was following or could overhear, and then leaned close enough to have a conversation in hushed tones.  "That you don't know it already means that most of the ship's staff probably aren't aware of it; which is good, as perhaps we can get them on our side.  I was told that the Flame of Freedom is holding slaves somewhere deep inside of it.  Another Angel and I were recruited by some head of a freedom fighter coalition to free them."

[James StarRunner]

James was planning on starting with a retort about looking like Aisha's brother when the news of slavery stopped him in his tracks, quite literally. He was treated less than a second class citizen were he was born and he abhorred his birth nation for it. Slavery was worse. Aisha said she traveled with another angel and James saw no hide nor hair of any companion. It could be Aisha's companion was back investigating, but James feared the worst. With angels becoming endangered and their numbers dwindling, an angel would be a high prize for a slaver. Having an angel poking around would be a good excuse for them to sell him or her as a slave. He didn't even realize he had stopped moving until he had processed everything.

James gave a few hurried steps to catch up. "Yo- You're darn right I haven't heard of this! You're compadre... Who is it and where are they?" His voice cracked a bit as he almost used his real voice, but recovered quickly as his cover, Josè.

[justacritic]

Hobbies shook his head out of his daydream. Just what had he been doing? Right worrying about what to do for the next performance. The fennec needed a walk to clear his head. He didn't actually want to leave the ship. So he settled to get a better track of the vehicle he would be staying on for a while longer.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha hadn't noticed that the news had made James--that is, José--quit walking until she was a good few steps away onto the path to the messaging center, and so she turned to wait for him to catch up, noticing the look in his eyes.

She answered him as they started walking again.  Though a few people from the ship that she barely recognized were passing by, the crowd's bustling was loud enough that perhaps they could revert to normal speaking voices.  They could carefully keep the topic of slavery out of the open and just speak about the Angel, just as if they were gossiping about the events of the previous night.

"His name is Kafzeil; we had been talking to each other at the bar when we were approached.  He is a ferret Angel, and the last I saw of him, I had unlocked him out of a closet in which he had spent the night in a drunken stupor."  She laughed.  "He should be awake now; but I wouldn't worry about him.  He has a friend whom he insists will also want to join in our little event.  I'm nearly loathe to say that she is a demon," she grimaced briefly.  "I have not met her yet, but I am told that she isn't like much of her kind, so I'm giving it a chance.  I'm sure we'll find him again once we get aboard."

[Tapewolf]

As he headed back to the ship, Jakob glanced at the two figures whispering conspiratorially.  He recognised the jaguar as the anti-Demon woman who'd been aboard ship, and his stride faltered as he wondered if he should greet her.
His expression flickered with amusement slightly as he realised they were talking about the Angel who had discomfited him during the captain's repast.

Guiltily he realised that he'd hesitated too long to just carry on by again and waited politely for a gap in the conversation.