The Clockwork Mansion

The Milk and Cookies Incident -- Rated PG13

All those who find themselves at the Milk and Cookies cafe, are not there by chance , they say. They first have an interest, close at heart, but if they don't let others know, it tears them apart. There is a tome, or thread if you will, where one can share their interest still. Sign your name to to thread called "OOC" or far from this cafe you should flee... -- Milk and Cookies Cafe Menu

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Roya found herself in a world she only heard about from travelers. She spent her days in her sheltered flock, deep within the forests of the secretive Were- creatures. But as a rite of passage, she was forced out into the world until she could learn the grand art of elemental magic as well as get over her fear of strangers. The Redwing called Roya shivered as she passed strangers with strange gazes, all aimed in her direction. Despite her shy stance, her body seemed to be on fire. Her bright red plumage only made her stand out of the crowed, which is something she simply didn't want. She quickly ducked into the first dark corner she could find: an alley leading to a small, out of the way nook. She shuffled over to the small Cafe and smiled at the sign.

"The Milk and Cookies Cafe, how cute." She smiled and opened the front door with a little ring. The inside was nearly empty, save for a cafe attendant and waiter. The attendant smiled and looked around for the waiter a moment before noticing that he was already on his way to the door.

"Welcome to our Cafe, just one?" He asked. Roya silently nodded as he showed her to her seat. She noticed there were few private tables in the cafe, most were large rows of booths where people were somewhat forced to sit beside one another, with little privacy. Roya was happy to see she was the only one there and hoped that it would remain that way while she planned her next move...

Kassin shook his head, his vision was blurry, he felt tired, disoriented, dizzy,... cold. It took him a few minutes to regain his composure. He rubbed his nose with his left hand.
::Still feels tender, I've managed to clean the blood off and patch any of my injuries, but I still feel like collapsing.:: His thoughts trailed off as he recalled a vicious fight he had with his brother Yavvir earlier that day. The details came to him. He remembered himself walking home late that night, and all of a sudden, he felt a strong punch to his nose. After regaining his composure, he braced himself and fought Yavvir on an empty street. It was all for naught though, Yavvir gained the upper hand. Kassin tried to keep the details of the fight out of his head, they were largely unpleasant, getting his face slammed into the floor, and he detested the thought of firing light-rays at his brother.
::He must have knocked me unconscious and teleported me here, it's not night time.::
He walked along, he had no idea where he was. He spent some time traveling unfamiliar streets, his head still dizzy and his mind weary. After some aimless wandering, and some failed attempts at trying to focus his thoughts, he came upon a place "The Milk and Cookies Cafe."
He looked the place up and down.  :: I could probably use some milk and cookies, it might be just what I need to get my thoughts in order, and to then figure out how to go back home. I may end up staying at a friend's house for a bit, I don't think Crystal or Yavvir want to see me for a while.:: He opened the door and came inside, recounting the names of some of his friends, and on the side, trying to figure out how he got here.

Roya felt the tiny bits of red plumage on the back of Roya's neck stand on end as the bloodied tiger-angel walked into the cafe. She did her best not to shriek as she felt herself begin to tremble in his presence. Roya, had a deadly fear of predatory furs, and it didn't help matters any that he was covered in dried blood and bruises. She noticed his wings and immediately formed a false set with her hair, adding another set on top of her head for good measure. Hopefully appearing like a succubus would scare the newcomer off, or at least make him sit as far away from her as possible, she thought. She buried her beak deeper into the menu as both the waiter and the cafe attendant rushed to his side, checking to see if he was indeed, alright.

His trail of thoughts broke as soon as the waiter and attendant came for him.
"I'm alright." He said, and then panted for air. "I'm just..." He took a cursory glance around, trying to get a firm grip on his weary mind. He shook his head and faced the waiter. "I just need to sit down and...".
He took some deep breaths, and tried to muster his composure. He then put his left hand in his pants-pockets, to make sure he still had his wallet with him. He did have it with him, the first bit of good news he had since he had awoken in this strange town. He then waited to be seated.
:: I probably don't have a lot, so I should spend wisely. Hopefully, I should have enough to get something here, and then find my way home. :: His thoughts trailed off into an incomprehensible chaos, still trying to gauge the absurdity of his situation.

"Don't worry sir, lets just get you seated. I have a first aid kit in back and Fawna behind the bar, she'll give you some herbal tea free of charge." The waiter soothed as he led Kassin towards where Roya sat. Since he was the only one waiting tables that day, he wanted to make sure all his customers were in the same area, to better serve their needs. Roya's shivering became nearly uncontrollable as Kassin sat in two seats away from her. The waiter asked her if she was ready to order, but she hissed that she needed more time. With a nod, The waiter left to fetch Kassin's healing herb tea.

Ordlen whistled as he meandered his way to the cafe. All the bills were paid, and his account was secure, at least for the moment. He couldn't retire on what he had, but he had enough stored that a few months of sabbatical were earned.

Which meant he could concentrate on art, not business. Stealing money was all well and good, but it was........ ubiquitous. True larceny was over a trophy, something that you could hang over your fireplace and tell lies to your grandchildren about how you got it. Which was why he was headed to the cafe, with cards and knife in their respective hidey holes. there was always a bunch of strange ones in the place, and Creatures tended to come there.

As he neared the entrance, the pleasant smell of baking dough entered his sensitive nose, as his bare feet melded into the cobbles. Ordlen had almost forgotten the aroma, and was once again pleasantly reminded why he chose this place today. The bell above the door jingled when he opened it, and Ordlen quickstepped two paces inside under the minor noise. He gave a wink to Fawna behind the bar, and immediately noticed two creatures sitting together. One was obviously an angel, and a battered one at that. Speculation immediately took hold of Ordlen's mind, and he wondered if the boy, for he had a youth to his eyes that implied a young age, whether he ran into a demon or something.

The other one was harder to place. Avian, red, a second set of wings on top of her head. I had seen another doublewing at a distance once, but I didn't know what that was. Probably some sort of exotic Mythos then. Doesn't matter. Creatures always only pay but half a mind to us Beings, and that makes them easy targets......

Adopting a jaunty, rolling stride, Ordlen made his way to the table where the other two sat. Opening his mouth, he strove to keep the mockery out of his voice. "Hail and well met, oh beneficent creatures. Might this poor entertainer interest you in a game of skill and wits?" Ordlen withdrew his deck, and dealt three cards at random, flipping over one which happened to be the nine of clubs. "It's a simple, old, fun game. We make our wager, and then I shuffle the cards, and you try to figure out which one is still the one I revealed. Which is quicker, your eyes or my hand? Any wager at all is accepted. Are either of you fine Creatures game?" Ordlen started rotating the cards around, at a far slower pace than what he could really manage.

Kassin smiled and nodded as he was offered some herbal tea. He took his seat, and finally started to relax a bit, though the thoughts that trailed from his mind made him quite uncomfortable. Where am I, and how can I get home? What is going on at home now that I'm not there to stop Crystal's and Yavvir's antics? His thoughts trailed off, the kindness which he was shown soothed him but only a little, he still had reality to deal with. He tried to suppress his thoughts until after he could get his herbal tea, but only proceeded to examine his surroundings more carefully.
After a cursory gaze,  he noticed Roya's reaction to him sitting close to her.

"Is something wrong?" Kassin asked, almost as an afterthought, he looked down to examine his shirt, which had some of his own dried blood caked onto it. He recalled a part of his fight where he had his face slammed against a concrete wall. He quickly snapped back into reality as he recalled where he was. "My apologies... but I don't have another shirt." He frowned and slumped against the table, putting his hands on his shirt in such a way to try and hide the bloody stains.

He stood up and turned to face Ordlen after he heard his voice. He sat upright, still keeping his hands on his shirt to try and conceal his stains. :: I would rather not freak him out too ::.

After hearing the offer, he fingered his wallet nervously. :: I don't have a lot with me, possibly not even enough to get me home, and I don't even know where I am, the trip may be expensive, I can't take chances. :: His thoughts trailed off as he faced Ordlen, trying to come up with a polite way to decline.
"No thanks, but..." Kassin's eyes sunk their sight to the floor, trying to keep his thoughts orderly. He then shook his head and returned eye-contact with Ordlen. "I can't afford to gamble at the moment." He turned back to the table, and stared ahead.

The bell hanging over the entrance jingled as the door swung open, admitting a new customer into the establishment. This time, it was an ostensibly ordinary lemur, unusual only due to his outrageous color scheme. He was recognizable as a ring-tailed lemur, but he was bereft of any distinguishing markings that were immediately reminiscent of his species. From head to toe he was bright red, disrupted only by the dark purples and blues and reds of his attire and the golden glow of his eyes. The lemur brushed some of his long hair behind one of his unusually tapered ears and approached a table, fidgeting compulsively with an unseen object hanging from a decorative string of rosary beads around his neck.

There were a few other patrons occupying the cafe, but Jamen hoped that one of the staff members would have the time to take his order. For the moment, he busied himself with examining the contents of the menu, leaning back languidly in his chair.

One door closes, and another opens. The battered angel declined to play me, probably good for him, and Ordlen wasn't too worried. He was here this day for aesthetic stealing, not to pay the bills. No, an alert, altogether target was what was needed. He turned around to regard the newcomer.........


And promptly wished he had sat at a different table. He couldn't recognize the exact species, but sitting at a table with an injured Angel when a demon walks into a building isn't always the safest course of action. Ordlen quickly smiled and turned his attention to the red feathered female with the second set of wings.  "And what of you lovely madam? Care to enliven your morning with a display of skill and mental acuity? I know many, many games, and I'm a great asset for those of us who constantly seek to battle the enn-" He paused his speech, as he turned to hail a waitress on her way to the table of the newcomer.

His left hand tugge on the apron of her uniform, as his right sidled around towards her pocket.Angle's bad, forget it. Yes, would you be so kind as to get me a large of chocolate milk, and a dozen of those little corn cakes you have? Addressing his fellow table-mates, he cleared his throat and almost sang, " and what do you fine fellows wish to get?"

Before Roya could utter a response, the angel's attention wat turned to one of the many newcomers. Roya watched as fur after fur marched in and she wondered if the gods had sent her to this seemingly peaceful place to test her. She closed her eyes and uttered a small prayer as as the others went about their business. Eventually she opened her eyes again to find the single waiter tending to the patrons. When it was her turn for attention she quickly placed her order for some hummos and pitas with Turkish Tea.

She watched with growing curiosity to the game peddler and realized that her small gems may not work as payment for her food. She pulled out her purse and tried to get the waiter's attention once more, but he had already gone. She gathered her courage to tap a lemur on the shoulder and asked if the tiny precious gems she carried could be a form of currency in this new and strange land.

A lone fox wandered, constrained within a conglomeration of metal and machinery, but still as free as any bird on the wing.  The smooth gray sedan glided over the streets of the metropolitan area with ease as the sun shone off the silvered grill.  Wide and arranged as it was with the triangular headlamps, from the front the vehicle had almost a face, mechanical and abstracted, but the design could seen.

Absentmindedly he toggled the switch for the radio as he halfheartedly searched for some place to have a spot of tea.

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself,
'This could be Heaven or this could be Hell'
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...

"The Milk and Cookies Cafe" the sign said as he pulled up to the intersection stoplight.  A wry smile crept to his muzzle as the coincidence of song and location seemed to fall perfectly into place, ominous as it could be, it still should be checked out.  Switching off the radio, he pulled his gray sedan into a parking lot across from the little place.

The vulpine slid out of his leather seat and closed the door.  As he pressed the lock button on his remote, he also tapped a small red gem on a bracer he wore on his left arm.  He gave a mighty stretch as black and gray feathered wings erupted from his back, his shirt and jacket easily accommodated this sudden change.

His wingspan was impressive for a young angel and he was careful to avoid the passersby on the street, having to dip one wing into a nearby alleyway.  A sudden yelp and cringe of pain ended his otherwise graceful wing display.  Tenderly, almost fearfully he drew his wing back in only to find a pygmy shrew attached to the leading edge, trying to gnaw through it.

Bry spun around and with the momentum, threw his wing outward (as if he was breaking a tight dive).  The little shrew was catapulted into the air and sailed across the city and into the river.

"vicious little buggers... as beings develop and develop, they are encroaching on their lands, forcing more and more into the cities to scrounge around for what they need."  Bry knew all too well, for years he had been studying the ecology of the pygmy shrew, but his mind drifted off the subject as he again locked eyes with the cafe.  If there was such a thing as a tea addiction, then Bryden most definitely was a junkie in need of a serious fix.

Heading towards the crossing area, he nearly tripped and fell flat on his face.  The fox angel bent down to see what manner of object saw fit to disrupt his walk.  He was surprised to find an ornate golden staff on the walkway.  He picked up the strange object and shrugged as he crossed the street to the cafe.

Just outside the cafe, an odd cyan vixen ran straight up to him and grabbed the staff from his hand, "Give me that!  My staff!  You're back."   

Bryden shrugged, "okay, just try not to leave these things in the walkways... I almost broke my neck tripping over that."

Leaving the strange girl to run off to whatever possessed her, Bry entered the cafe.

One of the two attendants at the front bowed to him as he entered, she smiled and spoke in a far too cheerful of a voice, "greetings and welcome to The Milk and Cookies Cafe.  Just one for today?"

Bryden nodded.

"Okay, follow me."  She lead him to an area near a cluster of sentients, for some reason they gathered all the people in one area.

"Interesting," the fox remarked, "all we need is a strange wizard to show up and present us with a mysterious quest.  That might actually be fun..."

The attendant did not seem to pay much attention to the angel's mumblings, she instead handed him a menu, "your server will be with you shortly."

As Bry nodded in acknowledgement, she turned and headed back to the front.

Roya sighed as her quiet questions went unheard. Just then a chilly breeze flew in form the open door as patron after patron found their way into the cafe. But something strange lingered on the oddly icy wind. Just as the last patron, a handsome angel, entered the cafe everything went black. All conversation stopped as the lights began to flicker wildly. No light came in, even in the open windows, where day once made its presence known.

When the lights came back on a figure sat in the center, one that wasn't there before the lights went off. Each of the patrons saw it differently, based on their own personal tastes and comfort levels. In Roya's eyes, the figure appeared as an old folk hero, Colbolt the Ice Thrower. Colbolt was Roya's idol, her object of childhood worship. She gasped loudly at the sight, as she thought the legends of Colbolt were just stories.

The regal looking blue bird-angel looked to her and to everyone else in the room before addressing the lot.

"I see most of you made it on time. Due to some unforeseen events, others are late. But worry not they'll join you when the timing is right." She paused as some of the patrons vocalized their confusion but held a hand up to motion for their silence.

"I know you are a bit disoriented but I had to make sure no unnecessary eyes were watching us. I have brought you all here for an express purpose. I'm afraid it may seem trivial to you all but even we wizards have need for grand adventurers or at least, grand adventurers to be." She paused as some snorted, others shook their heads, and still others resisted saying snide comments.

"Know this, you have all been selected for a reason. Either you're looking for something or something is looking for you. Either way you are the only ones who can complete this task, and it is...a mother of a task if I do say so myself." Colbolt was about to continue when a little red bird in the corner interrupted.

"B-But Colbolt, why would you need us, you're the ice thrower, you killed the hordes of death cats and the hawk queen. Why do you need our help." Roya hushed as she felt several pairs of eyes, many of which cat eyes, focusing in on her. Before anyone could utter their confusion over the matter, Colbolt spoke once more.

"I'm not your folk hero, Roya. I'm only appearing that way to you to put you at ease. In fact, everyone here sees me differently. Its a rather simple spell once you get the hang of it. But I digress. There are seven artifacts that were stolen from my home that are quite important to me. Together they make my graduation staff, the first real staff I've ever owned. So you will not be tempted to steal what has been stolen, I assure you its worth nothing on any market other than the one of my sentiment. And the price for such an object on my personal market is vast." The wizard posing as Colbolt took several satchels of gold and jewels from her pocket. She tossed them on a nearby cafe table, one for each of the patrons. It was then that Roya, in particular, noticed that both the waiter and the cafe worker were frozen in time.

"Those are for all of you. Think of it as a down payment.  But know that if you decide to "take the money and run" the satchels and their contents will disappear. So long as you work for me, you may spend these as you like. And don't try any funny business of spending it all then leaving, I have that covered too." Colbolt gave the group an icy look that made Roya's heart skip a beat.

"If you have any questions, you may air them now."

Kassin's dreary state prevented him from noticing the chilly breeze. :: It's just my imagination ::, he thought, :: and I need to get some rest before I... ::. His train of thoughts came to a halt as soon as the lights started flickering. He didn't stand up, but the event caused him to snap out of his dreary state. He was battered and fatigued, but alert. He took some cursory glances around, to see what was going on.

As the lights went out, Kassin tried to focus his magic into some illumination. A small, blue-white sphere of light invoked around his left hand, but he couldn't focus it into an illumination that could break the darkness. He stopped trying after a moment, he wasn't in any condition to start performing miracles, and wanted to conserve his magical energy in case someone was harmed. He turned himself around, facing away from the table, directed towards the entrance. He couldn't see, and his other senses were dulled by his exhaustion, but tried to keep alert.

When the lights came on, Kassin was immediately shocked. He stared intently at the odd figure in fear. Even though his appearance was charming enough to his eyes, Kassin still viewed him with suspicion. He inched back towards the cafe table, as if inching away from the figure would somehow protect him from an apocalypse.

Kassin stared intently towards him, blinking only a few times while the figure spoke. He listened carefully, as if every word were a gun pointed at his throat.
As he heard the mysterious man's second paragraph, Kassin was immediately tranquilized with his thoughts. :: Brought you all here, did he teleport me away from home after Yavvir knocked me unconscious? If so... :: His thought was cut abrupt with some contempt, he didn't like his current predicament, and disliked being manipulated even more. His siblings had done it too many times to unsuspecting people for their own amusement or gain, and wouldn't like any part of it. :: But maybe I'm being too harsh, and I dare not say anything to his face, I have the feeling he is quite powerful and I'm in no condition to defend myself. ::

Kassin's thoughts continued down a steady stream. :: He wants adventurers? Why does he want me, unless he is excluding me, I have some proficiency with light based magic, but I'm not a fighter, or even worse... :: His thoughts trailed off. He knew some adventurers, some that tried to kill him, others that he tended to, but he couldn't stand violence. His thoughts reeled as he remembered a camping trip with some of his friends. He recalled seeing a pair of adventurers out in some wood. They both wanted to kill him, presumably for the crimes of another. He backed away, tried to reason to them, they wouldn't listen, but that was far from the worst part. It came when two of his friends came to his rescue. They fought, while Kassin stared mutely, too shocked to do anything, but one of his friends stabbed one in the gut with a knife. It made Kassin's head scream with agony. Kassin had an aptitude for healing magic, and an empathy towards his patients. He could feel distress, pain, discomfort, and such things assaulted his mind with ease, which made tending to others easier, he could feel something wrong, and cure it, doing so gave himself piece of mind, and some satisfaction.

But his hypersensitivity also came with a downside, with enough concentrated agony, it would assault his mind and give him a lot of pain. He remembered once walking down a slum, a very destitute area. He could feel people starving from outside their homes, people ill with disease, stress, and worry. The experience was excruciating for him, and he couldn't stand to feel such things, he had no way to shut it out. But that brought him back to his memory with the adventurers, he could feel the pain from the knife stab, even though it wasn't his wound. He was helpless to shut the feeling out, and almost reflexively, he remembered running for the wounded adventurer, and immediately proceeded to heal the stab. He tried to save his life, but then the adventurer he just tried to heal pulled out a knife and lunged at him. Kassin then shut himself out of the memory, back to the matter at hand.

:: I just can't! :: He thought out loud, :: I'm not one to cause pain, to harm others, I'm a healer not a fighter, not an adventurer, I can't imagine doing things like that, why would he want me to... ::. His thoughts trailed off, barely noticing he didn't even hear what the mysterious man was saying while his thoughts took place.

Kassin re-focused his attention on the mysterious man's words. :: Seven artifacts stolen ::, was the next thing he heard. He waited for him to stop speaking before trailing off on his thoughts again. When he was tossed a satchel, he stood up and darted away, as if he threw him a live piranha that wanted to taste him. Kassin took some steps back, trying to get his thoughts together. His mind was disoriented with weariness. :: But why can't he just do it himself if he is so powerful? But most importantly, can I trust him? How do I know he won't simply betray me, or is trying to lead me to demise? :: His thoughts trailed off.

He couldn't hide the fear in his eyes, he started glancing around, trying to see if there were other changes in the cafe.
Kassin just stared at the mysterious man, and didn't say anything. He shivered slightly, even though he wasn't cold.

Eric opened in eyes staring up into the branches of a tree. he groaned and tried not to move. that5 last then he wanted to do was fall out of a tree again. another unplanned and unwanted dimensional jump had taken place while he slept. this was just great. for a moment he wonders if he was still in the sol system then he knew. he groaned and sat up carefully less he fall out of the tree he might had landed in. it seen he was luck and was laying not on a branch but a rooftop. he was over looking a street with a bus just pulling off but these people on the street, they were not his kind. worriedly  looking in the air he saw no capes and the place was too small to be that city again. not to mention that he didn't see any kiwis. he breath a sight of relief.  but the sort was short lived. he still didn't know if his kind of people existed in this place so he need to disguise himself before he went among them wrapping himself in a  borrowed blanket he then makes alterations to make it appear more cloak like as well as pulling out some gloves from his bag. he then began to apply makeup and cosmetics to his face. they would do for now . until he found out what kind of people he was sealing with. then he'd make a better change. One that would fool both noses and eyes

3 hours later a wrapped glove wearing being walked into Roya's bar. they sit at an table off to one side of the door and simply waited looking into the bar with their back to the wall.

Walter was, once again, on the run.  He had a tendency to be doing that, running.  In this case, on the run did not actually imply running.  In fact, the arctic wolf with a pitch black lab coat was doing quite the opposite of running.  He was standing quite still.  He had wondered into "The Milk and Cookies Cafe" intending nothing more then a quick bite to eat.  Being on the run usually afforded little more then that. 

In the middle of this cafe was an old friend of his, one of the few people he regretted leaving behind he he took up a life of adventuring.  He first instinct was to turn and run.  If he was here, the would only make things worse.  But something compelled him to say.  Especially when he started talking and it quickly became apparent that the  wizard was most certainly not his friend.  This would normally make him MORE inclined to run, knowing that some magic thrower was impersonating his friend.  Still, something compelled him to say.  Maybe it was the rewards, maybe it was the chance of a new adventure, he did not know.

An attendant came up to him and asked about a table.  Walter replied that the tables did, indeed, look lovely and it would be his pleasure to sit at one.  The confused attendant sat him at a table and he just listened to the wizard, perhaps hoping that someone else would ask the questions he wondered about.

No sooner had Bryden quipped about the lack of wizards promising adventure did the lights begin to flicker and cease their illumination efforts.  

The coincedence and timing of this event brought tremendous dread to the young angel.  Instinctively he laid his ears back and his tail dipped between his legs, "wait, wait... I didn't mean it... I..."

It was however, too late for that, as the lights returned and a mysterious figure had appeared where there was none a few moments before.  

Bryden blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what he saw.  The figure addressed all those assembled and talked of her need of everyone to undertake a quest.  A red avian blurted out something about an icethrower, but Bry did not hear it.  Instead, the fox's eyes widened as recognition crept into his mind, "gr... grand m...mother?  B... but your are dead!"  The fox was on the verge of tears as his grandma straightened up.

She first spoke to the red bird then to him, "as I have said to Roya, I am not who you think I am Bryden.  It is a fascade brought real by illusionary magicks."

"I see... perhaps you could teach me this magick?"  Bry asked skeptically.  The disguised wizard shook his head, "perhaps some day, but now is not the time or the place."

Bryden eyed the bags of material wealth tossed on the table, Bryden had no need of such things, but a little adventure maight not be as bad as he had first feared.

"so, um... who has these things of yours and will it be dangerous?"

Saya was thoroughly lost. She always was, after a dimensional jaunt, never knowing where or when she'd end up, but always hopeful that each jump would leave her one step closer to the home she had been dragged away from so many years ago. Her fur, normally snow-white, was a dirty grey and matted, and her silver eyes conveyed a severe weariness. Though many questions were moving through her mind, she kept coming back to the one relating to her current condition:
"Why the hell can't I ever land near a city. It always has to be deep in some forgotten forest."

She reached up, and picked a twig out of her fur next to her ear, tossing it aside, when she felt a warmth and tingling across her chest. She carefully pulled the necklace out of her fur, and touched the center jewel, uttering a celestial phrase that translated roughly to 'Heart's compass', and a small ball of light burst forth from it. The ball waited a few seconds, then took off through the forest. Saya chased it, eventually ending up in the strange town. The light faded, and saya began wandering again. She eventually happened on the cafe. She stopped across the street from it, considering if she had time to stop for a bite. After all, when the heart's compass called to her, it usually meant something important was near by. She considered for a moment, and decided whatever it was could find her. As soon as she was seated, she ordered a coffee, and listened to the mage's story.

"Hmm...How much do you know about dimensional magic?"

There was a chill in the room, and the lights flickered on and off as Ordlen was still addressing the waittress. Her attention distracted, he took advantage of the opporunity to add a few coins to his own stock, before thrusting his hands back casually to their original positions shuffling the cards. There was a thing that entered. It didn't really have a body, just an amorphous pattern of light swirling and shifting. It spoke, of gathering people here, of searching, of need. Ordlen only half listened, and what he did pay attention to rose some gorge in his throat. He didn't like being mainipulated, even if it seemed to have its rewards.

Idly, he opened up the cask that appeared before him. An impressive array of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and even a rare, heavy diamond glittered in his eyes. Using a mental trick he had developed over the years, he replayed the words over in his mind, focusing on what was said this time around. Yes, there was some aesthetic opportunity here........

Addressing the shadow, he talked, a wry grin creeping over his narrow face "I'll take your job, but leave your treasure." Wizards gifts have a way of being tracking devices. "All I need to know is who took your items and what, if any information you have as to their whereabouts. I don't know about these others, but" Ordlen stood up and turned to face the thing "I'd be honored to provide assistance to such a worthy one" A short bow followed, with Ordlens tail making a slow figure eight behind him, finally looping around the back of the cahir he just exited."

The mage smiled at the questions, happily reprized by her assistants. None of them seemed to object to the task, and those who might have kept their opinions to themselves.

"The artifacts have been flung all over the world I'm afraid. The one who broke my staff and displaced it has a seething hatred for me. His name is Polo. As petty as it all sounds, we both went to the same wizarding school, but said person never graduated, and couldn't stand the fact that I did. And so he took the symbol of my accomplishment and hid it from me, where not even I could find it. One of the few things he DID learn in school was banishing cloaks. This is why I need help finding these pieces. I'm afraid I can't be much help to you in locating them but know this...if you're getting close Polo will send agents to stop you. Also, if there are any local legends from your home land about mysterious artifacts, look into them as he may have hidden them in time as well. I think you all for you time. You all are my only hope."

With that the light from the windows returned, and the staff became animated again. The wizard disappeared, leaving everyone alone to plan, to brood, and to set off on a grand adventure. 

As the mage left, saya shook her head
"Haven't even been on-world an hour and I've already been given a fetch-quest. Well, at least it's not zombie hordes again"

Saya looked at the gold, then at the menu, and ordered one of everything. As she waited for the food to start arriving, she started to think about what she would need for the quest.

Eric sighed this again? this what like that kid with the scar fighting the person that killed his parents or something. "well at least thing time i know how i got into this." he said moving forwarded he picked up a satchel.  " the only question now is how will i get out?" happy alive, sad alive or not at all.  he looked around to see who else had would take the challenge. he was not worried about being tracked. he would only be on this world for a limited time ( a limited time offer) it was funny that he would think of that now.at least now he knew he could use magic as a disguise. he would work on that later.

Saya sighed and picked up one of the gold coins, flipping it half-heartedly while glancing around the room. Her eyes fell on the a figure who seemed to have hastily hidden their features. She wondered what their reason was. She considered going over to talk to this person, but the food she had ordered started arriving. She looked at the first plate, a large rare steak, then glanced back at the figure.
"Hope he sticks around" she said, before picking up the steak and tearing in.

Kassin shook his head after the mysterious man departed. He shook his head, almost absent mindedly trying to figure out if the entire thing was a delusion or not. But the satchel remained on the table where he sat. He slowly walked back to where he was sitting before and took his seat. He glanced around, noticing that his tea still hadn't come.
He shook his head and started to contemplate his situation, silently upset with himself that he didn't ask whoever that was if he was the one who brought him here. It wasn't inconceivable in his eyes, if whoever that was wanted to pull him around like a puppet on a string, this was certainly a fine setup to do so, and as far as he knew, his siblings didn't know of any teleportation magic. Kassin didn't like the idea of being manipulated like that, he had seen enough from his brother and sister, yet, the thought that he was being unfair to whomever that was crossed his mind as well, maybe he genuinely did need help, and besides, Kassin would possibly need help getting home, he had no idea where he was, and for all he knew he could be hundreds of miles away.

Kassin quietly thought to himself, gauging what his next options should be. ::Regardless of what I do, I have some things to take care of. I'm still in no condition to be moving around until I get some rest. Next, I don't know how well the people around here like angels, but I really ought to clean my shirt:: He took another look at it, gazing intently at the spots where his own blood had caked and dried upon it. ::I can't just get a new one, my wings don't allow me to fit into most shirts, and I had this personally tailored, and I don't know a place where I can get this washed.::

Regardless, whatever Kassin's next destination, he figured it had to do with whoever that mysterious person was. He had no idea whether he had answers, salvation, or doom, but he couldn't spend the rest of his existence here.

Kassin felt his nose gently, it was still sore, and he still ached. He glanced around, watching other customers get their meals while he still waited for his tea. He took a glance at the satchel that was thrown to him, but he dared not touch.

sitting at his table again Eric request a glass of water. he examined the satchel in his hands. it was magic no doubt about that but what kind? and was it dangerous? as he thought on it he  and realized that some fruit would be good. especially pomegranates.

Bryden nodded to the wizard's reply and explanation.  After the wizard had disappeared and things had become normal again, he turned to the rest of those assembled and spoke, "so, I guess we've been asked to do this task.  Shall we form up for adventure?"

Saya took a moment to finish chewing and take a drink before speaking
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to need a good meal and a bath before I consider any adventuring. "

Eric chuckles at that a short baking laugh. yes a meal, chance to refresh/clean ones self and a night's rest would be good. it would also give him a chance to perfect his disguise and make it more permanent. " yes that does sound reasonable. i'm with the young lady about prepping before going on a potentially dangerous mission."

    Kipiru drove his motorcycle down the quaint streets of the town. It was a day like any other and the town was one like many he had seen in his travels, but here he had a task.
     A few nights ago a figure came to him. It was no doubt a wizard, though it chose to take the form of his best friend. Kipiru kept it to himself that such lesser magic did not work on his demon self. In fact he constantly kept that side of him hidden, he kept the appearance of a normal being with just a bit more strength. No wings shown and no additional horns protruding his flesh. The wizard spoke to him of a quest to find seven relics of sentimental value and offered quite the reward. Kipiru didn't need the money but he did need the purpose. The wizard answered no questions of his, saying only that he will answer them when Kipiru got to some cafe in a remote town, "The milk and cookies" or something like it.
   So here he was, the town was right, but there was no such cafe in sight. He always did have trouble navigating. Just as he was starting to get aggravated, he pulled the brakes in front of what seemed to be the place he was looking for. He climbed of the motorcycle and entered with a wide stroll.
    Inside was the oddest gathering of creatures he had seen in a while, and they all seamed up in thought. It dawn on him:
- I'm late, right! The guy with quest was already here wasn't he! -he addressed everyone with a loud voice- Dang, I wanted to ask him a few things! So, are you also going on this thing?
     Kipiru shoved the waitres gently aside and made his way to the table where everyone was seated.

Saya glanced at the newcomer before laying down her fork beside the latest of her 'one of everything' meal.

"I believe we're discussing that right now. So far everyone seems to be in, but me and Mr. Wraps over there *Glances towards Eric* have voted for a meal, some rest, and maybe a little sword-shopping tomorrow so we're at least somewhat prepared"

    - Fine by me- shrugged Kipiru and drew himself a chair. - Hey, who do I have to slap to get some service here?
  He took the menu handed to him by the waitress and threw it aside.
    - Bring me a serving of fries and a cheese burger!
  He looked shamelessly at the others around him.
    - Anyone have a problem with me?

Bryden nodded slowly as the others spoke.  While the others considered what to do, the fox angel remembered what he had originally come here for.

Waving down one of the servers vigorously, "please I would like some strawberry spice tea, fairly hot and bring some honey."

Bry considered what he might need to undertake this quest, he really had never been off on an adventure, nor had he run afoul of creature hunting beings.  Thankfully he was on break from university and would have a good amount of time to himself.

"I will need some equipment... and probably a sword or staff... hmmm, too bad that blue vixen took that staff I found, it looked sturdy for fighting."

His tea arrived, the fox sniffed it then sipped it a bit before deciding to add some honey.  He sat quietly, enjoying his tasty, warm drink.

To Eric the newcomer seemed rude. perhaps it was arrogance born form his belief in his own power perhaps it was something more. still it mattered not and he order a fruit salad and decided he would slip away to get some rest when they were done discussing strategy. he could move to their table but that was closer then he wanted to be in the condition that his disguise was in. he wondered how many here were dimension displaced and how many were simply translocated from elsewhere on the planet. it didn't really matter right now but it would be interesting to know.

  That badly covered trans-dimensional being didn't seem like he approved of him much. But it was better this way, let them think he was some rude bruiser full of himself. Better that then the truth. As far as preparations went- the sword on Kipiru's back was all he needed. His faithful companion in so many adventures had never let him down.
  Kipiru grabbed the burger with one hand and swayed back on his chair as he started munching loudly.

Kari finished a rack of ribs among her order, and decided that the next course could wait for a bit. She wanted to talk with this stranger she had mentally tagged as "wraps". She walked over to Eric's table, and quietly asked

"mind if I join you here?"

Eric was surpized by this turn of events even as his salad had arrived. running his hand over his face he mutters a quick prayer/ spell to obscure his appearance magically before answering. "if you wish you may, though you did catch me off guard " he looked at the person before him and for a moment was reminded of someone he knew. this was not them but his impressions usually meant something. "How may i call you miss...?"

"Most call me saya" she said, as she sat down. For the moment, she chose not to comment on the obscuring spell, trusting that he had his reasons.  "What about you? What's your name?"

"Saya.?" Eric rolled the name around in his head. he'd heard it before the name of a vampire girl back in the sol system but she was not really dangerous to humans. but that was years ago and literally worlds away.  "many call me voyager or the voyager after my family's chosen name, profession and affliction as it were. i simply go by the name Eric or sometimes just e if they've met my family before" He smile as the look in her eyes told him that she wasn't fooled but his spelled attempt to blend in. "but that can wait. tell me whats on your mind"

Roya shivered in the presence of so much outgoing energy. Everyone seemed to have a strong opinion of what just happened, for better or for ill. But Roya didn't know what to think, but she did know one thing: This was certainly a grand test that she couldn't afford to pass on.

"Maybe this is what the elders meant..." The mumbled aloud as she took one of the satchels. She looked to the brood that would be her travel mates and shivered. All of them seemed threatening to her, and while she had found the courage to take up her quest, she somehow lost it in the face of so many canids and felines. She sat in isolation poking at her food a moment before realizing it had gone cold. She called for the waiter for some more hot chai but her call went unnoticed in the now rowdy room. She called again, and in her frustration, she waved her hand in the air. In and instant, a black buzzing ball erupted from her palm. It narrowly missed the waiter (who ducked just in the nick of time) striking a nearby wall hanging. The hanging buzzed for a moment before its form completely changed shape into a rubber duckie before hitting the floor. The whole room went quiet and all eyes were focused on Roya.

"Um...c-can I g-get some more tea please?"

Kassin, who happened to be sitting quite close to Roya, nearly jumped out of his seat with fright as she let loose a black buzzing ball. He took a few minutes to calm down after the display, wrapping his wings around himself, as he was still battered and fatigued. The thought that the cafe preferred to serve paying customers rather than himself occurred to him, even though he was the second customer in his place.
Kassin raised his head after some moments of staring intently at the table counter. He blinked his eyes and sighed at what he was about to say.
"I would hate to break it to you all, but..." He closed his eyes and shook his head, then continued. "whoever that was,... he has given us no leads as to where to start, nor has he given us any reason to trust him, for all we know he could be leading us into a trap."
He sighed to himself again, though odds are, he would have to go follow whomever that person was. The thought didn't appeal to him. ::I still haven't found out where I am,:: he thought, ::I might want to ask where I am and how far from home I am, I still have a lot of unanswered questions about last night..::. His thoughts trailed off in speculation.

"Well, it has to do with why I'm here. I'm rather lost in the dimensions, which is kind of a problem since I have no plane-traveling abilities."

The chaos.  At once it was irritating, a red flash behind the backs of Ordlen's eyes, burning out all the potential, all the efficiency in the room; and a glistening opportunity, tempting his hands to simply reach out and grab, take, possess. Everything was so loose, it seemed like Ordlen could swindle his way into whatever amounts of cash he desired.

What a pity I decided I would be prusuing art, not opportunity today. Such a shame, such a shame. But we need some focus. A moment later, he heard the angel's utterance through the room's babble. "You make a point Angel. We really do have no place to start looking for this staff. But remember what he said. We're being sought. Unfortunately, I've dealt with that sort of Wizard before, and I know enough to realize their effects on probability." Waving to indicate the red bird girl, Ordlen continued. "Now, he mentioned those satchels as a down payment, which implies a payment upon recovery of the items. Why share the wealth? We let feather boy here rest, recuperate, or if we're in a hurry, I'm sure that a few of the healers in this town would love a lovely emerald to wash away his fatigue, and the three of us go off on our normal business. I gather we're all at loose ends, so we're not damaging too much, and we hunt for magical thefts. What say you all?"

Saya glanced around the room before continuing
"You see, a long time ago I was pulled from my home plane. Still not sure if it was just a freak accident or if someone was behind it.. Anyways, with no dimension-hopping abilities of my own, I had to find someone who could portal me out. That first time's when I found out about the curse. I'm not sure how much you know about dimensional travel..."

comprehension dawns on Eric. he smiled. this was better then some wizard's quest. still he ha made a commitment and he would see it through but maybe later... " have you seen many dimensions" he asked looking and his future quest companion. For him traveling dimensions was so easy that it sometimes happened in his sleep. controlling it on the other hand. well surface it to say that he was not his father his uncle or even as adept as many of his cousins. some of them traveled time as well but time travel had always made his sick.

"probably only 40 or so. Some of them I was only in for a few months, others multiple years. I was stuck in one for a good ten years near the start of this whole thing. The people there were nice, if a bit simple, but the nighttime wildlife was downright weird. The moving shadows were bad enough the first night, but  when I started seeing technicolor rabbits and the "partial animals" I began to wonder if there was something in the air." Saya shuddered "I still have nightmares about the ravens. somehow, those creepy four-eyed ones are even scarier when they're hot pink"

Erice laughed. " i'm sorry fringes but it sounds like you temporarily entered some Psi-planes. they aren't quite normal but that's tells me you not a normal biological being . you probably have vast mental abilities , spiritual magics, multiple life forces/ personnalites or any combination of they above as those attributes allows one to live in a psi-plane" as he wiped his eyes some of his make up comes off with his gloved hand.

Eric looked at his hand and sighed. "do excuse the disguise but my kind tend to be rare in locations were i and pulled with out proper warning. as for inter-dimensional travel it's easy to me. runs in the family blood or not. "e smiled. " it's so easy in facet i could travel dimensions i my sleep. no joke. the joke is that when i wake up i never know why i'm where i am. truth be told i was sleep until about an hour and a half ago when i woke up on the roof of this very building. i thought i knew why when the  orb spoke but it seems i was wrong. i may be here to help you more then find this graduation present."

Saya smiled. "It would be nice not to have to search for a way off dimension every time I d-jumped. And hopefully fewer landings where I end up ten feet above a tree miles from anything remotely resembling civilization."

Eric smiled. "ah the flying landing wake up call. i've heard of a few of them but that's what comes from D jumping in your sleep. it's not always a consciousness things for my clan.  what happens is that the pull of somewhere else's becomes stronger then the forces grounding us to our current location. they say that or original ancestor comes of with a name; voyager eternal, voyager energy, the exceptional voyager  or some such nonsense because  no matter how often he comes home he'd be off on another voyager before he knew it. but don't worry as long as i'm woke i'll lade us on face ground. i don't promise that civilizations will always be near but i have a knack for arrive in safe locations. the only problem is i don't always know were i'm going exactly."

he look off into the distance. "It's not as easy are you may thing navigating all of the worlds out there. you many not know this but my home world orbits in the sol system. i've left it often enough but when i try to come back i fine that's it's a completely different world then where i left. same basic planet but the there are peoples flying or peoples with technology that was hundred of years either  before or after my own time frame. it's taken me as many as 20 jumps to reach my own world just within the sol system so trust me i understand what you may be feeling."

what he does not say what he is thinking is {' but if we can fine you world then we can fine you're dimension. and my only knack fore safe landings will prevent us from landing in and dead/ destroyed versions of your world while dimensions hunting. '}

Erice looked hungry's at his salad. " have you roded you meal yet?" he asked waiting before he touched his own fruit.

"Oh, that's right. My meal" Saya called the waitress and asked that the rest of her meal start being sent. a few moments later, the waitress returned with a basket of chicken wings and several small bowls of soup.

"Anyways, I've managed to pick up a reasonable understanding of dimensional travel from various sources. Mostly general stuff like the parallel worlds, and layers. I remember layers being important. Something about my home plane being on a different layer of reality or something?..." saya trailed off as her stomach started grumbling, then went through the entire basket of chicken wings and half the soups in the span of a few minutes. "Sorry. I think the last jump fed from my own magical energy or something, and my body's doing overdrive to compensate. "

Eric smiled and nodded as he worked on his fruit bowl. "don't worry i understand. in my case it's more of a magnetic pull. a call if you were but i can guide it if i wish but i really never worry about where i'm going. my cousins have told me i really new to develop my guidance abilities and i think i'll work on that after this quest." Eric thong about it.

tell me short of dragon have you ever run around some nearly hairless primates that lack shape shifting abilities?

Saya thought for a moment while sipping from the last bowl of soup. "I think  some of the dimensions near my home plane had some. Humans, or something like that? Anyways, they didn't have any innate shapeshifter's gift, but the magic concentration was usually high enough that if one wished to they could learn spells. I've also seen variants on...about 10 of the dimensions I've hit since getting lost."

Eric nodded. "yes thats them. they are very unusual spices. both they destroy and create. it's like they balance things in their universe. i've seen them destroy planets and build machines that build live worlds form space dust." he shivered. "i studied under some that defend their worlds from beings that were extremely powerful. so powerful they could destroy the world beneath their feet many times over and while i got stronger i'm not nearly bas strong as they were." he smiled "there was a cost for there power mind you. they need to eat massive amounts of food and push their bodies so far beyond normal it is like putting  dragon in the body of a squirrel but not diminishing it's power or it's appetite..." he waited. for a response. " i spend 5 years on that world and died twice but on that world they had a magic system to bring people back to life... i hope you never have to visit there during a time of war"

"Blowing up an entire planet? That's quite a bit of power, I must say. Not sure I'd trust myself with that kind of strength. And I have enough trouble keeping up with my apetite as is, sometimes."
Suddenly, saya felt a rather teltale tingling down her spine. Within moments, she began to feel dizzy and lightheaded. "Damn...I hoped this wouldn't happen for a while." Saya now had to prop her arm on the table to support her head, and her strength was quickly fading. With the last of her concentration, she managed "You'll have to fill him in... And tell him food's...on the way."
Just as she finished the space around her seemed to compress and twist, unfolding to reveal a male kitsune. His fur, a deep black, was not as fluffy as saya's, but was still fairly long and smooth. It was a few moments before he lifted his head from the table. He shook his head, before opening his eyes.
"Ugh...There has got to be a better way for that to happen"

Eric eye's opened wide.  almost instinctively he called for saya with his mind  reaching for the person he'd just been  speaking with even as he watched her bing replaced by someone else. "Greetings i and Eric you my call me E if you wish." he smiled and offered his hand. "you other says that the food is on the way. you have been drafted into a mission to recover a gradation present. oh and when the mission is over the was talk of trying to find you home dimensions. i'm good at traveling the dimensions but i'm not so good at navigating them as i am simply traveling and finding safe ports as it were. do you have any question or suggestions?"

this was interesting to unique souls in one corporal form. this would bear careful watching.

"Sounds like saya's been busy. Name's vash, by the way."

   Bored by the interdimensional gibberish between the split personality one and the badly masked one, Kipiru stood up and walked up to the red bird girl, who was still shocked by the whateveritwas that came out of her hand and was shivering slightly in her place. Kipiru lurched over her and tapped her on the head with his finger:
   - Hey there Red, I don't know why but i do believe you have a somewhat more significant role in this than even you realize. I for one am itching to get going on this, so if you have anything to say to us just get out with it.
    And without asking permission he pulled a chair and sat next to Roya, continuing to stair at her in wait for her reaction.

Kassin stared down at the table. His head still hurt, conflicted as to whether to follow whomever that person was. Time wasn't on his side, he was low on funds in unfamiliar territory, if he spent too long here, he might risk running out of resources and be unable to return home, wherever that is.
He turned back to the mink. "Whoever that was gave us no reason to trust him either, he gave us a down payment sure, but he may be trying to string us like puppets into doing his bidding, or could be leading us straight into a trap, and it's also possible he was completely incorrect when he said that we're being sought, or lying about it." He thought quietly to himself, he knew of no one other than his siblings who would have something against him, and they wouldn't go so far as to kill him, and found that the probability of this gathering here would all have people after them.
He then remembered about his primary objective: to get home. :: Whether I chase after whomever that was or not really depends on that, if I don't have the resources to get home, I'll likely need them, and if he brought me here... I don't think going home is an option, he could bring me right back, and such a gesture may be dangerous. Adventurers who find me on the roads are probably going to swing blades first and ask questions later. :: He cut his trail of thought, and then mustered the courage to ask those at his table for some help. "Pardon me, " he asked quietly, "but would anyone here know where I could get a map of this region?"

"Vash" said Eric nodding and noticing the extent of the physical change. " do you know were you other goes when this happens or were you come from? " as an after thought he re asks if there are any questions up to this point.

"It's not really a coming/going thing...More one of us taking over. We're still both here and her" Vash tapped his head and chest. "Somehow, the body responds to whoever's in control. At least, that's how I was told this all works. Not sure if anyone knows the details that well."

Eric nod. "i'm guessing from that statement that you two are unaware of whats going on when you're not in control. as for were you go if you have no memories or awareness then your consciousness may be sleep inside of the other. i've seen it before but it is extremely rare and rarely a natural condition are yours seem to be.. but do excuse me. there is something i need to attend to. "

with that Eric heads into the restroom to fix his disguise.

While Vash waited for eric to return, he thought of what he had been told.
"So we've finally found a dimensional traveler. No more relying on one-time portals to places we have no clue about. Perhaps a way home?" While Vash pondered this, a plate of burritos arrived at the table. He dug in, and his thoughts turned to the more immediate issue of the quest. All he had to go on, was that they were looking for a stolen graduation present. When Eric got back vash asked
"So how much do we know about this graduation present we're supposed to recover?"

Eric returned minutes later his make up fixed and beneath it a  shape shifted techquic had transformed Eric form a mishmash blurred looking k9 being to a hyena being masquerading as a k9. for no really reason this is how he chose to appear to others. upon hearing Vash's question he recount the wizards quest for the graduation present that it was separated into parts and taken by a powerful wizard as well. he left out the part about the wizard looking like a ball of light to him as that was personal.

"Ah. So do you have any ideas on where to start looking? Being new to this world as well as its local dimensions and timespace puts me at a disadvantage here"

Eric shrugged. "no clue i arrived in my sleep a few hours ago" he looked over the others that had accepted the quest or were debating it  "there are some here who have my have some sort of tracking skills but not i."

"So unless one of those guys can track magical objects or has a lead, we're chasin' these artifacts blind... Oughta make things interesting...Aw man, my soup's gone cold"
With this, Vash picked up the soup bowl and closed his eyes. A small ball of fire appeared above the bowl and plunged into the soup, which boiled for a few seconds.
"That's better."

"that about sums it up" Eric watched the display of magic " nice trick but why fire instead of light?"

"Fire...instead of light? Not sure I follow, but fire's the only element I'm really good with."

Eric hold up a hand in his hand an orb of light appears. it runs though several colors starting blue going red, green, yellow and so forth until it ended in and white orb then he reabsorbed. " lights is one of the most common forms of power i've seen blue in general is for healing or good guy power white tend to be holy or healing power often considered the same. red is bad guy danger limits power and green is ofter will or life energy. i prefer blue myself but if you use it ring this light can either light your way of blow down walls. it is very useful and the heat is easier to control then fire. here" with that Eric calls up two balls of lies both blue one cool almost cold to the touch the other  hot enough to make water boil the bother hover over his left hand. "try either one you wish, and they don' even need air to function"

"Hmm...pretty cool. How long do you think it'd take me to learn that?"

"i don't know." said Eric truthfully " i've seen some people learn it in as little as a day and others take 50 years or more. the light is energy it's a renewable part of yourself really.  it's like your ability to focus on something or perhaps your desires. it's different tapping into it for everyone. a word of advice thong. it is as tiring and any other form of energy manipulation you've ever done. only the strongest in mind and body master it to levels likes those who trained me and i fall short of their stature like an ant hills falls short of a mountain. "

Kipiru watched the light show silently and then started flicking his fingers in front of his face with a curious expression. On the fourth try he produced a tiny red light orb at the tip of his finger and smiled approvingly. After which he used the red orb to light up a cigar and leaned back next to the red girl in wait of information.

"So it's a kind of wild magic, just like my elemental power..."
Vash held out his hand, and tried to conjure one of the balls of light. instead, a small fireball appeared. Vash looked at it, disappointed, and waved it away.
"Looks like it might take a while with my elemental affinity."

the spark of light produced but some a few tables over had not escaped Eric's attention but he chose not to speak on it.

"I'ts not magic per say it's more like  you will mad tangible. it is energy that you produce not that is give to you in most cases. " Eric thong about what he saw and considered. " when you try to reach for the power don't think of the light, magic or any color. don't think of power as magic. Just concentrate on putting you will into you hands for whats ever reason and what you want to do with it like this: "  With that Eric sent a marble sizes ball of light  against his salad bowl pushing it half way across the table. " i believe in magical places they call it aura bending but i'm not 100% sure that's the right name for it."

"Will made tangible..."
Vash thought about this for a few minutes, then closed his eyes and concentrated. A faint ball of silver-blue energy began to fade in, then out, then in again. Vash's forehead creased from the mental effort, but slowly the ball of energy was becoming more solid. Suddenly, it snapped into a crescent moon shape and its glow intensified to the point where it hurt to look directly at. The shape stayed for a few seconds then disappeared, leaving Vash staring blankly where it had been.
"That...was very strange..."

Eric smiled " yes you've got a good start on it." he said smiling. "and you're not the only one" he said nodded and the arrogant traveler whom has shown he has some of his skill. what he doesn't say is that the crescent moon shape of the energy worried him. he know a woman whom was princess of the moon and Queen of earth. her power was both magic and great but it was not like what vash had just done. perhaps the moon was connected to how he and his sister switch places.but if he was the moon was she the the sun?

"The moon part wasn't me. I lost complete control of it before it did that. "

that vash guessed what he was thinking or read his mind didn't  overly concern Eric. what did was that:  "you lost control? did you feel someone else trying to take over?"

"Not really. More like it shifted of its own accord... "

Eric shook his head. " this is something new to me." he admitted. this was stranger. the power having a will of it's own. maybe he wasn't the only one controlling it but then Eric had no experience with this. maybe his uncle or his cousins would know what to do but he was worried about casing more harm then good by trying out of turn with out more understanding. " well lets leave off practice for now and ask if anyone here can track the items we need for this quest."

"I'm more interested in getting some sharp and pointies before we do any questing. From the looks of it, saya had to make a quick getaway on our last world. Anyone happen to see a weaponsmith on their way here?"

Eric shrugged.  well it couldn't hurt much. he'd prefer the blunt instrument king to the sharp or pointy ones however. "okay, that sounds like a good ideal. after all now that we're on this quest we could be attacked at any time and i don't know how my power's will work in this place other then my disguises."

Finally, the one with the identity crysis and the thing called Eric said something that resonated in agreeance with Kipiru! They needed to gear up and not with light tricks, but with cold steel. Kipiru didn't trust magic of any sort(one of the reasons he kept his own powers dorment), but he was all heart for a blade or two!
- Hey people, if I can make a suggestion, there was a place I was thinking of checking out as a possibility for the location of one of the pieces. It's not far, just a few hills from here, near a quaint village. Thing is, they have an awsome smith there that ows me a favor. I figured you can gear up there and we can get this freak-show moving already. What do you say?

"Would this weaponsmith happen to have semi-rare metals that would make good spellswords? Either way, sounds like a good idea, but I've always wanted something...unique"

Kassin lacked any enthusiasm to start chasing after whomever that was if he didn't have a lead. For all he knew, he could be searching aimlessly for days on end, and he had more important things to worry about. He kept still, his head still ached and he was still fatigued. His inquiries for a map were met with silence, still struggling to place one strange event with all of the others. The thought that he still had not received his herbal tea crossed his mind, though there was naught he could do about it.
He shook his head and turned towards Kipiru. "We were given no solid leads, and could be searching fruitlessly for days on end." He shook his head, then continued. "For all we know, they don't even exist. I could understand if you simply wanted to visit him, but I wouldn't comprehend how he would know any more about this than we do. I get the impression that... whomever that person was, doesn't like making public appearances."
His thoughts trailed off into incoherence. The thought that he should probably consider these matters more closely after he had some rest crossed his mind, that maybe he would come across something he hadn't considered before. 

Kipiru pondered for a moment and shrugged his shoulders:
- I don't know whether he has materials to make magic weaponry, but he does run a side business buying out and then reselling all manner of arms. There could be some that have magic in them! As for your worries about the reliability of my info, I have no idea if are even going to find anything up there! But I for one prefer it to standing around here stuffing our faces and flexing our tongues. And as it seems as I'm stuck with the lot of you, so I need your agreeance on this!
The waitress finally came carrying Kassin's herbal tea, but as she approached the table Kipiru slapped her behind and took the cup from her tray, as she turned around to see the one who did it! He leaned back and gulped the hot tea with a pleased look on his face!

Vash shrugged as well, smiling "Close enough. Given the way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised to find he's got some ancient sword that needs reforging or something. "
Vash then stood and told the waitress to box the rest of his order.
"Well, let's get this show on the road"

Eric shrugged. "i' prefer staffs collapses and expendable metal ones if possible. they remind me of someone." he smiled they did remind him of several people he'd met in the past during the course of his travels not all of them powerful but all of them memorial. " i'm also fairly good with swords and knives. but would prefer a war-hammer"

Kipiru gleamed! Now they were talking his language!
-Good choice there, Eric was it, the warhammer is a very versatile weapon! Nothing says "drop that magic item or else" like a big lump of metal on a stick! My choice though is this - Kipiru unsheathes his two handed sword and looks at it almost lovingly! The blade is entirely black, it even looks as if it's draining the light from around it. Everyone that looks at the blade feels a powerfull surge of malice and fear run through them!

for am moment Eric is reminds of  the dragon prince that he'd heard tale of but never actually met. that black blade and the feelings int produced in others was obvious but whee there runes? if so he couldn't see them. even so this person was definitely not human and by not shade an albino., " does your blade have a name?"  he asked guardedly remember that there were four blades forged according to legend.

- It's name is Kreideiky! It has been my best friend for a long time now!- Says Kipiru and sheaths the sword. A wave of easiness spreads as the black blade hisses back out of sight. -Though It's last owner died by it, so I guess I'm just waiting my turn!- he took another big gulp out of Kassin's tea!

nods. "then it is no relation to mornblade or strombringer." Eric said feeling a bit more at ease. " still it could be charmed/cursed in the manner of such blades. cal them blessed or curred by you own definition. Kings fire turned it's wielder into a cruel oppressive tyrant until the blade was destroyed and another of it's it. the dark blade stormbringer."

Kassin gazed at Kipiru, absent mindedly wondering how he hadn't been thrown out of the establishment. Assaulting a waitress, taking someone else's meal, and brandishing a lethal weapon in public. Kassin didn't turn away, but decided not to press his mood. :: He seems like a volatile brute, quite unstable and easily provoked, and certainly strong enough to use that weapon well. Poke lightly, I might not want to try and force my tea back... since he might run me through... ::.
Kassin took some time to come up with an adequate response to his situation. "Well, " he started, "I don't think that you'll find too many in..... agreeance..." He rolled his eyes and paused after saying that, and softly rubbed his forehead with his left hand, as if nurturing a grievous wound. "... considering the way you act." Kassin decided to cut it with that, not desiring to further press Kipiru's mood.

"Not to interupt, but shouldn't we get going to that town so we can follow whatever leads there are before they disappear?
and coincidentally get to that weapon shop so I can check out the sword selection?"

Eric sighed and waited. this was not likely to go well and even if it did... he moved up and went to the counter. he paid for his meal and question the staff for a few moments waiting for the others to come to a conclusion.

Vash, somewhat bored of waiting, began to conjure several tiny balls of fire in front of him in five rings which began rotating around a common point. After a minute or so of this, he found he was still bored.
"Maybe I should just take a nap."

Eric return to vash and the others. "Lets vote. we can either leave now or take a night to rest up and get acquainted with this world." he looked at the three others. or was it four considering vash and saya's unusual condition.

Vash shrugged
"I think we should head to that town before our potential lead up and walks out on us, but I'm open to either."

Vash pulled some of the leftover food he had out and began eating again.

"fine lets go." said Eric aggravated for no reason he could understand. he felt as is some kind of timer had begun running.  he wanted to be gone now and this indecision, this in action was really starting to bother him.

Vash put the rest of his food back in the bag, and crouched on the floor. in a fluid series of movements, his body rearanged itself into a shape closely resembling that of a common red fox, though about half-again as large, with five slightly longer and thinner tails, and Vash's normal black fur.

"If you'll keep track of my leftovers, Eric, I'm ready. Now which direction is this village?"

"leftovers?" asked Eric though he was privately amazed at the transformation. in most cases when species transformed they became larger then their base body not smaller. he looked at the bag the fox had put his food it.  was he expected to carry that? why couldn't they just fly? maybe they couldn't fly on this world or maybe the simply didn't know how.

Vash stood up and padded over to the exit, then glanced over his shoulder.
"Well, are we going to get this show on the road, or just stand here?"

nodding Eric makes ready to leave. "last call. any takers?"