The Mad God's Masque and Bellicose Ball (IC) (M)

[Gareeku]

Sitting down at one of the tables in the restaurant, the white wolf began to dig. His plate was stacked full of pieces of egg, bacon, sausage, beans, mushrooms, to name a few. Sure it wasn't the most health of meals, but the lupine didn't care. Only one thing mattered to him; satisfying his hunger. After all, he hadn't eaten for at least 24 hours.

It was then, however, that glancing up to look around the room at the others who were in there, Gareeku noticed someone; someone very familiar.
Well well...a familiar face... the wolf thought to himself, before looking back down to continue his meal. He had no idea why he had been invited to this little party, let alone who invited him. Wondering if anybody else in the restaurant had been invited to the ball, Gareeku finished his meal, his stomach satisfyingly full as he went to put his plate away.

[Cogidubnus]

 He hung up the phone. "They do this to me on purpose." Fredrick hissed. "I know it. They giggling up there right now." he said as he ground his teeth. He stood up quickly, banging his head on the hanging potted plat behind him, and after brushing the sod off his shoulders headed for the kitchen. He grabbed a pad and pen off his desk before leaving.

He was scribbling furiously as he walked, until he finally passed through the double-swing doors and into the rushed bustle of the hotel's kitchen. He continued writing for a few minutes, taking a few pages, and finally slapping four completely filled pages of orders onto the counter.
"Order up!" he said, mockingly cheerful, and left. He didn't care to explain to the cooks what had just happened.

He did, however, wait outside the doors until he heard loud expletives, followed by the crash of a skillet being thrown across the room. It made him feel a little better.

* * *

Ray smiled. He had a talent there - there was something about it that made even the most irate customer settle down in the face of that calm, friendly expression, which was somewhat odd when one considered that he was a tiger. Long white teeth seldom inspired relaxation and reason, and yet, he'd been the first one chosen to break the news to the Gryphon Ambassador.
Sometimes Ray wished he was frightening. Maybe then they'd stick him somewhere unseen, like cleaning the rooms, or in the kitchen, where he wouldn't have to deal with people again for the rest of his life. He might live forever, in peace, with only him and the smell of frying grease and cleaner fluid.

"It seems that Rover has...how do I say this...broken the stables?" he winced somewhat. "He is...ah...a very big gryphon. We think he may have bent some of the supporting beams. Or shifted the foundation. It's, ah, leaning, about twenty degrees off."

* * *
Sharon sighed, picking the pot back up and setting in it's slot again. She shook her head slowly, finishing up stirring something in the pot, and went for the strainer in the sink. A small smile, however, still twisted her lips as she worked.

It didn't take long for Jeremiah to find the badger again, directing things over in the atrium of the castle. He brightened when he saw the frog, and motioned for him to come closer.
"Just the man I wanted to see!" he said as Jeremiah approached. "You remember where that guest that arrived last night was, correct? The pale one, big ears? Oh, good." he didn't let the frog get a word in edgewise, and simply assumed that Jeremiah still knew, or could find out again. "Well, Eddie hasn't shown up this morning, and we need someone to fill in as a judge for the wine tasting. I figured she'd be happy to fill in." he said.

Jeremiah remembered Eddie. Elderly mouse fellow, been here since dirt was invented. They hadn't spoken much, but the feeling Jeremiah got from the old guy was he just wanted to be left alone with his work.

* * *

"Pth. I am fully capable of my own wardrobe, Melodie." she said, giving the younger dragon an amused smile. "I wasn't twiddling my thumbs for millenia upon millenia. I was busy getting your grandfather to remember every birthday and anniversary along the line." she grinned, with a slightly evil tinge. "I think I shall manage."

"That lovely sapphire and diamonds and opal suite would look lovely with your dress, however..." LL said, taking a sip of her tea.

* * *

"Call me Ishmael." the fox said, shaking Esme's hand. He grinned widely. "I love it when I get to say that. My name really is Ishmael, by the way. And no, I've never been whaling, and I've got all my legs too."

He smiled, cracking the reins gently, and the carriage started moving again. "You here to help with the preparations? You seem to be packed pretty light. You a clerk, maybe?" he said, the air frosting as he spoke.

[e_voyager]

Aten smiled. " i understand. somethings are best discovered in private anyway and there are a couple of others whom i wish to speak with before the ball as well."

it was possible that the selection was random but he doubted that. he'd seen to many coincidences that made his hairs stand on end. particularly the dragon and the wolf. they were friends form old meeting and speaking with them thing finding a book concerning her grandmother was another. On top of that it seems that most of the guest were staying in this hotel. The guest seemed to be mostly creatures and beings with creatures ancestry. there had to be some connection, some thread other then their combined civility.

"Even so it will be easier to show you the way then to give you directions as the sun was not up when i ventured the the library this morning. that is if you will allow me to ma'am."

[Aisha deCabre]

At this point, Rynkura was rather done with the conversation; though what had come from a simple inquiry turned into another interesting insight on the goings-on of the Ball.  She wondered not only how many were invited anyway, but just who else was.  Granted if she saw dragons, it would be a thing of interest.  And who knew what kinds of other creatures were attending, and finally, for what purpose.

She chuckled at "Atem" as she picked up her plate and left the table.  "You are quite the gentleman to offer then, young sir, to go out of your way to show an old scholar to the library.  But I will be fine...the town is a small one, the place should not be more than a few blocks out of the way of the hotel, snowfall permitting the walk.  I can certainly find it.  For now though, I must be going.  I have more people I'd like to meet.  But thank you all the same.  Perhaps I shall see you at the Ball."

Her tone, gentle though sincere and firm, ought to have told him that she was indeed done.  With a polite nod of farewell, the white tigress took her staff in hand and headed off for the edge of the bar to put her plate away.

Again though her eyes caught the familiar figure nearby, the white wolf with very distinct markings and hair style.  "Well, as I live and breathe," she muttered, recognizing him certainly as a most favored comrade of her student.

From behind, it was uncertain that the warrior would hear the Healer's quiet footsteps.  But that aged yet strong voice could be heard all the same as she came up to him.  "Ah, sir Manoko, I did not expect to see you here.  Keeping out of trouble I trust?" she chuckled, tilting her head with a smile.  In an uncertain place, it was good to see someone who wasn't a stranger.

[Gareeku]

As he was putting his plate away on the dirty dishes rack for the restaurant staff, Gareeku thought he had heard footsteps behind him, suspected them to be that of Rynkura. His suspicions were confirmed he heard the tigress behind him speak in that somewhat aged yet strong and firm voice.

"Ah, sir Manoko, I did not expect to see you here. Keeping out of trouble I trust?"

"When do I not keep out of trouble...?" The wolf replied, a smirk on his face as he turned to face Rynkura. It was then that the smirk on his face turned to a soft, friendly smile. "Indeed; I must admit I was not expecting to see you here either, mistress. It is a most pleasant suprise. It's good to see you, as always."

Glancing around the restaurant once more, the white wolf then looked back towards the tigress. "A ball isn't usually my thing. But being invited personally, with my full name on the letter and everything just got me more than a little curious. Suspicious also, I must admit, but I suppose we'll have to wait and see what events unfold." The wolf commented. "Heh, well I'm thankful a pleasantly familiar face is here at least. Who was that guy you were speaking to, if you don't mind me asking?"

[Aisha deCabre]

Rynkura laughed again at his reply, pretty much expecting it...the old Healer had liked the warrior almost as soon as she met him, some time ago.  Though she was just a bit surprised to hear that he was invited to the Ball as well.  That put the curiosity factor up higher, just wondering what kind of people they were all dealing with.

She smiled back as they started strolling out of the restaurant, at least a little bit out of the way of any others coming in for breakfast.  "I agree...from the people I've seen around here so far, I wonder if a rather fancy Ball is in their general idea of a good time either."  Rynkura quirked an eyebrow, glancing around.

The tigress turned back to Gareeku, bowing her head slightly.  "Ah, well.  I do agree that it is good to see a friendly face, and that of an ally," she smiled.  "As for the one I was talking to, he calls himself Atem...curious sort, very suspicious of others.  I sense a bit of a demonic influence from him though, and he was carrying several books, one on dragons."

Rynkura hummed.  "I sense that there will be some rather powerful guests here, then.  Even I was invited...and I know very few people who would even know my own full name, and fewer still who would invite me to such an event, in an out-of-the-way place.  I had to leave the Monastery in the care of Aisha and my guards just to see."

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Rover totally ignored the bronze horse. He had something much more fun to play with.

* * *

A pained look crossed Tim's face.

"Broken, you say? Let me guess. He leaned on it during the night." She heaved a large, heartfelt sigh, and gently beat her head against the floor. "I knew I shouldn't have left him alone. I knew it. All right, let's go see the damage."

Bracing herself, she led Ray out the door and around to the stables, where they were treated to the slightly disturbing sight of Rover, picking his beak with the pitchfork, over the top of the stables.

Tim blanched. "Rover! Put that thing down! Now!"

Rover jumped, nearly impaling an eye, and dropped the - now slightly bent - pitchfork to the ground, with a clang. He turned, and smiled down at Tim. "Go castle, now?"

Tim looked up at him, unmoving, except for one forepaw, which was tapping. She shook her head, and imperiously pointed at the stables, before uttering just two words. "Bad boy." Rover looked at the stables, from above, with a confused look on his face. He glanced over at Tim, then back at the stables. Then he jumped over the unstable building, landing lightly in front of the two of them, and turned to look at the structure once more. His head tilted to one side, then straightened again - in an almost perfect imitation of Oliver Yarborough, had he but known it - then tilted again. Then his eyes lit up in understanding. He turned back to Tim, and cried "I Fix!" Then, before she could stop him, he leapt back over the building, sat back on his haunches, and slammed both sets of fore-claws into the roof, with a thunderous boom, and pulled.

The roof; the back wall; the open doorway; all split perfectly, directly down the middle. The building peeled open like an orange, leaving the stall structure intact (if entirely pointless, what with the lack of exterior walls to provide security), the various stabled animals almost completely unharmed, if slightly panicked, in a mostly empty lot, surrounded by a large, almost completely circular pile of debris.

And a surprised looking Gryphon, with part of the roof stuck to each paw. He looked at the destruction, then, almost fearfully, over at Tim.

In a tiny, tiny voice, he whimpered: "Help?"

[Stygian]

A moment's silence. Then, trembling and shivering, her fur rising until her neckline were almost like a boa, Elyse dropped the envelope with shaking fingers, eyes widening. Backing up against the bed, she swiveled her gaze around, her breathing coming faster and faster. This was it, she thought. She was going insane. Never mind that she knew she were thinking rationally and would have been aware of such a thing a lot more than any other person... No, someone was messing with her, big time. Someone or something. But how that could be, she had no idea. She couldn't sense a living thing, not a single intent thought, anywhere even remotely close. All she had was this uncomfortable, pressing feeling at the back of her head, as if someone nearby were hating her in a very passive-aggressive manner...
  'Okay...' she breathed, trying to maintain her calm. Her focus was usually hard but brittle; she wasn't easy to rattle, but if she lost her grip she knew she had no hope of controlling a confrontation. 'Okayokayokay! You got me! Now what the fuck do you want?!' Her fingers curled, and she kept looking around, trying to find the slightest indication of someone present. 'You want to fuck with me, huh? Well? I'm standing right here. Come on out!'
  On the inside, her mind tightened up like a fist clenching, ready to grab or smash the first thing that moved.

[SpottedKitty]

An energetic workout for over an hour had left Andrace with a considerable appetite. She cleaned up quickly in the hotel gym, trotted upstairs to her room to pick up a few odds and ends from a small hidden pocket in her backpack, then she came back down again, following her nose to the dining room.

Breakfast smelled delicious, the lioness thought, her whiskers twitching, as she approached the bottom of the stairs. Bacon, ham, eggs, sausages, more eggs... scrambled maybe, blood pudding, something that might be potato pancakes, a few other things, and... was that mushrooms she could scent? Her hunger sharpened by the mouthwatering aromas, Andrace joined the line for the buffet and came away with a large plate piled high with a little bit of everything. The dining room was getting busy now, though, and she looked around to see if there was a free table anywhere.

[Gareeku]

"Powerful people invited, eh..." the wolf replied, mulling over what Rynkura had said. "No idea why I was invited, then. After all, I'm only a being. So that guy...demonic influence, eh? Might have to keep an eye on him, perhaps."

Listening to what the mistress said, Gareeku smirked somewhat.
"Heh, I hope she's alright. Goodness knows how she copes with that responsibility. I know I wouldn't." the lupine commented, mulling over what Rynkura had said. "I can't say I envy her position."

[Cogidubnus]

 About an hour and a half after the concierge had placed the order, a team of waiters began making their way to the third-story room with three carts-full of room service, containing everything from light salads to deep-fried sandwiches. There were more than a few stares as they commandeered two of the elevators up, and amongst themselves they shook their heads.

They reached the room of Kiet Ti'Pallo a few minutes later, and the lead waiter knocked politely.

* * *

Ray make a choking noise.

His mouth, open halfway, was tugged down towards his left just slightly. His eyes, as well, opened wide, and despite the chill did not blink for at least a minute or so. His head twisted as he attempted to speak, but nothing came out. He gestured with his head for a second, coughing once, and then turning slowly and looking at Tim. He sneezed, sawdust flying up off his nose and shoulders, and coughed again.

"This..." he said, swallowing hard, and looking at her seriously. He was beyond trying to smile. "This will have to be paid for." he said.

He was in an interesting postion. As ambassadors from a foreign embassy - representatives of the Gryphons - the custom of diplomatic immunity was due them. He couldn't have them arrested, per se. He could probably - he was already going to - have them thrown out, however. But, on the other hand, it was likely that his boss would try to kill them, given a decent opportunity and anything resembling a lead pipe, if there were no reparations coming. And Fredrick and himself would be next.

* * *

Andrace did find a table, situated uncomfortably by the piano, but it was empty, and out of the sunlight. No one was playing, anyway, and it was mostly peaceful, listening to the gentle murmur of voices and scrape of cutlery.

There was a sound like a minor explosion for a moment, and everyone paused as they looked for the source - when it stopped, and nothing seemed to have changed, they began going about their own business again. Andrace thought she could see some sawdust floating by the far window, however.

* * *

If anyone had heard Elyse's outburst, they were keeping silent. The only sound in the small room was the drip from the ceiling, and the occasional twitter of birds from outside.

Light dimmed and flared in the crack beneath the door. If she listened very hard, she could hear something moving behind the oak and iron, but couldn't quite make out what.

A chickadee landed abruptly on the windowsill, kicking up a bit of snow as it landed. It turned sideways, cocking it's head and staring at the white bad with it's single beady eye. It chirped once.

* * *

Before Melodie could respond, something exploded outside, setting the tea saucers to rattling and the china to dancing on the table. LL's eyebrows raised, and she pushed her chair out. She set her napkin on the table.
"What in the World was that..."

She rose slowly, and walked steadily to the window to the outside. As soon as she reached it, however, throwing the curtain back, she snerked, then laughing quite hard. Fangs showed from between her fingers.

[Boog]

Jeremiah nodded; he rather liked this plan, actually. She seemed like she needed to mellow out anyway, if drink wasn't indeed the cause of her alarm in the first place. "I'll go fetch her immediately. Should I bring her to you first or...?"
"I'm sure you remember your way around the wine cellars, simply show her about the place." The badger was already starting to go off somewhere else, "And do be quick about it!"
Coffee still buzzing in the frog's veins, soon followed by another handful of what was almost (but not quite) very much like jerky, the frog made his way to Elyse's room.
Wonder where Eddie is? Fellow seemed practically addicted to his work?
You'd know.
Jeremiah frowned and bit into another piece of not-jerky, then opened the door secure in his certainty that today, having gotten off to a reasonably good start thus far, would remain so.
"Good morning, Elyse."

[Cogidubnus]

Before Elyse could react, the the entire room seemed to lurch violently, blurring past her vision - the bars disappearing, the door moving back to it's original position, all somehow without moving at all. The chickadee jumped off the windowsill, flying away.

Even the bloodstains on the sheets were gone when the frog opened the door with a cheery good morning.

[Yugo]

"Pleased to meet you, Ishmael," Esme laughed, returning the handshake heartily, her dismal mood fleeing. Although it might not have been physically warmer in the carriage, Esme certainly felt as such, or at least better about the situation. She could make a friend her, and maybe she could learn something about the event she was going to as well. Adjusting her coat, Esme frowned, adjusting her glasses, unsure of quite how to respond to Ishmael's query. "No, I'm not a clerk, I've been invited to the ball. Although I'm not quite sure why." She tapped the symbol on her armband to emphasize her words. "I'm just a medical officer with the Belgaen Medical Corps, nothing special, unlike most of the people who attend the Scarlet Masque." The lynx turned to face her new companion, a quizzical look on your face. "What about yourself? What are you going to Damaske Castle for?"

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Before Mel could comment that the opal and sapphire suite seemed a bit overkill a loud noise interrupted. Her grandmother's giggles drew her over to the window. Mel couldn't help but grin herself. "I suspect that is not a scheduled urban renewal project." Thinking of the fussy, immaculate raccoon who managed the hotel she laughed out loud, "Poor Ralph, he will have an apoplectic fit when he sees the mess. I feel sorry for his employees, he will be an absolute misery to work for today."

[e_voyager]

Aten smiled sadly nodded to the instructor as she left. he was a little sad to see her go as he relied in there few minutes of conversation that he could learn much form her. perhaps he could tell her that LL herself was at this ball? perhaps not.  the bet he could do was tell her were in which direction he'd come.  taking his plate and putting int in the dirty dishes the walked  towards the hotels lobby stopped briefly as the tigress and wolf exchanged pleasantries. when a break appeared in the conversation he spoke up.   "I'm sorry to interpret you two but before you start searching madam Msh'taan i'll tell you what i can about finding the location you seek. head towards the castle form the hotel before you go four blocks you should see a sign point to the building you desire" with that he bows and caring his books once more walked towards the hotel desk searching searching for his own agenda and people to find.

[Azlan]

A pair of large ears sprang upward and swiveled about.  A knock?  Did we hear a knock?   A large, stripped, and fluffy tail flicked about in anticipation.  The four of them had settled about the living room area and were examining this remarkable firearm, but this had become insignificant in comparison to the knock.

Camiole and Simon scrambled for the door, almost nearly killing one another to reach it first.  Kiet and Jayce waited in anticipation.  Camiole, as always, proved the faster and more dexterous.  She arrived at the door, with one swift motion she threw it open, and smiled warmly for the small division of waiters.  Simon was occupied with trying to extract himself from the cushions were he had been tossed by Camiole.

"Ah, welcome and thank you for your hard work.  Please come in!"  Camiole stated as she gestured across her right side and into the dining area.

It is well known that 'cubi do not need to eat, but they do enjoy doing it and this group was no exception.


Meanwhile...


The bronze golem returned to the stables, in its arms were a number of metal bands, about a dozen in all.  The automaton had carefully "borrowed" a small amount of metal from each vehicle parked in the lot, hoping that their owners would not notice until much later.  What would happen then, the bronze being had not considered, it wasn't one for much long term planning.

Upon seeing the condition of the structure thanks to Rover, it dropped the small bundle of metal strips.  It had planned on shoring up the building supports and corners, but now that was rather impossible.

With a billow of steam the creature spoke, "I can repair the structure, but I need a quantity of lumber and a portion of nails four times as numerous."

[SpottedKitty]

Andrace froze for a second or two with her ears perked up, a forkful of sausage, bacon, a big mushroom and a whole fried egg yolk almost in her mouth. That noise... almost as if a ceiling had come down somewhere. She watched the ripples in her glass of orange juice, but they quickly faded. She shifted her paws, splaying her toes out on the floor, but she couldn't feel any more shocks making the room tremble.

Then she noticed one of the windows, she thought looking out onto the hotel's rear courtyard. A puffy cloud of something that didn't look like snow drifted past outside. No alarms sounded, and none of the waiters had that politely concerned air they used where lesser mortals would be in an outright screaming panic, so there was probably nothing to worry about. Not immediately, anyway.

The lioness continued eating before the egg yolk started dripping into her lap, although she kept her ears perked for any other noises beyond the normal murmured conversation and clinking cutlery of a busy dining room.

[Aisha deCabre]

Rynkura had chuckled, listening to Gareeku speak about Aisha.  "Somehow I thought you wouldn't...the both of you are quite alike, for you're free spirits.  Aisha had been looking to come home for a while though, and some training there will do her good.  Her will is like that of steel.  Though had she known you and I would meet, I would imagine she would have asked to come as well," she smiled.

It was about then that the tiger's sensitive hearing--more than likely the wolf's too--caught the sound of a rather blunt explosion, like something ripping and dropping to the ground outside.  The quieting of the crowd only allowed them to hear it better, before things fell silent and the talking commenced.

What in the...?  She wondered with a stone-serious face, before shaking her head dismissively and turning it back to Gareeku.  "That was probably one of the larger Ball guests, a giant Gryphon," she explained, having thought of nobody else.  Remembering what he said about why he'd be invited, she smirked just slightly.  "One should not judge one by race, anyway.  You may be a Being, but if I recall you are skilled and magic-proficient.  Not to mention, sir Manoko, one of a great name in adventuring.  I only hope that isn't an enemy we may be dealing with, thus."

Her ears lowered to the back of her head.  "I would not like that Aisha ends up unable to see either of us again."

At that point, the gray feline had suddenly come up to them again and pointed the way to the direction he had come, before leaving.  "Oh, my thanks then, Atem," she called back, before turning back to the wolf with a sigh.  "At any rate, the Ball isn't for a little while yet...and I was going towards the library, to gather some information on the history of that castle if possible.  Have you many plans for the day, young Gareeku?" she asked as she gathered herself, out of simple curiosity.

[Gareeku]

Listening to what Rynkura, Gareeku also chuckled slightly. "Indeed. Some may call it stubborn. I like to call it determined. Once Aisha has her sights set on something, it's hard to deter her. Like you said, if Aisha had known both of us had been invited. Nothing would have stopped her from getting into the ball" The wolf replied, smiling as he thought about it.

However, one thing that Rynkura had said had stuck in Gareeku's mind was home....home...Gareeku had not called a place "home" for a number of years, but now it felt like the monastery was becoming more and more like home.

Any further thoughts of this would quickly be interrupted, however, by the sound of an explosion somewhere outside.
"What the hell..." the wolf growled, eyes narrowed as he looked around. Listening to Rynkura's explanation of what she thought the reason for that explosion might be. Gareeku raisied an eyebrow.
"A giant gryphon...?" the lupine replied, clearly not impressed with the fact that a potential catastrophie waiting to happen was right nearby. "Well isn't that fantastic..."

Listening to the white tigress speak of his reputation, Gareeku smirked.
"There are others aside from me. I am sure I am far from the best." The wolf replied, before a more serious expression appeared on his face. "Agreed. I must say, a large degree of caution would most likely be more suited in this situation." The wolf nodded his head in agreement. "She has already lost too many already."

It was then that the stranger who Rynkura had been speaking to earlier approached them, giving the tigress directions to the town's library. Silently nodding his head in greeting to the stranger, Gareeku watched him leave before turning back to the healer.
"I never make plans." the wolf replied with a smirk. "I suppose I could join you in the library, if you like. I would be quite interested to see what books they have on ancient history..."

[Aisha deCabre]

Rynkura nodded, chuckling at the wolf's comment about never making plans.  "Well, the best things in life are often surprises, certainly."  The tigress straightened her light blue cloak as she took one more look around the dining hall for the exit.

Answering him with a smile, she started walking in the direction she was pointed, her staff clicking gently on the floor.  "Of course, you may accompany me if you like; I do not mind.  With a town such as this we may find something fairly interesting to the both of us in the annals while we are there."

Walking past several milling guests, Rynkura held in her mind that most definitely they should try to keep on alert.  Whatever the Ball was, whether for business or pleasure, they would get through it.  Some would call the suspicion a bit foolish, but having lived in the world for so long, one knows to never always trust optimism.

As the doors came up and the deep snow visible out beyond the glass, she pulled the hood of her cloak up and paused in thought.  "My hope is that the path will try not to go past where the explosion happened.  I met the gryphon earlier and his...well, his handler for lack of a better term, a sentient gryphon.  And the big one rather thinks I'm..."

The Healer grimaced, half with embarrassment and half with amusement.  As she they went out into the snow, she didn't know which side to follow.  "...A pet 'kitty' to be played with.  Who knows what he will think of you."

[Gareeku]

Listening to Rynkura explain her previous experience with the giant gryphon, Gareeku gave a somewhat concerned look.
"oookay then..." the wolf replied, the concern evident in his voice as he walked with the tigress. Pulling his own hood up over his head, Gareeku frowned. "No doubt I would be made toy. Or a snack. I can't say I'm that happy having a multi-storey walking disaster-waiting-to-happen around in the middle of this town. It's just asking for trouble, as far as I am concerned."

[Aisha deCabre]

Rynkura hummed a laugh, trying to keep away from the patches of ice on the ground as she looked for the sign--or at least the castle rising up from somewhere--so she could tell where they were going.  "I have a small doubt that he will be that much of a disaster, he seemed to want to be good for his handler...the explosion notwithstanding.  Still, big as the gryphon is, it is only mortal."

By way of making a point, she briefly raised her hand to the level of her face.  Small crackles of electricity traveled up her arm and coalesced to a point in her palm like a ball.  She narrowed her eyes in thought...she hadn't come across many large gryphons really...great in size and power, did anything hold the ability to hold one at bay, even with magic?

Who knew...Rover at least tried to be friendly.  She hoped that nothing would prove otherwise.  "Well, we can deal with that bridge if it is crossed, I believe." she just said, a small grin on her hidden face.

Soon the way was found, walking away from the hotel down the street blocks until she saw the ornate sign to the small library in the town hanging above the door.  She shook the snow from her clothes before looking to walk in, looking about for the front desk and if someone was around.  Permitting of course the place was even open.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Tim stood there, arm outstretched, pointing at the pile of broken boards, loose animals, and rising dust, that used to be a stables.

She barely blinked as the sawdust, and straw dust, settled out on the two of them. The arm remained motionless, the beak slightly ajar. Eventually, shortly after Ray's declamation, she blinked. A pained look passed over her face, in a glacial fashion. The arm slowly drooped, and fell to her side. She eventually winced, and groaned.

One paw rose to her head, and started massaging her temple. "And it looked like being such a nice day." She shook herself, with an effect like dropping a bag of flour, and sighed, then reached into a pocket and withdrew a folded sheet of paper. She went on "I'm terribly sorry about all... all..." She paused, obviously searching for - and failing to find - a suitable word. "Ah... this." She waved at the piles of rubble. "I hope this," she handed over the folded paper, "will take care of the problem. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and correct Rover, before he breaks anything else. I'll be back in a minute." She nodded apologetically to Ray, then picked her way over to Rover.

Once there, she looked up at him with a hurt expression. "I told you, boy." She pulled some of the roof from his left forepaw, and dropped it on the pile behind her. "Things are soft." She finished his left forepaw, and moved on to his right. "Easy to break." She pulled the last piece - as with most of the others, she was using both paws to hold it, as well as to pull it free - and tossed it over her shoulder before continuing. "While I thank you for helping, perhaps it would have been better to avoid breaking it in the first place, hmmm?"

She patted him on the paw comfortingly - looking a bit like a mouse petting a large cat, in terms of scale, if nothing else - and went on. "How about you stay here, and don't lean on anything else, just for a few minutes, and then we'll get going, ok?"

Rover, who had cheered up just a little bit during the gentle scolding, nodded, then bent his head down and nuzzled her. "Okay." He then sat back, and shuddered his wings, shaking some dust loose. Glancing around over the buildings, he noticed Rynkura vanishing into a building up the street. He glanced down at Tim, and exclaimed "Kitty!", shortly followed by "Kitty gone," in a sad tone, before settling back to wait for her.

Tim looked up at him, blinked, glanced around, shrugged, and, after assuring herself that he wasn't going anywhere, picked her way back through the piles of broken stable to where Ray was standing. "I'm sorry about that. You kinda need to deal with him at the time, otherwise he gets confused."

[Cogidubnus]

 Ray turned and looked at the golem. He heard, as though distantly, the gryphon say something and then press something into his hand, but he didn't bother even to open it. His face tensed, and one eyed twitched.

"What..." he nearly choked again, and baring his teeth grabbed a fallen shingle from the roof and threw it at the bronze thing. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" he yelled. Tim walked off around that point to talk to the monstrosity, leaving Ray to scream at the mechanical golem. The tiger was practically writhing, something akin to a... dangerous break with protocol in his eyes.

"With what lumber! Does it look like we have any goddam lumber?!" he said, nearly hysterical at this point. "What is WRONG with you?! Are you going to dig to the foundation too? Set the supporting beams back up?!" he began grabbing anything he could find off the ground and throwing it at the thing, the pieces of wood and rocks making satisfying, if ineffective, clanging sounds on the golem's metal skin.

"How about the roof, are you going to put that back on too?! The insulation?! No! No!" he gestured, punctuating his sentences with very threatening motions. "This has got to be paid for! I'm not having some...some...automaton building our goddam stables with his nonexistent lumber and four nails to a nonexistent BOARD!"

He panted.

He looked at the note in his hand. It was a bit dirty, but it was very clearly a letter of credit with the nearest gryphon consulate for up to $500,000. Per review by an adjuster's estimate.

"This is fine. Your bags will be brought shortly." he said. A moment later, and he was walking back into the hotel, making faint crunchy sounds on the debris-littered ground.

* * *

A few moments later, just as Ray disappeared around the corner, Tim noticed a police officer walking towards the both of them, looking around carefully and with his hand on his belt. It was apparent after a few moments that he was heading for the smaller gryphon, and the golem that was beside her.

"Excuse me, ma'am. I'm Officer Y'mir." he said as he approached. "We received a call from this location about twenty minutes ago. Someone said a bronze golem - this golem, I take it - was making the rounds through the parking lot and doing something to each of the cars." he said, seemingly for the first time noticing the giant gryphon behind Tim. It was to his credit he managed to keep himself steady, and looking right back down at the smaller of the two birds.
"Is this yours?" he said, thumbing at the automation.

* * *

LL raised an eyebrow as the tiger below started throwing things at the bronze-esque golem, and turned back to the table, picking up her tea but not sitting down.

"Ralph has hired people to have conniptions for him, it seems." she sniffed, drinking down the rest of the lukewarm liquid before it went cold. "That's something I had to talk to him about yesterday. You hardly see him around here anymore, unless it's in his office, or when looking at his signature on a page. One musn't let oneself be too important to take an active role in the running of things." she said, setting her teacup down, and surprisingly enough, pushing her own chair in. "You have to keep that...personal touch alive. It's the reason for our good morale, I think."

Mel couldn't see LL's face from where she was, but she knew there was a grin plastered on it.
"Duty calls, Melodie. We'll be leaving around noon. If you're still hungry, Walter will be along shortly to clean up, so feel free to stay."

* * *

Rynkura found that the library was, indeed, open. A female Lemur was at the front desk, looking through a pair of glasses-with-chain at something in front of her. She didn't seem to pay the Tigress any mind, however - she simply went about her own business, ready to help if help was needed.

The library was not all that large. Two stories at most, more sprawling than high - it appeared as though it had been added onto several times, with oddly-proportioned rooms and distances between them. A walkway labeled "nonfiction" was to her left, headed up a ramp towards a glass-windowed second story room.

* * *

"Oh, m'pardon, m'lady." Ishmael said, a hint of mischief in his voice. "Or is that just miss to you? You don't look the part, is what I mean. We see more rulers of small countries than medical workers invited to these sorts of things, you see."

"Let alone someone walking by themselves up the hill. You know, aside from this town and that Castle, this is the only civilization for at least sixty miles? Those are wild woods out there, with wolves and everything. Bears are hibernating, unless you trod on one, though."

"To answer your question, though, I've got about twenty boxes of food for the party that's going to go on tonight. From the smell, I suspect something with onions. As for what I do, I drive a cart." he said, grinning. "Congrats on the invite, though. I guess medical workers deserve a break as much as anyone else." he said, smiling easily at her.

[Stygian]

Barely a flicker of a second passed, before a stinging something vaguely resembling a hand but about as visible as the taste of his discontent smacked Jeremiah's cheek with a resounding slap, and the door was yanked from his hand and opened fully and stiffly. Elyse glared at him, some vague and low tremor in her eyes and her fists tightly curled, the coloration of her fur making it impossible to see whether if her knuckles were whitening or not. She stood looking at him for a good, long bit, then spoke up with a voice strung hard with tension.
   'Stay right where you are. Don't come any closer,' she said, standing in place. 'Did you do that?'

[Azlan]

The golem was remarkably patient for a warmachine.  If he had been like any of the others, than this poor being would have been reduced to red mulch, but he had been a willing soul transfer.  A dying soldier granted a type of immortality in the service of his beloved land.  This is why Kiet used him more than the others, whom had their souls forcefully torn from their bodies and thrust into these shells.  As such, he allowed Ray to take out his frustrations on his sturdy, armored shell.

Eventually a small piece of paper calmed it down and it walked off, leaving the golem with the two bird creatures.  The "Of Mice and Men" pair seemed to be doing fine among themselves and the golem was about to leave when a member of the local watch, a constable of some sort approached.  The being seemed to believe that the small gryphon was his owner.  For one of the first times in its long history, the creature was incensed.  There was no way such an unremarkable female and her giant puppy gryph could ever have been responsible for his existence!
   
"I think not my good being, this gryphon, as cute and generous as she may be, could not have made me.  I am a loyal war golem of General Kiet'Jaer TiPaollo, First Marshal of the Council Guard, Archmagister of the War Mages.  I was a soldier of the Elite Guard representing the unified forces of the Council of Creatures. "


Meanwhile...


Kiet sneezed, narrowly avoiding spraying decadent mocha orange cappuccino all over Jayce, "oh pardon me."

For creatures whom did not need to eat, or perhaps because of this, they four of them seemed to have an endless appetite.  Waffles, pancakes, strudels, omelets, poached eggs, smoked meats, and anything else you could imagine was there.  They indulged in everything as fine connoisseurs, as professional eaters, and even as a touch of the juvenile as Kiet twitched his nose mischievously and propelled a large lump of gravy potatoes right into Simon's muzzle.

What came next could only expected.

[Boog]

Smack!
Jeremiah flinched with the blow, not entirely sure how to react. His brain worked furiously, trying to work out what in the sparkley pink hell was going on. Fortunately he was able to assemble the facts with his usual tact and deftness for disentangling himself from trouble.
"Erm, no. The bit where something hit me in the face? No, that wasn't me." He rubbed his cheek, wide eyed and confused, "Was it you? I think I missed something here." Oh yeah. Getting this woman boozed up is gonna be totally awesome. Maybe she'll let me mooch a glass, I think I'll need it...

[e_voyager]

Aten was at the hotel desk he asked that messages be sent first to one Cogidubnus whom's last named escaped him at the moment and also to one Melodie Icewing. the name on the message was Atem

[Aisha deCabre]

Rynkura shook the snow that had gathered on her cape off onto the ground before stepping into the building, also keeping the door open for Gareeku.  Snow didn't usually bother the tigress much, but she hoped that the amount falling this year wouldn't hinder anyone's activity; it seemed about the kind that would snow someone in if they weren't careful.

Inside the library, the Healer couldn't help but pause and look at the surroundings.  It was an impressive building, stocked with all sorts of colored bindings that drew the eye of a scholar.  Rynkura herself probably wouldn't have stayed long though, considering the day.  And she had a curiosity to sate.

Her emerald gaze lingered once on the path to the nonfiction section, and then fell back onto the front desk and to the lemur minding it.  She wondered if that was where the city's archives were located.  Or even if they kept any about the castle where the ball was to be held.

"Hm, looks like we have a good amount to nose through," she muttered with a slight chuckle to the wolf as she stepped up to the front desk.

"Excuse me, young miss," Rynkura quietly inquired.  "But would one find the historical archives of this city among the nonfiction?"  Her smile was polite, expressing not but simple curiosity, were the librarian to look up at her.