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On to SR Volume Two

"May I take your bag?" A woman, who smells softly of jasmine, asks of Ander when he enters. She holds out her hand, encased in lily-pink gloves. "I'm Yue, by the way."

As he enters, saddlebags slung over one shoulder, Ander pauses in the doorway to let his eyes adjust to the slightly dimmer light. He did note, approvingly, that the interior was well-lit for an out-of-the-way inn like this. Startled by the voice, Ander relinquishes his saddlebags, saying shyly, "They're kinda heavy. Careful." Then he smiles, a blush creeping up his cheeks, "A pleasure. 'M Ander." He never was very good at talking to people, especially pretty ladies.

Yue takes them, slinging them easily enough over her narrow shoulders. "Thank you for the warning. Ander, was it?" She purses her wine lips. "You are certainly not from here, are you? You have a lovely accent."

The long-haired man marvels at the ease with which this slender woman handles his heavy bags, so it takes him a moment to reply, "Thanks. 'M from over yonder." He gestures to the south-west, where the mountains are, "Grew up there." He shifts his feet uncomfortably, wondering how to extract himself from this conversation and find a good cup of mead.

The brunette tilts her head, locks bouncing gently. "You look uncomfortable, Ander. Drink with me." It's not really a request, though she doesn't phrase it as a command. Her long lashes bat like dove wings.

"Err..." He shifts position again, his face once more a shade of pink beneath his tan. "Ummm....Guess I could..." He fiddles with a scrap of wood from one of his pockets, passing it from hand to hand.

She nods a half-nod. Well. Apparently women have an effect on this gentleman. "I am on my break. So come along and spend it with me." She steps toward the bar, trusting that he will follow, and choosing a pair of stools between other patrons. She sits daintily, pushing her long, flowing skirts out of the way.

Ander follows dubiously and seats himself on the stool next to her. He looks around for someone to get a drink, and now ponders the wisdom of drinking the mead he'd been thinking of. Maybe something not alcoholic? His mum would kill him for the very thought...

Savera returns to the main room from the kitchen, where she had been checking on the state of her casserol. Seeing Yue sitting with a newcomer, she comes over to them, "Anything I can get you?" she asks, mostly of Ander, but also of Yue.

Still pondering whether or not to get something alcoholic, Ander leaves the question up to Yue for now.

"Savera dear, would you mind finding something pleasant for Ander here? Something gentle." She smiles over at him. "I believe he is a lightweight." His saddlebags she gently lays upon the floor, watching carefully so not to kick them. "How is the cooking?"

Startled out of his normal shyness by the--probably unintentional--jab at his ability to drink, Ander flares, "I'm not a lightweight!" His hazel eyes (leaning towards green, after his mum) flash, "Humph! I'd like a pint of yer best mead, if y'don' mind," he says to Savera, forgetting for the moment that she's a beautiful woman.

Savera simply nods and quietly gets him a pint of her mead, setting it before him.

Yue's pure emerald eyes sparkle amusedly. Yup. Works every time. "Be careful, little man. Our best mead will curl your toes." She lays a coin out for Savera to take, never one to ask for freebies. Being offered them is different, of course. "The same please, if you have time."

"Of course," comes Savera's musical voice as she pours another pint for Yue. "The casserol needs some more time, but it's coming along beautifully." She glances at the coin, then drops it into the tip jar. Turning to Ander, "Are you staying the night here?"

He nods,"Yeah. How much is a room?" He decides against mentioning that a bear directed him here, not wanting to be laughed at.

"Four coppers a night includes all food and drink."

Ander hands her two silver coins, "'Ere. This is good mead, an' I'll be here fer a bit."

These, too, are dropped into the tip jar.

At about this time, another person, this time a lady boasting little in the way of stature, wanders into the inn almostly timidly as though afraid of being unwelcome. She's clad in in richly embroidered, higly complex garments as distinctly foreign as her facial structure, though this is topped by a locally-made cloak that obscures the top part of her face. She hesitates to speak and, after looking around, approaches the bar quietly.

Yue catches sight of her, blinks twice. "Ander, look there. It is a miracle of fashion hanging upon someone with the gall to wear a cloak!"

Ander turns to look, but given the varieties of garb he's seen in his wanderings, he's not all that surprised. So...he says nothing, and simply drinks more of this delicious mead.

Savera smiles politely at the newcomer, "Welcome." Her own oriental-like features should make the girl seem not quite so out of place. "Can I get you anything, ma'am?"

"Water would be good. Thank you," the young lady notes in careful, heavily-accented common, and smiles a bit. She smiles at Yue as well, though it is colored by a faint blush and she isn't meeting anyone's eyes, though she doesn't seem all that shy. "Thank you." She really is grateful...some acceptence is snazzy, as are Savera's semi-familiar features. "The cloak is warm." She takes Yue's comment as a request, though, and removes it politely, revealing strange, solid blue eyes that shift colour with the light, draping it neatly over one flowing-sleeved arm.

"Ah," Yue coos a little bit, "the plot thickens. By all mans, have my stool. It is too crowded tonight, I think." She rises, pats it gently. Glances to Savera, knowingly. Tonight is a pretty-person buffet, it seems.

The lady smiles, and bows to Yue before moving an inch. "Thank you...that is very kind." Her smile is genuine despite her formality, though, and she takes the seat with careful, conscious grace. "My name is Deyono'rey," she introduces herself.

Savera places a glass of water before her, her vivid blue eyes kind. "I am Savera, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Ander suddenly realizes that he's surrounded by beautiful women, and his face slowly turns bright red. He takes a big drink of his mead, eyeing the women around him, wondering how the silly bear could possibly have told him this was a quiet, welcoming place. He shivers a bit, reminded suddenly of family reunions, as they're his only real experience with a lot of unfamiliar people.

"Quite," Yue adds, snickering at Ander's blush. "My stars. Deyono'rey, was it? That is such a familiar name. I believe Ander here would like very much to share a drink with you, too. Don't you think, Savera dear?" He is having so much fun tonight!

Ander's blush deepens, even as he decides to give that bear a piece of his mind later. Animals are so much easier to talk to than his fellow humans, and this one woman, Yue, seems to take great pleasure in embarrassing him. He mutters something unintelligible, but then says quietly to Rey,"Be 'appy t' buy ya a drink, if ye want.."

Rey giggles quietly. She still seems quite a bit hesitant to meet anyone's eyes, but is having fun. "That would be kind, thank you." Okay, so her vocabularly isn't diverse. She smiles at poor, shy Ander, though. He's cute. Turns her face to Yue a little. "My...fahmeely is familar to you, Miss?"

"Oh, I have heard it once or twice," Yue lies, bold-faced but convincingly. "I never heard that Ono women could steal hearts, though." Again, she looks at Ander. "Don't you agree?"

Ander, unsure even what Yue is talking about, decides not to respond. Instead, he asks Rey, "What d'ye want, miss?" His face is still beet red, matching the red highlights in his hair.

Rey's young-twenties face, for her for its part, is a touch red and pleased at Yue's remarks although she's by now assumed that this beautiful woman is a lesbian. She looks up to Ander finally, smiling. She's doing her best to not look like the sort of girl who will try to throw him into bed...which she most assuredly is not, anyway. "I am uncurtain...what would you suggest?"

"Actually, Savera makes the most sinful jasmine tea. You must try some." Yue is convinced by now that Rey is, too, but not so much that he would say so out loud. "Ander. Do you like jasmine tea?"

Ander shifts uncomfortably on his stool and mutters something non-committal. He's never had much tea, since his mum never liked it, said it was terrible stuff. He's completely lost now, and wondering if he should just find his room.

Rey smiles, and nods a little. Smiles at Ander, and then looks to the...phoenix? Is that right? She thinks so...it's that or a unicorn blooded creature and something in her energy is...wrong for that. In any case, Savera is a creature worth of respect, and her eyes are down once again. "Tea would be wonderful, Miss?"

Savera nods and disappears for a moment to retrieve the hot water from the kitchen. She returns with a small, finely-crafted teapot and a cup. "Let it steep for a couple of minutes," she says quietly. Then, unexpectedly, "You need not lower your eyes to me, youngling." She reaches out a delicate, long-fingered hand to gently touch the chinese girl's head.

Rey is certainly taken aback, deeply honoured by the words and gesture. She just bows her head, unable to express the depth of her gratitude in this language, and then smiles nearly timidly up at Savera. She's not a shy sort, really, but...again, Savera is a great creature, second as a creature-god only to a dragon in her culture.

Yue smiles. Oh yeah. Definitely a lesbian.

"So what brings you two lovelies to this place? To have two such travellers in a night is either fabulous fortune or dumb luck." He beams at all involved.

Rey is silent for several seconds, considering the words carefully. "This looked to be the goodest inn near this place." She nods, and breathes an inward sigh of relief to have gotten that about right.

Having learned the hard way that honesty isn't always the best policy, but still being unable to lie very well, Ander simply mumbles something that sounds vaguely like, "Jus' kinda found it..."

Savera actually smiles back at Rey, then disappears back into the kitchen to get the casserol out of the oven.

Rey gazes at Ander curiously for a moment, but remembers herself and turns her attention back to her tea like a proper girl of breeding. She feels...much more relaxed here than she has any place in awhile. The people are strange, to be sure--she has no idea what precisely the beautiful woman is, or what Ander is hiding, or why a phoenix is tending a bar--but...they're good sorts. So, Savera, Ander, and... "I do not know that I hear your name, Miss...?" she inquires of Yue.


"It's Yue," he quietly answers, extending his hand for her to take. "Charmed, indeed. I had just begun to put the proverbial moves on this darling fellow when you arrived." Bats his eyelashes. "I work here."

Rey takes the offered hand lightly with a delicate one that hasn't seen much hard work in its life. "This explains the red," she observes, smiling sidelong at Ander to assure that it's all in good fun. She looks back to Yue, and bows her head. "A pleasure."

Ander blushes once again and looks down at his mead, then takes a long swallow from it. It's nearly gone by now, though. He looks up, then, as delicious smells begin wafting from the kitchen as the casserol is released from its oven prison.

Yue holds Rey's hand just long enough to keep from crossing the line out of greeting. "Ander dear, did you say you'd just kind of found us? Are you telling me that Savera's heavenly glow did not shred the night sky and guide you here?"

Unthinkingly, Ander shakes his head, saying quietly, "Bear tol' me.." Then he blinks, and suddenly looks around, as though scared someone will react badly to this.

He cannot help it. Yue leans next to him, looking his face up and down. "Ander... are you sure you haven't been drinking before this?"

Shrinking away from Yue, Ander considers, then, deciding he can hardly do more damage, he says simply, "Always drinking, but I talk t' animals. Name's Anderon Speaker..." Obviously, he thinks that his name should explain better than he can.

Rey finally smiles...giggles a little quietly. "That makes me feel good. If no one in this inn are normal, no one in this inn are strange." She thinks the tea is steeped, and sips. Mmmm...

"My dear, strange is a foregone conclusion here. You would not believe it." The prettily-spoken incubus stands up again, towering over pretty much everyone there at the moment. "Unless you have been in some very strange places."

Ander looks a bit relieved by Yue's statement, and by Rey's words, and slowly his blush finally begins to fade.

Savera emerges from the kitchen, bringing with her more of that delicious smell of food, and asks, "Does anyone want some casserole?"

"It smells wanderful," Deyono'rey has to admit. "I would very much like some, if it is not too much trouble, Miss Savera."

Ander nods in agreement, his stomach loudly seconding Rey, "Me, too, ma'am."

Savera nods and disappears again, only to reappear a moment later with two plates full of casserole, which she places before them. "Here you are."

"Thanks." Ander pauses for a moment, his lips moving silently, then he digs in hungrily.

Rey smiles a bit to assume that he's religious, and bows her head gratefully to Savera. "Thank you." She takes a moment to situate the fork correctly in her hand...she do so try to do things properly.

Yue watches them absently, looking around the inn all the while. She can't help but smile about religion, considering her origins. "What are you charging for that stuff today, Savera? I think I should like to foot their bills." Smiles more brightly. "For the entertainment."

Savera looks up at Yue, "If you want to. Just one copper." She smiles again, briefly, at Rey, "You are welcome, youngling."

Yue nods slowly. "Right. Pull it out of my pay, would you?" She smiles at all involved. "So, if I set you two up, would you thank me?"

Ander shifts around on his stool uncomfortably, staring fixedly at his food. His blush is returning, and again he seriously considers removing himself.

If there's any underlying meaning, Deyono'rey completely fails to catch it. She smiles a bright, close-eyed smile at Yue. "Yes...that is very kind. Thank you."

Ander nearly chokes on his latest mouthful as he looks between Yue and Rey in something akin to horror. Once again, he's reminded of his family, and because of this, he speaks to Yue the same way he'd speak to his sister Leslie, who is always trying to set him up, get him to date girls. "Aw, c'mon! Who wants t' date an 'ermit?" His green-brown eyes flash just a bit.

Rey blinks, very confused and sure she's managed to misinterpret something somewhere. Set them up...means...he paid for their food, right? but obviously not. She messed up again, and gropes for words when she doesn't even know what's going on to account for. "I...ah...am sorry...? I...do not understand, I think...."

"Who said date?" Yue looks at Ander, winks, looks at Rey, and smiles apologetically. "I just meant paying for your food." Like hell. "Ander, you are blushing again. Shall I take your bag to your room for you and let you cool off?"

Ander mutters something unintelligible, not believing for a second that that's what she really meant, but now he's doubly embarrassed on account of his outburst. "Okay. Thanks."

Rey's cheeks are quite warm now, and she's mortally uncomfortable. It's so hard to fit in to a place she can only barely begin to understand. "May I have a room key...?" she inquires quietly of Savera.

"Of course." She reaches under the counter and brings out two keys. One she hands to Rey, "This is for room two, which is the first door to your left on this floor." She gestures across the room to the doorway and the hall beyond. "It's just under the stairs. I hope you don't mind?" The back end of the key is artfully shaped into the number 2. The other key, she hands to Ander, and the butt-end of this one is the number 13, "Room thirteen is near the end of the hall, the last door on your right."

Rey smiles just a little, and nods. "Thank you." Bows her head a little, of course. Her eyes are down again, and she takes up her cloak quietly, slips off the stool, and heads off that way with an admirably smooth, practiced gait.

"If you get bored, miss Ono, come find me. I will be around." Yue waves a bit as she goes. "Same goes for you, Ander. We can't be letting patrons walk around without blushing faces."

He snorts and lifts his saddlebags from the floor. Draping them over one shoulder, he heads to his room to drop them off, then passes through again on his was out to the front, to check on his horse.

Deyono'rey smiles at Yue just a little, and simply heads off to her room.

"And so," Yue comments to Savera, "I strike out again. Ah, the travesty of it!" The back of her hand sweeps her forehead in mock despair. "Oh, unhappy fortune that woulst abandon me, thy faithful fool! Oh pernicious chance!" She cracks himself up, sometimes.

Savera says nothing to this, merely beginning to tidy up the bar. She does look up, when just a few minutes later Ander returns through the front door.

Ander pauses near the bar, fidgeting, then, finally, he says, "Ahh, ma'am? M' horse thanks ya fer th' oats. Brisk is perty perticular 'bout what 'e eats sometimes, but 'e said t' tell ya thanks." Why is it easier to talk to animals than it is to talk to humans?

Savera smiles and nods, "I am glad he likes them."

"Your horse said that? What an educated creature." Yue sits upon the vacated stool, crossing her legs most un-flirtatiously. 

Used to such comments, but nunetheless annoyed by them, Ander gives Yue a look that fully conveys the depth of his annoyance with such sarcasm, or, perhaps, ignorance. Angrily, he heads back to his room. All he'd done was try to tell the proprieter thank you.

Yue watches him go, blinking. "Well... I... never!" Actually, he's a little hurt. He thought he was doing just fine, but obviously not. "Excuse me Savera," he quietly begins, "I think this experiment has failed. I don't think I will ever be able to live with normal people again. I should go." S/he rises, eyes downcast, and heads back towards her room to gather her few things.

---

A few moments later a soaking wet woman barrels into the room, promptly tripping over an area rug and tumbling head over heels into the center of the bar area. She lands with a satisfying smack and stares, dazed, up at the ceiling.

Savera comes immediately around the bar and stands before the fallen traveller, extending her hand. "Are you alright?" Her musical voice holds a note of concern.

"Right as tea," the girl - just out of her teens at most - nods, staring dazedly up through foggy glasses. "Just as soon as the room stops spinning. I'm good." She takes the offered hand. "Hello!" 

Savera pulls the girl to her feet, smiling politely, "Welcome to my inn. Would you like some fresh casserol, or something to drink?"

"Oh, cool! An innkeeper! That is great." The girl pulls back her hood, let's her short, bob-styled hair bounce out. "I've just had enough water to float two boats, but if you've got milk that would just be splendid." She smiles a 'it's creepy how white those teeth are' smile.

"Of course," Since this girl seems fine, Savera whisks back behind the bar and pours her a glass of milk, setting it on the bar near her.

"Thanks..." the girl trots over and plops down a little too far to the right, and goes down like a sack of bricks. A second later she's back up, though. "I'm alright. Um... is that your horse out there?"

"No, I believe he belongs to one of our guests," Savera responds quietly. She begins wiping down the bar again. "He seems a friendly enough horse, but a bit on the wild side."

"I should like to meet his owner. That is an intriguing animal!" The girl takes a sip of milk. "Gyah! Cold!"

"I shall introduce you to him when next I see him, then. I think he is in a bad mood just now, though. I am afraid that one who works her inadvertently offended him."

"Well that's no fun." The woman smacks her lips a bit, and sips more milk. "What room's he in? I'll make him feel right as the rain."

"He is in room thirteen, but I really do not think he would like to be bothered right now."

"Well... if you think not, I shan't! Shan't? Won't." The girl nods. "By the way, I'm Qiao Mun. I'd like to rent a room!"

Savera reaches under the counter and offers Qiao Mun a key, the end of which is shaped into the number 20, "Room twenty is upstairs, the fourth door to your right. And a room is four coppers a night, including all food and drink."

"Four, huh?" The girl digs into her pockets, smiling a little. Smile fades. "Uh..." digs into her other pockets. "Uh oh..." Frantically searches through her cloak. "Um! I don't have any money... I must have... oh. Wait." She smiles a little. Reaches into her damp brown shirt and pulls out a small coin purse. "There we go. Four, right?"

"Yes, four coppers." Savera smiles a bit to see this girl so frantic. She would never turn a person away from her door, but she also dislikes the greedy taking advantage of this, so she had to come up with a sum to pay for room and board.

The girl clinks out the four coins, hands them to the phoenix. "There we go, all accounted for, and... room twenty? I can handle that! Anything but thirteen." 

Savera takes the coins and drops them into the tip jar. "Yes, room twenty. It's upstairs, near the library. Oh, and the first door on the right is the bathroom."

"Thank heaven. I have to pee like you wouldn't believe." Qiao Mun grins a bit. "Sorry. My too much information button is broken."

Actually taking this information in stride, Savera doesn't bat an eyelash as she says, "Well, you did mention earlier that you had enough water to float two boats, so I am not very surprised."

"That's exactly right!" Sip sip. "So what is there to do here when it's raining?"

"There are boardgames near the fire, and we are always happy for some extra helping hands in the kitchen or here at the bar."

Just then, Ander returns, still looking marginally upset. He sees Qiao Mun, and abruptly changes direction, sitting instead in one of the plush chairs near the fire. He takes a scrap of wood out of his pocket and begins whittling it, making a toy top for one of his nephews.

Mun ponders this, gazing down into her milk until Ander walks back in. "Hey," she quietly asks, "is that the gentleman who owns the horse?"

Savera nods very slightly, "He is. Would you like me to introduce you?"

Qiao Mun bites her lip, nodding shyly. "Please? I'm really not too good at talking to men."

Savera nods and comes around the bar, "Sir? I believe this lady met your horse, and she wished to speak with you."

Ander looks up, startled. He bluses very faintly as he sees Qiao Mun, and mutters, "Hi." Then he turns back to his whittling, still feeling fairly anti-social. He knows he isn't giving the best first impression, but considering that he rarely seems to anyway...

"H-h-h-h-hi...!" Qiao Mun puts out her hand, which is shaking like a hummingbird in a storm wind. She takes a step towards him, smiling a terrified little smile, and is nearly close enough when her lead foot tangles in a barstool and sends her crashing to the floor again, stool in tow.

Ander looks up, startled, then he drops his wood and knife and kneels next to the girl, "Y'Okay? Look'd like 'thurt!" He puts a hand on her shoulder, to stay her if she's hurt and to help her up if she's not. All of his worries are gone, for the moment.

Savera quietly retreats to her place behind the bar again, knowing that Qiao is probably fine, but that even if she isn't, Ander will make sure she is soon.

"I'm okay," she assures him, but stumbles as soon as she tries to rise. "woo... just got knocked a little goofy that's all. Stool, right." And she moves to sit, quite plainly headed to sit too far to the right again.

Swiftly, Ander reaches out and moves the stool under her, only just barely making it before she sits down. "Sure? Seem a bit unsteady." His eyes search her face, as though checking to make sure she's really alright, and concern is writ plainly across his own features.

She looks at him, smiling dazed, and it doesn't occur to her that her glasses are deeply cracked. "It's okay. It happens sometimes. Um... sorry for the poor introduction, mister...?"

"Speaker. Call me Ander, though." He smiles back, glad that she's okay. "She say y' met Brisk?"

"Brisk...?" Qiao Mun ponders that for a moment, finally taking off her broken glasses. "Oh... darn. Did I talk to you already?" Rubs the bridge of her nose. "Oh! The horse! Yes, I saw him, he is one magnificent animal. I'm, um, Qiao Mun, by the way."

"Pleasure. 'E's a good un, friendly if y' get t' know 'im, but picky, too." He seems to realize he'd dropped his whittling and begins hunting for the bit of wood and his knife. "Bugger..."

Mun watches him carefully, so as not to accidentally kick him. She sets her ruined glasses on the bar for now, looking around. She's nearsighted, and should be okay until it's time to go somewhere.

"You're a Speaker, you said? That means you can talk to Brisk, right?"

He's just found his pice of wood when Mun says this, and he looks up, accidentally dropping it again. He's surprised she knew immediately what he meant. "Yeah..." He blinks at her stupidly, then realizes he's staring and hunts for his wood again, finding his knife almost immediately, and his piece of wood not long after.

Mun grins a little at the reaction. "What kinds of things does he say? If I may ask. I'm really, really interested in Speakers. I've never met one before but I've always wanted to!"

Ander blushes and looks down at the bit of wood in his hands, rubbing it with his thumb. "Err..." he hesitates, not sure what to say. He can't remember a time when he *didn't* talk to animals, and has found that they're usually pretty similar to talking to humans, except they're honest and don't usually judge as quickly. He hesitates, then says, "Well...'E usually talks 'bout this 'r that plant, 'r 'e complains when I've gotta ask directions from a wolf 'r bear..." He trails off helplessly.

"You speak to bears? Oh, god! I'm so scared of bears. You must be pretty brave." Mun is transfixed. She's so enchanted by this, in fact, that she's forgetting to say why she's interested. 

Getting more into his subject, Ander shakes his head, "Bears're kind, 's long 's yer careful not t' threaten her cub. Wolves try t' avoid y', so I 'ave t' call 'em usually. 'S the big cats that're scary, sometimes 'ey think a traveller's easy prey, even one on an 'orse. An' they're not allus 'elpful, neither. Like t' play tricks."

"I can vouch for that," she chuckles, reaching down to untie her cloak. She's wearing a modest pair of denim overall-shorts with a black shirt underneath - thankfully, as she's quite rain-moist - that display a rather unpleasant looking scar just above her right knee. "Cat damage!"

Ander examines the scar, then looks up at her, "If y' can, talk t' bears. Even if y' aren't a Speaker, 'ey like t' be helpful. Birds too, sometimes, if y' can keep 'em focused."

Mun recoils as if she's been threatened with fiery doom. "Oh no, bears, uh, no. No bears for me thank you. I can't talk to animals for anything! Plants, though, I can talk all day long. I'm part forest nymph, you know. Got a tattoo on my bum that proves it!" She chuckles, getting wrapped up in herself for a second.

Ander laughs embarrassedly, "Ahh....'M sure it's a purty thing." He shakes his head a bit, as though to shake off unwanted thoughts, "Bears ain't bad. Just big." He smiles warmly at her, knowing how people can be about different animals. "Maybe plants'll help, though, if not animals."

"They can be so helpful. And nurturing." Mun looks away, a soft blush pinking her cheeks. "But I'm really interested in your horse, and what he has to say. Do you think I could ask him some things?"

Privately, Ander thinks the same could be said of bears, even though they're often fairly silly animals. "If y' like, bu' I can't promise 'e'll be polite or nothin', 'e's got a will o' 'is own."

"I promise I will be, and that's something." Mun grins, hops off the bar without incident. Leaves her glasses, though, totally forgotten. "Show me to him?"

Ander nods and sets his wood and knife off to the side, leading the way outside.

A crash, the sound of a person falling to the floor... and rolling. The blue skinned man tumbles across the threshold of the room, lying nearly still upon the floor. Bruised, lacerated, dressed in clothes and shoes so old they barely look like what they were before. Passion Leonide has nothing left.

Seeing the man, Savera comes around the counter and kneels next to him. "Are you alright, sir?" she asks softly. She reaches out to touch his bruised, sliced flesh with delicate, feather-light fingers, wondering if he'll allow her to heal his worst hurts. Even as she's doing this, she makes a quick scan of the minds in the area, hunting for something with malice in it towards this man.

There is something. A feral something, instinct driven, leaving the forest. Passion tries to move away from her, afraid that she is yet another enemy, but cannot gather the strength to do so.

"Be alright in a minute," he manages to gasp. "Who...?"

She leans forward, but her feather-light touch disappears from his skin. "My name is Savera Hegather, and I own this inn. You are safe here." Her voice is soft, soothing, almost in a whisper, she adds, "I can heal you, if you need..?"

"Price...?" Leonide holds up his right hand a little, allowing his snake-like sensory organs to extend from his fingertips, wavering in the air. She's warm. Smells... inhuman, for sure.

"No price," she says firmly. She never charges for healing someone, would never accept any payment for it unless the person absolutely insists. She watches his diamond-shaped organs wave, recognizing that this must be some way of identifying her. "If I heal you, I will have to...change." she says carefully. If she changes into her natural form, her scent will probably give her away as a phoenix, far more so than her alternate form might.

"Fine," he mutters, tendrils drawing back into his fingertips. "Please..." he hasn't the strength for anything else.

The phoenix woman nods, rises and removes her sari, then, immediately after the elegant garment is laid across the counter, she changes into her natural form, hopping up close to Passion. She quickly finds his worst wounds, and lays her head close to them, pearly tears seeping out of her blue eyes. As soon as she's sure one wound will heal, she hops on to heal the next, until all of the worst ones she can find are healed. Then her musical voice sounds clearly in his thoughts, "Is there anywhere else that hurts, Friend?"

"You're a phoenix," he mutters, sensors flailing energetically. "Why is a phoenix..." Passion finds the strength to sit up. The pain is mostly gone, but the weariness of running remains. His eyes unfocus. He's going to be sick. Fights it down, and closes his eyes. "Thank you."

"Miss Savera!" a frantic Deyono'rey calls as she runs into the room, again in horridly thickly accented common.

"You are welcome. There is a restroom through the door, first door on the right." She plants an image of how to get to the bathroom in his mind along with her words. Then she turns her feathered head towards Rey, speaking directly to her thoughts, as well, "What is it, youngling?"

The foreigner skids to a stop, nearly tripping on her skirt, startled at the Phoenix form of this woman regardless of whether she'd suspected. Finally, she shakes it off. "Yue...sleep, dream walking and...blood..." gropes for words that her frustration is banishing from her memory. " Can you...hear my thoughts as well, Lady Savera?"

"Of course. Where is Yue? Is he alright?" Savera eyes the girl, then asks abruptly, "May I sit on your shoulder?" This will make it easier for her to move about in this form, as there is not sufficient wing room in the hallway, and she would rather not move between shapes too much.

Rey's eyes widen. "I...ah...of course." She nods. Shakes her head, back on subject now that she can speak her mind properly, immensely relieved. "Yue visited me on the dream plane so that we could speak more easily. While we were talking, she was very suddenly beset by something on the physical plane, and could not leave my dreamplane. When I awakened a few seconds later, I ran to her room, but her body is gone and her sheets are stained with blood. I could see no sign of where her assailant went." Her eyes travel down to Leonide. Related...?

Leonide looks at the newcomer with the bird on her shoulder. Stands on shaky legs. "Hi," he mumbles, of course unable to follow the conversation. "What's wrong...?" Of course he cares. He's an idiot, with delusions of heroism. Or a hero, with delusions of idiocy.

Savera perches on Rey's shoulder, careful not to burn her, nor to scratch her with her claws. "Let us begin in his room, then, please?" She turns her head towards Passion and says, leaving no room for argument, "You stay here and rest."

"A friend is missing," Rey formulates careful. Nods to Savera," and starts off towards room fourteen in a hurry.

Passion all but falls onto a stool nearby, leaning against the bartop. Phew. He would help, but there is that walking issue.

Mun saunters in not long after, passing through an Ander-held door. Her eyes fall of course on the blue man at the bar, and a brow lifts quizically. She waits for Ander, though, as this might just be a local breed or something.

Ander follows Mun in, then sees the weary-looking, blue-skinned man. He looks alarmed, "Are you okay, sir?"

Passion studies them with intent, searching eyes. "Fine," he assures Ander, "just fine." 

Mun tilts her head. "You don't look fine. You look like you need a bath and some clothes. Right Ander?"

Ander nods a bit, examining the man. Some of his skin appears to have been newly-healed, but not scarred, and Ander frowns. A healer around here? Well...he asks! "Did y' see an 'ealer? Don' look like ye coulda walked 'ere...."

"Something like that." Passion looks at them again, as if he wants to ask something. Showing off his scent organs to the phoenix was stupid enough. Doing it again, without permission, is flat out suicidal in some places. "I've been on the run for a while."

Mun wonders if he's a criminal. Keeps quiet, though. She doesn't want on his bad side if he is.

Ander shrugs and looks around, realizing for the first time that Savera isn't there. "Where's th' silver-haired lady at?" He frowns a bit, looking around again.

Passion thinks about this for a second. Had he actually seen her?

"She left, I think." As a bird. "With a blue-eyed woman." He sits up a little, realizing that he probably does need that bath.

Deciding that this man is probably okay, if he's seen a healer, Ander goes on to decide, also, that he should get himself a drink. Heading behind the bar, he hunts up a glass and a bottle of whiskey, then looks up, "Y'all want anythin'? I'll let 'er know later..."

"Um... maybe...?" Mun sits next to Passion, smiling, hoping to make him feel more comfortable.

Passion glances at her, and back to Ander. "Any milk back there...?"

Ander hunts around, then pulls out a jar of milk from a container of ice, "Yup!" He gets two more glasses, and fills one with milk. This, he sets before Passion, then looks at Mun, "An' fer ye?" He's mostly comfortable with her now, and Passion is strange, and quiet, enough that Ander feels he can safely lump him with the animals he Speaks with, for now.

"Milk sounds good," Mun nods, but bites her tongue. "oh... wait. I can't. Water, please."

Passion glances at her, sips his milk. Another goofy human, feigning politeness. He's sure of it.  "When did you two wed," he asks, fishing for information.

Ander blushes, and he spills some of the water he's pouring for Mun. Reddening even more at this, he sets the glass before her, then hunts up a small towel to dry the counter with. He doesn't look at Passion as he says quietly, "Jus' met 'er, ne'er married no-one." He hunches his shoulders. His mum and siblings have all been asking him when he's gonna settle down and get married.

"Ahh," Passion nods snowly. "Just lovers, then."

Mun sprays water onto the bartop, nearly choking. "Gah... you're awfully blunt, aren't you?"

Ander's blush deepens, making it seem, again, as though his entire skin will turn a nice shade of cherry. "No," he says, with some semblance of finality to his voice. Frustrated, and removing Passion from the "animals" to the "humans" lump, he moves around the bar, grabs his drink, and whisks himself to the hearth, where he sits down, picks up his scrap of wood and his knife, and begins carving the toy top again. His hazel eyes focus on the wood intensely, and he wishes that people would stop making him so uncomfortable. Maybe if everyone would just let him be....


Passion watches him go. People are so easy to offend. "I misjudged you two, then. I apologize. You just have such an easy manner together, I thought it could be nothing else."

Mun is quite red, but not as standoffish as Ander at this point. "No... we just met. I'm no slut." Smiles a little. "Come on Ander, come back."

Ander looks up, frowning just a bit, though his blush is fading now. "Need t' finish this," he says quietly, before getting back to work on the toy. He'd rather not join in conversation right now.

Passion purses his lips. Fine. He'll just have to talk to the girl.

Mun sighs a little bit. She's quite the failure with people. "Sorry about that, mister...?"

"Passion Leonide."

"Mister Leonide. Are you really okay?" Mun looks quizzically at his curtain of hair, noting the blood and tangles mixed into it.

"I am," he nods, "thank you." His sensors are itching to get out, and figure these two out. Neither of them strike him as ordinary humans, really.

A black panther pushes his way through the swinging door that leads to the kitchen. He looks around, his startlingly green eyes alert, then he smootlhy shifts into a human form, complete with a pair of black slacks. "Hi!"

Mun had just been on the very edge of screaming. Even now she hides behind Ander's chair, peeking out, quivering.

Passion glances at him. Wants so bad to see what the hell he is...! "Hello. Welcome to someone's bar."

The shifter smiles warmly, "Savera Hegather, a dear friend of mine." He pauses, then, glancing at Passion, he says, "I'm a shapeshifter, but my name's Colthen. You can call me Col for short. Is everyone okay? Savera woke me and asked if I'd check in here and make sure. She sounded a bit rushed." He's a fairly good telepath, though he tries to do nothing more than graze his fellows' surface thoughts. Now, he looks at Qiao Mun, "No need to be afraid. Plants are my friends, too." He grins, his mood light and cheerful.

Even Ander can't help but smile at this handsome, charming fellow, though he does seem to receed more into himself, shyly.

Mun is unconvinced. She's terrified, actually, and rooted to the spot.

Passion looks him over, thinking, as though he has something else on his mind. He doesn't, really, but it's a good cover when he's working things out. "Hello Colthen." Holds out his hand. "Passion Leonide."

Taking the proffered hand, Colthen smiles again, the smile extending across his entire face, so that his horselike features look warm and welcoming. "A pleasure, Passion."

Ander looks at Mun, then says, "'Ey, wanna see what 'm workin' on?" He's trying to distract her from the fact that a panther walked in, then turned into a horse-faced man.

Passion smiles a charming smile, offset by his still banged-up appearance. His tenders reach out about an eighth of an inch, sniffing Colthen's hand. This, where he's from, is quite acceptable. A shifter indeed...no trickster.

Colthen laughs, bordering on a giggle, "That tickled!" Taking his hand back, he asks, "Hey, have you eaten yet? You look like you could do with something warm."

"Not in three days," Passion answers, quickly retracting his tendrils and looking sheepish.

Mun finally looks at Ander, still shaking. Things came out of that man's fingers. "s-s-s-ss-s-s-s-s-s-s-sssure..."

Ander, not having seen Passion's tendrils, doesn't know that something more has frightened the girl. He holds out the top proudly, it's almost finished! "It'll be a whistle, too. M' nephew loves 'em so much 'at 'e keeps breakin' em from overuse. An' now, m' niece, 'is younger sister, wants one, too." He's actually pretty proud of the little toys, which he made up. They're made so that they actually balance pretty well, with the whistle part going diagonally through the top. He's already carved out the whistle, and is just working on smoothing out the outside, balancing it just right.

Col looks under the bar, then pulls out the covered remains of the casserol, "Casserol sound good? Smells like Savera made it only about an hour or so ago, and it's still warm."

"I can't pay for food," Passion assures him, mostly without dejection. He's used to being hungry, by now.

Mun pokes at the whistle. "Really...? A whistle?" Looks at it. Ponders.

Colthen just shrugs and heaps a portion of the food on a plate, which he proceeds to set in front of Passion. Then he makes a plate for himself, covers the food again, and brings his own plate around the bar, to sit near Passion. While he's doing this, he says cheerfully, "Don't worry 'bout it! I'm ravenous, and I hate eating alone, so you'll join me, right? And anyway, Savera won't mind. See that tip jar? That's where any payment to her goes, and she never touches it after it's in the jar. Not ever. It's the wages she pays her employees, and if there's nothing in it...well, then she finds another way. You don't mind if I sit here, do you? Anyway, the sweet thing never turns anyone away from her door, unless they're attacking someone else. She won't abide by violence at all, and she's very protective of this place and the people in it. She's a good woman." He finally stops here, taking a bite of the casserol, "Oooohhh! This is delicious!" Then he falls silent, eating hungrily. Apparently, he wasn't lying about being ravenous.

Ander laughs and offers the toy to her, "Yeah. Wanna try blowing it? It sounds purty."

Passion just smiles at Colthen, briefly, and attacks the food with reckless abandon. Manners, yes, but if he's stopping to chew it's not obvious. He listens to Colthen's words intently, however. Tip jar. Wages. Bad idea, Passion, no stealing when there is food available.

Mun grins. "Sure!"

Colthen looks up at Passion suddenly, stopping eating. He frowns, setting his fork on his plate, his food only half-finished, and moves the plate away. He sets his elbows on the bar, leaning forward a bit, and frowning. Had he really caught a fleeting thought of stealing from this blue man? Sighing, he says rather loudly, loud enough that Mun and Ander should be able to hear him, too, "Guess I should mention that I'm a telepath, to keep things fair..."

Ander relinquishes the toy, glancing at the shifter at his words, but then looking back at Mun. Telepaths don't really bother him all that much, unless they pry, and this one seems decent, at least, giving them fair warning.

Mun doesn't mind in the least. She's much more interested in the whistle, anyway, and puffs on it once or twice with absolute glee.

Passion's eyes slowly come to rest on Colthen, full of fire. It fades in a second, though. He had the decency to say as much instead of conspiring. Honestly will work better than violence.

"I've been running for longer than I can remember," he quietly explains, "don't exactly have time for a regular job. But I'm not going to steal from this place." Smiles a little. "You'd know, anyway."

Colthen shrugs, "Savera would know faster than I, but she wouldn't mind much. She's kind that way. Told me once that if someone has to resort to stealing, even from her, then they must need it. I'd prefer you ask, though, that way it's honest." His response is equally quiet. His green eyes rest on Passion's face, but he doesn't ask why he's running. Instead, he says, "May I ask what race you are? Don't think I've seen your kind before, even here."

"Race...?" He blinks. Goes back to his food. "I'm a coraderm. It means 'heart skin'." He pulls back his tattered shirt, to show off the swirling, dark pattern of veins so easily visible through his flesh.

The shifter blinks, looking at the patterns. He starts to reach out his hand, but then remembers what bad manners it would be to touch a stranger's skin, and turns back to his own food, "I see." After eating for a little while in silence, he says, "If you would like, Savera would keep you as safe as possible here. You could stay, there is always work to be done."

Passion scoffs a little bit. "She has great power. But what follows me is something beyond the scope of this world. If you ever saw him..." He shudders, shaking his head. "Better that you didn't."

"I will not try to force you to stay. It is, of course, your choice." The shifter smiles at Passion, finishing off his food.

Ander, too, finds himself smiling, unknowingly mimicking Colthen. "D'ye play any instruments?" He asks of Mun.

"Something caused my pursuers to turn back, here," Passion admits, "I'll stay, if I can. I don't mind working." Blushes a little. Isn't used to being smiled at so much, but doesn't mind it.

Mun snickers. "Oh no. I can't carry a tune in my pocket."

Colthen laughs softly at Passion's blush, and says, "Well, that'd be good, then. I don't really know what all she needs done, except weeding." He makes a face, "She always needs weeding done." And he's usually the one for the job. He can't even imagine delicate Yue getting down on his knees in the dirt to weed Savera's garden.

Ander smiles, "Ehh, m' youngest brother's th' same way. It's hard fer 'im t' talk t' birds." He laughs, his eyes sparkling cheerfully, "'E can't even whistle!"

"There's nothing wrong with that," Mun is quick to answer, "whistling is overrated anyway."

Ander smiles, "Made 'im a pipe that mimics bird-sounds once, 'e uses that instead o' whistlin'." Shyly, he offers, "Ye wan' me t' make ya a whistle? Or I can make jus' 'bout anythin', really..."

Colthen stretches, looking distinctly cat-like as he does so, then grabs his plate and looks over at Passion to see whether or not the other man is finished.

He has, of course. He looks back to Colthen, puzzling over him, and slides the plate that way. "Thank you." He's alright at reading people, by now.

"A whistle would be great!" Mun chirps.

"No problem!" Colthen assures the blue-skinned man. "Want some more?"

"Any partic'lar shape ye'd like?" Ander asks of Mun shyly. Carving is his main passtime.

"Nah," Mun grins, "just pretty."

Passion only nods, a bit shamefully. Dammit, but he hates to swallow his pride in front of strangers.

Colthen goes around the bar and piles some more food on Passion's plate. He considers for a moment, then covers the casserol back up, but leaves it on the bar, near the blue man. "There, have as much as you'd like. Want more to drink, too?"

Ander has an idea, but wonders briefly how he'll work it out. Suddenly, his eyes light up, "'Kay! I'll try an' finish it affore either o' us leaves 'ere, 'kay?"

"Yes!" Passion and Mun declare almost at the same time. They glance at each other, and the nymph cracks up.

Colthen laughs and refills Passion's glass with milk, his green eyes sparkling.

Ander smiles, blushing faintly at Mun's enthusiasm, but amused nonetheless by Passion and Mun saying yes at the same time.

The coraderm assaults the food and drink, pleasantly enough. It has his attention more than the adorable little nymph does at the moment.

Colthen watches for a moment, then changes smootly into a very fuzzy, rodent-like creature. He has a longish body and an even longer tail, with a head that looks like something between a cat and a mouse, with pointed ears and short-ish legs. His fur is long and glossy-black, and covers his entire body, to the very tip of his tail. He's sitting atop the counter, and he lifts up his fore-paws, sitting on just his hind legs, and sniffing at the air, his green eyes sparkling cutely. He figures he'll let them get used to his new shape, before he starts talking in their thoughts.

"Eeeeeek!"

Passion smirks. "Guess she's afraid of rodents, too."

The furry rodent drops back down to all-fours and looks at Qiao Mun, "I won't hurt you, I promise! I'm the same person as the man I was before, just in a different shape." He sounds puzzled, then his "voice" brightens, and be broadcasts to all present, "Hey! Wanna see my birth-given shape? I think you'd like it!"

Mun peeks out from behind Ander. Squeals, and hides again.

Passion shrugs. "By all means."

The large rodent jumps off the bar, back to where he was standing before, gracefully shifting into a black horse with white wings and bright green eyes. He neighs quietly and shakes his head, settling his mane differently. He also shuffles his wings, settling them into place, too. "There, that's better," he murmurs to no-one in particular.

Ander looks up suddenly, awed. He turns to mun and says quietly, "He said his fur itched..." Apparently, Col didn't relay *all* of what he said to thoughts, especially if it wasn't particularly important. He hadn't realized that there was a Speaker present. The pegasus snorts in Ander's direction, making the Speaker blush a little.

Passion tilts his head a little, this way and that. Can't resist. Holds out his hand a little, sensory organs extending and waving in the air like stands of dark pink seaweeed or squid arms, sniffing, searching for what exactly the hell is going on.

Colthen carefully steps towards Passion's hand, sniffing at his fingers, "What are they?" he asks curiously.

Ander is too surprised by the waving things to say much at all.

"Sensors. Don't be afraid." The most prominent scent in the room right now is Mun's fear. She's still cowering, stuck to nothing, frozen. Goddamn horses!

The shifter nods, a very human-like gesture, "What do they sense?" His curiosity is quite acute at times. Also, smelling Mun's fear and feeling it with his mind both, Colthen says gently to her, "Don't be afraid, Friend. Please. It is in my nature to change shapes," He pauses here, searching through her less-private thoughts, then adds, "Much like it is in your nature to love plants, speak with them, help them to grow and be healthy. Or like it is in your friend's nature to speak with animals and to love and care for them. Would it help if I stayed in just this shape for a while?"

Mun fidgets, really fidgets. "I think... I need a bathroom. Where's a bathroom?"

Passion's lip twitches.

Colthen places an image of the path to the lower baths in Mun's thoughts, adding, "It'll be the first door on your right, down that hallway."

"Thank you!" She smiles a bit at Ander and dashes that way.

"And... there goes the comedy relief," Passion observes.

Colthen nickers softly, flicking his ears in amusement, "I feel bad for her, though. Her fear is so acute. I guess I wasn't making it better..." His green eyes flick back to Passion, "Hey, what did you say those sensors sense, again?"

"Scent particles and heat." His answer is not guarded, or careful, really. Occasionally showing them off has earned him enemies, but really, what sort of enemy is worse than the monsters chasing him? "They're fairly acute. I can tell you the cologne you wore three days ago."

The ebony equine nickers again, laughing in his horsey way, "A good talent! Would that I had such a sense of smell." For a brief moment he entertains the idea of trying to change into Passion's type, but then remembers poor Mun, and guesses that her reaction wouldn't be very good if she came back to find him in yet another, different shape. He sighs a bit, and murmurs, "Another time, I guess..." His ears flick interestedly as he tries to think of another question to ask this blue man, "Oh! Hey, do all of your people have blue skin, or does it vary?"

"We all do, in varying shades." Honestly, he's talking to a horse and it is just a little weird. But then, weird is a given in a place like this. "I stay out of the sun, so I am pale."

Colthen catches Passion's thoughts of how odd this seems to him, and laughs warmly, neighing, "Sorry, I'm more sensitive to thoughts when I'm actually speaking with them," he explains a little sheepishly. "Since Savera owns this place, I am probably one of the least strange guests you'll see here, though. I've seen wolves and hares sleeping side by side at the hearth, as well as foxes and doves."

Passion tries to decide whether he ought to be annoyed, but decides not to be. No worth in it, really, and it's not hurting anything.

"I've never seen anything like that. Upending the natural order?" The coraderm glances at him. "How the hell do you keep pants?"

"Savera can speak with animals as easily as I can, and she made it very clear that anyone that enters here is safe from all. If any fighting is to be done, it is not here. This inn is neutral ground for all the people of the forest, you might say." Amusement sounds plainly in his rich voice as he adds, "I actually don't, The pants are part of me, which is why they're skin-tight. It's...complicated, but Savera got so mad at me for changing shapes so much without any clothing that I worked out how to do it. As long as they're skin-tight, I usually don't have any problems, because they're really just my skin. If I really wanted to, I suppose I could outfit myself entirely, but that would take a lot of concentration."

Passion sips his drink quietly. It would be nice if this fellow would maintain the human form. Then at least there would be something to look at. "She's a daring one to suggest such a thing," he observes. "Things fight. It's how everything works."

She has seen more than her share of fighting, and if they want to fight, they simply remove themselves from this place until they're done. But fighting is not tolerated within these walls, and all of the beasts of this area respect that rule. People don't always, but the beasts do, if they wish to come here." Colthen looks towards the bathroom, and says thoughtfully, "It really is easier to tend the bar in a more human shape. I'll ask her about it when she returns." He's speaking of Mun, of course. He knows Savera won't mind.

"I won't complain," Passion assures him, "I rather like skintight pants on a man." It occurs to him that Ander has been awfully quiet during all this, and he glances that way. "Are you finished sulking?"

Ander jumps, startled by Passion talking to him. He'd been absorbed in thoughts of how to carve the whistle for Mun. He looks up and grimaces, saying softly, "Sorry 'bout that..." Then he falls silent again. He's not very good at talking to people, really.

Colthen would be smiling broadly, if he had a human mouth. As it is, he must suffice with flicking his ears in amusement. "I rather like them, myself," he says.

Passion can certainly see that. "Don't be sorry. At least be cordial." Glances at Colthen. "Speaking of clothes. Any ideas where I might acquire something useful to wear?" He tugs at his mostly shredded shirt. He would have asked Ander, but he's a little bigger and wouldn't want to impose.

"Of course! Sorry for forgetting my manners so." He swiftly changes back into his human shape, with the tight black pants, and smiles charmingly, "C'mon! I'm upstairs in room seventeen

Passion blinks a little bit. Sips his drink. Sips again. That was fast. "See you, guy," he says to Ander as he heads that way, a little warm in the cheeks.

Ander blinks a bit. Wait, had that guy actually been blushing? He wonders if he'd missed something... Soon, though, the Speaker goes back to mapping out how he'll carve Mun's whistle.

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