[Ainley's Assorted Artifacts (Toni; Sigmund Gunvaldsen)]

"Since you told me who you are," Sigmund said, "it's only fair I do the same". He pulled off the mask, revealing a handsome, chiseled face straight off the cover of a comic book, framed by surprisingly long blonde hair. Just a few hints of age had reached the corners of his face, suggesting he was in his mid-thirties or so, maybe a bit older.^note He's actually over sixty, but being the CEO of a cutting edge biotechnology conglomerate with access to alien technology has serious perks He offered a hand and said, "Sigmund Gunvaldsen, Chief Executive Officer of Western Amalgamated. That'd be the 'we' in question." A self-effacing smile flickered across his face. "Don't worry, I'll spare you the sales pitch. My point is: I can help."

Then he added, "I hope you won't take offense if we get Ultra's side of the story first, of course. But your story checks out with what we've seen of her so far." Low-ish agreeableness, fairly high neuroticism, on initial analysis, but this might be abnormal behavior for her given her suddenly being dropped into an alien environment. Then he tapped his chin. "If that's doable. She seems to have particular distrust for capitalists, and we..." he gave a wry shrug, "well, we aren't exactly flying a hammer and sickle."

Speaking of which, Sigmund also noticed Toni's new trepidation. He didn't begrudge it. Sigmund had been a socialist once himself. But that was long ago. Then he'd grown out of it, as people did, and adopted sensible politics that actually worked in the real world. (Or so the story he told himself went.) But he sympathized. People looked at the state of the world and concluded people like him were responsible... and they weren't entirely wrong. Not enough people with Sigmund's resources and influence used it for the betterment of humanity.

Sigmund actually had a lot of questions to ask Toni, but he held back for now. He needed to know the extent she was willing to trust him — no point wasting her time with questions she wouldn't answer.

[Hotel, Lobby, hurrying to the laundry (Magnus Gunvaldsen)]

Magnus made his way through the lobby, walking at a fairly swift pace. If anyone needed to discuss something with him, they'd have an opportunity to stop him and do so. His first priority, however, was to deal with the camel spit — actually a delightful saliva/vomit slurry! — that threatened to ruin his waistcoat if not treated swiftly in the laundry room.

Edited by KillerClowns on Aug 31st 2022 at 12:36:08 PM

Hub Town Hotel: Room 509

Connies's dismissiveness towards the moonstone did not put Nasur at ease. Part of him wanted to check it for possible scratches, but it was now in Maria's hands, so hopefully it would be safe.

Speaking of Maria, after her confession, she seemed like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She also added that the after-effects from the stone's use would not last too long.

"That's good to know." Nasur replied, stepping away from the bathroom door when Connie approached it. "We'll carry him if he can't walk, then. You'll watch over him?" He asked the latter.

"Oh, right. The payment issue." Nasur turned to David. "I hope it goes down without any incident." He turned back towards the bathrrom door. The only noise coming from then now was flowing water. "I think he's done with the vomiting for now."

Sorry. Short post as well.

Toni, Hub Town, west side of the town square, Ainley's Assorted Artifacts, talking to Sigmund Gunvaldsen.

With a moment of considered hesitation, Toni nods and amiably shakes the offered hand. Although not wholly dissimilar to an organic being, with an expected average body temperature to boot, Sigmund would notice a few peculiarities—not the least of which being the metal decorating her knuckles—namely bones, tendons and muscles that despite being relaxed are significantly denser and more rigid, and if not controlled with the utmost care could no doubt crush even his own hand easily.

Then, for the briefest moment, her grip tightens to a degree just verging on 'uncomfortable', as if subtly warning the man not to step out of line. "I don't mind, but I can't guarantee she'll tell you anything useful."

Sensing the need to elaborate slightly, "Where I come from, 'profit motive' is a historical curiosity... but where she comes from, the sky is a deflector shield." she remarks with a humorless smile, largely sharing in Ultra's disdain, though tempered somewhat by being able to merely leave. Few are as lucky; unrestrained capitalism has an unerring tendency to make things worse in the worlds she's visited, no matter how well-intentioned it might have initially been. "Don't know what went down exactly, but from the looks of things, I can't say I blame her."

Meanwhile, no sooner than Toni begins to wonder where the owner of the shop or any employees had wandered off to does a man step out from a back room and make his way to behind the counter. The man, though appearing to be of advanced age, walks spryly thanks in no small part to what appear to be extensive prosthetics visible beneath his hemmed pinstripe slacks and silken mustard button-down, comprising at least his extremities and decorating his face—a face that, as he comes into the light within clearer view of the two patrons, appears decidedly nonhuman and rather like an old-world primate, specifically some variety of mandrill, with eyes set high and close above a snout decorated with blues and reds that have seemingly faded with age, topped with a pair of custom-made reading glasses. It doesn't take a genius to guess that this is Ainley.

"Good morning and apologies for the wait! We got a bunch of new inventory in yesterday that I need to catalogue, you know how it goes. Will this be all?" he says in a chipper singsong, his voice carrying a subtle metallic warble as if fed through a synthesizer, examining the figurine placed in front of him and ringing up the purchase. "That'll be... ten dollars? 1,500 yen? Whatever that shakes out to where you're from."

"Oh, that's alright." Toni nods in reassurance, reaching into a rear pants pocket and producing a folded note of a currency Sigmund wouldn't recognize: a blue slip of paper-like fabric decorated with a white four-point star in its center and marked on one side by a pearlescent band of tightly-grouped characters in an entirely alien typeface. "All I have at the moment. Will this do?"

"Certainly!" Ainley chirps after taking the bill and examining it closely through adjusted glasses before slotting it into the register. Then, he reaches beneath the counter for a paper bag and tightly wraps the figurine before handing it back over to the okapi, who stows the little bundle away in an interior jacket pocket with a nod and a 'thank you'.

"By the way, there's a friend of mine..." she ventures, providing the same rough description of Ultra that she'd given earlier. "Has she been around here?"

"Afraid not." the mandrill frowns, putting a hand to his chin in thought before perking right back up again to see Toni off. "But I'll be sure to keep an eye out. You take care, now."

He then turns to a new potential customer as Toni herself steps away to wait by the door. "Ah, 'The Monster of Minneapolis'. What brings you here? See anything interesting?"

Edited by Chortleous on Sep 1st 2022 at 7:44:23 AM

[Hub Town -> Hotel -> Lobby]

Cam nodded. "If it's safe, then, I suppose I should get to doing my job. Even if the journal is outright gone, I still got here somewhat normally, for a Jumper. See you later. Possibly."

He turned and promptly exited the hotel.

[Hub Town -> Town Square]

Cam looked around, and his eye caught on the notice board. Odd jobs were a good way to gather information...

Nothing. He huffed. I guess I'll have to find something else, then, he thought, looking around once again.

There were a few places of note. A restaurant (looked decent enough, maybe he could get some food there later if he felt like it), a cafe (dear God, Cam ran on coffee, he'd be checking it out soon), and what looked to be a trinket shop (people who went to those kinds of places are either tourists, eccentrics, or actually really pleasant, no in-between, but two out of three of those are not useful to him).

However, as much as Cam wanted to go get coffee, he had work to do. (And he could not pass off coffee as work, as he sometimes did. This place was presumably well-documented.)

So he rummaged through his coat for a piece of scrap paper, and wrote something down.

"Looking for Scouts

Do you have a strong sense of adventure? Want to help a good cause? Have a blank notebook and pen?

If you answered yes to all of these, you may be interested in a scout team!

Cameron-Paine Spade is looking for help in order to document the wilderness surrounding the town. If you are interested, please contact him!"

Cam proceeded to write a short physical description of himself, and a note that he may be found either at the cafe or around the town square if he's available to speak.

"Looking for 1-5 others."

He pinned the note up. There. Other people's help was always appreciated, and maybe someone would see this and want to participate.

Edited by KitkatKK2 on Sep 1st 2022 at 7:40:37 AM

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 _{^> David, Connie, Joseph — Maria — Nasur}


" 'course we're cool," Connie smiled, "I only hang out with the coolest people."

She stood in front of the bathroom door, regarding Nasur with a sidelong glance as she debated what to do next. When asked if she planned to watch over the soon-to-be sleeping amphibian, she raised an eyebrow, answering, "Me? No, I've got plans. If I didn't have plans I would have bit the bullet myself with those magic stones. I mean, hell, I was already tired, but I can't spare the hour." She turned away from the bathroom, glancing between the three with mild concern. "You all do know I have plans, right? Have I made that clear enough? I can meet and greet for a minute or two in the lobby, but then I've got to get a move on."

David folded his arms, reclining himself against the wall next to the hall door. " 'Clear' is a rather strong word. You've mentioned plans, certainly, but why so buttoned-lip about them?"

She drew back, crossing her own arms and making a face that seemed almost defensively indifferent. "Because... they're personal plans."

He narrowed his eyes, keeping them locked on hers, letting the silence linger. Finally, after a sharp sniff, he said, "and when can we expect to see you again?"

"Oh," she shrugged, studying the ceiling, "maybe... seven?"

Before he could ask any follow-up questions, the soft hiss of running water in the bathroom halted, replaced by the sound of heavy breathing. Taking the diversion afforded to her, Connie grabbed the door handle and turned it, leaning in just a little. "Joe? Hey Joey? What's the damage? Can I come in?"

More heavy breathing followed, then a labored reply. "eehgh... you...yeah. Comenn."

Connie glanced uncertainly back at the others, then shrugged before proceeding inside. There, Joseph stood stooped over the sink, hands planted atop its surface, panting. Fortunately, there was little visible residue from his earlier expulsion in the surrounding area. His mouth was a bit wet, but it was only from the sink water. He glanced at Connie and the others for only a moment when the door opened, as though it were too much of an effort to keep his focus.

"Aw... hey buddy," she murmured, easing her way towards him. "Feeling any better?"

Slowly, he turned himself around, bracing himself against the sink edge as he leaned. He tried to force a smile, but his every action seemed to take three times as long as normal, with less than half the gusto. In the end, he only managed it with his eyes closed. "Yeah... and nah." He made strange movements with his shoulder and head, as though he were trying to point at himself without the use of his hands. "Side effects."

She nodded, coming closer, "Yep, I know. You must be getting tired right about now. How about we get you to bed? How does that sound?"

He closed his eyes again, loosing a laugh like a hiccup. "I know you know."

"Great, that's great," She circled around to his right side, "I'm just gonna help you along here, okay? Just gonna put my hand right here and- oh shit!"

Joseph had been following her movements through the open slivers of his sleepy eyes, but as soon as she touched his side, something gave way in his support, and he started sliding down the side of the bathroom sink and onto the floor. Acting quickly, Connie extended her arms beneath him, squatting to keep up with his rapid descent. She managed to catch him with one arm beneath his legs and another below his slim shoulders. With a mighty push from her reenergized legs, she even managed to hurtle herself back upright, though her extra burden sent the both of them stumbling back-first into the opposite wall. "Ow!"

Joseph sighed, closing his eyes again and leaning his head into her shoulder, lounging in her arms.

"Really dude?"

He only made a contented hum.

While Joseph wasn't quite as heavy as she'd expected—losing a large portion of his dinner minutes earlier no doubt helped—he was still close to a mid-sized human body, and his large tail made for awkward weighting. Without the bathroom wall to support her, Connie doubted she'd be able to clear the door smoothly. Cradling the salamandrine young man in her arms, she looked at the others with a plea in her eyes.

"Help."

Edited by Ryuhza on Sep 2nd 2022 at 9:52:35 AM

[Room 509]

Maria gave a tiny giggle, but ultimately went over to Connie's side to help her with Joseph. "Yeah, I remember my first time using this. Like I said, he won't be like this for long."

She looked down, thinking. "Though, it wouldn't hurt having someone stay for a while to watch over him. I can ask one of my friends to come up here! If that's okay with you, honey."

Oh God, he's heavier than I thought... she thought, Just...try not to drop him.

Hotel Dining Room (Samelin, Rosafa, Devad, Maria, Nick, Amandus, et. al.)

"Aww, think nothing of it," Samelin said. "We like making trouble for those with power they don't deserve. Unless it's us, of course."

Devad speared the last bite of pancake on his plate. "Do you have a plan for confronting these enemies?"

[Hotel Lobby]

Nick rubbed his chin. "Well, our plan is to get him restrained at least, or send him somewhere where he won't harm anyone ever again. But we haven't planned that far, we've mostly been trying to avoid him."

Maya went to Nick's side. "I saw we kill him." Their face expression made it clear that they were not joking. Nick shuddered.

"Orrr we can try to stop him without killing him cause that's the easy way, right?" Amandus added. "Either way, he has to be stopped. Now."

"We should start getting a move on after Maria gets here." Adam said, "Who knows how many more people he got under his spell by now!"

Hub Town Hotel: Room 509

"Well then, I hope we won't delay you too much when it comes to you... personal plans." Nasur replied to Connie, giving her a wink.

The Narati moved aside so Connie could enter the bathroom. Inside, Joseph looked not very well. The worst seemed over, at least, so he would just need to sleep.

Connie tried to lift him up herself, but it seemed he weighed too much for her. As Maria went to her side, Nasur moved behind her. He grabbed onto Joseph's massive tail, so Connie wouldn't have to carry its added weight. Very carefully, as well. He had heard some reptilian creatures shed their tail when it was pulled, so Nasur tried not to tug at it

"Very well, then." He said when the group was exiting the bathroom. "Where is the bed?"

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 _{^> David, Connie, Joseph — Maria — Nasur}


Connie frowned slightly at Nasur's remark. Not out of irritation, but perhaps a hint of sadness. She said nothing, but silently curled in her middle finger beneath Joseph's leg, hiding her discolored nail.

As the other two joined her in carrying parts of him, Joseph lifted his head slightly. He peered drowsily at Nasur and Maria, mouth set in a pensive line, as though evaluating his feelings on the situation at hand. However, he put up no resistance, and it didn't take long for his smile to return. "Some'ns tickln' me," he mumbled, eyelids slipping closed as he laid his head back against Connie's shoulder.

"Just try not to squirm," she said, shifting her grip to better allow Maria to get a hold of him, before slowly stepping away from the wall.

"Do or donut," he haphazardly quoted, "there is no squirnm."

"Well, of course," she glanced at the other two, shaking her head in confusion, "I mean, duh. Thank you two so much, by the way. Now let's get this guy moving."

David watched with quiet amusement from his spot by the hall door as the others piled into the bathroom to help escort Joseph out. He would have helped himself, but between his smaller stature and the number of proverbial cooks already in the proverbial kitchen, he thought better of it. With the three of them carrying the one of him, it was already looking like a small funeral procession.

"Oh dear," he murmured, "who died?"

"Hurm-hurm har-har. Dave, could you clear the way? Got a lizard boy coming through."

"Actually," Joseph chimed in, "Szchelmbulbr said I'm more like am anphibium. S'probably 'cause I'm why I like the water s'much." He made a soft humming sound, then sighed. "We should go swimming."

"There's a thought," David mused, ambling towards Joseph's bed with occasional carefree glances at the floor, just to make sure there wasn't anything too obstructive along their path. Once he reached the bed, he straightened out the covers before folding them back, ready to receive. He looked over his work for a moment, tapping a finger across his whiskery mouth, then hurried to the kitchen area.

Meanwhile, Joseph re-emerged from his half-asleep state to half-answer Maria, saying, "you're okay with me." Before he went back down, he noticed the red strip of fabric dangling over Connie's shoulder. "Why's...? You've a tie here Connie."

"That's right, shoulder ties are all the rage."

"How long've I been asleep?"

"Not long enough, now hush," she glanced back at the tail end of their procession, where the free end of Joseph's actual tail was lazily exploring the loose folds of Nasur's hooded garb, threatening to yank it free, "and leave Nasur alone."

Joseph squinted down the length of his body, then grinned sheepishly. "Oops." Even in his faint state, his tail was muscular enough to wreak mild havoc, so he removed it obediently.

As they neared the bed, David returned with a glass of water he set on a nearby nightstand. Then he hopped up onto the bed, remaining stone faced as he began waving his arms like an aircraft marshaller.

"David," Connie scolded, "shoes."

"...are the epitome of cleanliness," he replied, insistently gesturing to set Joseph down (a signal curiously found nowhere in the aircraft marshalling handbook) before stepping back and hopping off to give them space to do so.

Slowly, the soon to be snoozing champion was lowered to his chariot of midmorning slumber. As his ride came to an end, he groaned, "aw... put more money in."

"There's money under your pillow," Connie assured him, "you've just got to find it." Surely enough, his hands soon slipped beneath said pillow, and though there was no money, they found comfort enough to assuage his waking desires.

David bit his lip, looking over Joseph's seemingly sleeping form. He remembered how he'd felt waking alone in that room, unmoored and comfortless. "I can certainly come back to check on him." He said quietly, "Once I'm done in town."

"Maria said she was going to send someone up," Connie replied.

"Even so."

With a final, humming sigh, Joseph's eye opened to its narrowest paring, bearing light to one last image of his friends standing over him. He smiled gratefully, giving into sleep with a few parting words. "I'm gon' go get those pies."


David shook his head slowly. "Where does his mind go?"

Hotel ~ Lobby (Bonnie, Carol; Plethora of People)

Carol gives Henry a nod, "Aye, though, tis but a bit o'exercise for me, goin' up 'n' down. I've 'ad drills 'arder than that. I'll just pop up, nab Joe 'n' bring 'im down 'ere. What could possibly go wrong, eh?" With that said, she laughed before dashing off towards the stairs.

Meanwhile, Bonnie had meandered around the lobby, snagging a muffin to munch on, her ears pert and twitching towards the various conversations intermingled at her distance. She returned to where Henry and Ultra were, before chiming in after swallowing a bite of muffin.

"I've been thinking... there might be a few possible solutions to your whole... problems and stuff. First off, we'll need to find Lily— she's by no means an expert on interdimensional magics, but she is the only member of our group who has access to any form of space-time magic. There is a small chance we might be able to find the route you took from— Squak Mountain, was it? No guarantees, though."

"As for Joseph, there is the remote possibility that he developed some form of therianthropy. In which case, he might be able to transform back into his human form— we'd just have to find some form of trigger. Although... just want to eliminate one highly unlikely possibility— Has he by any chance fallen in any... tar pits in the last two days?"

The forest near Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Jobe)

As Maelys approached the pair of Qorisans, she commented, "Plenty of megafauna back home. Though, I have to ask— how big are these Dying World elephants? In comparison, the average Tellian elephant I around 4 or 5 meters tall at the shoulder."

Meanwhile, Mist was hot on the heels of her hound, soon passing by a freshly uprooted oak tree, the surrounding soil showing signs of being rooted through by a massive snout. The valkyrie cast her gaze around her surroundings, "Seems it's been through here..."

[Hotel Room 509]

Maria blinked at Joseph's rather...incoherent rambling, then cleared her throat.

"Y-Yeah, I'll go get one of my friends to come up here." She said, flipping her hair, "And, David? Remember; beware the eyes of silver. Mael is still out there, so please be careful. If you need us, we'll be around! Hopefully we'll find that jerk that stole your truck."

She went towards the door and opened it slightly, looking back. "You guys leaving now? Or do you need some more time?"

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Lobby (A Quiet Corner Near Reception) _{^> Henry — Bonnie — Ultra — Qeyari(?)}


"Yeah," Henry rubbed the back of his neck, "sorry to dump all of that on you at once. I figured if you're new to this too, why not get a head start? Taking it 'slow' around here hasn't made it much easier on me, that's for sure. Might as well rip the bandaid off quickly; who knows how many others there will be?"

Carol's parting question echoed in his mind, and he found himself looking back at the elevator once more, taken with half a mind to seek Joseph out himself.

What could possibly go wrong?

In a place like that, a place of magic stones, interdimensional travel, great beasts and people—and beast people, now including his own friend—of all sorts and dispositions... in a place like that, he had no earthly idea.

Bonnie rejoined him, having acquired a snack in her absence and bearing a few new ideas to boot. First, she offered a lead on the matter of getting them back home, though with the caveat of uncertainty, a caveat he was growing well accustomed to. "Yeah, Squak. And hey," he smiled, putting his hands up, "any port in a storm." She then suggested that he might have something called 'therianthropy.' He was about to ask more, but her follow up suggestion caught him by surprise.

"Tar pits?" he asked incredulously, "What, like La Brea with the mammoths? Wait- never mind, you wouldn't-" he shook his head, "uh, no. No, I think that would have come up. I hadn't seen him much the past couple of weeks, but we talked the day before he changed, and there wasn't a drop of tar on him."

He pursed his lips, stewing over what connection Bonnie might've been making. "Would him falling into a tar pit cause this, er, 'therianthropy?' Some kind of biological... essence transferring into him through the... tar?" He glanced between Bonnie and Ultra, well aware of just how far out of his depth he was. Any suggestion he had was just throwing vague concepts at the wall. "You know, Ultra here also thought that there might be some kind of mental state trigger involved, and he did seem to change again all on his own. That's barring any witches wiggling their fingers at him through a crystal ball, of course."

Turning back to Ultra, it finally seemed to click with him what she was suggesting. "Oh, you wanted to- no, no, you wouldn't be a third wheel. But," he glanced at Bonnie, then at the ceiling, hesitating, "I just wouldn't want to hold you up. You're looking for your person of interest, right? And it sounds like we're planning to link back up with Bonnie's comrade-in-arms. That could take us back to the forest I mentioned— that's where we were separated last night, wyvern attack and all that. Short of it is, it's not in town."

Edited by Ryuhza on Sep 11th 2022 at 10:31:59 AM

Ultra, Hub Town, Hotel, Lobby, a quiet corner near the reception area, talking to Henry and Bonnie

"No, it's no problem." Ultra assures Henry, "You've been as cooperative as I could reasonably expect, given present circumstances."

Taking Bonnie's input into consideration, though, one ear turns back in thought. 'Therianthropy' isn't a term that strikes her as remotely familiar, and she thus surmises it to be yet another fantastical phenomenon perilously far out of her league like so many others... but it would be a betrayal of her principles to neglect any line of inquiry. "That term, does this happen often where you're from?" she turns her gaze to the long-eared one—a curiously analytical gaze that, while nonmalicious, would be unnervingly piercing were her overall body language not otherwise relaxed.

"And what is the relation to tar pits?" Ultra furrows her brow, incredulous right alongside Henry at that remark. Those definitely weren't commonplace back home, but more because 'back home' was little more than a frozen wasteland of industrial ruins outside the shield domes, and had been for as long as she could remember, but she isn't about to dump that depressing factoid on either of them. "Psychosomatic, yes, for lack of anything more concrete. It's almost certainly not the root cause, of course, but..." she reiterates. "Closest thing to a firm lead. Our friend here is notably withdrawn and high-strung."

Magnus rushing past and smelling distinctly of vomit doesn't go unnoticed in the meanwhile, but she can't even begin to speculate as to what happened and thinks better than to draw attention to it beyond letting out an amused snort in spite of herself. "A person of interest I don't think is here anymore, if they're wise." she remarks, attention drawn back to the matter at hand as she adjusts her fingerless gloves and zips up her jacket. "Wouldn't hurt to get a better feel for wherever this even is before I start to make any guesses."

Hub Town Hotel: Room 509

Nasur helped Connie and Maria carry Joseph from the bathroom to his bed. It was not an easy task even between the three of them; Joseph was rather large. While the two ladies carried his body, Nasur followed behind lifting Joseph's heavy tail.

With some effort, they managed to get him out of the bathroom, and across the rest of the room to the nearby bed. While the 'lizard boy' seemed peaceful enough on Connie's arms, his tail had taken a life on its own. Its end portion writhed around lika giant worm, grabbing and pulling onto Nasur's tattered hood. The latter did his best to prevent that from happening, until Joseph could have it under control again.

When he was dropped gently onto his bed, Joseph wasted no time, and fell quickly into a well needed sleep. "Rest well." Nasur said softly, still fixing up his hood. "And don't let the bed bugs bite you."

With all said and done, Nasur turned to the door, ready to follow Maria. "I'm ready to go back down myself. Catch up in whatever the others were discussing." He rolled his shoulders, as a way of stretching up. "Besides, I would like to see if I can have an appropiate breakfast in this place."

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 —> Elevator (5th Floor) _{^> David, Connie, Joseph, Joseph — Maria — Nasur}


"Well," David turned to Maria, "if he does get hold of me, it should be easy enough to tell." He framed his eyes with his thumbs and short forefingers, indicating the stark contrast between the brown of his irises and the off-white of his surrounding fur. "Not to mention my last pair of road sunglasses are either out there buried in the sand or suckered in the bile of some beach blob." He flashed a quick grin, "Needless to say, I won't be wearing them."

"Pies..." Connie murmured under her breath, tapping her cheek as she studied her sleeping friend. David glanced at her, his curiosity piqued. "Oh," she shook her head, "it's nothing. I just... I think he mentioned pies earlier, in his sleep."

"That's quite the retention," David mused, scratching his chin, "I wonder if there's some subconscious desire there."

She raised her eyebrows. "So, what, you want to go pick up a pie for Joe?"

"I'm not saying that. He paused, then smiled coyly, "but it isn't off the table. If I happen across any when I'm out in town, that is. It could do nicely to celebrate a job well done." He took the corners of Joseph's bedsheet and blanket, lightly throwing them across the young salamandrine man, covering him shoulder to foot. "Although," he frowned, "this time I hope he won't just send it all back up."

His frown softened as he spent another moment looking over his young friend, before his expression settled in the realm of the unsettled, crossed with confusion and robbed of conclusion. There was much he still did not understand about Joseph, and there was much Joseph would perhaps never know about him. Yet neither kept Joseph from a fretless sleep. With tenderness, he placed a hand atop Joseph's head, patting it gently. Then he turned and he headed for the hall door.

Connie's brow furrowed. "I thought we already celebrated last night. You know, with that big breakfast spread we ordered up?"

"Hm?" he glanced back over his shoulder, "Oh, no, no, that was our recovery. Tonight comes our celebration. Once I get our payment." He joined the others by the door. "Coming?"

Connie didn't answer immediately, lightly chewing her lower lip as she searched the room. Her eyes fell upon the pillows of the unoccupied bed next to Joseph, then the lamp on the bedside table, then David's luggage, still propped open, displaying his array of neckties... sans one. "Yeah... just a- just a sec."

"...and the wait continues," David murmured, amusing himself. He folded his arms and turned slightly, lifting his head to Nasur. "So they have bed bugs where you're from, too?" He sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Is no land safe from the little devils? Is no sleep sacred? Still, I suppose it can't be worse than waking to a hobble pike bite."

"Hey Dave, do you need anything else from your suitcase? The one with the ties and socks and all that jazz? Or should I close it up?"

He shook his head, then beckoned. "Clothes away."

"Gotcha." With that, she angled herself such that her back blocked sight of her hands, at least where the bed wasn't already blocking it. Then she discreetly folded the scrap of paper into the empty tie loop from where she'd procured her red necktie, before finally closing the suitcase and zipping it back up. "And don't worry," she added, patting the tie slung over her shoulder, "I'll return this as soon as I'm back."

"By the way, when should we expect to see you again? After your 'personal plans', I mean."

"Uh..." Connie rose, giving the room one last look-over as she sidled over to the door, "about seven o' clock. Yeah, seven at latest. But hey, if you're not here when I get back, and I'm not here when you come looking, you can just check your suitcase. If the tie is back, I'm back."

David blinked, tilting his head slightly. "You've given this a lot of thought."

She shrugged, knitting her fingers, "It just came together."

He hummed, and his eyes shifted slightly to the necktie on her shoulder. "So are you ever going to try that on, or did your really sharp waitress wear hers over her shoulder too?"

Rolling her eyes, Connie grabbed the necktie looping it—quite appropriately—around her neck. Around the outside of her jacket collar, to be specific. She slid the knot up slightly, then put her hands on her hips, striking a bit of a post and regarding David with an air of pomp.

"Oh," he said, squinting, or perhaps wincing, at the display. "Like... that?" His whiskers danced a moment as he tried to contain his feelings. "You're sure you aren't looking for a neckerchief? I think I've got one in-"

"No, this'll do. Let's get moving." Without waiting for a response, she opened the door and walked out into the hall, making a beeline for the elevator.

David could only look on quizzically, before sighing and throwing up his hands, smiling at the others, "as she likes."

On the way to the elevator, he glanced up at Nasur. "Might I ask what an appropriate breakfast would be? And might I help you procure one?" His eyes drifted to the man's tattered attire, "or if there's anything else you need. Far be it from me to tell you what to wear; I don't know your traditions. But I would be surprised if your traditional garb included dirt crust and sun bleaching." Connie stood by the elevator, impatiently tapping her foot as she watched the old-timey meter rise. At last, the doors opened. Connie took one look and stiffened up, quickly stepping aside and pressing herself against the wall.

Inside the elevator there stood a small congregation of people, truly testing the occupancy limit. Each one was shrouded head to toe in matching pale yellow robes, adorned with crimson accents and bands of silvery metal. Over each of their faces was worn an eerie triangular mask made of the same metal, the only indication of facial features being two narrow slits cut into them, presumably for their eyes.

Slowly, the first of the group exited the elevator, stepping slowly—almost gliding out into the hallway. They came halfway out then stopped very still. Their robes shifted, mask swiveling smoothly to face the three still approaching the elevator, lingering for an uncomfortable few seconds. Then it turned again, this time aiming back at the elevator, then at Connie, who was trying to keep her shit together next to the button panel.

Finally, the mask turned to the other end of the hallway, opposite David, Maria, and Nasur. Time seemed ill at ease as a limb rose from within the dense drapery of the person's robes, languidly gesturing in the same direction. Without a word, the apparent leader of the group drifted down the hall, followed shortly thereafter by their six cohorts, shuffling out of the elevator one by one.

" 'Scuse me."

"Excuse us."

"Beg your pardon."

"Scusi."

Connie just blinked silently, flashing a twitchy smile at the stream of robed figures as they went on their way.

"Sthig tauthapsyt."

"Sorry 'bout that."

The last apology was directed back into the elevator, rather than to those in the hall. Connie waited patiently until the final robed figure was a few meters down the hall, only making a move when the elevator doors started to automatically close. She reached in to stop them, then pried them back open (aided greatly by an electric motor), stepping into the doorway and looking inside.

"Oh god."

David's ears perked up. He'd been watching the remains of the congregation disappear around the far corner of the hall, wondering where he'd seen garbs like theirs before, but now his attention was fixed on Connie.

"There's more of him."

The last occupant of the 5th floor elevator was sequestered in the back right corner, almost difficult to spot in the dull lighting for how still he was. However, his decidedly anti-camouflage puffy ski jacket gave him away. It was a dark emerald green with bright stripes of blue and red across the chest. Below that he wore a pair of tan hiking pants, not the most comfortable but sturdy enough, and—though it was scarcely visible from that angle—even bearing a hole crudely stitched into the seat to suit his large tail. On his feet were boots that looked a bit large for him. Cradled in his arm was a dark, bunched-up bag tightened with a drawstring. Beneath his clothes, he looked a lot like the very same Joseph they'd just left in their hotel room◊. A little softer, maybe. Fewer scratches, starker skin, and frightened eyes, shaken from their brief relief.

Edited by Ryuhza on Sep 26th 2022 at 4:04:06 AM

[Hotel-Room 509-Elevator]

So it was settled. Everyone was ready to go.

Maria thought about who to send to check on Joseph? Nick kind of knew him, but Adam knew him the most. But he hated being left behind on things, and she knew how deeply that messed with it confidence. There was always Amy, but she also knew that the constant hugging would get overwhelming. Maya...well, Maya was not the best influence.

So that left the Richmans, the men who called him his son. Yeah. Yeah, that made the most sense, especially since they missed him so much, but would they be willing to leave the kids so soon? She'd had to ask.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Connie spoke...and then her face dropped. "He's here? I thought he would be with..." Now things got a hell of a lot more complicated, and she sighed deeply. "Well. This will be a pain in the ass to explain to the Richmans..."

Edited by Masterofchaos on Sep 27th 2022 at 4:31:21 AM

Hub Town Hotel: Room 509 -> Elevator

"Oh, you wouldn't believe it." Nasur replied at David's question about bedbugs. "Those things are everywhere. I never had to deal with them, thankfully, but I've heard more than enough horror stories." He shuddered in disgust. "Hopefully, our friend here will not be disturbed by those plagues."

As the group, sans Joseph, made their way through the corridor, David asked about Nasur's own ideas of good food. "Oh, it's been a while since I ate something good. Or ate anything at all, to be honest. From what I remember, I would have mostly eggs, mushrooms, fried insects... Those were a delicacy. Always accompanied by a nice drink." The Narati recalled. He started salivating at the memories. "All properly energized, of course. 'Mana' was what nourished us. The food itself was mostly a luxury if you could afford it."

Then, as Nasur was wiping his mouth with his arm, the conversation turned to clothing. Once again, Nasur felt conscious of his appearance, both the rags he was wearing, and his emaciated figure. "Well, you are right about that." He replied softly. "This is not something I would normally wear. Perhaps other, more unfortunate souls out there, but certainly not someone of my status." He emphasized the last part with a flourish of his hand, which pointed at himself.

"Unfortunately, surviving in exile has left me with little more than what I currently wear. Perhaps, when I can afford it again, I'll get myself something appropiately opulent. I wouldn't mind some proper clothing."

The elevator arrived, but not empty. A group of eerie figures made their way out, clad in robes and wearing masks. Nasur took a step back, letting the robed figures go on their way, but never taking his eyes off them. Finally, when they turned the corner, Nasur sighed in relief and moved towards the elevator...

And stopped, seeing the one passenger that didn't get leave with the rest. "Oh," He said quietly. "So this was the one to keep an eye on?"

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Elevator (5th Floor) _{^> Joseph — David, Connie — Maria — Nasur}


"Hmm, fried insects," David murmured, shielding his mouth—and his distaste—with a thoughtful hand. Then, a quiet grin, "any bed bugs?"

He listened attentively as Nasur answered his questions, but their attention was quickly pulled to the elevator before he could follow up.


Joseph's fingers dug slowly and tightly into the bag he carried, threatening to puncture it with his claws. It was bad enough that he'd been yanked up to the fourth floor by a troupe of mobile, owl-faced drapes and quietly smushed behind them while they went up to the fifth floor. Now he found himself face to face with the same pugnacious girl he'd encountered in the stairway— the friend of the other Joseph who refused to buy that he wasn't who she thought he was. He'd gotten over it at first, exhausting and confounding as it was to try to explain, he figured it was just as frustrating to try and understand, let alone accept. But now she was gaping at him and bemoaning his very existence! It was enough to stir up an angry little fire in his chest.

Sure, maybe he'd hesitated a little too long at the button panel. Maybe he'd overthought how to make his re-entry with Carol (and presumably Henry and Bonnie, for they hadn't come to the door when he'd knocked). Maybe he'd wanted to stand tall and proud as the grand finder of the laundry bag (never mind that he'd been the first to walk right past it). Maybe he'd just wanted to move past that helpless, hopeless feeling he'd had, clinging to the railing at the bottom of those stairs. But that was it. A few moments of extra hesitation, and he'd wound up on the wrong floor. It didn't deserve gawking at, like he was some intruder. He was just using the elevator.

He thought to give her a piece of his mind in return, maybe throw it right back in her face: 'Oh god, there's more of her'. See how she liked it. But before he could commit to anything, the girl was joined by another girl. Her he remembered as one of the teens he'd briefly encountered at the campsite the previous day, though he couldn't recall her name, if he'd ever learned it. But the eyepatch was unmistakable. More friends of the other Joseph, he thought, heart sinking. Likewise, she didn't seem particularly happy to see him, grumbling about being a pain to explain to some rich something-or-other. Joseph the inconvenience. That's who I am here.

His heart sank further.

Maybe that's just who he was.

He didn't know where to go then, but he wanted to move. He felt like an exhibit in a transdimensional freakshow, caged in his elevator, an invisible pane of glass keeping the onlookers from stepping inside, and keeping him from escaping. He had no business on the fifth floor, but maybe he could push past the small audience and make his way back to the stairwell. What was five floor's descent when compared to withering under those eyes? A lot, he had to concede; his jacket and ill-fitting boots certainly didn't aid his balance.

Just as he was entertaining the idea of shutting the doors in their faces, a third person appeared. This one, pale, bluish, and ragged, he was certain he'd never seen before, though the man seemed to regard him with some recognition, staring and whispering to the others. His long face felt hot. Evidently, the girl—Connie, he was pretty sure—had sorted out his identity, and now it was the latest gossip there in Hotel Joseph. Just how many people did she tell about me?

With three bodies blocking his escape, he was well and truly trapped. He tried to look away, but there was nothing else to look at. He tried to back away, but he was already in the corner, and an uncomfortable pinch in his tail kept him from pressing himself any more flush with the wall. So he just hunkered where he was, his toes curling in his boots, his grip on the laundry bag becoming more like a hug. Eventually, someone would have to make a move. It couldn't go on forever.

"You're all being terribly vague," came a fourth voice. Joseph could see someone moving behind the legs of the other three. "Would any of us by chance like to step into the elevator? It works best from the inside, I find. Unless of course you're after a particularly expensive guillotine. Pardon if I'm not." Two small hands appeared from the small gap between Connie and the blue man, parting them enough for the owner of the fourth voice to step through.

Now it was Joseph's turn to stare, for the hands and the voice—a soft, yet hardy masculine voice—belonged to a furry, otter-like creature the size of a small child who was wearing a sporty little outfit and staring back at him. The sight was enough to stun him right out of his anxiety at least for the moment. Maybe it was his size, or the fact that he looked like a cartoon character come to life, but Joseph felt almost more dumbstruck than he had by Ultra in the stairway— and she'd been glowing neon. The little otter man stared in return, uttering a singular, "Oh," as they shared their look in silence.

However, he quickly looked away, glancing up at the other three gawkers and seeming to take stock of the situation, for he shook his head and stepped in further, "Joseph, I assume?"

Joseph paused, then nodded wordlessly.

"David Harkness," he said, walking closer and extending his hand. Joseph shifted his bag into the cup of one arm and shook David's hand. "Pleasure." The otter man regarded him with a friendly smile, taking up a post near the button panel before looking at the others expectantly. "Well don't block the way out," he scolded, "If Joseph has business on the fifth floor, then let him at it."

"Acshually, I'm goin' to the-" he hesitated as David looked back at him. "...to the lobby."

Another smile. "What luck; as are we." His hand hovered over the button for the lobby as he waited for the others to enter.

Glancing uneasily between David and Joseph, Connie finally stepped beyond the threshold and into the elevator, slowly easing her way over to the back corner opposite Joseph. She looked him up and down, before finally asking, "I don't suppose you know any of us, huh?"

Joseph cocked his head slightly. "I know you from the sthairs. Conmie, right?"

Connie's eyes widened. She quickly looked him up and down again, before slapping herself on the forehead. "It's you!"

He cocked his head further, lizardy brow furrowing. "Yeah, it's me."

She lifted her head, breathing a sigh of relief as her disposition changed almost entirely. "Oh thank god, I thought you were a third Joseph for a second. Two is one thing, but can you imagine if you guys started multiplying?" She reached over and pinched his puffy jacket sleeve, rubbing the material between her fingers. "You're all clothed up."

He nodded at the bag in his arms.

"Oh, duh. I must be going blind over here." She turned to the remaining two, waving her arms, "All clear, it's just the other Joseph. No new Josephs beyond this guy." Her face fell as a realization suddenly hit her. "...You two already knew that, didn't you?"

Edited by Ryuhza on Oct 3rd 2022 at 1:18:41 AM

[Elevator]

Maria furrowed her eyebrows. "Yes. I did know. Because Joseph and I told you ahead of time, but you thought we were pranking you." She sighed. "Well, looks like you got your proof, honey."

She turned to Joseph—well, Henry's Joseph—and gave a small smile. "Good to see you again! Although..." She looked him over, "I was hoping the moonstones kept you human for a little longer. What happened? Is everything okay?"

She began to worry. That shouldn't be possible. The moonstones should've kept him human again! Why did he go back? I have to tell Jackson and the others about this.

"How have things been since we last saw you?" she continued, "Just want to check on you, dear."

Hub Town Hotel: 5th Floor

Nasur wrinkled his nose in disgust at David's suggestion. "Goodness, no!" He replied quietly. "We use only properly raised insects for food."

With that said, the Narati focused again on the being inside the elevator. The 'other Joseph' looked similar to the one Nasur already knew, yet still quite different. For once, he looked shy and scared, like a kid trapped where he shouldn't be. Although, considering his only way out was currently blocked, it was understandable.

Thankfully, David took the iniciative, entering the elevator and introducing himself to Joseph. Nasur decided to follow his example. "Hello, then. I am Nasur, of Nocturna." He said to joseph, bowing slightly. "A pleasure to make you acquaintance as well." He then followed the group and entered the elevator with the rest.

_{^< cont. from} Hub Town - Hotel, Elevator (Going Down) _{^> Joseph — David, Connie — Maria — Nasur}


Connie's mouth twisted up, like she was trying to moderate her level of sourness. "Well forgive me for being a little slow on the uptake. I've never heard of two versions of the same person before. I mean, sure, plenty of things are possible on Janus that I wouldn't have believed before, but if you go around believing in every crazy thing you hear of, people start to take advantage of your naivety. There's no winning."

Joseph smiled slightly, recognizing a kind of frustration he knew well himself. "Iss hard for me to believe too," he offered, glancing at her before drawing back into his corner. "Sometimes it feels like it's all juss a dream, and I'm sill waiting to wake up."

Connie said nothing at first, but regarded him thoughtfully, as though she hadn't expected anything from him but stupefied gestures and woebegone murmurings. Finally, she said, "I guess I do owe you an apology. Sorry for losing my cool with you on the stairs, but I genuinely believed you were the Joseph I knew."

"It's okay."

"He's not really one for elaborate pranks, but try imagining encountering someone who looks identical to your friend, sharing the same name and everything, but who claims he's not. It's a hard sell! Even..." she shrugged, glancing at Maria and conceding, "even when more and more people tell you that it's true."

"It's okay," he insisted, looking at her.

She withheld a smile, making an amused sniffing sound. "You're a lizard of few words, huh?"

Joseph looked away. He said nothing, keeping his eyes trained on the least occupied spot in the elevator.

Meanwhile, seeing as everyone was aboard, David hit the button for the lobby, then settled back against the wall, hooking his arms over the railing and splitting his gaze between the floor meter and his company. Nasur introduced himself to the other Joseph, who met him with the bemused smile one might wear when being introduced to a total stranger in an elevator. Nonetheless, he half-matched the Narati's bow and opened his mouth to reply, before quickly shutting it— probably realizing how unnecessary it would be to offer his own name.

He turned his attention back to the meter as it passed the fourth floor, idly musing on the odds they'd encounter another strange group like the robed congregation before they hit the lobby. The whole platform seemed to be moving rather slowly, but perhaps it was just his imagination. Maria spoke to the other Joseph, probing him about their earlier encounter, when she'd evidently tried to use the moonstones to restore his human form. This caught David's interest, though he tried not to show it too much, letting his gaze wander as much to Nasur and Connie as to the other two.

Joseph hesitated, glancing at the others before offering his meek answer. "I don' really know. I fell asleep an' had a couple really weird dreams. When I woke up, I was in this... this portable containmen' pod thing. They let me out, and I juss..." he drummed his claw-tipped fingers against his bag, "I juss started changing again."

Connie pursed her lips, coming to a slow realization. "So, hang on, how long have you actually been this way?"

" 'bout two- no, three days. Minus the time I was asleep," he answered.

"Damn, so this is all new to you. That explains a bit. Damn, this has got to be a lot, huh?"

Joseph wished he could laugh, or at least find some amusement in hearing an entirely accurate and yet woefully inadequate description of his experience. All he could manage was a toothy grimace.

"Well hey, Maria, you've still got the moonstones, right?" She looked to Maria, seeking confirmation. "Maybe you can give them another shot."

[The forest near Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Jobe)]

Ethani thought for a moment. She'd seen them in a zoo once, so she had a decent gauge. With the translation magic neatly switching from Qorisayane units (as it had translated to them for her), she said, "not quite so large, but still over half that".

Then, acknowledging Mist's greater attention to the task at hand, Ethani said, "understood. Just a moment..."

She closed her eyes and reached out, sensing for the minds of beasts. Smaller and dimmer than human minds, but swine were fairly sharp, so she should be able to pick them up...

Edited by KillerClowns on Oct 12th 2022 at 7:42:40 AM

[Elevator]

Hearing the semi bitterness is Connie's voice, Maria giggled. "It's okay, honey. I completely understand." She blew her a kiss.

She silently listened to Joseph's story, thinking over it. He wasn't human long? Christ what the hell happened since we left to get Mr. Richman? I'll have to ask Henry about it, if he's here. This worries me.

When Connie offered giving it another shot, her eye widened in concern. "Uh, I...really don't know if that's such a good idea, sweetheart. Considering what I'm hearing, I'm not sure the moonstone's effects will improve things or make it worse, and I don't want to risk it. I'm not going to treat him like a guinea pig."

Hotel ~ Lobby (Bonnie; Plethora of People)

Bonnie nodded, "A brief explanation is in order— Therianthropy is... for some a skill, for others, a curse. It's a..." Her ears twiddled briefly, "It's a branch of magic that's not thoroughly researched. Close-guarded secrets by certain cultures, utilizing a wide variety of methods. Any number of which could have caused Joseph to become a salamander."

"As for the tar pits—" Bonnie waved a hand in a circular motion, "Normally, they are exposed bitumen deposits comprised of fossilized plant matter. However, there exists... a far more ancient variety, that is highly volatile and extremely dangerous with exotic properties. Such as causing a process dubbed 'monsterization', where a mundane creature undergoes a radical and usually detrimental metamorphosis into something... well, monstrous." She paused for a moment, "This might cause a man to become a beast... both physically... and mentally. Like I said, a highly unlikely possibility since Joseph's clearly not a highly aggressive, highly territorial salamander-man that would make a southern black buffalo look tame."