Old as Dirt: Disbelief/Chapter 1

Grantok wanders downstairs and swiftly makes a bee-line for the bar, not even halfway there and onto a stool before attempting to flag down a Tagling to place her order. Mickey has left.

[REDACTED] nods in Grantok's direction. "Can you please tell your friend not to paint pictures in Foxheart's head. It was really impolite."

Catalina keeps a little distance from the three for now, moving to a corner to watch instead, "Yeah, Bal's pretty smart." she says, grinning a bit, and curling up tightly into her ball. "Hopefully I'll get a little more useful as I learn more. Oh, Hiya Gran."

Narg shifts her paw a bit in the fire before brining it out and setting the firehot paw on her muzzle

"Y'know, I wouldn't mind meeting this 'Dirt' - what does he call himself, anyway? - properly and having an honest conversation with him. Have any of you treated him politely...?" Of course mentions of Coyote, veiled or not, bring Eithne out of her introspective world of equations and ideas. She has far more based on him, after all.

Grantok frowns slightly in [REDACTED]'s direction. "I'd be happy if I could get him to stop painting pictures in /my/ head, let alone anyone else. Hell, didn't even know that the upstart was doing anything." Her ears flatten a little. "Seems someone is just full of surprises."

Foxheart shivers a little as Grantok enters. "It's...it's okay. I just won't use my clairvoyance around her..." She waves at Grantok.

As always, Balina provides very little resistance to Aidantails. "The real question was why he was painting things not even regular Coyote was around for," she mentions, then mutters something to Aidan as she comes within range.

Grantok returns the pleasantries dispensed her way in kind. "You mean like how can he know the fine details of how he was created if he wasn't even in existance in the first place? I'd just chalk it up to one of those supernatural mysteries in life. Or just the fact that he can get inside heads. Take your pick."

[REDACTED] reaches out and scritches Balina, "I'm not really sure if it was him at all, but why she was assaulted by my private thoughts makes no sense otherwise..." and then her head tilts, "Clairvoyance?" looking at Fox.

Aidan shakes her head as she hears Balina's whisper. She hugs tighter Balina and [REDACTED], keeping them close and warm nuzzling harder against the wolfcow's neck.

Catalina blinks at Clairvoyance, you don't wanna see into my mind, trust me." the fox says, and then returns to her curled up quiet self for now. Dirt having been a recurring converstaion bordering on old news, it's clear the fox is quickly out of it.

Foxheart nods slowly at [REDACTED]. "What I do to read minds. Though I don't really get a clear picture unless the person trusts me fully." She shudders, taking a sip from her cup to calm herself. "My powers are quite severely weakened when I...I..." She pauses for a moment, eying [REDACTED] warily. "Uhh. Posession." She finally decides to say.

[REDACTED] sighs, "Fox, I don't blame you anymore. If I had the chance to cut your goddess' throat for what she did to you, I would, but not you. Nobody deserves that kind of hell. Nobody." In the deep of night, it is not safe for man or beast in the world gone mad.

"I don't know. I'd kinda wish it on Shadow, y'know?" Eithne comments idly, already turning back towards metanl exercises. "Hrm. I wonder... Hey, Aidan, can I have a blood sample please? I promise I won't do any mad SCIENCE! to it." She looks up and tries to meet the foxy lady's eyes in the mess of tales and fur and cuddles. "Though, that also reminds me of something else. What's the running list of people Shadow has possessed?"

Balina intones, "The origin story is wrong. It's just a story, and goes against what we already have. No conflict." An arm is wrapped around Aidan, the moowoof spending a few moments with her face buried in fur before continuing, "It's when he starts showing us things that are actually true that I worry."

Foxheart smiles weakly. "Thank you. But the feelings that I had that day were so strong...at least until Grantok left." Her gaze is more or less centered on Balina, who clearly made the most impact on the kitsune.

[REDACTED] looks at Eithne, "For certain? Myself, the originator, Ferox, and now Hare. He had his tendrils inside Sorien and Cilan at points. Taggart, for certain, had an aspect of him. And if the tales are true, Coyote. Oh and Elaine...

Grantok's tails twitch at the mention of possession. It's clear she has an opinion on the subject, even if she doesn't actually voice what it is. Instead she turns about and begins eating the kabobs that the Tagling just delivered. She does glance over her shoulder in the kitsune's direction. "Sorry if the upstart gave you a shake up."

Catalina sits up, leaning against the wall from her spot on the floor, pulling out a cigar, "Wonder if russ'll miss this." she smirks, lighting it, "Yeah, Staying well clear of that Shadow stuff, I'd be a bloody puppet if I got anywhere near him, most likely." she says, staying quiet.

Eithne hrms, and scribbles that down on a new page. "... Hrm. Who on that list /hasn't/ also been blessed or tainted by another supernatural source, and that I can reasonably take a blood sample from?"

Aidan nods at Eithne. "Yes.. it's not an issue. I already gave a lot of samples to the zephyr's scientists." the fox murrs, clearly thinking to something that is making her smile, but she keeps that for herself. "Still, I'm not sure that you'll find much... those nanites seems to not be able to... well, 'live' outside their host.". She turns to Balina, nuzzling her back and holding her closer, an arm around the wolfcow's waist.

[REDACTED] looks at Eithne. "Do you know Sparhawk's daughter, the former coyote packmind that has grown conciousness and became her own person? You could ask her."

Foxheart smiles at Eithne. "I could give you a sample of my host's blood if you wish. Maybe check his health. I have no way of telling anything apart from hunger, thirst or pain."

"I'm getting deja vu," Balina mutters. "Didn't we go through this earlier today, when Solixis asked the same thing? You want 'clean' samples, go find the new people as they come into the lobby. Offer them some waders when you do."

Eithne makes a so-so motion. "I don't understand the packmind nanites, and that would probably interfere with my results. It is an idea, however, and I will ask her about things [REDACTED]." She glances over to Foxheart, and looks the kitsune up and down a moment. "Thank you. I can do a checkup, though I'm more 'forensic examiner' than 'doctor' when it comes to living beings. I'm a savant for experimentation, not, well... fixing people. You're better to ask Snowblind about that. My methods are... rather painful." And then a pause, and she swats Bal on the nose. "And I'm looking for people who have been host to Shadow, and Shadow alone, so I can test them against previous results from my research into [REDACTED]'s blood."

Foxheart lets out a soft 'ahh'. "Interesting. My host won't die as long as I'm around, but I want to spare him any pain he might be feeling." She looks into her empty cup and sighs.

Catalina listens to talk of hosts and packminds, and then she looks to Foxheart, "Wait, you're host can see though your eyes and all, right, can he speak to you in your head or somthing?"

Grantok removes the last piece of meat from a skewer and pops it into her mouth. "Cooperative and caring, hmm. Little refreshing to hear that. I'd begun to think that all the divine were simply jerks." She glances upwards towards the rafters and speaks sarcastically to no one in particular. "Maybe there's a lesson in there for someone."

Foxheart shakes her head. "Complete control. It's my punishment." She doesn't say anything more.

Balina winces at swatting, retreating further into her tail fort. "What about things in Shadow's thrall? There are an awful lot more of those than there are people who survived Shadow possession."

Mickey slips into the pub with a few loose feathers trailing behind in her wake. Thankfully there's no parrot about, but she does have that boombox of her's playing out a light little caribbean steelpan song that's oddly tropical for an end-of-the-year season. Least she has the mind to have it set pretty low, for now.

"I was under the impression they maintained their haunts to certain areas none of you want to visit or bring up every again." Eithne pouts at Bal, and then curls up on the lounger. "Though that is a good suggestion. Hrm. Where did you say it had made a good foothold, again? May try luring something to the boundaries and then ambushing them for a sample..." She taps her eraser on her chin, thoughtful.

Grantok flattens her ears against her head. "Not reassuring in the least to hear that bit." She glances back to the ceiling. "And don't get any funny ideas. I'm not about to go giving up any more than I absolutely have to."

Aidan nuzzles against Balina's hair, giving her quite a comfortable fort of tails. She seems to growing tired yet, the fox more a source of just warmth and purring right now.

Catalina's ear turns to the music, "Heya Mickey!" she prrs, then looking to [REDACTED], "Ya'll figure out somthing, I'm sure of it... We'd be more helpful, but Russ and I aren't really experts in devine stuffs."

Balina shakes yet more deja vu out of her head. "Probably the oldest problem I remember hearing about in here. Sacramento was on everyone's lips back in February, and I don't think any ideas have come up since." A wave is issued from the pile that hypothetically contains one wolfcow, but it's rather difficult to determine attempted body language beyond that.

Foxheart raises a hand. "I suppose I can help you out a little...I have quite a bit of experience with gods. But I don't know anything about the one you're chasing." She looks at the pile of tails and sniggers.

Mickey raises a hand to touch her hat fingers-to-brim in a mimed greeting to Cat, giving a smile and slotting into an empty seat as unobtrusively as possible. As much as one can do with steelpan music anyway. She's much more content to listen in and evesdrop as she enjoys her break.

"Ideas have come up. Just that not many of them have panned out like we've wanted to." Grantok points at her own toothy grin before continuing. "Case and point. Better question to be asked is are we any closer to a solution?"

Grantok sighs and shakes her head. "Point me to a place that has a translation of Old Language of the Gods to modern English and I'll gladly finish them. Only the seven as of right now. Even knowing what's written on them doesn't mean that I know how to use them beyond the one ritual."

Balina makes more vague body language from within her prison. "Thought I'd ask. It seems like one of our few leads right now. Admitted, the problem is from before my time, so there's a lot I simply don't know about it."

Eithne blinks at Grantok, and then sighs and shakes her head. She flips to a clean page, and very carefully sketches out an image from memory. "Coyote, could I speak to you?" She tries adressing 'Dirt', glancing about the room and putting the comment towards no one present, the image of the time she saw him held firmly in her mind, just as it is put cleanly on her paper. As Above, So Below. She hopes.

Cilan trudges back downstairs, holding what looks to be an old dish rag against her stomach, on close inspection there seems to be a bit of crimson staining the middle of it, though judging by the smirk pulled across Cilan's lips she doesnt seem to care about it, or the other still-healing wounds covering her form. At the bottom of the stairs Cilan glances around the room and offers a friendly wave to those familiar to her before making her way to the back hallway.

Foxheart watches the mass of tails, following their conversation. "I don't know the details of your problem, but I'll help if you need me to." She walks over to the samovar to grab a fresh cup of tea.

Catalina smiles a bit at Mickey after a moment, "I've not seen you in here much, how are ya doin?" she asks, turning from the group's conversation to the mall rat for a moment.

Mickey's ears clink softly as she turns her head to look back to the stairs. The sight of Cilan moving by warrents a look of concern from the rodent, but since she appars to be smiling and otherwise untroubled Mickey allows Cat to district her. "Mm? Oh, fine, fine," she smiles. "Catching up on work, getting back in touch. Yourself?"

From out of the back hall, and over the sound of something sizzling Cilan calls out, "I overheard you were looking for a book on old languages, Gran. You ever try one of those linguistics classes in one of the Universities? Y'never know, you might find a tome, or just some notes that havent been destroyed yet."

"Evening, Cilan!" calls Aidan's tails, rustling. "Tests looked okay this morning. Still feeling yourself?" The wolfcow currently has most of her senses tied up, and is completely unaware of anything save for voices.

Catalina says, "Same, not seen much of Russell lately, and just chillin out here like a bum, should go out and do some work." she chuckels, before waving to Cilan as she passes, before calling after her, "Heya Cil!" The vulpine finds a spot to curl up again, listening quietly.

Aidan giggles and strokes softly between the two wolfcow's ears peeking out from her tails. At first there's nothing at all, until movement on the drawing catches Eithne's eye. The image winks at her, and drawn words, laughter appear on the page, silent. It only seems to animate for Eithne thought.

Eithne curls up on her lounger, all by her lonesome, and begins a written discussion. [Hello! We haven't met. I go by Eithne. I understand you're Coyote?]

"Yeah, still me in here, Bal!" Cilan says as she escapes the back hallway carrying a plate holding both a burger and fries. "As I said, if anything awry goes on, you'll be the first I tell." sitting on one of the barstools next she glances to Grantok and waves, "How'd you sleep, old friend"

Mickey chuckles. "Nothing's wrong with chilling through it all," Mickey nods as her gaze wanders. Pile of tails, more tails..science; "So what's been going on? It seems the city as a whole has been a lot more active since the last time I flew into town.."

Grantok smiles in Cilan's direction. "Hi Cil. I've been over Sori's private collection of books from the libraries. Good as anything that can be found in the universities now. Most of my little sabbatical was trying to find answers to those questions." She shrugs. "Again. No better, no worse. I hate to think that I'm actually getting used to the damn things every night."

An exposed, bovine ear flicks. "Still too soon for me to stop being giddy and/or worrying about it. I promise I'll stop asking within a week." Hopping conversations without hopping locations, "And getting used to the damned things sounds like 'better', if a very careful definition of it."

The image swirls around eating the words as they're drawn almost pacman like, the mass absorbing into his bloated tummy, and he swirls around, falling on his back, laughing. Entirely irritating since he makes no means to respond or even if he actually understood what the words were that he ate.

Eithne scribbles a deer on the page, watching the reaction.

Rihko slips down the stairs, paws in her pockets. She is smiling, and quietly whistling to herself as she enters the Den and gives the room a little nod and a wave. "Hey, people. Evenin'. How's it going?"

Catalina says, "Nothing much, it's calm here, got a text from the boss telling me the state of the lobby and wondering if I'd enjoy camping out front with a 12 pack and a few boxes of hundred grain..." She snrks, "Can't say either of us are into that much anymore, but considering, it sounded like a pleasent afternoon at the range." She waves at Rihko, "Heya Rihko."

And there's a deer in the room, it wasn't there a moment ago, standing, blankly staring in a very confused manner. It bleats at the sight of all the predators in the room.

Cilan reaches a clawed hand behind Grantok's ear and idly scritches the lynx, "Mm.. I see, and y'never know, it might just be the bodies natural coping mechanism. Either that or it's just not scary enough to wake you anymore. S'kinda like watching a horror movie over and over again, all of the parts that make you jump seem more, and more boring after a while." she just shrugs and offers the plate, "Fry?" she asks, "But that's just my idea.. I dunno."

"Becoming comfortable with the image of your friend being tortured and bled to death." Grantok shakes her head. "I'm more inclined to think 'no' in that instance."

More ear-twitching, and soon a Balina head is visible, nose twitching in the not-tail air as she begins to stare. "The hell do I keep missing?"

Eithne blinks at the deer in the corner. "Hey, Bal! Lunch." She points at it. And then uses the distance references to draw a school of fish above where she believes in the tailpile. Why? /Just because/.

Mickey lifts up her hat with a more formal greeting when she spies Rihko. Still, 'The Best of Caribbean Steelpan" mingles out from the speakers tucked under her chair, and the rodent sways lightly from side to side as she listens. "Oh?" she appears bemused by the comment, but shrugs it away and is about to change the topic when.. "..Th fuck?" She looks about again. There's a deer. Does everyone else see the deer? Or is she finally tripping out for good?

Rihko freezes and tilts her head to the side as she stares at the deer. "OK. Who brought that in here?" she asks.

Cilan blinks at the deer and scratches at the back of her head, "Uh.. someone's spirit animal, I'm guessing? Or is that just a case of one of the Taglings forgetting to hunt the animal before actually bringing it here."

The little image changes, the swirling school of fish swimming offpage, somewhere /else/.

The rat looks visibly relaxed once Rihko also points out the absurdity of a random cervine in the room. "Whew. Alright. I mean, don't look at me." Deer weren't cool to smuggle indoors.

Solixis meeps, surprised at the new object in the pub. She hugs [REDACTED]. "What is that?"

Grantok's ears twitch as she turns about to face the sound. "The devil is going on here? That's not a spirit animal as far as I can tell. Looks too solid for that."

[REDACTED] turns to look at the thing, it looks back at the predator, staring directly at her, and then bolts for the door, bowling paste Rihko.

Eithne pouts at her notebook, and sketches a sadkitty in the corner of the page. And tries to appease Drawing-Coyote with a Drawing-Cake.

Solixis gets nervous. "Can someone please explain what is going on?" She holds [REDACTED]'s arm tighter.

Catalina looks at Rihko, "Wait, what are you-The FUCK?" she turns as she speaks, and stares at the deer... "Okay, right... Headingoutforthedaydontfeellikeseeingstrangeshitseeya." she says, making a quick job for the stairs.

The image seems to get bored and yawns. The second Coyote looks up at the original, eats the cake, and then looks up at eithne. It leaps out of the page at her, and she shifts.

Balina grumbles something about "Going to regret this", then casts off her tail bondage and goes after the deer. Her gait changes within a few steps, and by the time she reaches the middle of the pub, there is a bounding Balinawolf.

Mickey's relief turns into mild worry once again. "Erm. Someone should take care of it.." Really. It's staring. And creepy. Those things can really ruin a room, if the rat recalls.

Cilan blinks, "Uh.. I am so very confused right now." though she quickly shakes it off and blames it on the fact that it's not as strange as the usual stuff that happens in New Ireland.

Aidan sgrunts a bit at the sudden dash of Balina, the fox stirring up and looking confused at the scene.

[REDACTED] admits to Solixis, "I... I have no idea whats going on, but I think I'm..." she's interrupted by Eithne.

"Don't kill it in here!" Rihko calls out, wincing. "I don't want the blood stink. Chase it out." She sighs, then and warily makes her way up towards the bar. "Just HAD to say it was quiet, didn't you?" she mutters.

Eithne blinkblinks, staring at the page and rather new paws she's wearing. And then realizes something else rather poignant. She drops the notebook and reaches down to snatch up her quilt, wrapping it around herself. Her clothing was shifted from a mutation, after all. "Erm. Does anyone have some pants? And a shirt? Or something I could borrow for the moment? I... don't exactly want to shift out of this form at the moment actually." Coyote!Eithne inspects her paws.

( Eithne's journal has no sign of the image, beyond big scribbled Ha Ha with a little heart at the end. )

And with that, Balina has raised several notches in Mickey's little notebook of cool. Cervinicide would of been nice, but it's like watching a bizzaro-world episode of the Nature channel; totally entrancing. Mickey nearly misses the fact that someone else in the room changed as well until Eithne speaks up. "Well this is.." She struggles to find the word, then fails to. Rat's got nothing, sorry.

Solixis rummages in her backpack for a couple seconds. "I don't have any clothes in here, but I can make a makeshift Bandeau and skirt if you like." She has two pieces of cloth in her hands. "I've always had a couple spares, since this top does have a tendency to break."

[Outside] The deer manages the stairs... somehow. Bleating as it bolts away from Balina. But Balina is after and soon is upon the creature. She can smell its fear strong.

Catalina gets to the stairs, and says to Rihko, "Damn, even this place ain't safe anymore!" she says, dashing up the stairs.

Foxheart eyes the two canids running after the deer and frowns. "That was weird."

Rihko sighs and rubs a paw at her face, then shakes her head. "I've got some spare clothes in my room if you want to wait a bit." She heads for the back hallway, then.

Mickey would of been waving a big foam finger for Balina if she could. "Pfft, forget that, it's great!" Mickey counters with a glance over to Rihko. "Weird in a world of strange.."

Glancing to Catalina Cilan mumbles, "Rarely is, given our ties to Coyote, and Shadow, and all of that." she shrugs and looks to Eithne, "Huh.. might be something for Sorien to fix when she gets back.." looking over to [REDACTED] she later calls out, "Speaking of which, mom, where is Sori? Out in the garage working Im guessing?"

[REDACTED] shakes her head, "Shes with the new ones. They're getting older now, and she's having to teach them important survival skills, so their urges don't get them hurt." she frowns a bit, letting the conversation distract her from the weirdness.

Foxheart shrugs. "Fair enough. I can't exactly call myself the run-of-the-mill vixen either."

And the little lynx pieces the bits together at the sight of Eithne. "Oh this isn't happening... Damnit all!" Grantok hops down from her stool and begins walking towards Eithne. "Since when do you just decide to get up pull pranks when I'm awake? I'll be you think this is quite the little joke."

A hissing whisper in Grantok's ear, says, "Yesssss."

[Outside] Balinawolf pounces, overtaking the poor deer slamming it to the ground not far from where Cilan was prone the night before. Looking her catch over, she feels its reassuring, struggling form under her paws, and drinks its panic like a fine wine. Once she's convinced that, yes, she's caught a real deer, she gives a sharp laugh, and bites down on, and through, its neck, giving a howl of triumph afterward.

[Outside] Catalina leaves the Deer to Balinawolf, choosing instead to entirely leave that section of town. The sound of Russell's helicopter his heard less then a minute later, followed by the sound of Catalina's tacitcal cowardice when the vehicle lifts off.

Eithne pokes her head out from under the blanket. "Erm, thanks for the offers, but I seem to have developed the wrong skeletal structure and musculature for wearing clothes after all. Hrm. This /is/ a rather interesting and new sensation, though... I don't think I have quite enough data to ensure my nanites can mimic the structure."

[Outside] The deer dies, as a deer should, no strangeness there. However, Balina does feel some itching in her tail. <Mutation> Balina's ass becomes infected with Coyote!

Darkwyrm pads down into the pub, looking a little winded. He scratches his head and looks like he is gonna say something but pauses mid-word. "I ahh--" He rubs his forehead then points outside. "So that cow-wolf lady just ripped up a deer out there. Normal?", he asks.

Cilan nods understandingly, "I see, and I guess that's definately understandable.. you got any jobs lined up for them in the future? I'm guessing they'll probably help the Taglings in the fields or something? Unless they take after Sori, that is.. and we might just have a crack team of mechanics on our ha--.." her sentence though is cut off as she watches Grantok stand up and yell.

Solixis pulls the feral coyote Eithne onto her lap and wraps her in the quilt after grabbing the quilt and the notebook from the former nekomata's lap. "I hope you don't mind."

Mickey sets her elbows down on the table to prop a hand under her chin. She's watching the action as if it was a spanish soap that the telly had accidently turned to; may have a very limited gasp of context to work on, but still fascinating with what she overhears. "Man, remind me to get her a medal," she quips to Darkwyrm.

"Isn't enough playing head games with me, had to branch out and pester everyone else here too?" Grantok looks absolutely livid, her hackles raised. "Boredom? Or have you some sort of convoluted lesson to pass on about all of this? Cause you certainly have done 'Oh so well!' in that regard thus far. Hmm?"

"Alright then.. Second question, what the hell is a deer doing here?", Dark asks. "I hope it wasn't anyone important." He shakes his head, rolling his eyes in a vexed manner and moving to pour himself some tea.

Eithne squirms onto Sol's lap, snuggling in for the moment. "Hrm. I think I still break the pub rules, but that depends on Rihko at this point. I am covered. Could you tuck the notebook into that harness by the lounger's feet, Sol? Thanks."

Grantok snaps an answer in Dark's direction unintentionally. "Someone's idea of a joke. Even if it is a lame one."

Balina re-enters, not too long after she left. Her mouth has been reddened, and she's still Balinawolf-shaped, with her tail wagging furiously. Oh, and she's cackling. "That was great!" she howls, "I was just telling Spar and Elaine how much I wanted to hunt some real game, and here it is. Dirt, you get a free pass next time. This made my night." Still giggling, in the way only thousand pounds or so of wolf can, she pads to some empty floor space, curling up and continuing her tailborne assault against the floor. Her night has been made.

Rihko returns from the back hallway, carying some of her spare clothes; she crosses over to Eithne and smiles at her, offering her a plain white t-shirt and a pair of Taggart's pants. "Here." She nods, then looks over at Dark. "It was running loose. She caught it." She points at Balina, then. "Balina. Shape, please," she offers.

Mickey scratches at her chin. Didn't think about that. "It kinda just..popped in." The rodent watches Grantok. A better question, she feels, was just who was she talking to. When Balina reenters Mickey florishes her hat to her. "That was quite a display. Nice'job."

Eithne looks up from Sol's lap, and pulls her ears flat. "Erm, right, Thanks Rihko but... wrong shape afterall. Finished transitioning from Anthro to full-Feral, though I can still talk. And not shift, for the moment. But... I'm covered in a quilt?"

Solixis indeed tucks the notebook into the harness indicated, hugging her new lapcoyote. "You look so cute like this." She scritches behind the coyote's ears. "Rihko, I think clothes aren't going to help her righ- She beat me to the explanation."

Cygnus has been sleeping in the lounger nearest the fire for a few hours, the dark rabbit having occationally rolled over and eventually gotten in a possition for gravity to attack her and smash her face to the floor, which is exactly what happens. The dark rabbit slips off the chair onto her face and flops onto the floor, sitting up in a slight daze "...Bwah??"

Rihko blinks, and peers at Eithne. "Oh. I didn't see that." She sighs, and takes a seat next to Eithne and Solixis. "You're fine for now, then. No worries. What happened there?" Darkwyrm preps his tea and inches away from Balina, finding a booth for himself away from the traffic. "Deer don't jus' appear in th' middle of tha city randomly.", he murmurs.

Foxheart shrugs. "Wear something really loose. Like my yukata...fits me through any mutation."

Grantok's words suddenly stop. Her voice no longer working, muted completely. Not even the sound of her jaws clamping together.

Balina sighs at Rihko, then picks herself back up. First off of the floor, then off the floor again as she stands upright.

Muttering to herself, Balina heads back over to her former seat near Aidan, washing her muzzle. Her tail is still moving, but not nearly as hard as before. It's a bit more obviously not hers.

Eithne explains to Rihko in a single word. "Dirt." Then she looks over at the sudden, complete stillness in Grantok's form, muscles tensing as she picks up that that is not a good sign for anything, from anyone.

Skylar enters the pub and tilts her head at Rihko pointing her finger at hugeBalina. "Uh...what happened here?" She says getting closer to the huge wolf. She looks at Eithne as she says 'Dirt' and lets out an 'Oh.' before she makes her way to the bar and sits on a stool.

Foxheart moves beside Rihko, waving a tail. "What is this Dirt I hear you all talking about?" She asks.

Solixis headtilts. "I've heard of this Dirt before... what is it?" She looks on in confusion, still holding coyote-Eithne.

"If everyone's so concerned about dirt, go get a broom, for crying out loud!", Dark growls, a little annoyed at the repeated complaints about a slightly messy floor. He sips his tea and glowers.

"'Dirt' is the name they've assigned to an... I'm going to call it Aspect of Coyote that seems to be haunting Grantok, showing up here in the inn as a drawn coyote-image that appears on the walls." Eithne explains. While her hind leg twitches and thumps inside of her quilt at the ear scritches.

Cilan glances to Solixis and Foxheart, answering simply, "Dirt is some annoying Native American spirit that thinks it's Coyote, it relishes in tormenting those around it, and causing complete and utter chaos, thinking it's all in good fun. In reality though, its nothing more than a completely useless creature that has no place here whatsoever."

Grantok continues ranting and taunting for several seconds before she even realizes that she's not making any sounds at all. She clutches her throat for a moment, slack jawed, only to build a tick in her left eye. She stomps over to the bar, or would except even that is void of sound, and pounds her paws on the bartop, plates and mugs shaking a little but again, silent.

Rihko thinks a moment. Then she sighs, and stands back up, moving up to the bar. She talks quietly with the tagling behind the bar, then turns back to the others as Tag's spawn takes care of her order. "I do not care for that name, unless that is truly what he wanted to be called. He's a coyote. Capital C coyote." She turns back to the bar and collects her things then - some bread, a glass of beer, and a bowl with some water. She sets them all out on the table, then smiles and claps her hands once before bowing her head. "Coyote. You are welcome here, if you chose to show yourself. Could we have a truce, and perhaps speak peaceably? I would be grateful."

A little image of a coyote face can be seen in Dark's tea. It grins up at him, and suddenly the tea /explodes/ from the cup, splashing the angry Jackal with hot tea right in his face.

Skylar snickers at Dark's skeptcism. "Geez, it's alright to not believe in the crazy stuff but...that's kinda too far...so, uh, what was the show tonight? Did Bal eat anyone I knew?" She stops as she sees the lack of sound on Gran's actions and moves close to her, patting her shoulder. "Calm down Gran...you're going to hurt yourself."

Darkwyrm leaps up from his chair, face dripping with hot liquid. "Th'fuck?", he snarls, baring his teeth. He starts wiping tea off his face with his paws, gimmacing from the minor burns. "Someone rig th' tea with explosives?"

Foxheart grins. "Dirt hasn't pestered me at least. Don't think he will."

Cilan says, "Nor has he pestered me, but even still, he's causing only mischief for those I care about, and thats not something I can stand."

Solixis manages a small chuckle at the leg thumping before watching the explosion of tea and grantok's silent storm worriedly. "Every bit the prankster as his progenitor."

Mickey's ears chime softly again as they perk at the bit of news. File that under the already-formed bundle of other Coyote stories she's heard. "Reminds me of a roommate I used to have back in college," Mickey comments softly. Most of the rat's attention is on watching Rihko, and finally she clicks off the music. For some reason, steelpans just didn't quite fit the mood..

Cygnus furrows her brow as the tea explodes in Dark's face, the bunny shaking her head and heading towards the bar, ordering a couple shots of everclear

Grantok spins about to face Skylar, the tic in her eye growing steadily more prevalent. She flails her arms about and attempts to scream out how pissed off she is, too angry to actively remember that she'd been rendered speechless. If anyone could read lips they could catch a good number of choice four-lettered words being used.

Foxheart looks at Cilan, a deeply contemplative look on her face. "Better mischief than...than..." She shakes her head slowly. "Than whatever I saw."

Darkwyrm slams his cup down on the table and marches over to eh bar to acquire a towel to dry off his wet fur. "I am not amused.", he says sharply, leaning over the bar patting his face down.

A voice echoes from above, almost cackling as it speaks in the rafters. "Not until that little shit shows me a little respect. She acts like I'm not doing her a favor painting her dreams. I've already saved her life but I get no thanks. No thanks at all." he leaps down from the rafters, a strange collection of two dimensional of paints, black and red that illustrate the coyote as he moves. Its jarring and headache inducing, the cave-painted coyote landing on the ground and shaking, ink droplets flinging about as he shakes water off his back, and then he looks up expectantly at the one who's continually treated him with respect, tilting his head at Rihko.

Skylar grabs Grantok's flailing arms firmly. "Calm DOWN." She says in a commanding tone. "You're with friends and we'll help you, alright? Just stop flailing around and relax. Can I get you a tea or something?" She then stares at Dark and grimaces. "Yeah...that's the problem with Coyo-...te?" She finishes as the figure descends from the rafters. For a moment she looks very surprised but soon recovers her pose and looks at Gran, making sure she stands still.

Glancing to Coyote, Cilan asks in an annoyed voice, "How the hell can you ask for thanks, or even respect when you show Grantok visions of her friend's dying painfully each night? Are you seriously that insane that you'd believe nightmares are a source of happiness?! Get a clue, Dirt, you're tormenting those around you!"

Balina tilts her chair back, looking to the pub's newest guest. "Send the occasional deer my way like that," she calls, grinning, "and I might have to do some soul-searching about this whole god-killing affair." She begins cackling to herself again, clearly still riding high from before.

Eithne waves a forepaw at Coyote, but remains in Solixislap for now. She doesn't seem to really mind being coyote-shape, after all. Not at all.

Mickey gives a slow glance around to check that everyone else is staring at the same thing she is, then nudges her hat slowly higher up along her face. She's gone mostly speechless at this point as she just, well; stares. This was pretty low on her 'shit she thought possible' list, but hell. She's sober, and there it is right there. The ink-creature gets a polite little gesture with her sodacan, then she drinks. It's to say, 'well done'; she's blown a weird fuse.

Cygnus blinks and tilts her head at Grantok, spinning and staring at the 2D terror, shaking her head and rolling her eyes "Here we go again..."

Darkwyrm turns around and narrows his gaze at the image. "Pretty good projection.", he says, scrutinizing the coyote as if believing it's just a hologram or other such nonsense. He finishes patting his face down with the towel and rolls it up into a ball then tosses it towards the coyote image.

Solixis gasps in awe. "This is Coyote? Wow... looks a lot like that paintings and the stories about him..." She mentally traces the image in her head, marveling for a bit at the apparent spirit-made-flesh.

Foxheart is trembling violently as she sees the painting, remembering the visions she had. "I...I shouldn't be here..." She nearly screams as she runs up the stairs, tails flailing behind her.

Mickey finds her eyes quickly watering, and abruptly her stares turn into little periotic glances. It got way too hard to quickly to focus on, let alone rationalize.

Grantok folds her arms across her chest and simply stares at 'Dirt', her eye twitching about as furiously as her tails. She screams a silent barrage of words in his direction, clearly trying to make a point, not that it does any good. //"Me? ME show respect for you? Shit. You trounce around causing mayhem for me at all hours of my sleep, Act like a nuisance around my friends, and don't even bother to give a damned helpful answer when asked! And to top it all off, pulling shit like this! And you expect respect? I defend the damn things you show me against all their damned accusations of it being lies. Now that I know how, I give you the chance to take over and run around, though it seems you don't even need that! So excuse me if I don't fucking agree with what you have to say!"//

Rihko slaps the towel out of the air and gives Darkwyrm the Eye. Then she looks back to the Coyote image and smiles, gesturing towards the food and beer. "Please, accept my apologies. Not everyone can appreciate your gifts in the manner they are intended." She bows her head again. "I am Rihko, and this is my home; you are welcome here for the evening. By what name do you prefer to be called?"

The image just grins at Darkwyrm and says, "I think it's very funny that someone who wears the death god's shape would try to deny the existance of gods." blatantly grinning before turning back to Grantok. "Oh, excuse me, let me fix that." and the towell that Rihko caught hits Grantok on the head, with a thud. Literally, painted in the air. He finally answers Rihko, "I'm too old for names, nor do I like you silly mortals acting like I can be summoned when you call a name. Dirt suits me for I am as old as dirt, but I also walk dreams and have since I was born of Coyote."

Balina finally gets herself under control well enough to start paying attention. Her chair is pushed back, and leans on the bar, not far from Rihko. "So, not that I'm complaining, but why this, now? I admit, I've been a little distracted tonight, so I'm probably missing something obvious."

Darkwyrm rolls his eyes at Rihko. "Well, you certainly are serious about crazy projection-slash-halucinations.", he says, crossing his arms and giving her a skeptical look. He frowns at the illusion and replies, "Ugh. This whole thing about the gods again? I'm a damned jackal, not some image of an Egyptian god."

Skylar tilts her head at the 'THUD' and goes for Grantok again, holding her in case she freaks out. She then looks to Balina and nod, not being able to stare too much at Dirt. "Yeah...I don't get your objectives either..."

Solixis continues remembering the legends and the new stories she picked up from the Namidian camp, remembering her totem. "What bring you here, offspring of Coyote?"

Mickey sets down her can and locks her fingers together. "It's not that big of a leap from crazy nanites to actual gods," Mickey comments to Dark as she struggles to connect lines herself. Being able to listen to the exchange between 'Dirt' and Rihko would, she hoped, do that. A kid at a campfire; Mick is engrossed in the story coming to light.

The image begins to laugh, rolling over on his back and rolling around at Darkwyrm's inability to see what's in front of him. His ears do flicker in the air, the little triangles breaking apart and his eyes focus on Grantok. "You think those are nightmares? I give you truth, and you tell me they are fanciful stories to scare little children in the night? You, little girl did not deserve to carry me, a great warrior should be using my help to paint a new path for humanity, but instead you sit around here and mope, and bore me with your dull friends who don't believe in gods."

Cygnus just stares at the inky coyote, looking half asleep, her ears unusually limp... well, unusual for this kind of situation.

"Then welcome, old one," Rihko replies. "And yes, Dark, I am quite serious. And since Taggart isn't here I am calling the shots, and I expect my guest to be respected, even if you do not belive him." The kitsune smiles, and slips into a chair at the table. "So. A new path for humanity?" she asks, tone polite and conversational.

Eithne leans up to lock Sol's cheek, and then slides from her lap, and the quilt, to meander over and... prostrate herself in front of the image. Well, as much as one can in a feral, quadripedal form. She doesn't say anything yet, however.

Skylar stares at Dirt long enough to say. "So...it wasn't you who chose her...? And you're also not in power to let her go?" She asks quickly before shaking her head and blinking a few times. "Ugh..."

"Funny," Balina muses, "When I tried to take you, you ran off. Apparently you saw SOMETHING in Grantok. Was it her breath?"

Grantok pulls the towel from her face, gritting her teeth. She mouths a few more responses back in the direction of her towely assailant, clearly not showing any signs of calming down. //"Friends who clearly believe in the gods as many of them have dealt with them. What they don't believe is that you are one. And acting like the prick that you have been thus far, it's no fucking surprise that they haven't. And, seeing as this is one of the few clear times to get a word in back to you, if I'd have fucking known that you were going to be this much of a pain in the ass I'd have left you in that damn museum!"//

Solixis merely sits reverently, idly folding Eithne's blanket, watching the scene. She doubts Coyote would speak to her, since she's not exactly known him like the others.

Cilan frowns at the towel hitting Grantok and scritches idly at the lynx's fur. "Quit being friendly with Gran's tormentor, Rihko.. What're you trying to acomplish?" she calls out to the kitsune. The woman later turns her attention to Dirt and says, "I believe plenty in gods, but you on the other hand, arent one, you're just some annoying little runoff from the real Coyote; something he discarded long ago, and that's all you'll ever be."

"Gods schmods. A carefully placed mini-explosive ain't gonna convince me of gods, and neither is a talking hallucination.", Dark growls. He shakes his head and walks back over to make himself a new cup of tea.

Mickey glances at the group, although the rodent speaks up in defense of Rihko. "She's thinking it's her home and she's got someone obviously very powerful in it," Mickey points out lightly.

One of Rihko's ears twitches, then goes flat. It takes her a little effort to will it back into place, and she turns to smile at Cilan. "I would be perfectly happy to discuss things with you later, Cilan. At the moment, though, you are being terribly rude to a guest." She smiles at Cilan a moment longer, then turns back to Dirt. "My apologies."

"First, I did not choose to return to this little runt." he glares at Balina, comically, little spikes of fur illustrating on his back, and his eyes literally turn cross. Before turning to Cilan and saying, very carefully, "He did not discard me, he bore me to bring humanity a new future with the Shadow gone, something to bring you from the dark ages of shitting in caves and painting horribly, to building skyscrapers. He did not bring you fire, I did!" he growls out, before finally calming enough to talk to Rihko. "You however, like the little coyotechild over there" a big arrow in the air pointing at Solixis' lap. "have been nothing but respectful to me, so I will grant you a boon. What is it you wish of me?" And while he's talking, Dark can't seem to get the samovar to work. First, it puts out water thats ice cold, so cold it freezes.

Mickey brings her tail around to her lap, then quickly claps her hands over the bangles to prevent it from clattering too loud. Her ears are tuned in like little radar dishes as she listens in on the exchange, and a little smile sneaks out at the sudden 'Boon' offered.

Darkwyrm shakes the cup, seeing that the liquid inside is, in fact, frozen solid. "I think the tea is agains' me tonight.", he says, tossong out the frozen cup and trying to pour another. "I'll get my drink, damnit, and some self-important floting paint that thinks it's someone'

Eithne ponders a moment, rising in a sitting position slowly. "I'm a collector or rar- Well, all forms that I can." She slowly admits, leeping her head bowed. Boons must be asked for carefully. "I would be grateful for the ability to shift into this form, or a bipedal equivalent, as I would any other form in my stable."

"I'll get my drink, damnit, and some self-important floting paint that thinks it's someone's imaginary friend ain't gonna stop me." <Dark says.>

Solixis headtilts. "Me? Surely you mean the little coyote prostrating herself on the floor..." She blushes, confused.

"Last I checked, it was human ingenuity that did all of that, people using their brains and figuring this shit out that got fires, and skyscrapers built.. can't remember hearing any mention of coyote, and dirt in the history books stating how these things were made." Cilan mumbles before shrugging, "But to each their own, I suppose."

Skylar can't help but roll her eyes as Dirt goes into a powertrip on Cilan, she sighs and stops holding onto Gran, jumps off her stool and moves over nearby wolfBalina. "You do know growling at people like that achieves nothing, right?" She says repeating the routine of 'not looking too much at the headache inducing image'. Examining Balina's form she sighs and looks at Dark. "You sure you didn't drop from a summer horror movie, Dark...?"

Balina gives a few amused noises, tail punishing the poor stools on either side. She decides to simply wait for Rihko to come to a decision, however, before trying to chime in.

The boon asked of him is set, before Rihko can answer he turns, hopping into the air. "Oh, so you want to dream of new shapes then, and you like my image?" he grins wide, comically so. Then he blows, Eithne dissolving into fragments as ink drops from her, onto the closest wall. Slowly taking form along the wall, the same shaped coyote, looking much like the one standing on the table, though without the level of detail.

Rihko blinks at that, somewhat taken aback by the offer of the boon. "You honor me. Thank you." She thinks. And she thinks some more while Eithne speaks. And she thinks more, ignoring the yips and grumbles around her. Then she shrugs, and smiles. "My mate does not care much for chaos in his home, and I would ask that you respect his wishes while in our home. But," she shrugs, and waves a paw. "one wouldn't ask the stream to flow uphill. So instead I would like you to tell me a story. I'm not sure which one, yet. I will have to think on it."

Solixis watches, scared. "What did you just do to my friend?" She asks, horrified.

His mission done, he turns back to Rihko and says, "I normally would only grant one, but that I can as well, although it will come as a pair, one you want, and one you don't want." before finally turning back to Grantok. "You can speak now, but if you don't stop this, and stop being boring, I'm simply not going to help you anymore. Your friends are far more entertaining."

Skylar holds one of the stools Balina 'punishes'. "What is up with your tail...?" She asks arching a brow before looking at the paint Eithne and then Solixis. "Don't worry...she'll be fine, Dirt was pleased by her." She then resumes paying attention to the exchange between Dirt and Rihko.

Solixis looks over to Eithne. "Talk to me, are you okay?" She paws at her friend, trying to at least make contact.

"Of course," Rihko says, smiling. "The problem with getting what you want, is that you get what you want. And not everyone enjoys the truth, either..."

Eithne squirms about... as an image on the wall, looking herself over and blinking, quite stunned. She twists this way and that, looking quite animated. She opens her mouth at Sol, and... nothing happens. She blinks, and then continues twisting about as she tries to figure out how to talk.

Mickey's eyes widen in surprise when she watches the transformation take place. The table she's leaning against shakes as if she wants to get up and inspect closer, but the rat remains glued in her seat. Yeah, now she can see why the god claim had weight behind it now. "Cool.." she mutters under her breath before straightening her hat.

Skylar looks again at Eithne. "You're a scribble, try writing?"

Balina stops laughing, watching what she is going to assume for now is Eithne. Waving a hand to Skylar with a, "I'm just in a good mood. One second," she proceeds to pull a pencil from her belt, and walks over to the Eithne board, sketching a word bubble. Grinning again, she draws a pair of antlers on Skylar, /just because/.

Solixis turns to the coyote in the center of the room. "You didn't hurt her, did you?" She's confused and, honestly, scared out of her mind. "Please tell me she can come back to normal..."

The image called Dirt, not waiting for everyone else, says, "And I have one more thing to take care of. Walking along the bar, dripping ink to the ground that just dissapears when it hits, he confronts Darkwyrm high above. "You insult me by not acknowledging my existance. Far more than the runt over there, you insult all of us. The question I pose to myself is, how to make you believe in a way that won't just be written off by denial. And then he bites Darkwyrm on the leg, sealing it teeth against it, the image laying into him, drawing blood that drops out from his jaws.

Skylar looks at Balina, feigning being angry before laughing. "What are these for-" She seizes up as Dirt bites Dark. "You...!" She takes a few steps towards the image before the headache sets in again and she thinks twice. "Really? You had to bite him to prove yourself...?!" She says returning to Balina's side and looking at Solixis. "Calm down...She'll be fine...listen to me, please."

Darkwyrm's eyes go wide and lets out a very caninelike yelp, jerking his leg and trying to shake off his incorporeal attacker. "Git this damn thing off me!", he shouts, shaking his leg as blood drips onto the ground from his lacerated leg. He finally leans against the bar and pulls his unwounded leg back and whipping it forward towards the illusion's head in an attempt to dislodge it.

Cygnus watches the ink-yote walk across the bar and leans her head on a fist, watching Eithne get turned into an image and giving a slight 'hmm' before turning back to watching the drippy coyote, a million questions running through her head to ask, but none seeming to transition to speach. She furrows her brow as it bites Dark and the bunny bites her lip.

Dark is able to kick the image off freely, which goes flying into the wall, landing inside it. However, he grins and winks at Darkwyrm.

Eithne steals the speech bubble Bal's made. [Hi! I'm fine. This is new. And interesting. It feels... well, it doesn't really /feel/, being 2D. Interesting, though.] She spends a moment chasing her own tail, observing in her own movements the way her image twists and bends and animates. [Quite nifty, in fact.]

Grantok glares at 'Dirt', still angry as hell, but instead just keeps her mouth shut. Even as he leaves his little 'gift' on Darkwyrm, she simply watches. Her hands are balled in fists at her side, her claws stabbing into her own palms so hard that they bleed. She finally turns her head aside and returns to her seat.

Rihko watches the coyote and Darkwyrm, interested, although when he delivers his bite she growls and rises to her feet. The kitsune points a finger at the sign with the rules, her gaze reproachful. "I am sorry, but we do not allow violence against the other patrons. Please do not do that again."

Darkwyrm braces himself against the wood of the bar and clutches his wounded leg with his arm. He massages the surrounding tissue a few times to accelerate the rate of clot and then.. he falls through the bar. What was a solid surface that he was leaning on is suddenly as like air, and he falls through it, with little more than a surprised, "Guh?" from him before he disappears form sight.

Mickey, just to be on the safe side, rubs her eyes once Dirt has vanished back into the wall and blinks just to make sure everyone was still about. Didn't just nod off, so it sure wasn't a dream. When she peers around at everyone else, she looks quite confused as to all the angry glares about. "Well that was..pretty cool," she squeaks up, then rubs her temple again. "If not officially the strangest thing eve-" Suddenly Dark vanishes. "Nevermind. Where'd he just go?"

Balina glances at the noises coming from Dark, finding this complementary to her spirits. Looking back and reading, she gives a thumbs-up gesture, then points at Dirt lodged into a different wall. When she looks again, Dark has gone. This is also perfectly acceptable, and the wolfcow retakes a seat near Rihko.

The image on the wall bows, and says, "My apologies. I will be certain that no violence happens in my presence in the future." and then he walks along the wall, catching up with Eithne, and nuzzling her, before the two swirld like the wind is blowing them, fading from sight.

Solixis looks on, still scared. "Eithne. Tell me you are okay. I'm nervous. And scared. I don't want to lose you. I would miss you forever if that happened." Tears well up in her eyes. "Promise me you'll be okay."

Solixis rests her hand on the wall, openly crying. "She's gone..." She's shocked, not sure what to do; being unable to follow and scared shitless.

Skylar looks at Rihko, very worried. "Please tell me there's something under the pub...something that isn't 'solid dirt and rock'..." She then watches Dirt disappearing with Eithe and quickly moves towars Solixis, putting one hand on her arm and the other on her oposite shoulder. "Please...calm down...she'll be fine, I bet my life on it."

As Dirt and Eithne fade away Cilan looks to Rihko silently.

[I'll be fine, Sol! I'm sure that if I as-] And then she's swept up in Dirt's nuzzling embrace, vanishing.

Cygnus sighs and forrows her brow, drinking down one of the shots she so nicely neglected to drink, not having anything to add to the drama but moves over to comfort Solixis quietly, glancing at Rihko and Cilan as she rubs Sol's back

Rihko stares at the spot where Dirt and Eithne vanished, then sighs and rubs a paw at her muzzle. She slowly settles back into her seat and then sighs. "Well. I would say that went better than I had expected," she states, calmly. She eyes the unclaimed beer-offering, then reaches across the table to reclaim it. The kitsune settles back into her seat and takes a drink, then glances over at Balina. "Is that your usual tail, Balina? And how was the deer?"

Solixis stays near the wall, watching, not wanting to leave that spot. She wants to be there for when Eithne returns, and is still scared. "What should I do? I wanted to keep her safe..."[[Category:[REDACTED] Events]]