Somewhere Else, Part 1

Fate

Once more the group makes their way to the highway among all the hustle and bustle. But instead of continuing down the highway for a long day's travel, they head to a strange, covered cove which displays a sign which reads:

192 To middle ring, entry district
353 To inner ring, entry district
247 To north gate
350 To east gate
313 To south gate

It's unclear what this is supposed to mean. But there are other people sitting here, on the bench, waiting. There are so many of them that many are standing, and there's almost no room to fit beneath the awning.

And then... the affectionately termed "Monstro-A-Go-Go" parts the crowds on the highway and pulls up to the bystanders. It's a wonder it can move: it's the size of a house, albeit a long one. A huge placard reading "247" hangs down its side. The rest of it is painted in myriad chaotic assortments of styles with wildly differently levels of care put into it. (One painting merely reads, in sloppy handwriting, "Olaf was here, goat!") Half the crowd parts to enter this house-vehicle.

However, it's not until the one labeled 192 pulls up that the motley crew enters. The Monstro-A-Go-Go is easily large enough to tow the cart. Oddly enough, one can get a ticket for livestock.

(This fact is plainly evident upon entering the Monstro-A-Go-Go. The smell of goats, the clucking of chickens, and then some is like a wall of sensation smashing straight into every poor soul who boards the vehicle.)

There are strange, tight, slightly uncomfortable seats inside this strange, moving house. And even stairs, leading to a second storey, with more seats. (Even so, some people are sitting on the roof, which is apparently allowed.)
The journey still takes the better part of a day, and is filled with stops and noise and smells and sights (and a lady who regularly patrols the Monstro-A-Go-Go, checking for tickets), but it's still an undebatably faster, smoother trip. But eventually, the leader of the motley crew leads the rest off at a stop, where an attendant helps them untie their cart.

There's just enough journey after that to once more get used to the slow, oddly-cadenced method of walking before Truong's inn comes into view.

"Oh shitberries," sings Kelly, his eyes widening and his heart beginning to beat a little faster.

Indeed... something's odd. There are people gathered around it and...

Templars?

Sharply uniformed Templars are directing the crowd away from Truong's inn. Strung around it is a long, bright yellow rope, further preventing entry.

(To Aaren) There is something strange about the song of this place. It cuts out briefly from time to time, is muted at other times, and too loud at yet others.

(To Slavina) Between's mark is big and bold and obvious here, almost obscene. There's no single sign you can put your finger on—instead, it is the way everything points to it, or perhaps it is merely an instinct. Whatever it is, it's huge.

Daina

Daina smiles a little at the conveance, giving Chauncys head a rub as they all board and get somewhat settled in. She reflects for a moment that hopefully no one will light a match and blow up the thing with all the goat and chicken and Gods know what else farts that are in the air. She snickers a bit to herself at her totally dumb joke and as they get to the end of the tiny skip of their journey her brow furrows and her hand drops away from the Goabit and she rubs one arm while sort of leaning her neck like to crack it. This looks ... really weird even to her. A look to Kelly and hearing his words she glances over to him. "hey don't let me dive into the street or anything ok?" before taking out her most recent spliff and allowing the fire to flicker to life again before taking a long deep pull and then 'letting go'

Fate

(To Daina)

The edges of your senses blur, and some strange feeling blooms up the back of your neck like a flame dancing to life. This is the call of Between, as if you've eaten a redcap.

Your edges fade, your muscles relax, and your mind spreads out, diffuse, beyond the confines of your skull. Now you stand, one metaphorical foot in Between and one metaphorical foot in the Material. (You're in between states. In Between states. Hehehehe.)

There's something seriously wrong. The threshold of Truong's door is like a rip, or maybe more like a spill of porridge into a bubbling stew, the edges rippling and combining before the spill can be cleaned out. This tear, or spill, or whatever it is leads... elsewhere. Not Truong's, not Between.

Aaren

Aaren, once they are on the Go-Go, spends some breif time wondering if the goat wrote the message himself.

Aaren hears strangness in the song of the inn before they can see the gathering Templar. "It's not there." Aaren says, about the inn, as she hears Daina going Between.
Aaren shifts her crowd songs to help keep the crowd out of the way of the Templars. She's been singing Kelly's learning song and his calm song, to help him adjust. With that voice, she explains about Templars to Kelly, or at least what she knows.

She rolls the cart about three feet from the edge of the no-go zone before pulling Chauncy to a stop. "Slavina? Janin? Do you know what's going on?"
Aaren has already spotted the person in charge. She's eyeing him speculativly, but she wants to check that this isn't normal before going over and bugging him for info.

Slavina

Slavina had chosen seats for them by the back of the GoGo, where she spent the trip mostly staring out the window in silence. As they aproach Truong's house though, she stiffens. "Janin. Something's not right." But then Aaren's talking to her, and Daina is making ripples in the dreamworld.

"Something big." She says to Aaren. "I'll find out." She hitches her cloak to a better spot on her shoulders and makes for the one in charge. As she walks Slavina shifts her posture and the way her weight falls - drawing in and letting out a sense of authority and no-nonsense-taking.

"Excuse me Sir Templar. Can you tell me what's going on here?"

Daina

Daina frowns and eases a little closer to the inn. Her shirt tugged out and peering down into it. "Frankie, need you to come on out for a second. I'm not sure what I'm even looking at" she mumbles softly her gaze lifting to regard the opening again as she licks over her lower lip and focuses trying to feel for warmth of some sort.

Fate

(To Daina) The warmth emanating from the doorway flickers in and out, as if the interior of the inn was only there sporadically and momentarily. Strangely enough, it's not accompanied by usual inn-noise or smell.

Daina

(To Fate) what do I smell, anything besides teh usual city smells?

Fate

(To Daina) You can smell the exterior of the building, the pond, the garden. But that's it. You can't smell the swans which usually dwell in the garden.

As they approach, a shiver runs down Janin's spine, and then up again. (He's calmed considerably on the hours-long journey, but his anxious-song is making its return.)

"Yeah," agrees Janin, at Slavina's statement.

Chauncy lets out something between a squeak, a shout, and a bleat in distressed agreement. Janin jumps a little. He hadn't heard Chauncy up until this point. It doesn't help his nerves.

Luckily, Janin has it together enough to continue, for Aaren's benefit, "Either this is a crime scene, or..." Janin hesitates. "Or a rift."

The Templar's eyes are drawn to Slavina. "Miss, I'm afraid this inn is closed until further notice. If you had arrangements here, there's a temple to Rose-Thorn Child two blocks to the east which has graciously opened rooms for displaced customers." His cadence is that of dull recitation. (Not bored, necessarily, just dull. No flair to it at all!)

Kelly moves with Daina, closer to the inn, eyes roaming almost wildly around it as if he's trying to absorb everything that he sees right now.

Frankie slides out, regarding Daina with sunlight-colored eyes, waiting.

Aaren

Aaren waits pateintly for Janin to explain what a rift is. (This involves singing a pateintly waiting song, so that Janin knows he doesn't have to hurry. Or would, if he knew what that sounded like. But Aaren hasn't realized that yet, since singing this song is just how you let people know.)

Daina

Daina wrinkles her nose not liking the look of this. She glances to Frankie and gestures to the .. hole .. "ever come across this before? know anything about it?" she questions. Slowly approaching the rift with her astral form, the body tugged along with slowly a sliding foot for every couple of steps she makes. She narrows her eyes trying to see if the hole was .. fluctuating some how, can she.. match the 'beat' of it?

Slavina

"I am not a customer." Slavina bristles, just a little, before quickly stilling herself. When she speaks again, her voice is rough with not-quite-reigned-in worry. "I'm family. Please, just tell me what's going on. Are... the kids okay?" She glances past the rope to the ominously empty building.
That's a botch on my influence roll

Fate

You can spend 1L to reroll
But only once

Slavina

whew! That's a 5

Fate

The Templar's gaze becomes more present, and his expression eases. His mouth presses out in sympathy. "You'll be notified as soon as possible." Then he stops, eyes scanning the crowds. "Please excuse me, Miss."

Kelly keeps to Daina's side, eyeing the Templar who are beginning to eye them, ready to tell them to back off.

No, says Frankie, in response to Daina's question. Something like spikes, or raised hackles, flicks into view briefly as he moves, before disappearing again into the rest of the shadow.

Unfortunately Daina's examination offers little more—there's nothing but the arrhythmic chaos of something a-boil.

It takes a moment, but Aaren's patiently waiting song settles in, creating a burgeoning feeling of expectation that presses on Janin hard enough. "Not much else I can tell you. The guy to ask is the Champ —"

He stops, looks up. The crowd near them is beginning to part, and another contingent of Templars makes their way through it. Janin urges Aaren to one side.

Daina

Daina gives a faint .. half growl like sound and then rolls her head slowly before taking a deep breath. "Hey Frankie, ya know that smoke I took in a couple of minutes ago, do me a favor and eat that up? See if ya can get to the magic part of the drug would ya?" Taking advantage of her current state she turns to examine Kelly curious what the 'seer' looks like when she's in between and he's a bit on edge. Just looking for differences a moment before she sort of focuses to see if Frankie is able to do as she asks.

Aaren

Aaren follows Janin's directions, moving Chauncy out of the way, while staying close to the scene and keeping her ears on the dispersed party memebers. "The who now?" She asks, to get Janin talking again. "Do you want me to calm you down some? You seem a little jumpy."

Slavina

She allows Lead Templar's attention to leave her after murmuring a polite but dissatisfied thankyou for the non-information. She doesn't actually leave though. Presumably, any information the templars had would come through this person sooner or later. Probably later.

Slavina catches Janin's eye and gives a little nod to let him know she hasn't forgotten them or anything. Then she occupies herself by studying the scene, looking for patterns and omens that might give some context to what she's feeling from Between.
4 on mystery+wayfinding to detect omens and signs

Fate

(To Slavina) There's something seriously wrong. This isn't actually about Between. Or... or perhaps it is, but not just about Between. Or... perhaps...

It's a mess, is what it is.

(To Aaren) There's a song that stands out from the rest, coming from a different direction entirely from the Templar. It's accompanied by a quickly beating heart, and rhythmic breaths. It's not a big song, but not a small one either.

Frankie's eyes disappear into darkness and then reappear in a slow blink. I cannot.

"The Champion. As in, Lady Baker's Champion." Janin rubs a hand over his face quickly, but then turns his attention intently on the crowd. "Actually, what I want is a beer. Or four."

The procession makes its way to the Templar Slavina had been addressing with sufficient haste, but not too much hurry to cause a panic. There's an exchange between them:

"Are you my backup?" the fellow asks.
"Yep," one of the Templar responds. A woman, short and stocky.
"Good." He begins directing them, then stops and looks to the woman again, pitching his voice low. "You seen the Champion anywhere?"

Once more, the crowd parts, but a little more disjointed this time. One at a time now, instead of in a great wave. Each jostle is accompanied by a breathless, "Sorry," or "Excuse me," and even once an "Oops, sorry about that, miss!"

Eventually the offender disgorges from the crowd. He's a tall fellow, and solidly built. Of middling years, with his head shaven clean in addition to the rest of him. Sweat trickles down him, and his chest heaves like a bellows. He's also wearing a Templar uniform, albeit one dark under the armpits and down the chest and back.

The Templar In Charge brightens, then calls out "Stu!" He pulls up one part of the rope, to allow for the big fellow's entry.

A pleasantly surprised smile overcomes Stu. "Paolo! Should've... known it'd be... you." He jogs forward, slowing to a halt and taking a moment to catch his breath. "You got any water?"

Paolo quickly grabs one of the dispersing Templar to send him off for some water. But Stu waves his hand. "Nah, I'll just... get to it," he says. Despite that, he takes another opportunity to gulp down more air, stooping over to rest the heels of his palms on his knees.

Daina

Daina chews on one side of her lower lip for a second and then aside to Kelly. "Hey.. think that guy could use some .. ya know.. extra energy to do his job.. he looks like he's about to pass out from the heat or something. He also looks like he might be important in this.. getting past the ropes and all." gesturing vaguely at the panting guy with the sweat stains.

Fate

Kelly is already looking at him. His eyes are still wide, but his gaze is very intent now. "No." After a pause, he sings, low and quiet, "He's got as many Colors as you and Aaren and Slavka do." It's not actually colors he's talking about, that's just the agreed-upon term for the language that Kelly developed.

Aaren

Aaren, responding to Daina's request to Kelly, starts singing 'Stu's' recovery along. "He's fine, Daina! Just out of breath. Well, other then the impending heart failure." She sings it clearly the few yards to Daina. (Aaren starts with his breath, just helping more air get in there and get around. Then she starts fixing up his back problems. You know, because she's already getting to know him. And, while she's there, that tooth sounds painful...) "Not that he doesn't need warmth for his job. I don't know about that!"

To Janin, Aaren smiles, and pulls out one of her extra skins of water. A few moments later she's turned it into beer. "Here, try this." She sings, handing it over.

Slavina

Slavina swallows away the taste of the omens. They're bitter. Black. Odd. She pulls the gourd-flask from her hip, uncorks it.

Ah. Another sign. Hopefully one that would be more forthcoming. She reroutes her flask, extending it to Stu rather than her own lips. "Here. Have some of mine."

Daina

Daina hmms softly and nods to the siblings and then slowly slowly tries to get oclose enough to be able to fairly quickly circle the building, she changes her vocal cords enough to give as loud a swan call as she can.

Fate

Janin takes the skin, warily. Then, realizing that maybe he's being rude, he brings it to his mouth, slowly enough to covertly smell its contents before reaching his lips. He stops short once he realizes it's beer. "Thank you, dear goddess, for this blessing." It's vehement, and too dramatic to actually be reverent. He takes a deep quaff.

Stu looks to the young lady holding out the flask. Then he straightens, a little more easily than he was expecting... "Thank you so much, Miss. You're my hero." He takes it with his gigantic paw of a hand and drinks deeply. Then he hands it back, wiping his mouth with the back of his other hand.

There's a long silence. No swans come to answer Daina's call. However, one of the Templar watching moves to block her access and says, "Miss, please keep back from the caution line. This area is under investigation."

Daina

Daina draws up short and then turns and smiles to the Templar. "I know, I'm investigating!" she pauses "you should escort me so I don't disturb anything" she then attempts to look like she knows what's up and go further around the building, looking for any further boiling holes of .. uh .. yeah.

Aaren

"Anytime!" Aaren chirps brightly, taking the comment as serious to be funny.
Then she sings, over the crowd, "Daina, are you going in there? It's not actually there anymore. All the insides are missing." It's more information then a warning.

Slavina

Slavina takes the flask back from Stu, giving him a somewhat dry smile. "Says the eagle to the sparrow." She takes a swallow of water and swallows the smile along with it. "Do you know what's happened here? Please, anything you can tell me..."

Fate

The Templar flicks a glance briefly to the other lady's way, does a brief double-take at the hair, but then squares herself and regards Daina fully again. "Miss. Unless Lady Baker's Champion himself tells me that you're authorized to investigate, then I'm afraid the only escorting I'll be doing is somewhere away from here."

"Mmm. Okay." Kelly puts a hand on Daina's shoulder. "C'mon Daina. Let's go ask him."

Janin begins to cork the waterskin once he's had his fill. But then Chauncy noses it. Janin looks at Chauncy, then sighs and tilts it towards him. Chauncy rapidly laps at it. It's not long before Janin's attention diverts back to Slavina, watching carefully, ready to step in to do... well, mentor things.

... Shit.

Meanwhile, Stu barks a laugh. "Try an overfed pigeon!" He pulls out a cloth from somewhere on his uniform and wipes his face and head off. But as she asks her second question, his manner closes a little.

Paolo puts a hand on his shoulder. "She says she's Truong's family."

Stu's demeanor shifts more open again, but the mood has dropped considerably. Paolo removes his hand and absently wipes it dry on his pants.

Stu offers her a mild but firm smile of reassurance. "I'm here to find out. And fix whatever needs fixing. So hang tight."

"And offer some skittles to Lady Baker, if you can," adds Paolo.

"Right." Stu nods and motions Paolo's way. "That."

Daina

Daina smiles a little to Kelly. "Right let's go get that seal of approval" she gives a salute to the templar and then turns and moves towards the sweaty guy, wishing her sense of smell wasn't so good at least for the next minute or so. She glances to Kelly, "you wanna lead this dance?"

Aaren

Aaren sits on the cart, hanging out. She works on keeping the crowd away, healing people (including Stu) and helping Kelly learn. Mostly, she focuses on Truong's missing house, trying to learn the strange, flickering song.

Slavina

Slavina corks the gourd and nestles it back on her belt with all the others. She glances back at the husk of an inn, at the three carrion-birds nesting there, and the clouds in the shape of teeth, and the tree-branch shadows that form a flickering eye.

She looks back to Stu. Meets his eye. "Let me help. Please."

Fate

The Templar stares at them as they go. But not for very long. They'd be set right soon enough.

Kelly glances at her, rubs one side of his jaw, then says, "Sure." He pulls up next to Slavina, just as she asks, then says, "Us too." Then he glances over. "Aaren, Janin, you want to help?"

Shock tenses through Paolo.

Stu pulls back. "Whoa." He puts his palms up to forestall them and looks between each of them. "Look, I understand you're concerned about your family. But I don't want to put any more of you at risk, alright?"

Kelly puts a hand on his chest, "I'm a hunter," motions to Slavina, "she can go Between and negotiate with spirits," motions to Daina, "she's the daughter of the Swan Maiden and she's got one of Ulfynja's hounds and she can go Between too," motions to Aaren, "she's singing your health problems better as we speak," and he stops at Janin. "Ah... I don't really know what he can do yet." Then he looks to the goabbit. "And Chauncy will be well-behaved if we leave him for a little while." Then he regards Stu directly, waiting.

Shock strings Paolo tighter. And the other Templar too, in differing ways. Mixed, of course, with no small amount of incredulity.

Stu just stares, hardly even blinking, trying to figure out how to go about parsing this information.

Daina

Daina blinks a little and then chuckles a bit at Kelly. "nice two step of truth there" she tucks the now cold roach behind her ear and looks to the smell one expectantly, a smile blossoming on her face, pupils a bit large.

Aaren

Aaren stands up, patting Chauncy on the head. "Of course! Anything for Truong!" She steps down from the cart, pulling out a small handful of skittles. She parts the crowd infront of her with her voice, and when she reaches Paolo she hands them to him. "Can you offer these to Lady Baker for me, please?"

Slavina

Slavina waits till Kelly's explained and the others comment, gives Stu a moment to catch up. Every time his attention leaves her, the set of her shoulders grows firmer and the tilt of her jaw stronger.

When she explains, it's with a tone that would do her grandfather proud. "'Between' is the Liudzi term for Somewhere Else. I'm a master wayfinder," she uses the Liudzi word for it, "which means I've had years of training going Somewhere Else and negotiating with beings and forces there." She holds out her splayed hands towards Daina and Aaren, eyes never leaving Stu's. "As to their divinity... give it two minutes and you won't have any doubts."
12 on influence to get him to let us help already dangit! :P

Fate

"Lady Baker favor you," Paolo says as he takes the skittles from Aaren, numbly and entirely by rote.

It's just now that Janin breaks free of his decision-lock from Kelly's question and once more notices Chauncy drinking most of the contents of the waterskin. (Having been initiated and at least partially inured to the sheer ridiculousness of the company he's in helps him recover his wits faster.) He pulls it away quickly, then corks it. Chauncy makes a noise of pouting disappointment.

Stu regards Slavina for a long moment. Then he takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Okay." This draws more than one incredulous stare from the Templar. His eyes flick in assessment to the people in the vicinity, visibly decides... well, something, and then motions them onward, beginning to head toward the front door of the inn. "If you really want to help, follow me. It's very important you don't wander off, okay? For any reason. We'll need to stick together." He looks over his shoulder towards them. "I'll lay out the plan once we're on the other side."

Daina

Daina gives Chauncy a pat and rubs an ear "be careful buddy, we'll be back." offers the goabitt the roach and puts a fresh joint between her lips but not yet lighting it. Following after the others and grabbing Arren's wrist to tether them together with her patchwork sash.

Aaren

Chauncy's a little tipsy, and he's going to be high soon. Aaren sings him the 'Hang out here, we'll be back' song, grabs her bag and some water and some snacks, takes hold of the end of Daina sash. Then she adjusts her songs, defining the edges of their new group, encouraging everyone to stick close.

Slavina

"Understood." Slavina gives a firm nod. She looks over at Janin, searching for something. But if he's decided to come... she holds out a hand for him before they walk Somewhere Else.

Fate

Janin takes Slavina's hand, his heart beginning to pound in his throat as the potential gravity of what could be happening is beginning to sink in.

Stu opens the door. It looks like it leads to nowhere.

But, as they each step through, they see that that is very much not where it leads.

It's familiar in that all the things for it to be Truong's place are there, but... it's very much not. First of all, they aren't in the main room, with all its fullness and people and the shrine. Instead they're somewhere in some odd closet only just barely big enough to fit them all that was never actually in Truong's inn. Secondly, everything looks... dull. Dusty. Worn down purely by time. It's abandoned and cold.

So it's perhaps shocking to see, standing there, eyes wide with surprise, is an oddly but brightly dressed girl somewhere in her early teens, milky skinned and with long, red hair. In one hand she holds a delicate, graceful, intricately-carved spindle, from which a loose silver thread drops to the floor, leading down the hall and around the corner to some unknown other end. Her other hand is poised as if about to turn a knob.

"Ah," she says, momentarily stunned.