⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 2

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 7st - 14th, 2017
Where: Portland area, in the new reality.
What: The week begins as the time of the Animal Fair finally arrives! Meanwhile, the truth of this reality starts to be revealed, and forces both human and celestial alike attempt to take advantage of a rare opportunity.
Warnings: Individually marked!

BY ANY OTHER NAME↴ Tensions thicken as various supernaturally forces react to the events of the previous week. Something critical is afoot, and it's only a matter of time before things start coming to a head. It's time to find out more about what's happened to this world, and what will happen in its future. ► A NIGHT AT THE FAIR: From the night of the 7th to the morning of the 8th, the Animal Fair is officially in town. There is a top level down below with more information, though you can also RP content from this elsewhere if you wish. The host, who is very likely something called a Wyld Fae (if you discovered that ICly), will be present, but they will only be appearing to you of their own accord and attempting to track them down by force will be ineffective. Just kick back and relax! Fairs are supposed to be fun. ► THORNS IN YOUR SIDE: Culminating in a full fledged attack against the Sanctuary, it would seem that The Rose Queen is declaring war on the changeling population of Portland. Though the vicious attack of thorns against the safe house was eventually stopped, it wasn't without damage, and the black roses that caused it are still popping up around the city and threatening the places where homeless and lost changelings would be likely to congregate. It's obvious now that this is a serious threat - will it ever stop without an intervention? ► HELL ON EARTH: As Anath's march draws near, the first waves of her demons will be entering the city. Primarily acting as scouts and foot soldiers, these demons will be attempting to secure loyalty from the local demon populace, as well as taking out any angels they can manage to catch. It's a level of aggressiveness against heaven's forces that hasn't been seen for years, and it's a foreboding hint of things to come. These demons can be NPCed by anyone, and will mostly be thugs or manipulators who don't know much about Anath's plans but do know that you need to join their side. They are also rowdier than most of the demons in Portland, and are a threat to the innocent mortal populace as well, if they decide to try to get their kicks here. ► THE WIZARD POLICE: The Enlightenment Council seems to have demanded control of the local Circle chapter, and now backup has arrived. These mages are being sent out into the city as if they are a police force, and will be attempting to demand control of various common supernatural areas, as well as questioning community members that they run into. Whatever is going on, it seems to have resulted in the Council instituting what is essentially martial law... of course, not everyone sees any need to heed their demands. If you are a demon, warlock, or other rogue element, expect to be harassed or even attacked by them. These character can be NPCed, and if you need additional information you can ask the mods.

Comments

[anti_nonsense]

Rita actually calms down a bit once he apologizes. Looks like he hasn't totally lost his mind. But he has been affected by the fae's magic... Rita just wonders to what extent.

Cautiously, she hops along the branch, bringing herself a bit closer to him. She has to do something to somehow show him that she's no ordinary animal.

Birds can imitate human speech, can't they? Then maybe Rita can talk to him, even in this body. While attempting to make eye contact with him, she starts chattering again, this time less urgently. Unfortunately, it doesn't come out sounding anything like what she's trying to say. She can't just use her mouth or throat to formulate the sound... it's like she has to move something deep in her chest. The result is an odd series of noises that don't sound like any normal bird call, but don't sound like words, either.

[whattaprick]

It's not at all like a normal bird behaves, which confirms Lambert's suspicion that if it isn't a person turned into a bird, at the very least, it's something that is sentient. Knowing that, however, doesn't immediately assist him in understanding what it wants from him.

"I can't understand you," he tells it, frowning. Though that was obvious enough. For better or worse, though, it's not the first time he's had to communicate with something that doesn't have the power of speech.

"Here--" he steps towards the bird, cautiously extending a hand palm-up until it's close enough for her beak to touch. "Tap this for yes--" he wiggles his index finger. "And this for no." This time, he wiggles his middle finger. If it really does understand him, it's a good chance to test it. "Do you understand?"

[anti_nonsense]

Well... She didn't completely succeed at communicating, but it looks like she didn't completely fail, either. At least he isn't about to walk away and ignore her.

In response to his question, she promptly gives a light peck at the offered index finger, then looks back up at him expectantly.

[whattaprick]

With any luck, his fingers aren't going to end up too sore after this. He adjusts his hand, trying to make it less likely he could end up awkwardly poking Rita with a claw or something similar.

"Are you ... someone I know?"

[anti_nonsense]

He's catching on quicker than Rita expected. Then again... he did seem somewhat aware of magic when it came up before. And if he's been affected by the magic here, it might not be too hard to figure that she was, too.

She bobs her head back and forth eagerly, as if nodding, then signals 'yes' with another peck on his index finger.

So far, so good... but surely there's a way to communicate more detailed information. Maybe she could try talking again, or... maybe there's something she can scratch a message onto. She leans her head around his hand, looking Lambert up and down. Does he have anything she can use...?

[whattaprick]

It helps that this isn't the first time he's had to work with an animal to pantomime a way of talking. There are a few different options they can try, but the most obvious one is in his pocket.

"Can you type?" He waits for the affirmative before he pulls out his phone -- the signal is dead, but everything else works. Most importantly, though? It's one of those models with a compact little keyboard that slides out from behind the screen. Lambert sets it up so it's getting ready to display a black message, before he turns it around and offers it to her.

"Just don't peck too hard on the keys. I'm still paying it off."

[anti_nonsense]

She tilts her head when he produces the phone, unsure of how she'd be able to use it, but when he reveals the sliding keyboard, her wings give a brief, excited flutter. They can use this!

Rita paces about, trying to line herself up with the keyboard as best she can, and starts pecking away. It's not easy, both trying to type with her face, and having to step back to see the keys again each time, but she manages to type out enough to identify herself.

we met at the cafe
im rita

It's a bit of a pain to use the correct punctuation, so Rita foregoes it for now.

[whattaprick]

It works well enough for Lambert to understand, and he looks at the phone with a frown. Unfortunately, Rita's not the only one with that name who drops by regularly, and though he'd know her on sight, it doesn't exactly help him like this.

Although ... he wonders if the shape she's in now, could it reflect some aspects of her in her normal form? There's only one way to find out:

"You're the one who knew about magic," he says, out loud. "With the ... tail?"

[anti_nonsense]

Good, he remembers her. Rita slowly raises her head and brings it down to nod... then suddenly flinches, jerking backward and shooting him a wild stare. The fan-tail in question flares out in agitation.

How could he... no, he couldn't know about the tail. She had a glamour on the whole time, every time. He's just a human with only the slightest notion of what magic is. So what the hell is his deal!?

[whattaprick]

Uh oh, she's freaking out again. Should he have mentioned anything ... ? It might be a bit cruel to spring it on her when she isn't in a position to confirm or deny what he's just asked, or offer an explanation, but in the face of everything else he's seen this week? It doesn't even compare. He holds up a hand, making what is probably supposed to be a calming motion, but it mostly comes off as awkward.

"I can see things, sometimes. No, I don't know how. But that's how I ... guessed you weren't human." A beat. "But you're not a shifter either, are you?"

[anti_nonsense]

He... sees things? Her feathers ruffle some more as she processes that. What did he see, exactly? Why the hell didn't he say anything!?

... She'll have to ask more once she's able to. There's nothing she can do about it now, and... if he kept quiet about it this long, he probably wasn't planning on using that knowledge against her. He's not her enemy, and she won't gain anything from treating him like one. Not while she's vulnerable like this.

In response to his question, she shakes her head. No, she's not a shifter. She gestures pointedly at his phone, prompting him to let her reach it again.

changeling
part fae part human

Does he know anything about changelings, or the fae? She's not sure. Rita thought he was just a normal person, but... has he been seeing people like her all along?

[whattaprick]

There's no surprise in Lambert's expression when he reads the message Rita's tapped out, and there aren't any immediate questions about 'what's a changeling' either. Lambert just nods, frown growing deeper.

"I see." He looks up, around them, where... there doesn't seem to be anyone else, at all. "Did you come here alone, or is there someone who'd be looking for you? It looks like we're all stuck here for now. I don't know if that's going to last."

[anti_nonsense]

Rita steps back to observe his response, her head cocked to one side. Then, when asked another question, she lunges forward and pecks out her answer.

axel
something happened to him too

Maybe he doesn't know who that is, but that might not even matter. Rita doesn't know if whatever changes were taking hold in him progressed like hers did, to the point that he won't be recognizable anymore... But then, looking at Lambert, whatever happened to him looks like it stopped at claws and fangs. Maybe Axel's okay, too. Maybe he's out looking for her, somewhere in these woods.

[whattaprick]

With only a name, Lambert's not sure if it's someone he knows, but it's probably more work to try to get Rita to explain what the person she's looking for looks like.

"I'm looking for someone too," he says, with a frown. "I can try to help you look for him, if you want. 'Axel' -- is that how you say his name?"

[anti_nonsense]

He's looking for someone, too? Rita tilts her head questioningly at that, then bobs it in a nodding motion to confirm he got the name right. She wonders who he's looking for... but maybe he'll mention it along the way, so she can keep an eye out too.

Without waiting for an invitation, Rita flaps her wings and lifts herself up off the branch, glides forward, and lands neatly on Lambert's shoulder. If they'll be searching together, they might as well stick together.

[whattaprick]

Having a small weight on his shoulder is nothing new, between John and Peridot perching there often enough, and Lambert adjusts his posture accordingly, to jostle her as little as possible. He starts walking towards where he thinks the main fair is, though if they keep walking enough the other way he's sure they'll run right back into it.

"I'm looking for a white bat with a yellow nose and a small dog," he says. Not the greatest descriptions, but there you go. "If you see anything like that, give me a nudge, all right?"

And then he raises his voice, cupping his hands around his mouth as he bellows. "Peridot! Miko! Axel!"