RPGWW

"I don't want a bloodbath in my house. The rent's already high enough as it is. Otherwise, Toasty, you're proving my point."

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Nezetta, however, is too late with her query- the street cleaner is already too far away from her range of voice, while cleaning the street, to hear what she says. Despite the fact that they probably know the city the best, the speech patterns of the street cleaners might be a bit impenetrable to an upper-class foreign noble.

Toasty's voice sounded inside Nevareh's head. Not because he was a showoff, even though he was, but because Dae was busy being all threatening and Winfred didn't want to crimp his style just yet.

No fear of that, dear, but could you stop interrupting? I'm rather having fun here.

<span style="color:blue;">Dae had no retort. So he resorted to the Macho Man Handbook.

"Pff. Whatever. Nev, got directions to the crapper?" </span>

Nevareh jerks her thumb behind her, indicating an ambiguous area that could contain any number of things, be it magic, mystery, or adventure!

Or maybe even a toilet.

Nezetta made a face, and began walking on her own. Any city worth it's salt would have guards at certain areas, if not patroling the streets. She'd find one of them and pick off directions.

<span style="color:blue;">"... it's inside? How much that put you back?"</span>

Nezetta walks to the next block, looking around but not finding anything that could be called a policeman in the traditional sense. There were certainly a lot of foreign guards wandering around the premises and surrounding areas of the different compounds, all of whom are probably not doing what they expected to do. Usually a trip to an embassy involves a free ride elsewhere and some shifts guarding nothing in particular in a nice climate for high pay, lots of time off in foreign parts, and diplomatic immunity, not the paranoid shifts all hours of the day that have befell the embassies recently. Some Nekojin guards eye her warily as she passes by.

However, she DOES find a group of policemen who look like they are employed by the city. Two of them are wearing very official-looking coats, and the rest are garbed in light armor designed for mobility. All of them are armed with an array of nonlethal weapons worn on their belts.

"So..." said Mae, once more breaking her silence. "Now that we've had our entertainment, is there a particular reason he's still here?"

She motioned towards Toasty, apparently somewhat bored with him.

"Y'know, I've always wanted a personal assistant. Aside from that, not really. I say we rob him, beat him senseless, then I turn him in to the police for selling bad products. And going around without proper papers. And vagrancy. Anyone else got some offenses we can name to this tosser that hurt the public peace? How about impersonation of nobility? There's probably a Toastado noble house somewhere around this city."

Nevareh continues to sip her coffee in a completely conversational tone. She could be offering Winfred a job... though the rest of it sounds like she feels like having her way with him.

Toaster stifled a yawn at the mention of a "personal assistant." He had just finished doing so when the mention of being robbed, beaten and turned in caused him to be more than a little flustered and stutter like <strike>Janda</strike> mad. His knees knocked, and his eyes looked quickly to the door. Nevareh, being the judge of character in the group, would recognize that much of this was theatric. There was a fair element of genuine peril, though!

"N-n-now now, my d-d-dear, there's n-no need for th-that. I... I-I'm s-sure we can w-work this out p-p-p-peaceably! B-besides, I, uh, my s-s-soul p-probably wouldn't t-taste g-g-good! All sc-scrawny-l-like! Y-yeah, th-that's it!"

"Do we LOOK like peaceful people?"

It is indeed a good question.

Mae, deciding that she was probably the least peaceful looking person in the room (being some sort of deomn and all), took the opportunity provided from Nevareh's comment to wave and grin at Toasty.

As indeed she was! From Toast's perspective, anyway. He actually started edging for the exit!

"You l-look l-like r-r-reasonable p-people! S-surely you can see th-that w-we c-can w-w-work s-something out?"

"Do we LOOK like people who would be 'reasonable'?"

It is also a very good question.

"The exit's the other way. You're inching towards my sofa."

"Y-yes?"

It is a good answer.

"Okay, okay, you got me. Anyway, you wanted me to teach you how to lie, right? So, I, being the absolute great human being that I am, will teach you, along with my incredible co-professors of perfidy, the Succubus," Nevareh gestures to Mae, "and the Exotic Dancer," which is another gesture to Daenj'r. "To accept this proposal, all you have to give me is your name. And stop shaking like that, you're not fooling anyone. It's almost like you want people to see through your ruse."

Nezetta takes note of the foreign guards, going as far as to shoot the Nekojin a look as she passes. However, the guards with the coats have her attention now, as she approaches them slowly and carefully. "Good day. I was wondering if you could help me out a bit?"

One of the rather official-looking men looks down at Nezetta with a somewhat haughty air, and says with a crisp, clipped Baronian accent:
"I'm sorry little girl, we don't have any time to-"
At that moment, the other official-looking man nudged the first one in the ribs, whispers something to him that sounds like "Bah-rhee-uhs" and points at Nezetta. The first man completely changes composture, and becomes ingratiatingly polite.
"Oh, I am sorry, milady. What can we humble members of the guard do for you? Would you like an escort somewhere?"

And so he did, tipping a wink as he regained his composure. "Almost, my dear?

Anyway, the name's Whybrew, Winfred Whybrew. And before you ask, that -is- actually my name. My dad's William, mom's Wendy, three sisters named Wanda, Wilma and Wanetta and a brother who goes by Waldo, and the lot of them are loonier than a hatter in spring."

"Those names are so stupid they HAVE to be real. Welcome to the team. And, believe it or not, I'm not your 'dear.' I don't think I'm anyone's 'dear.'

I am Nevareh Jennifer Milligan, and no I'm probably not related to Sir Simon Milligan or Sir Alexander Milligan. A liar extraordinaire, trained by the one and only Sconner the Conner, who was in turn trained in his arts by the Kingpin of Baron, who probably made a good deal of his own crap up. I'll leave it to my cohorts to introduce themselves."

She clearly has a streak of showmanship in her, as she does a grandiose wave of her arms and executes a deep bow with the utmost solemnity.

Winfred looked impressed, and made a nice show of it too. Even if he only had a vague idea who Sconner was, Pinny was far from unknown to him.

"Sconner's apprentice? Well well, fate smiles upon me today. Why don't we start with the Papa grunt?"

He nodded to Daen'jr, using his term for a Shango enforcer. Or Win might just be calling him old and stupid. You never know.

Edited by: [url=http://p068.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=gc130a>GC130A</A] at: 12/6/04 12:33

<span style="color:blue;">"Papa grunt?" Dae exclaimed. "I ain't wit' the Shango, man... I'mma independent contractor."

The term "independent contractor" was said oddly, as if being repeated from being heard. Obviously he didn't look it up in a book...

"And it's Dae Tymisonn, son of a bastard, and stealer of your shit before you realize it... want to learn anythin' else?" </span>

Nezetta bows a bit, smiling her sweetest smile, and replies. "An escort is unnessessary. If you could simply tell me where an office of the Crown Investigators is, or even a simple guard station, I'm more than capable of getting there on my own. Thank you for your concern, however."

"Very well, milady. The quickest route involves following this road for three blocks until you reach the Rue Gardinier, at which you make a left and follow it until you reach the Cathedral to Ishtar. From the Cathedral to Ishtar, make another right onto Cadmus Place and you should find a guard station thereabouts. Unfortunately, I need to know your business beforehand if I am to direct you to the Crown Investigators, and one of us would have to escort you there. Therefore, it might save you trouble if you just report what you need to report to the guard station, or if you're short on time, tell us what you need done and we shall address it once we finish our current business."

The man bows, finishing is clear, crisp, and clipped spiel with record efficiency and etiquette. It's almost like he doesn't mind having his work interrupted by a foreign noble who doesn't have the presence of mind to ask for directions before leaving their own compound to report something that could most likely be handled by their own guard contingent without having to bother people who already have too many important things to do.

"Well, I overheard something about a fire in the castle...And something concerning airships. I'd like to offer my own services, as well as that of the guards directly under my command." Nezetta replies.

The guards look at Nezetta funny, then converse amongst themselves. Finally, the guard in the coat that had been speaking to Nezetta previously turned and looked at her sternly.

"The fire at the castle was an accidental incident involving a scribe who forgot to extinguish his own candles. There is no evidence of a theft, let alone anything involving airships."

His speech smacked of officialdom. This is undoubtebly the same information she'll get from almost every official in the Baronian law enforcement agencies.

However, no member of the Barian guard would consider delivering information of the like that was given to Lady Serejevo if that guardsman wasn't absolutely sure that the information was true. And the fact that she didn't respond with an "I'll look into it" or the like probably means she has other sources telling her similar things.

Whether or not what Nezetta heard was true probably doesn't matter much to the guardsmen, though. That they're waiting as courteously as they are is probably due to Nezetta's rank, though that in itself raises another disturbing fact that random guards know what she looks like.

Perhaps it might be wiser to take open protection with her, after all. If the guards know who she is, then Ishtar knows who else.

Though she might be safe if she's careful. Or maybe it's all unsubstantiated.

"I wouldn't worry about him, though." Mae said jokingly, immediately after Dae had finished. "That's about all he steals."

"...er, also, I'm Mae, and I have a far less inflated opinion of myself than probably anyone else in this room. Which isn't to say it isn't inflated at all, just that you all are egotistical maniacs."

"My egotistical mania is a medical condition and you know it."

Winfred laughed outright, a wry grin splitting his face.

"I think I'm going to like you, Mae, despite you being a soul-pinching spawn of the hells. And Jenny, mind if I call you that? You too. And him, I guess I'll tolerate. Does he make a good diversion when he isn't stealing fertilizer? Or do you keep him around for his expert tap-dancing ability?"

"I don't think we've actually been 'keeping him around', per se." the succubus replied. "It's more of a 'we haven't thought of a creative enough way to kill him yet' sort of situation. Though he might make a good diversion, we'd just have to strip him naked and cover him with feathers..."

<span style="color:blue;">"Oh, come on... I ain't that bad, am I? I'm at least good for m'looks..." Dae grinned, half-worried they were going to leave him in a ditch at the end of this endeavour.

"And b'sides... I wouldn't do that to you guys if I were you... ... I think..." That last bit was said with a bit of a devilish grin...</span>

"Actually, I do mind being called 'Jenny.' I also mind being called 'Jennifer' and 'Jen-Jen.' 'Nev,' 'Nevvy,' 'Nevareh,' 'Lady Milligan,' 'Your Highness,' or 'Boss' I don't mind, but... no 'Jenny.'"

Her tone is... not exactly elastic. She doesn't seem like she would very happily and easily tolerate being called something she has already said she doesn't want to be called. Winfred has probably hit a nerve of some sort- either that or she's a GREAT actress.

Winfred maintained his smile. At least the sadistic urges in the house were being directed other places than himself, and he was merely stuck with Nevareh's irritation.

"What about the tar and hot irons? Can't humiliate someone without slopping them with muck and branding expletives on their genitals. And sure thing, Nev."

"Fine. Whatever. If you need me, I'll be putting on some clothes."

She then walks off in a very neutral manner towards one of the back rooms that is in the same general direction as where she said the bathroom was.

"I contest that you can." stated Mae, matter-of-factly. "I would say that I'd rather not get anywhere near that man's genitals."

She hoped that Dae would find that insulting, as he tended to overreact to most everything. It was quite amusing.

<span style="color:blue;">Surprisingly enough, Dae just shrugged and said, "Yo' loss..."

He rubbed his stomach. "On second thought, I am hungry..." With that he looked for more coffee and something to chew on... maybe something bread...</span>

Edited by: [url=http://p068.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=kingofdoma>KingOfDoma</A] at: 12/22/04 9:25

Win leered at Dae. "Maybe you're squeamish about it, but I certainly wouldn't mind."

<span style="color:blue;">"Wantin' to and TRYIN' to is two diff'rent things," Dae asked as he began to snoop for more food. "Don't get 'em mixed up and we'll be juuuuuuus' fine..."</span>

Dae looks around in the cabinets for food. The first cabinet he opens turns out to be filled with a variety of bottles, none of them marked, all filled with different fluids and powders. None of them look much like food.

The second cabinet he opens is half-filled with expensive-looking alcohol. Some of the bottles have gold foil wraps and gold engravings on them, though whether or not Nevareh ever had a reciept for (or even paid for) these items of rare, luxurious liquors is debatable.

The third cabinet he opens contains some rather plain dishware and containers for liquids. A few shotglasses, but mainly cups and glasses to contain more substantial amounts of liquid. All of it is impeccably clean, if not of high quality.

The fourth cabinet he opens has a series of well-organized dry goods in it, ranging from rice and flour to jerky. Almost none of it is edible unless prepared, though.

The fifth cabinet turns out to be her icebox, one of the modern ones that's enchanted to keep stuff cold, and a pretty high-end version, at that. Inside is some butter, some meats, a variety of juices, some fruit, some lettuce, and some celery.

By the time he reaches the icebox, though, the eggs that Nevareh had been previously preparing and then forgotten about begin to smoke.

"... nice one, Nev..." Dae commented cooly as he took the charred embryos off the burner, putting both the eggs and the pan in the sink.

"Oh well. I'll just have this." He pulled out the jerky, and began to gnaw on it... hope it's good...