Completed Above and Below

[Yisanareysin]

Ah, so this oddly dressed boy was Kuvarakh's messenger after all. Huh. What about this woman, Rana? He narrowed his eyes, studying her. The boy spoke only of himself when talking about Kuvarakh, so Rey supposed it was safe to assume she wasn't a messenger as well. There was also the fact that there would be no reason to send two messengers to deliver a piece of paper. And speaking of which... He took the paper from Phobius, and unrolled it. As he had suspected, most of it was complete gibberish to him at first glance. Curse that petching corpse and his petching vocabulary. Still, after skimming over it a few times, he got the general idea. So, this Ranayel Silverleaf, who looked to be shorter than even him and a lot weaker to boot, was to be his guide then. Wonderful. Unless she turned out to be another viper, which seemed doubtful, this seemed likely to end badly. Still, it was none of his business if she ended up with a slit throat, as long as he could get in and out of this Underground. He could probably fake a suitable amount of contrition for "being too slow to save her" or some other such nonsense. He glanced up, eyes flickering with amusement at the boy's apology. "It's nothing." He told the boy, grinning sheepishly. No reason not to be nice. Yet. "It was more daydreaming than sleeping, really. And as for this contract, I think I'd like to speak to Kuvarakh himself. It's a bit, well, complicated, and I'd like to speak to him to clear up any messy details." Like whether this Rana knew that neither he nor Kuvarakh were human. Or whether she knew of his other purpose in this little rescue missions. "Just give me a moment." He told them, gently shutting the door, but not locking it. Might as well do this job right. Slipping the contract into one pocket, Rey snagged the rest of his clothes from the chest, quickly dressing. Despite the summer heat, he pulled on his coat as well, to better hide his father's flametongue. One quick check to make sure that everything was in order, and he opened the door again. "I hope the two of you are better at navigating this city than I am. It took me days to find the Alchemmia Alchae the first time"

[Ranayel Silverleaf]

Rana went from being slightly chilly outside to pleasantly warm inside the inn. She'd tagged along behind Phobius as they walked, unsure where the Mr. Ekans she would be guiding through the Underground soon.

It seemed that the red-haired pair's arrival had awoken Mr. Ekans, as he called out sleepily in response to the messenger boy's knock on the door. Absently, the half-blooded woman played with the end of the scarf wrapped around her right arm. It covered the purple-tinged skin of her right arm. Her right fist was still clenched from cutting herself on a glass shard earlier-was it still embedded in her palm, she wondered? Making a mental note to invest in a pair of gloves that would not only hide her hand but protect her from the intense heat of her hot shop, she slowly opened her hand.

Blood, mostly dried, caked her palm. The cut had thankfully scabbed over, but particles of crushed glass made the cut glitter. Frowning, the Silverleaf woman realized there wasn't much she could do about it at the moment. She elected to pick off as much of the dried blood that was easily picked off her skin. Rana would figure out a way to clean it off later. For now, her brown eyes flicked towards the door in wait for Mr. Ekans to exit his room.

When the door opened, Ranayel offered him a smile. He looked...feminine, honestly. He was shorter than Phobius, but taller than her, and had a soft, kind-looking face coupled with long hair and blue eyes. If she hadn't known that he was named Mr. Ekans, Rana realized she may have mistaken him for a woman.

"Hello, Rey! I'm Rana. It's a pleasure to meet you," greeted the red-haired woman with a smile. She didn't extend her hand to him, instead smiling apologetically and indicating the cut on her palm. "I'll be accompanying yourself and Phobius to see Kuvarakh, as I'd like to talk to him as well. Perhaps we'll get a chance to know each other better?" Rana punctuated her question with a chuckle. She had not much else to say, and unless Rey had something he needed to say to her, she would remain silent until they reached Kuvarakh. There was something a little bit off about this Reysin Ekans. Why would he choose to stay here at the Wolf's Cave? It was known as the place where the more eccentric visitors in Alvadas went to stay.

Thoughts. - "Common." - "Nari." - "Isurian."

[Phobius]

So, Mr. Ekans...well...Rey...wanted to tag along, too? That was okay. At least now Phobius wouldn't have to navigate the ever-changing city streets on his own. He was growing used to walking about them, now, but keeping himself from getting lost could be a stressful, lonely task. That, and the fact that curiosity was still wriggling around in the boy's brain like a worm. Both Miss Rana and Rey wanted to talk to Kuvarakh about their contracts...just what were the contracts for?

It's none of my business...and I shouldn't be nosy and ask, either. Being nosy is rude...

Standing by the door, Phobius waited patiently for Rey to reappear after he retreated back in his room for a few ticks, supposedly because he wanted to find a shirt. It was a bit nippy outside, and the inn, despite its cozy vibe and warm air, made a false impression of what the actual weather was like. For a fleeting moment, Phobius almost didn't want to go back outside, preferring to revel in the warmth, but he was quick to scold himself. Just because he'd made his deliveries didn't mean that his job was finished. He still had to lead these nice people to the alchemy shop.

Rey emerged a moment later, swathing himself in a coat. "I hope the two of you are better at navigating this city than I am. It took me days to find the Alchemmia Alchae the first time"

"I can find it!" Phobius quipped, bouncing on his toes a little in his barely-contained pride. Then he calmed himself, a half-smile on his face. "I mean...I think I've been getting better at finding my way around this place. I barely even get lost, anymore."

Before either of the two could say anything, the boy weaved his way around them and started back towards the inn's lobby, a hand absentmindedly drifting up to his neck to scratch at the scarf-covered skin. Everything beneath the blue woolen cloth was still hidden, thank goodness, but the sudden heat was making his neck itchy. "We'll be there before you know it. I promise."

"Speech-Common" | "Nari" | Thoughts

[Kuvarakh]

Morning had passed into the heat of midday with no sign of the returning party. Kuvarakh brooded about how much to tell Rana. He hated the thought of being less than completely honest with her, but needed her ability to guide "Mr. Ekans" into the bowels of The Underground.

While it was true that he hoped they would locate Miss Winterflame, he did not fool either himself or Mr. Ekans that the body of one Kirballis Sherrick, "Kirby" as he was known, was the real goal of this adventure. He needed it desperately, despite his nonchalant demeanor. The deterioration of his hand movement capabilities had been a sudden affliction. If it got much worse, he was going to need that artist girl, Aislyn, to glyph the transference symbols on ANY body he switched to in the near future.

The last time someone else had done the glyphs, it had been Wanda, who a very capable glyph crafter. But as he had discovered, trying to copy some of hers, glyphs were not a universal pattern. They required an element of the crafter's own interpretation to be empowered by them. When Wanda had inscribed the symbols he'd written down for her beforehand, very few of them had fully imbued the switch.

He'd ended up with very little movement for almost a full season. It had slowly taken root after that, with a reasonable estimate of perhaps seventy-five percent success ultimately. It was his good fortune that his sketching hand was one area that had enjoyed full artistic flair. Thus, his ensuing transfer the year later had met with much greater success.

But it bothered him to transfer more often than absolutely necessary. Frankly, he prided himself on NOT being like other Nuits. He enjoyed the living dynamics of mortals, and their embracing of their limited lifetime. The challenge it represented, the motivation to accomplish! Nuits were so wretchedly patient...so disconnected from life. Kuvarakh did not consider mortals to be "squatters", keeping "his" body fresh until he needed it.

But at the same time, he'd been through the cycle of loneliness a few times now. Making good friends was ultimately a broken hearted drop into misery waiting to strike. And it did not get easier each time. Maybe it did for those cold, callous were-corpses that encompassed the bulk of Nuit society, but not him. Nonetheless, painful as it was, he would not trade the ups and downs of joy and sorrow for an endless level of numb disregard.

He could imagine Professor Rayage sneering at him for his "foolishness"; waiting to gloat in triumph when Rana found out that this marvelous Nuit novelty, this rare being that had presented itself to spice up her world, was using her to aid in a murder, however justified. He believed he had an understanding with the Dhani. His encounter with Lice several years ago had left him with an understanding about a Dhani's take on compassion. Or lack thereof.

It was only that this Kirby had committed such heinous acts that Kuvarakh could rationalize this undertaking. He HAD to have this body, and Kirby was a multi-murderer, rapist, and slaver...No, he was doing justice, and Rana would be helping. He told himself that for the hundredth time.

He looked up and instinctively took a breath. Though Nuits did not need to breathe, it was still a very reflexive thing to do. And they DID need to breathe in order to speak. But this was nothing short of a slight gasp as he knew that the time for his subterfuge was upon him. The three were approaching. Phobius looked so proud to have made good time. Kuvarakh bit back his shame and began to prepare an approach of hypnosis, in case it became necessary to smooth out any disquiet Rana may sense, or any thoughts of disclosing the true nature of this mission that Mr. Ekans may be entertaining.

It suddenly dawned on Kuvarakh that he had given no thought whatsoever to where Phobius fit in to this. Surely the youngster should stay out of the grim shadows of The Underground. Rey could not be expected to keep watch on his back as well as Rana's and his own while down there. From what he'd heard, the kid would be just the sort for Kirby to grab and use as a hostage. He'd found himself trapped by his own subterfuge. How could he emphasize the danger presented to Phobius, while not revealing his knowledge of the danger Rana would be in as well?

Once again, rationale conveniently provided an out for his guilty conscience. Rana was the one with the knowledge of the place, she MUST know of the danger. It would not suggest that he had been concealing anything by advising Phobius not to go. Rana would surely accept that. And he had hypnosis he could fall back on to reinforce that if need be.

[Yisanareysin]

Rey smiled politely as the woman, Rana, spoke, and nodded in greeting. His eyes flickered to the cut on her hand. Was that why she wore the scarf? No, it was wrapped around her whole arm. How curious. The cut looked recent though. It was odd, not being able to smell the blood when he was close enough to see it. Such were the limitations of this form, he supposed. "I look forward to it." He replied to her, in reference to her mention of them getting to know each other. Once they got down to the Underground, he suspected she was going to get to know him a little better than he would like. No way around it, he supposed. Maybe there was something he could find something to use as leverage against her. Just in case, of course. Where Rana had been fairly calm and collected, Phobius seemed quite excitable, nearly bouncing when he announced he could find the Alchae. Rey followed the boy, grinning briefly at his eagerness. Eager to work, friendly and easygoing. Seemed like Kuvarakh had found himself a perfect little servant. Although he supposed that meant there would be no eating him, if at least Kuvarakh would notice his absence. Maybe in an emergency. Rey followed the emergency snack out of the Wolf's Cave, waving to Micah on the way out. Glancing up at the sky, he realized with a start that it was midday already. Hmm. He would prefer to perform this task at night, when the senses of his serpentile bodies would give him a huge advantage over a human. Although, he realized, in a place called the Underground, day and night would hardly matter. He itched to ask Rana, but it seemed Phobius was unaware of the task they were being sent on, and Rey was certainly not going to be the one to clue him in. And speaking of Rana... She seemed to be nothing extraordinary, so far as he could tell. Which concerned him. Most humans condemned murder, both those who carried it out, and who ordered the act. Did she not know what she was guiding him to the Underground for? Or had Kuvarakh told her this would simply be a rescue mission? That brought up things that would make this job harder than it already was. Wonderful. Or.... Rey hadn't missed Rana's diminutive hight. She was shorter than even him, something he rarely saw in humans. It made him wonder if she even was one herself. Kuvarakh had spotted that Rey was a dhani. Perhaps he wasn't the only one. If so, how to find out? He could ask about her mother, and mention her given name at the same time. That would give her a clue about his true nature, but only if she was familiar with dhani. Or he could try to sense if she was like him. But there was a chance he would have to use his sense down in the Underground, so he should conserve his energy. So, try to hint it to her then? How should- Oh, nevermind. They'd arrived at the Alchae. "That was quick." Stepping in, he grinned at Kuvarakh. "Hello Kuvarakh. You seem in good health."

[Ranayel Silverleaf]

Thankfully, the group's trip to the Alchae was fairly uneventful. Rana did a lot of thinking and little talking as the odd trio walked through the streets of Alvadas, walking behind Phobius but in front of Rey.

It doesn't make sense that he would choose to stay in the Wolf's Cave. He doesn't seem too inhuman, but I'm not really the best judge of that, am I? Maybe he just didn't know about the Cubaceous? Does he prefer the atmosphere in the Wolf's Cave over the feeling of the inn?

...why does this matter so much to me?

She reasoned that she was about to guide the man through the hellhole that was the Underground, and that all she had to go on about this Rey Ekans was that Kuvarakh, a stranger himself, trusted him. Could she even trust Kuvarakh? He'd risk the lives of people who were basically total strangers just to find one person who she knew nothing about. Making a mental note that she needed to ask the Nuit about this-and how exactly he'd pinkified his hands in the first place-she turned her thoughts back to Rey.

Reysin Ekans. Rrrreysin. Raysin? Raisin? Rey-sin. Reysssin. Nisyer. Ekans. Ackans? Ekanz? Ehkanz? Ekans. Snake?

...wait a second. Snake spelled backwards is his last name. When Phobius knocked at his door earlier, he kind of hissed.

Rana blinked hard to clear her head. Surely this was just a coincidence and she was merely imagining that he'd hissed the word 'just' when they'd arrived at his room. But the Silverleaf woman couldn't shake the thoughts from her mind.

She resolved that, in front of Phobius, at least, she couldn't mention it to him. They'd be alone together later after all.

When the trio entered the Alchemmia Alchae, Ranayel was relieved to be freed from her thoughts. She smiled at Kuvarakh broadly and waved her hand in his direction.

"Allo again, Kuvarakh! Hope your hands haven't been troubling you too much."

Thoughts. - "Common." - "Nari." - "Isurian."

[Phobius]

Intent on making good by his words, Phobius summoned every smidgen of focus and brainpower he possessed in order to lead his quarry back to Kuvarakh's alchemy shop. Ionu's tricks wouldn't work on him, not this afternoon. He'd made a pseudo-promise, and promises of all kinds were to be kept. With his chin held high, Phobius practically marched through the streets and alleyways, making confident turns even when he wasn't feeling too confident about where he was going.

As the boy walked, his mind was restless. What could it be that Rey and Miss Rana were going to do? What were the contracts for? Was Kuvarakh them on some sort of secret, undercover mission? Would they be fighting monsters and bandits? Were they supposed to retrieve some sort of treasure and return it to him in one piece? The possibilities were endless, as far as his brain was concerned. He managed to keep himself from asking them any questions, despite how powerful the urge was, and set his focus completely on leading them back to the alchemy store. The desire to know, however, stayed with him..

Was it something so secret that they weren't allowed to tell him? Maybe...maybe he could ask Kuvarakh? Phobius liked to think that the man would give him a rundown of what was going on, but he wasn't sure. I can ask when we get there...when Rey and Miss Rana are off doing other things, maybe.

They reached the Alchemmia Alchae in record time. Phobius proudly walked through the door, beaming like a lamp in the darkest night. The boy was quick to join Miss Rana and her waving. "Hi, Mr. Kuvarakh! I gave them the contracts, just like you told me to!" He announced, bouncing on his toes.

"Speech-Common" | "Nari" | Thoughts

[Kuvarakh]

Kuvarakh did not lift his hands above his side of the counter. Instead, he acted as if he was setting something on one the shelves where the three could not see, and nodded with a smile. "Oh no, nothing I haven't been getting used to, Rana." He turned to Phobius, "Well done, son. I didn't expect you for another thirty of forty chimes." He let a sympathetic grimace cross his face. "There's a downside to that though, I'm afraid. There's still time, if you leave right now, to pick up the wax I sent for before they cart it back to the cold rooms."

He gave Phobius a few moments before letting the hint of a scowl show that he was serious. He didn't really care if the wax was retrieved today or not. But he wanted the boy gone when he gave Rana and Rey the details of their mission, at least as far as he was openly letting on. He did not want Phobius getting intrigued by what he would surely think of as some glorious heroic adventure into dark dangers. And by extension, he didn't want to have to explain this in front of Rana. He still hoped to be able to claim that he hadn't expected them to run into Kirby when they came back with the body. If he warned of great dangers and vicious criminals, it would be much harder to deny.

When Phobius trudged slowly out of the room, Kuvarakh turned to the other two. "I hated to have to do that, really I did. But I'd hate to see him get lost down there, or worse. I can just see him thinking himself some brave hero rescuing the girl, and ending up having to BE rescued instead. It isn't just his safety at stake, it's his confidence and self-esteem that would suffer if you two had to carry him out."

He left them to find seats as he went back into the other room and opened a cabinet. He removed a rolled up leather case and brought it back to set on the counter. "These are what are called "thieves' tools". That's another name for "lockpicks". Of course, I wouldn't want to assume that either of you already knew that." he winked, "...after all, you're respectable Alvadas citizens, regardless of your familiarity with The Underground." He'd have playfully elbowed Rana in the ribs if the counter hadn't been in the way.

"There's a tavern called The Stallion's Rear, usually not too far from the one of the city walls. Finding the place is fun to explain...The ceiling tiles unfailingly display the sky above, but only when it is comprised of very small fluffy clouds against the blue of the sky. So you must look to where that pattern is in the sky an head in that direction." he paused, considering. "When you get to where you are looking almost straight up to see this sight, you will be right outside of it. I'm not sure if birds will be included, but it shouldn't take long for any to fly by."

He handed the leather case of lockpicks across to whomever chose to take them. "Now you don't actually need to enter, though it won't hurt if you do. But there is an alley going around to the back. It appears to go nowhere besides the tavern's trash bins, but if one of you, only one at a time, stands so that all of both your feet are within the edges of the very last walkway stone, you will see a doorway in what otherwise appears to be the rock wall behind you. It is a very stout, iron-banded, hardwood door with a padlocked latch. The directions I was given, to find where the girl was being held, start at this door."

He leaned forward, a pained expression on his face, "There is a sort of code that the girl heard them saying that seemed to correspond to the directions they turned as they descended." he looked at a scrap of paper, the writing in a stereotypical feminine script, and read:

Even down right... until you see the light... Odd down right... until you see the night.

Kuvarakh gave them a look clearly displaying his own apprehension that it would be easily decoded. "This is what she says they kept saying as they twisted and turned their way down. There were as many left turns as right, she said, but it apparently took them nearly to their door. There was some splashing she heard for the few steps after they started walking straight. She said the building is heavily reinforced, masonry, not wood, with caged windows, not bars, but very strong. She said it reminded her of a guard house."

[Yisanareysin]

Rey watched, hiding his smile as Kuvarakh sent his little messenger on some errand or another. The poor boy had no idea what he was just narrowly avoiding. His amusement doubled as Kuvarakh spoke again. Ah yes, there it was again. Again, the nuit was rationalizing his actions, trying to paint himself as the selfless protector. Idly, he wondered if Kuvarakh was trying to convince Rana or himself. Of course, if his suspicion (his hope, really) about Rana were correct, it was almost certainly the latter. Still, it was probably for the best. Siku knew keeping an eye on two humans when he expected he'd have to fight would be impossible. Although why Kuvarakh thought that having to be rescued would be worse for Phobius than being sold into slavery, Rey had no idea. He settled down on a chair as Kuvarakh left, and reentered the room. He frowned, puzzled, as the nuit set down a roll of leather, then sat stunned when Kuvarakh explained just what it was. Thieves tools? What kind of petching shopkeeper had that sort of thing? Glancing at them, he was disappointed to see they were nothing more than of thin lengths of metal, some bent oddly, others with little hooks at the end. Seemed like they were going to be useless, unless, of course, Rana knew how to use them. He made no move to take the tools, leaving them to Rana. If he was to be the muscle, she'd be carrying everything anyways. He listened attentively to Kuvarakh's instructions. The Stallion's Rear, he knew. Funny, he'd never seen or heard of a door to anywhere behind it. It seemed like the sort of thing people would talk about. The padlocked door, he supposed, was why they needed the lockpicks. Finally, the code Kuvarakh read out had Rey completely puzzled. So the puzzle said only to turn right, but they had turned left as well? Ugh. The trick was probably in the wording, but Rey's common was still a little rough. Hopefully Rana would be able to work it out. "And you have a description of this girl we're trying to find?" And, he left unsaid, the man you want me to kill?

[Phobius]

Phobius could only beam more at Kuvarakh's praise, no matter how small it'd been. He'd done his job and done it well, managing to make it back to the alchemy shop in record time. Either the city's streets and Ionu's disorienting magic had been merciful on him today, or he knew his way around the place better than he thought he did.

His employer's next words gradually stilled the bouncing in the boy's toes, the triumphant smile on his face melting away within a few ticks, like ice melting underneath a merciless sun's rays. Wax...? Kuvarakh hadn't mentioned any wax, before. Maybe this was some sort of emergency retrieval. Frowning, now, Phobius merely blinked at Kuvarakh and stayed rooted in his spot. He was obliged to follow orders, and wouldn't dare to tell the man that he'd rather do it later, but the boy was just so curious. As soon as he left, he was sure that Kuvarakh and Rey and Miss Rana would huddle up and discuss their secretive business. Secretive business that he probably wasn't allowed to ask about. But oh, did he want to know; the urge to find out was eating away at his brain.

Phobius hadn't really made a move towards the door, yet, conflicted. Then Kuvarakh's expression changed to one of seriousness, and the boy felt a twinge of fear. I don't want to make him mad at me. Better do as he says...

The boy's gaze fell to the floor. Not allowing himself to look at anyone else, he slowly turned around and began to head back the way he'd come, slouching a little as he trudged his way out the door. Had he wanted to make his upset-ness any more obvious, he probably would have whined a little as he gently shut the door behind him.

It wasn't until he'd gotten about a block away from the Alchae that he realized that Kuvarakh hadn't given him any directions. He turned to head back, intent on asking him about it, but stopped himself. Phobius knew himself well enough to know that walking out of that shop for the second time would be harder than it'd been about a chime ago, and he didn't want to make a fuss in front of all of his new, potential friends. Huffing a little, Phobius continued down the sidewalk.

I can just...ask around for directions...

"Speech-Common" | "Nari" | Thoughts