Won't you play a game with me?

Warm. Dry. Sandy.

The amalgamation stalked through on spindly legs, approaching the mesa tunnel with great intrigue. Except, not really-- to any onlooker, the faerie appeared to be a massive and strangely distorted bush rabbit, its plush golden fur unsuited to the ravaging heat. It would hop a few steps, then sniff at the sand with it's button nose, then continue on, the light bending to hide its extra limbs. And heads.

This place was not suited to the Court. But it was interesting nonetheless. With the Queen off to war and Matthieu's humiliating defeat at the claws of a dragon, the fusion figured to take their mind off things and explore. Constant motion. Constant change.

Boy's hand ran along the coarse grooves in the wall. It was obvious something had lived here before-- when, and what, was lost to them. Bee's claws kicked a stray bone down the path. But they weren't alone. Someone was here: they weren't sure where but they swore it, and fueled by pure fairytale whim, the 'rabbit' began to sing out to their guest.

"Where does the wind come from? Does anybody know?
Where does the wind come from, before he starts to blow?
When the caves go dark, where does he put his skin?
Does anybody know where the wind has been?
Where does the wind come from, does anybody know... know... know..."

The song didn't come from it's mouth.

@Mosaic

There was nothing worth staying for here. At one end lay death, and at the other end... well, maybe also death, judging from the bones, but Mosaic had been there and hadn't died yet. That was something. Already she was wondering where to go next, and indeed if there was anywhere worth being in these caves. So many rooms, but so few nice ones.

A song cut through the air, suddenly, and Mosaic nearly choked on the seraphinite in her mouth. "RRRKSHNGH!" she hacked, spitting out the gemstone and looking around wildly with fur fluffed and teeth bared. The culprit appeared to be... a giant rabbit?

Mosaic frowned. She hadn't ever seen a rabbit so big in her life. Nor, for that matter, did rabbits normally sing. Gears turned in her mind. The body of a lesser, the voice of a greater... oh god, the cult isn't EXPANDING, is it?! She wished she could've shoved this rabbit in the flying cat thing's face. Wouldn't IT like to know.

"I don't want any of your tricks!" she snapped at the thing. "Get you and your demon-worshipping deer friends with your demon-summoning song out of my way!" Sudden dread crept up her throat. There weren't more of them around, were there? No, casting her magic out found only small heartbeats. There was no ambush waiting for her here, thank goodness. She could keep up this display of confidence without risking leaving herself open to an unexpected attack.

@Matthieu

Won't you play a game with me?

As Mosaic approached a slow chuckle began to build, eventually erupting into pure, whirling laughter. Ah, it was the Painted One! The one that shouted at them in the Power Cave! Matthieu liked their feistiness. She would've made the perfect decoration for his nest if he was in the mood. But, no, he wasn't. Instead, he was more intrigued by the dark, crystalline object at her paws.

'I want it.'

Verdant green and blue, feathered with crystalline filaments and shaped like a tear.

'I want it I want it I WANT IT WE WANT IT

Ah, an idea.

The laughter reached it's peak, and the rabbit-beast put up a 'paw' reassuredly. "Hahaha, we were just playing with you!" the masculine voice exclaimed, as the disguise willingly dropped to reveal a two-bodied beast where the lesser once was, posing dramatically. Better, or worse? It's hard to say. Both their smiles widened. "It always gets us when we do that."

Matthieu padded a wide arc around the canine, trying their best to look friendly with casual movements and skipping legs. A shame there were no trees in this cave, that was where he felt the most comfortable. "We are Six Stripes. Very pleased to meet you. But what's a sociable young gembound like you doing out here?" They mused, Boy's head turning to look at Mosaic. Bee stared straight ahead but watched from her myriad of eyes. "Personally, we are off to transport a very valuable (his silky voice emphasized those words) crystal. The stone of a leader, no less! Now, we had to be secret about it, cue our disguise, but seeing how nice you are we may give you a look! For a temporary trade, that is."

Lies. No such gem existed, they were just spinning the tale as they went. But with enough magic, they could make it seem real. Boy brought forth his far hand, balled up into a fist, and tantalizingly pulled back their fingers-- but something wrong happened with the magic, and a bright flash of light lashed out where they expected to be shadow. They pulled their fist back shut. Okay, not what they wanted at all. But they could still make this work.

"Haha, oh, it appears the stone is too powerful to be viewed." they sighed dramatically, putting a hand against his forehead. "You probably wouldn't be interested in it anyway. I'll just continue on my way... unless, you're still intruiged?"

@Mosaic

For a single precarious moment, Mosaic was frozen in utter shock and horror.

She stared at it, not quite comprehending what she was seeing. It was... it was a giant bee. Its middle feet. Were backwards. And what in the world was the thing on top supposed to bee?! It--god, it--

Mosaic burst into a flurry of horrified motion, barking wildly at the thing. There were no words in the noises: only BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK. She barely even registered what the bee-thing said, snapping her jaws shut only when a flash of light engulfed the thing's hand. Then she realized she wasn't dead yet.

Well, that was nice.

"That's right, I'm not interested," Mosaic sniffed, although she had absolutely no idea what stone the bee thing was talking about. "Rocks are stupid anyway. What kinda rock does that kinda thing?" She crept closer despite herself, the seraphinite lying half-forgotten for now. "You don't still worship demons, do you?"

Oh, and if they weren't actually deer, that meant she'd given the flying cat wrong information. Well, it wasn't... wrong, exactly. The deer part and the cave wall-tapping part had still been true, they just weren't actually deer. Assuming this wasn't just another illusion. Mosaic's head was beginning to hurt, and she decided to stop giving a care. The flying cat was real smart; it could see a giant lesser and put two and two together as fast as she did.

@Matthieu

Won't you play a game with me?

Matthieu was a little dissappointed their trick didn't sail, but they let it slide. Such simpletons, not even appreciating a good show. They put a backward hand in the air, reassuring, hoping the dog could stop barking already so they could get on with their robbery.

Finally. "Ah, each to their own, I presume." they slipped their fist behind their body, as if depositing the false stone somewhere. Bee clicked her mandibles. "And no, we do not worship... demons." why would they need to worship something they were better than? "Just a little misconception. And the stone? Oh, some powerful ones do that, but seeing as you're not intrigued I won't bore you with the details."

The seraphinite was unattended. They slunk a little closer in its direction. "If you think rocks are stupid, why do you lug around that crystal?" Matthieu's silky voice crooned. "Looks awfully slippery, and easy to misplace. What if this stupid rock falls somewhere and you can't find it? Give it to me-- I know a secure location to store things, plus you won't have to worry about it anymore."

He smiled.

@Mosaic

The bee-thing claimed it didn't worship demons, but wasn't that exactly what a demon-worshipper would say? Then again, it was also probably what a perfectly normal person would say. BUT! That didn't apply here, because this thing was clearly not a normal person. "You can't fool me, fool!" Mosaic laughed. "Just a little misconception, my FOOT!"

She narrowed her eyes, taking a protective step toward the seraphinite as the bee drew closer. "Rocks ARE stupid!" she agreed enthusiastically, before the rest of Matthieu's words caught up to her. "...huh. I never thought of that." Mosaic shot a confused glance at the teardrop gemstone before snapping her attention back to the bee. "I MEAN! Of course I thought of it. But this one's not AS stupid!" Her frown deepened as she tried to recall why exactly she'd taken it with her. Had she felt a sense of... kinship? With a rock?

Well, that's kind of stupid. But it wasn't like she'd ever admit it to the bee-thing! Or else it'd think she was stupid, and stupid things made for easy targets. And now it was offering to... take the rock from her? Because she might misplace it? As IF! "That's not true!" Mosaic barked. "I've taken great care of it so far? 'Sides, what makes you think YOU could do it any better, huh? Think you're so good, huh? Better than me???" She lifted her chin in challenge. The superiority of this bee was truly infuriating.

@Matthieu

Won't you play a game with me?

Matthieu resisted the urge to sigh.

"Yes, yes. That is not as stupid. And since it's not, don't you want to make sure it's well-protected?" 'Just snatch it already,' Bee growled internally. 'The show's getting boring. The jester's not putting up an entertaining show. It's right in front of us, why don't we kick her aside and grab it?'

'Just wait a moment,' Boy assured.

"And no, I do not think I am better than you." He put his pale hands in the air. "After all, how could I be better than such an accomplished adventurer like you? Traveling to such exotic caves! It would simply be a shame if someone knocked it out of view, or stole it, and you had to put your plans on hold to find it again." They attempted to twirl a little shadow around their body, almost boasting, but once again all that came was a flash of bright, uncontrolled light. They swatted it away without a word.

"You saw the magic I did earlier. I am very good at hiding one's true nature. I can keep your stone safe from thieves, and when you want it again, I'll tell you where I placed it so you can play with your... stone. And with absolutely no charge! Just the generosity of a stranger, here. Do you want to take it?"

@Mosaic

Mosaic frowned, deep in thought. The bee-thing's explicit assurance that she was an accomplished adventurer, and CERTAINLY not inferior to it in ANY WAY, did calm her down somewhat. "That's true..." she mumbled thoughtfully. "I am very busy. Lots of caves to explore and adventure in."

But there was a problem with the bee's plan. What if wherever it hid the rock was far away from wherever she decided was a nice place to live in? Then she'd have to go to all the trouble of traveling to retrieve it anyway. Ugh. But she supposed it might be easier than carrying it around all the time. Hunting was rather annoying when she was carrying something in her mouth, for example. Mosaic narrowed her eyes at Matthieu. Why couldn't she have hands like it did? Clearly SHE was far more deserving.

"FINE," she decided, nudging the seraphinite in Matthieu's direction. "But on ONE CONDITION. You have to hide it somewhere real nice. Not too many other pretty things around, but not too ugly either. Keep the stupid rocks to a minimum. When I come pick it up again, I want the traveling to be worth my time. Got it?"

@Matthieu

Won't you play a game with me?

Finally, she bought it. They needed to work more on their manipulation skills. "Good," he smiled. Her mandibles picked up the shiny crystal. Matthieu vaguely wondered what they'd do when she came to retrieve it, but decided to obliterate that bridge when they got there. Maybe she'll forget. And if not, they can always eat the little dog.

"It will be hidden in the tunnel of living trees and moving vines, far from here, in a secret nook far from sight. Can't find it? Don't worry, l will be there to retrieve it. I always keep my promises, after all." He turned away with a wink. "Toodaloo, spotted traveler, and pray nothing eats you on your adventures."

With another flash of light, the faerie was veiled once more as a ginormous rabbit. It sniffed the air once, twice-- and hopped away. Not such a bad robbery today.

crappy exit post finally asohdfghjg I'm so sorry @Mosaic

Mosaic frowned, repeating the description in her head as she tried to commit it to memory. A tunnel of living trees and moving vines...? She'd never been to such a place in her entire life, and she wondered how she'd find the tunnel. Six Stripes seemed to have a solution--no. They were talking about if she couldn't find the stone, not if she couldn't find the tunnel.

Pray nothing eats you! Mosaic made a face. What kind of goodbye was that? It only cemented her belief that Six Stripes was weird, maybe dangerous, and she was starting to regret giving the seraphinite to them. But it was too late. They were already turning into a giant Lesser and hopping away.

"Wait," she called after them belatedly. "Where's the tunnel? How do I get there?" But Six Stripes was too far away to hear. Or maybe they were really evil, and delighted in her confusion. Mosaic stared at the now-empty tunnel for a moment longer, then huffed and trotted toward Canis. It could be worse, she supposed. She could have gone into Hydra not knowing what dangers there were. At least she was alive.

exit