Dinner came to a close without too much incident. There was a moment when Alptraum left the table to tend to a call of nature and an enterprising male Eeee swooped in and tried to steal Rosalind away. But he was so over the top and flowery with his actions, well, it was hard not to laugh. In the end Alptraum returned and shooed him away. He paid their tab and the two once more hit the streets. This time Alptraum insisted on blindfolding Rosalind and leading her to another place she is unlikely to have ever been to before…

Ink-magination
In a dreary land, people will do anything to try and bring color and excitement to their lives. This even means they'll go to dying or inking their bodies with a myriad of colors. To cater to these desires, Ink-magination set up shop in the small town in the northern section of Draco County. It's a small shop in the 'darker' side of the small town (if a small town can even have a darker side). The drab exterior gives way to a bright and colorful interior. The walls are covered in page after page of sketches depicting various artwork that can be applied to a body. Many of the designs seem to be specific to dealing with Eeee bodies and tend to accentuate the wings.

"Now, you do trust me, right?" Alptraum whispers in Rosalind's ear as his fingers linger on the blindfold, hesitating in its removal.

Rosalind's eyes go wide at the sight of the body-art designs on the walls. "Trust you, yes," she says. "But… what exactly are you getting me into?"

"Well," Alptraum says on Rosalind's left, then slips behind her and resumes speaking on her right, "How wild have you ever been? How wild do you want to be?" He even says that last but with a hint of khattan purr in his voice.

"Wild is… going out drinking after curfew and sneaking back into your dorm before dawn," Rosalind whispers. "But never… well… painting myself. I'm black on black. Color just… didn't seem normal."

"I hate to tell you this," Alptraum purrs and drapes his arms around her shoulders, "But you aren't normal. And neither am I. Haven't you even once considered a little fun with your body?"

"What do you call what happened during your first shadow-cloak practice?" Rose counters. "And… well… okay, no, I guess I never considered it. I was just always glad that black is slimming and it's hard to make out the details… "

"First time I've ever been in a place similar to this was when I had to disguise my heritage. I was dyed to look like an ordinary brown Eeee," Alptraum notes as he slips his arms off the Countess. He then grins and can't help but add, "And for the record, I like your details. Particularly the ones that make you squeak and squirm… "

"Ahem," Rose clears her throat, and tries to keep her ears from blushing. "What are you suggesting for me then? Bleach my fur and make me into a Yodhinala?" she teases.

"Oh, nothing so ordinary," Alptraum claims and grins, "I was thinking something with a little more style to it. Maybe something like vines wrapping up along your legs and body. Or … maybe a serpent. Stylized dragon, like those strange Kiriga of the Nagai empire."

"Wait… on my wings?" Rose asks, wrapping them around herself. "Stuff on my body now… uh… the artist would see me then!"

"What's wrong with your body? I happen to like it quite a bit," Alptraum says and grins.

"That doesn't mean some stranger gets to use it as a canvas," Rose notes nervously. "I'm shy you know."

"You never have been around me," Alptraum points out. "But, I won't try to push you too much to do something that makes you a little uneasy. Is there anything you would find interesting on your wings then?"

Rose unwraps her wings and gives them a good look. "Well… I honestly have no idea. I've never even worn jewelry or veils on them, come to think of it," she notes. "I guess I just never gave much thought to my appearance… "

"Oh, well, I've seen a lot of wing decorations. From simple bone-painting to dozens of little rings along the edge of the membrane," Alptraum says and shrugs. He thinks for a moment, then asks, "Ever wonder how your wings would look with a feather pattern?"

"Well… like your dragon I suppose?" Rose asks. "Unless they were black feathers… then… uh… I'd look like a Korv?

"Or we could go for ultra-colorful and make you look like a kukaju… " Alptraum suggests.

"Or even something more creative, like flames. When your wings move it would look like you were on fire," Alptraum offers next.

"Gah!" Rose shrieks! "Don't even joke about that! I hate Kujakus!"

"Although… flames?" she then asks, calm again.

"Or something liquid blue, so your wings look more like rolling waves on the ocean," Alptraum suggests, "A little less stand-outish, but still different."

"Uh, how long does this stuff last?" the Countess asks next, before getting too caught up in things. "And what sorts of things have you had put on your own wings before?"

"Depends on what they use. Some will last until your next bath. Some last about a week and wear off. Some are permanent," Alptraum explains, "And as for my own, I haven't done anything to them … yet. I was going to join you in doing something tonight."

"Oh!" Rose says. "So this is a couple's thing then, not just you trying to embarrass me!" she says, sounding relieved. "I like the flames and waves idea… just not sure which of us would be which."

Alptraum puts his hand on his heart. "I'm wounded. You thought I was trying to embarrass you?" he asks, complete with wide, sad, eyes.

"I think it's one of your little kinks," Rose notes, and taps Alptraum on the nose. "You try so hard to 'bust me out of my shell' after all."

"I'm trying to get you to experience things you don't often get the chance to," Alptraum counters, "I'm your little, evil, shoulder Eeee… "

"Only … just bigger than you," Alptraum adds as an afterthought.

"Evil shoulder Eeee?" Rose asks, cocking her head. "Where did that come from? You don't actually see little creatures on your shoulders do you?"

"Only when Kaira is being silly," Alptraum comments and grins.

"So … do you feel cool and easy going, or more passionate and exciting?" Alptraum asks.

"Well… I'd probably be the cool and easy going one to your passionate and exciting personality," Rosalind says. "Fire and water together make steam though."

"Well … we did steam up the windows the other night," Alptraum says with a huge, fangy, grin.

"The bath helped," Rose points out with a blush. "So… let's do this before I really lose my nerve… "

"We don't have to do this if you really don't want to," Alptraum says as his hand hovers over the summoning bell.

"I'm pregnant," Draco notes. "This could be my last real 'wild' thing, you know?"

"You won't be pregnant forever," Alptraum reminds Rosalind, "And I refuse to let your life ever be dull. We have many years ahead, you know? We have to keep them exciting." And after saying that, he taps the bell.

"Dull? My life?" Rose notes, and has to laugh. "Maybe after the Marquis of Gallis is stuffed and roasted, in that order… "

The bell rings out and the door to the back room opens. What shuffles through is an Eeee. Well, somewhere under all the garish colors, weird spikey hair, and the multiple bits of body jewelry, including a big nose ring. "Well, well, more victims!" the artist cackles and rubs his hands together. "What'll the torture be?"

"You poor man," Draco gasps at the man's appearance.

"Yeah, it be terrible," the man agrees and drapes his arm around Draco's shoulders, "I lost me favorite brow rings." He even shows off the vacant holes in his brow by poking a his claw through them. Alptraum is really, really, trying not to laugh.

"Ohhhh," Draco goes, trying not to wince. "That's dreadful. Where they stolen in your sleep?"

"Naw. Me girlfriend swiped em t' replace the ones we bent the last time we were makin' out. Y'see, I was nibbling on her," the strange Eeee goes on, though thankfully interrupted by Alptraum very loudly clearing his throat.

Rose takes the opportunity to slip out from under the artist's arm.

"We don't need to know the details of your love life, we just need your skill. My fiance here wants some temporary wing work. Can you make them look like rolling waves?" Alptraum asks.

"Oh sure," the Artist says, completely unconcerned by his loss of Rosalind's shoulders. "That's easy t'manage with a bit of blue and white. With her black wings, she'll be ocean at midnight!"

"I like that sound of that," Rose comments. Whether to 'ocean at midnight' or 'temporary' isn't clear however.

Since Rosalind is University educated, Alptraum takes a chance she knows Khattan and says to her, "You can still back out. I only want you do do things you think you'll like. I don't want to force."

"I s'ppose ya won't want to strip, then?" the Artist asks Rosalind, just to be sure.

"No, she doesn't," Alptraum answers a bit sharply.

"Not for my wings!" Rose notes sternly. "Him you can strip down," she then offers, pointing to Alptraum with a grin.

"Hey!" Alptraum says.

"Really now? Want me t' augment anything on him?" the Artist whispers to Rosalind and waggles his brow.

"Hmmm. No, he's fine the way he is," Draco says. "I'll let his mistress get the nose-ring for him."

"My mistress?" Alptraum has to ask and arches his brow. "What are you talking about?"

The strange Eeee just laughs. "Y' two are all right. C'mon, I'll get ya done pretty quick like. Just promise me ya will head over to the dance at Fennick's and do a bit o' walking advertising for me," he says as he guides Rosalind over to a table that looks not only large enough to lay on, but folds out enough so that she can completely spread her wings out.

"Oh, you know… white fur, big… ambitions?" Draco says, waggling her own eyebrows now.

Alptraum barks a laugh. "Hah! She wouldn't do that to me," he insists.

"So… it won't hurt right?" Rose asks.

"That depends," the Artist says.

"On what?" Rose demands.

"On if you want it to or not. Some clients like it t' hurt," the Artist answers simply and pats the table.

Alptraum coughs, "… blakat… "

"I prefer it to not hurt if at all possible," Rose notes.

"Painless it is! Can't promise it won't tickle, though. Just hop up and lie down on yer stomach. I'll go get my supplies," the Artist says and grins. He has a gold-capped fang.

After getting onto the table, Rose turns to keep an eye on Alptraum. "Now… don't be getting any ideas while I'm being worked on. I don't want to twitch and ruin a perfectly good wave," she says.

"Oh, I don't have to worry about ruining the wave. Why … that's what the straps on the table are for. They'll keep you nice and still," Alptraum says, his lips drawing back in one devious grin…