Snowshoe's Tavern
Bazaar tents and shops come and go, but Snowshoe's has always managed to remain a stable landmark amidst the bustle and noise. It's owner and main proprietor, Abram Snowshoe, along with his wife Beatrice, keep a good and fair business and have just about cornered the herbivore market much like Bromthen Heaven has cornered that of the carnivores. The tables are kept clean by bustling family members and food is rapidly cooked to order by the matron of the family. There are rooms available for rent here, but many of them are now inhabited by immediate and extended family.

Tonight, the dinner crowd is light, or maybe it's still a bit early yet. Temple guardsmen were summoned to haul away the mercenaries from the Isstvan Memorial banquet hall, conveniently bound (and be-ribboned) to be picked up. There were questions and paperwork, but the Rath'ani scholar Jervis Tinsnip seemed well versed in the ways of bureaucracy, and deflected most of the inconvenience, making it a relatively short several hour affair. Still, it looked like the raccoon could use a drink after the ordeal, especially after he saw the state of the dining hall, and it was agreed that everyone should troop over to Snowshoe's, though there was a little reluctance on Gibson's part.

Those patrons in the place seem well looked after, several townsfolk having quiet conversations by the bar or munching away at the dinner tables while various rabbits keep tabs on things.

The door to the Tavern swings open, and Anisa steps through – hefting her duffel bag and bow. "Wow, seems kinda pointless to have packed this now." She lobs the bag to the foot of the stairs, and makes her way to one of the hall's couches.

Kin is generally quiet as they walk along. She still finds this land a bit intimidating … especially when there is a lot of yelling going on. The Kiriga probably sticks out like a sore thumb when she passes through the doors of the snowshoe tavern. Her head tilts and snakes about as she looks around, slitted eyes blinking curiously.

Lilac enters somewhat behind Gibson, as if he were her shield from embarrassment. After all, her earlier transformation wrecked the only outfit she had available, with the rest of her clothes shipped off to she knows nt where. Luckily, Jervis lent her a robe, so at least she's apparently garbed. Of her original outfit, only her boots remained intact, and she wears those too. "This is so embarrassing," she confirms to Gibson. The robe, a bit too small on her, makes her look like a bizarre and underfunded scholar.

Gibson looks like he'd prefer to be the last one entering, but Lilac keeps him moving forward, and he has to politely keep pace with Mr. Tinsnip as well, who's jabbering away animatedly. "Really, my boy, I never would have expected in a million years that they'd guess who I was, much less know I was keeping the Banquet Hall, but honestly, who can figure what goes on in… " and so on. A salt and pepper Lapi bounds down some stairs at the back of the tavern six at a time, slowing to a jog as he approaches the group. "Welcome to Sn-… oh, hi big sis!"

"Heya Ben," Anisa replies to her little brother as she plops down on the couch, scooting her feet closer to the fire. "Could you grab us a few cups of tea? I think we all need some." She looks back to Gibson with a bit of a grin. "Although your brother might need some of daddy's brandy instead."

Kin's head tilts at the sudden arrival of another Lapi. She … tries to smile politely to him. Whether it comes across as polite or creepy … she doesn't know. "Good afternoon," she says with a small dip of her head.

Lilac starts to complain about "draftiness," but suddenly pauses as she starts sniffing. "Ohh, I smell food! I'm starving, it's like I haven't had a meal all day!" She sniffs a bit more, then her ears suddenly wilt. "Aww, it's vegetables!"

The rabbit Anisa calls Ben looks to be in his teens, if comparing him to Anisa and Gibson helps the judging. He glances curiously at Kin first, then Lilac. "Sure thing. Who're you… " The rabbit's eyes go wide as he spies his eldest brother, who waves wanly, then starts to make shushing noises. It's too late. "Gibson?!" The echo from somewhere in the back of the tavern is nearly immediate. "GIBSON???" The rabbit in question just puts his paw on his face.

The white Lapi begins to say something, but is stopped cold at the sudden outburst from the back, cringing a bit with ears splayed. "Maybe we should have gone to the gym instead… "

"I could always fight off those that charge while you escape," Kin offers the group…

All the sudden commotion directed in Gibson's vicinity only servers to make Lilac more self-conscious. She suddenly ducks behind the larger buck, her perked ears peeking around his left arm. "What, what? Are you in trouble?" A pause, and she adds, "Can we go by the fire, too?"

Benjamin is grinning happily, and starts to say something, but is interrupted by yet another Lapi, tall, lean, and gray of fur. Though he's dressed in a nice tunic and breeches, his sleeves are rolled up and an apron he neglected to untie covers him from waist to knees. Gibson doesn't manage to get a word out before the gray Lapi's got his finger waving under the other buck's nose. "You've got a lot of nerve just showing up on our doorstep, mister!"

"Quinn, stoppit!" Anisa springs up from the couch, and bolts over to put herself between the two older rabbits. Putting her hands on her hips, she glares at the gray buck. "Don't even start this nonsense! We've gone over it a billion times already! You should just be happy to see him!"

"Yeah!" Lilac exclaims from somewhere behind Gibson. "You leave Gibson alone!"

"Do you wish me to 'thump' this one, Gibson?" Kin asks Gibson and motions towards Quinn. "He does not seem much of a threat." Apparently, Kin isn't used to large family dynamics.

The one Anisa called Quinn balls the rag he was holding up, looking ready to throw it to the floor. "Maybe if we'd seen hide or hair of him for the past… what, two years? You haven't got a leg to stand on anyway, Chris! Off in your fancy gym full of toughs while we try to keep… " He breaks off as Lilac speaks up, then gives the Kiriga a weird look. "And who're-… " "GIBSON???" Yet another interruption, this time from a matronly looking Lapi of brown. She's graying around the muzzle, but still looks spry enough to hustle over, looking for all the world like she's seen a ghost. Gibson doesn't even try to speak at this point.

The tavern patrons are starting to look over their shoulders at the growing crowd by the door.

Anisa's ears turn bright red in anger, her glare turning to a scowl. Getting up in Quinn's face, she looks like she's about to say something in retort, but stops at the words of the matronly rabbit near the back. "Hi mama," she grins to the older woman. "Look who's home!" She shoves the gray Lapi aside, giving their mother a better view of Gibson.

Lilac pokes her head around from behind Gibson, giving Quinn something of a fierce stare. Unfortunately, while Lilac may make for a fine actual monster, as a young human woman she's not particularly intimidating. She frowns, ears back, and tail trying to rise dominantly. Unfortunately she kept her tail in her robe, and so it just fights a losing battle with fabric. At least her arms are free, for she reaches over and holds Gibson's arm comfortingly. When the matronly Lapi approaches, Lilac's ears shot up, and her eyes widen. "Your mom!" Then, she's gone again, back behind Gibson.

Kin continues her emotionless look at Quinn, which then shifts to the older Lapi who suddenly approaches. "This is a large family," she comments.

Quinn goes, "Hoogf!" as he's easily pushed clear. Maybe being forced to give some room makes him realize the scene that's starting to unfold in front of the customers, and he just frowns and stays quiet now, crossing his arms. The plump Lapi woman doesn't seem to care, quickly doing her best to smother Gibson in a hug. "Oh my Star and Anchor, we thought you weren't coming home! You didn't visit, didn't write, I wondered every day! Oh my sweet Gibson, my baby… " Gibson's ears color like Anisa's, but he still hugs his mother, giving her a genuine smile. "I'm sorry, Ma, I've just been so-… " "GIBSON???" The black Lapi rolls his eyes at this point.

Gibson says, "Maybe we should take this to the fireside… "

"Ahh!" Lilac flails at Gibson's back as his mother manages to crush one of her ears. "Ear! Ow! Gib! Owow!"

Tinsnip nods at Kin animatedly. "Oh, Lapi are known for this. I suppose this must seem very different to you, I take it you're from the Imperial territories?"

Anisa ignores the dejected Quinn, and watches the unfolding scene with a giggle. Stepping aside, she walks over and takes Lilac by the hand, gently pulling the crushed ear from her mother's grip. "Here, come take a seat by the fire. We can look through my stuff and see if I have anything you can borrow to wear." She looks to Kin, and smiles as well. "You look like you could use a rest too."

"I did offer to cover your escape," Kin notes to Gibson as she starts towards the fireplace. She then nods towards Tinsnip, answering, "I am from the Jadaian islands. Families are … not like this."

"Ohhhh, thank you," a disoriented Lilac tells Anisa as she's lead away. Rubbing he recently emancipated ear, the human woman says, "You're Anisa, aren't you? Gibson told me a bit about you. Um, sorry about what happened in the Hall, I'm not … " she shrugs helplessly, "I'm not at all sure what happened, actually." Instead of sitting on the couch, Lilac plops down on the floor in front of the fire instead. "Mmm, warm." Her tail wags, knocking against Anisa.

The older Lapi woman looks up when she feels the tug, then quickly releases her grip when she realizes she's snagged someone. "Oh! Oh my, I'm sorry, dear! I didn't… well, you have guests!" She's turns around to halt another brown Lapi who hurries over, this one male, gray around the whiskers and broad around the middle. "He's heard it, Abrahm, let's let them settle in. Ben, be a sweetheart and get some refreshments." Quinn looks like he has words, but he spies a tiny Lapi girl toddling across the floor and hurries after her to scoop her up. "No, stop right there… what have you got? No, take that out of your mouth… "

Kin leans down and whispers to Lilac, "You changed again, into the monster." She finally looks to Anisa after standing again and says, "And please forgive my … aggression earlier at the hall. I had thought you were one of them. I am normally not so … harsh, I am just uncomfortable here."

"What happened in the hall? Well, that makes two of us then, I guess!" Anisa walks to the foot of the stairs, and hefts up her duffel bag, returning to the couch. "No apologies needed," she says to the reptile as she drops the bag by Lilac. "I thought you were one of them too! Although, I am curious as to how you two ended up traveling with my brother."

A beaming Ben scampers off again. Abrahm, after being assured his eldest son isn't about to vanish again, is led away by Beatrice, who gives the group a warm smile in parting. The tavern patrons resume their dining and drinking.

Looking over her shoulder, Anisa grins at Quinn and his baby. "Well? Aren't you gonna introduce her to Gibson?"

"What monster?" Lilac replies to Kin, her uncertainty about the matter coming off a little forced. Her voice wavers with nervousness, and she reflexively reaches to rub her shoulders for warmth. When Anisa returns, she explains, "Um, well, it's complicated. I'm a traveling bard and I work for La- … Kinny, and then there was this lord, and well, he's a bad sort, and well … " It all comes out as a distracted mess, and Lilac sighs as she adds, "I sure am tired."

"Your brother found himself in a bit of trouble in the Jadaian isles. We guarded his safety and assisted his escape, is what Lilac is trying to explain," Kin answers as she settles down by the fire to absorb some warmth herself. She removes her two swords from where they were tied in her obi and sets them onto the floor lightly. "I believe he may have been researching something on the behalf of the scholar, Master Tinsnip." She motions towards the Rath-ani.

Quinn hefts the little girl, sitting her in the crook of his arm while she looks around, one of her fingers in her mouth. The gray Lapi sighs, a bit of the wind out of his sails now. "All in due time. It looks like you have guests. Rude of me to set my ears back in front of them like that… I'll get Petal settled with Bessy, and come back to see if you need anything."

Anisa looks to the Lilac, then to Kin, her left ear flopping slightly. "In that case, I'm glad he had someone who could take care of him! He's not much of a fighter, you know – he's too nice." Smiling at Gibson, she pats a space on the couch for him. She then unties her duffel bag, and starts to rummage around it. "I'm not sure if any of my clothes will fit you, you're a bit taller than I am."

Looking up from her rummaging, Anisa scans the room. "Anyone seen Wanda?" She asks.

"Petal?" The human woman's ears perk. "Oh, that reminds me: I'm Lilac," a wag, and Lilac extends a hand to Anisa. "Lilac, the Flower of Sylvania! Traveling bard, entertainer extraordinarie!" Leaning forward, Lilac peeks in to the bag, sniffing. "I'm not picky. I've had to make due with with a lot worse – life's an adventure, you know? You have a lot of pants!"

"She likes to talk a lot. I am sorry," Kin tells Anisa. Glancing over to Lilac, she offers, "If you want, I can give you my current robe. I am sure I can manage with what you wear. My kind does not … well, have as much to show."

Gibson nods, making his way over to the hearth as well. The flagstones are bright, a cheery fire crackling away and casting orange light over the floor. The blaze quickly warms Lilac up, and both Gibson and Tinsnip settle onto one of a few couches and benches surrounding a low, stout-legged table. "I was doing some work for the Museum there," says Gibson. "I took a bit of a risk to try to pick up some information, and, well… these two pulled my feet out of the fire."

"Out of a garden of art, actually," Kin corrects. "By my tail."

"Talking is part of being a bard," Lilac insists. "Gibson rescued me, too, from a dirty Skreek who wouldn't keep his hands to himself."

The white doe shakes the hand vigorously, although looking a bit put off as she looks behind the woman. "Nice to meet you. Um, do all humans have tails?" She stares at the appendage confusedly for a bit, then shakes her head with a start. "I like pants. Anyway, you can see if anything in here fits you." She turns to Kin, "You may want to keep your robe, it can get a bit chilly here this time of year – especially at this time of night. Up in the clouds and everything, I suppose."

"I have other robes with me. They're just … wherever Gibson sent them," Kin admits.

Anisa perks her ears at her big brother. "Oh? Whatcha working on!" She smiles a buck-toothed smile. "Figures you'd need someone to save your silly tail again – seeing as you don't have Spencer or me around this time!"

Gibson laughs, "Kin's not kidding either, that's how it happened. You can't imagine my surprise. I thought I was done for." He stops as Benjamin returns bearing a tray laden with cups and kettle, the spout steaming. Every square inch of the rest of the tray is laden with plates of warm, thick bread and pots, which can be seen to contain homemade jam, honey, and butter. The dishes and cups rattle, some of them overlapping… Anisa might guess that motherly instinct has insisted on weighing the tray down with more than it should normally hold.

"Um, better keep your robe, L-kinny," the human urges. "Even with, um, nothing," she muffles a giggle," … it might still be … inappropriate? Yep." She reaches over and begins digging around through clothes, lifting this and frowning at that. "Hmmmmm." She looks a bit more, tail wagging as Anisa eyes it, and then she pauses. "Uhhrrm, my tail?" She blinks, looking back at it, "Well, um … I'm an exciting bard?" Smiling weakly, she turns back around and hides her face as she digs through more clothes.

Gibson pauses, glancing up as he remembers something Anisa said. "You're right, Wanda's not here. I thought she was following us. Well, you know her… I'm sure she'll turn up."

"I was suggesting trading, Lilac," Kin comments and then shrugs a bit. Her head tilts as the food arrives and she peers at it curiously. "No meat?" she asks.

"No meat?" Lilac echoes, sounding mildly disappointed. "I knew it, but … Oooo, warm bread!"

Pulling a small table closer to the couch, Anisa takes the tray from Ben and sets it down with a rattle. Quickly, she grabs one of the bread pieces, and generously slathers it with jam. "Yeah, she does that. She's probably over at Bromthen Heaven getting something to eat." She crams a generous portion of the bread into her mouth. "So, why are you back home," she asks through bites – although she pauses at the mention of meat. "Um… none here, no. When Wanda gets back, she can take you to get something… if that's what you… like… "

"I prefer sushi," Kin says with a smile. "Which is raw fish over rice mainly. There are a few vegetable based ones, but, nothing is better than the fish."

Anisa's chewing slows at the mention of raw fish, and she looks at Kin strangely. With considerable effort, she swallows the portion of bread in her mouth, then places the remainder back on her plate for now.

Lilac leans back to paw at the bread plate until she manages to snag one. After that, what with the odd angle and all, she just dips the roll in the butter before taking a bite. "Nyummy," she says, sounding well pleased despite the roll muffling her words. "Besht trervern 've been at." With her free hand, she reaches over and tugs to Anisa's pants. "Do you need a bward?"

"Are you all right?" Kin asks Anisa, head tilted curiously. And as an aside to Gibson, she asks, "And why is your brother … Quinn? So mad with you? No one else in your family seemed angry."

The distraction of homemade bread runs its course, and Gibson's appetite doesn't seem phased by the mention of raw fish. After he's gotten a few mouthfuls of a honeyed slice down, he pats a scroll case he's set on the couch beside him. "This is why, sis. Which reminds me, I had our stuff ported here from the ship. I wish I'd known you had your own place, I would've avoided some of the flap we just had."

"Quinn's always mad," Anisa says to Kin, her appetite returning as she takes another bite of bread. "I don't really have my own place - just my gym. There's not really anywhere to sleep there. Besides, everyone misses you – even Quinn!"

"So … where will we stay?" Kin asks after the brief talk about places. "Neither I nor Lilac has family here," she says slowly. "Are we to stay with Master Tinsnip?"

Gibson nods again, and sighs. "He's always been the responsible one," the buck explains to Kin. "I was too fidgety to stay around and help out with Snowshoe's, so he's miffed I took off. He says I dropped all the responsibility in his lap, but between you and me, I did us both a favor. He wanted the place, he just has to be a martyr about it."

"I can wor- … " Lilac swallows, then clarifies, "I can work for my lodgings. I am a bad, you know, and I don't see anyone playing music here. Also," her ears wilt a little, "I can also work as a tavern wench if you prefer."

"Daddy's already having him take over most of the boss stuff anyway, so I don't see why he gripes so much." Anisa turns to Kin and Lilac. "If we have some free rooms, you can stay here. Gibson's room is a shrine anyway – Mama never changes it." She grins to her big brother. "And you won't have to work it off, Lilac! You're with family, so its free. I don't care what Quinn says."

It's not possible to see the whole of the tavern from the hearth, but one can hear from there. "Anyone seen my ironwood spanner?" "No." "I left it-… wait, I see it. Petal's got it. There she goes. Someone slow her down for a … ah, thanks miss… Wanda? Whoa, what're you doing here?"

"I have to see Gibson's room. I wonder what he had when he was younger," Kin comments and glances sideways at the Lapi. "It's not like he did not allow me to his anatomy on our journey over. It will help complete my understanding of your species."

"Wow!" Lilac wags, tickling the feet of many. "I have the best friends, lately. And, I don't mind playing muisc for free if I get a room. It's my business – I have to keep in form, you know? I'm not always running around chasing adventure."

Anisa's ears swivel in the direction of the voices, and she sits up from the couch to look. "Sounds like Royce is back in the back… and, Wanda?" The rabbit's nose wiggles in the Skeek's direction. "What's she doing back there?"

The doe's attention is brought back quickly to the fireside. "Wait, what? His… anatomy?" She looks at Kin and her brother with surprise.

Mirroring Anisa, Lilac's eyes widen as she stares at Kin. "What? But, I … " She gives Gibson a hurt look, then stuffs a roll in her mouth. Her ears wilt as she looks down at her feet, and Anisa's keen hearing can pick up a faint whine.

Gibson puts his hands up. "It's not like it sounds… " Mercifully, he's saved further explanation by the blue-clad Skeek emerging from the back rooms, trailed by a splotchy black and white Lapi. Royce is clad in overalls, a tool belt around his waist and the wooden wrench he's rescued held in one hand. Wanda has a wooden burden as well, and Lilac's sensitive nose pick up a meaty smell.

"Of course. To fight an enemy, it is best to understand how the body works as a whole. I asked Gibson to allow me to examine how his joints and muscles worked," Kin says, looking confused. "Is this not a normal thing to ask to do?"

Anisa's mouth just hangs open for a bit as she stares wordlessly, her attention only wrenched away by Wanda's arrival. "Oh, hey Royce. I see you found Wanda! Where did you go?"

"NO," Lilac mumbles. She makes a unhappy, almost growly, noise deep in her throat, and looks like she's about to say something when he nose twitches. "I smell meat," she declares. "Cooked meat." It seems food can mend the young woman's jealousy rather well, because she looks up with a expectant, ears perked, expression.

Kin looks to Gibson with a lost and confused expression on her face. "Why is everyone mad?" she asks, then shakes her head. The Kiriga then stands up and retrieves her swords, noting, "Maybe I'll go stand outside and get some fresh air."

Wanda sets her burden down, still wearing that usual half-smile of hers, and she lifts the cover off. Inside are several cuts of Bromthen ham, still steaming. "Not much else in there but garnish," the Skeek says, "But I figured these two probably wouldn't be interested in carrots and tomatoes." The mouse nods toward Lilac and Kin. Royce follows the Skeek's gaze, then continues on to spy his older brother. "Gibson!" he says. He doesn't sound quite as surprised as the others did.

At the revealing of the meat, Anisa's ears set back as if on reflex, and she scoots herself a bit further back in her seat. "Um, yeah… no carrots… " The doe looks visibly uncomfortable, and turns to Gibson as if in desperation. "So… what were you and Mister Tinsnip studying? You still haven't said."

"It is meat!" Worries forgotten, Lilac turns around and sits up. He robe slides off her shoulder, revealing a glint of metal around her neck. "I feel like I could eat a whole Bromthen truffle-snuffer," she admits. Her tail wags rapidly, stiring the warm air.

Anisa looks to Kin, and motions for her to sit down. "No no, its okay, I just misunderstood you. Please, have something to eat." Of course, the sooner the meal is gone, the sooner it is out of the Lapi's sight.

Wanda scoots the box across the table a bit, further away from Anisa and within reach of Kin and Lilac. Royce nods, putting his hands in his pockets. The black Lapi nods, then pats Kin lightly on the shoulder. "Nobody's mad for any good reason, Kin, just a misunderstanding. And Anisa, I'm glad you asked. I was hoping Jervis here could tell us." He offers the scroll case to his associate, who sets aside the tea he was sipping and pops the case open. Gibson continues, his face growing serious. "This is what I recovered from Jadai. I followed a rumor that the Cinders were on the move, and got myself into a merc group on that tip. Anisa, he's back. I don't know how and I don't know why, but he's back."

"I just want to know what association it has with the lands of Jadai and the man there known as Hakuu," Kin comments quietly as she stops her almost-exit. Then with a head tilt towards Gibson, she asks, "I assume you must mean Vandringar, the Chronotopian?"

Lilac reaches for a piece of meat, only to pause. "I guess I shouldn't help ruin another of Mister Tinsnip's things," she tells Kin, smiling a little. Thus, she grabs a cloth napkin and smooths it across her folded legs before grabbing up a piece of Bromthen. After taking a bite, her ears lay back, and she makes a most delighted, "mmmmm," sound, tail a-go.

"He?" Anisa looks to Gibson with a bit of confusion, but at Kin's comment sets her ears back, eyes wide. "Van-… Vandringar? He's back?" She sits back in the couch, staring at her brother. "But I thought we finished him – there's no way he could have survived all that chaos… could he?"

"He's a jerk,," Lilac adds between bites. "And he's coming here." Gnar, bite, chew.

Gibson nods at Kin, then again at Anisa, his normally boyish face looking grim. Even Royce looks a little taken aback, the black and white Lapi leaning down over the couch to listen closer, though it isn't necessary with his ears. Gibson says, "Exactly, Kin. And sis, I wouldn't have thought so either, but then again… we never saw him again after you spoke with him through that mirror. There he was in Jadai. Unmistakable. Like Kin says, he was dealing with a Jadaian noble."

Anisa nods to Lilac. "He and I have… met…

"I just want to know why that noble and what that noble is plotting. My instincts tell me it does not bode well for my homeland," Kin comments as she retrieves a piece of meat and sits down to eat carefully.

Anisa nods to Lilac. "He and I have… met… " She turns back to Gibson. "What is he after this time? I thought the crystal was safe with the Museum- and the book too. Can he even use them anymore?"

The doe turns to Kin. "If Vandringar is involved, it doesn't bode well for anybody."

"His involvement affects people who are … important to me," Kin comments quietly.

It's Tinsnip who speaks up now. He's unrolled several of the parchments, and he stops squinting at them to look up. "Oh yes, your stone is quite safe with us, miss, as is the tome." Gibson leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "He had his own, though… didn't he?"

Lilac polishes off the bit of Bromthen with surprising speed for a shortish human woman, consuming it in what must be some sort of black hole of a stomach. "I should probably get dressed," she admits. "Um, Anisa? Is there anywhere I can change? I really don't want to ruin this nice robe." Leaning closer, she adds in whisper, "I can't afford it."

Royce drops the head of his wrench into his paw. "That's right. Not the book, as far as I remember, but he had a stone too. We saw it in the mirror."

Anisa breaks away from the conversation to smile to Lilac. "Up the stairs, and to the right," she motions with a paw. "There's a bathroom you can change in."

At the mention of the stones, Anisa sits back, her paw covering her mouth in thought as though she were trying to remember something. "Do you… do you know if he ever figured out how to use the stones?"

"Okay! I'll just borrow this," she pats the duffel bag, " … annnnd," Lilac snatches up another bit of meat, folding it between some slices of bread like a sandwich. "I'll be right back!" She hurries off, with makeshift sandwich and duffel bag in her arms. Her pace makes the robe sit oddly on her shoulders, revealing another glint of silvery metal – a necklace? – and strips of black about her shoulder, of the quality of leather.

Satisfied with the amount of food she got (which was little), Kin remembers something. She actually draws out her katana while listening and starts inspecting the blade carefully. The Kiriga then frowns and with her claw tips, pushes out some pins from the handle. Then gently, she slides off the handle and guard. "Sorry to bother, but may I have a glass of water and a small cup of oil, please? I do not wish for this to corrode."

Gibson shrugs helplessly. "I sure hope not," he says. "But who can know? It's been years. We hadn't heard a peep until only just recently. I would have thought we'd have heard something if he'd been at large on Sinai, but the thought of him spending years in the Pearl itself just… I have a hard time imagining it."

"What is the stones you speak of and what is this Pearl?" Kin asks absently as she's carefully checking her weapon. Apparently, yes, she is paying attention.

"A few years ago, Gibson found some crystals that had some weird… powers- and book that went along with them." Anisa smooths back her ears, trying to remember it all. "Vandringar wanted them for the Society, to perform some crazy 'cleansing' ritual on everyone. We kept him from getting them, but I guess we didn't stop him completely."

It's Royce who spots what Kin's doing. "Oh… oil, I've got that. I'm guessing you'll want something finer than what the kitchen has." He pauses, then glances over his shoulder as a little Lapi boy, patched in black and white a bit like Royce is, scampers past. "Hey, Coal, wait up, li'l guy. Can you get your poppa to bring my toolbox?" The younger Lapi is quiet, hesitating, and Royce adds, "I know you could carry it all by yourself, but your dad knows where it is." The boy tilts to one side to peer curiously around Royce, then nods and scurries off.

"Cleansing ritual?" Kin asks next, then looks up at Royce. She holds up the exposed tang of the sword, then explains, "I had blood on the blade earlier. I do not want it to cause the core of the sword to rust, so I want to clean it better than the wiping I could do back at the hall."

Gibson threads his fingers together. "The Pearl's a place off the coast of Ai. It's near a little settlement called Half Valley. Half Valley itself is a small agricultural hub allied with Rephidim, pretty quiet little place. The Pearl's another story, it's a place that puts the 'wild' in 'wilderness'. Favorite of big game hunters, and apparently had something to do with the stones. We never got all the way to the center of it, so there's still a lot left unanswered."

After several minutes have passed, Lilac returns sans sandwich. She's dressed in Anisa's pants and one of her blouses. The blouse is partially unbuttoned, allowing for the nearly a foot larger woman to wear it well enough. The low-plunge of the back allows her wings to be free, which she wraps around herself – likely to hide her unflattering outfit. Indeed, Anisa's pants fit far worse, coming up to Lilac's shins, and being a little tight. "I need to buy my own robes," she sighs to no one in particular. "At least my tail fits out of the bunny tail hole." She walks slowly across the room, ears a little back. The fate of the sandwich: likely grim.

Anisa nods to her brother. "They wanted to… change everyone. Well, everyone but them, I guess." She picks up her cooing bread, and nibbles on it a bit, the smell of meat forgotten. "They thought that by turning everyone into animals would make the world a better place, or something like that." She looks to Gibson to elaborate.

"Change everyone in to animals?" Lilac suddenly pauses in her approach, frowning at everyone. She looks in askance to Kin after a moment, asking, "Is this about … ?" Her ears flatten.

"Perhaps Hakuu now intends to turn all the world into art," Kin mutters grimly.

Wanda, quiet until now, speaks up. "That was one of the things they tried. Someone thankfully put a stop to that. What they were trying that other time… well, we aren't really sure." Gibson picks up that thread, continuing, "The Society's not as centralized as we might be making it sound. A lot of the members are in it for their own reasons, but they're working toward a common goal, which usually means them holding all the cards."

"They actually tried turning the world into art?" Kin asks as she looks up and over to Wanda.

Fidgeting in her seat, Anisa reaches to her throat as if to clasp something, but finds nothing there. Her ears set back anxiously and she bites her lip. "I dreamt again… and he was there this time… "

Lilac breathes a sigh of relief when she realizes the topic isn't what she thinks it is. She takes a seat beside Kin, her pants creaking a little. "So, these guys show up in dreams, too? Oh, ew, I don't want Hakuu in my dreams. Ugh," she comments.

"That would be called a nightmare," Kin notes quietly to Lilac.

The Skeek shakes her head. "No. Well, maybe they looked at it that way. They tried turning people into animals for their own purposes." She stops, then leans down to set her elbows on the back of the couch, hovering by Anisa. Gibson and Royce lean forward as well, both men looking disturbed. "You did?" asks Royce. "Are you sure it wasn't just a coincidence, a nightmare?" He doesn't look like he thinks it is.

"It so would be," Lilac agrees. "Oh, is there any more food left? Any meat?" She sniffs, leaning forward. "Wait, did they actually turn people in to animals? Because that would be … well … " the human bites her lip, then exclaims, "Oh, there is more."

Anisa shakes her head, bringing her feet up onto the couch. "No, it couldn't have been. It was just this morning – just before Wanda showed up. It was just like last time, with the crystals and the notes. Only this time, he was there." She looks to Wanda. "I didn't realize it was him at the time, but I knew I remembered him. Somehow, he… well, he kicked me out of the dream, and he seemed to know what he was doing."

A young Lapi man, black with some white spots, arrives hefting a wooden toolbox with one hand and the patchy boy from earlier with the other. "I got your toolbox, Royce. Why didn't you just… " he stops dead. "… GIBSON???" The eldest Lapi just puts his head in his hands.

Royce gives his older brother an almost apologetic look, and relieves Ranit of the toolbox. "Here you go, ma'am," he says, lifting a jar out of it and offering it to the Kiriga. "This should clean those metal parts up, and won't leave residue. You can get some water from the pump, I assume you're staying here."

"Thank you, both of you. To answer the question, I have no idea where I am staying," Kin notes as she accepts the jar and nods to Royce, then Ranit. She opens the jar then sniffs the contents. After she gives it a peculiar look, she resumes working on the metal parts of the blade, using the contents sparingly on the metal with the edge of her robe acting as a rag.

"I'll probably be sticking with Kinny. She's lost without me, you know," the tailed human woman says. She finishes off another bit of meat, making for a total of three, before smiling in a satisfied way. "Thank you so much, I was really hungry."

Gibson claps his hands on his lap. "There's no question, you're staying with us. It's fall, the off season. I'm sure there'll be plenty of rooms." He grins. "'Specially since I'm in the Gallah-house with Quinn."

Wanda gives Lilac an indulgent smile, her chin resting on her knuckles and her backside waving idly. She glances at Kin to hear what the Kiriga's choice is.

Anisa's brooding gives way to a small grin at Ranit's outburst, and she leans forward to pop her back. "Oof. There should be more than enough rooms – we can finish up this talk in the morning. Mister Tinsnip, you can stay here too if you like. It'd probably be a good idea, just in case." The Lapi woman springs up from the couch, and starts to collect the china ware back onto the tray. "And Gibson, you'd better get in the back and just get it over with. You have some new family to meet, you know."

"Then I guess I am staying here. I do not wish to impose, so please, just select a room for me. I will try not to be noticeable or allow my things to leave the room and clutter your home," Kin says with a short dip of her head. "And … one thing I would ask of you … don't go mentioning that you have a guest for Jadai with your family. It may draw unwanted attention."

"If you don't mind, I think I'll just sit in front of the fire a while. I'm a little tired, and I could use some time to think," Lilac says. She reaches over an pats Kin's arm, then smiles at Anisa. "Thank you for the clothes, Anisa. I'll return them as soon as I can." Then, to Gibson, she adds, "Good luck with your family. I'll be right here, if you need someone to talk to later."

The black Lapi gives up a gusty sigh, slump back against the couch. "Ugh." His face takes on a reflective expression as he looks up at the familiar beams of the inn. "New family members… and even Ben looks grown up. Maybe Quinn has a point. Maybe I've been gone too long, looked too much into my own stuff."

"Even so, be thankful you can go home again," Kin says after leaning over to whisper to Gibson. "You have plenty of time yet to get to know them again."

Anisa takes the full tray across the room, and sets it down on the bar. Returning to the fireplace, she grabs on of Gibson's paws, and pulls back playfully. "Enough with the melodrama, its so not you. Go back and say hello, and I'll show everyone their rooms. C'mon, up!"

Lilac jumps up at the command, blinking. "Well, okay. But after that, I'll be right back here!" Her tail wags, and she asks, "Oh, can we see Gibson's room?"

Gibson laughs, letting himself be tugged back off the couch, and using the momentum to gather his sister up in a strong hug. "C'mere, you. It's at least been too long since I got to do this. Alright, let's go."