Darkside. Not a good place to visit at night … but it's the only time that anything really HAPPENS here … and the only time that one really has a chance to find out anything useful, if one hasn't any specific names or faces to check up on.

So, another dreadful evening finds yet another stranger making his way through the filthy streets, carefully avoiding the occasional corpse along the way. Amazing – the denizens of Darkside must multiply at a significant rate, considering how much attrition they suffer each night. But then, most of the victims are Skreeks are Kavis. That explains it.

The stranger in question hastily trots down the street, but not too fast as to invite attention to his person. Its hard to make out who he is exactly, which seems to behis intent, since he wears an overly large overcoat that covers his entire body, and a sizeable black fedora that covers most of his head. If one were able to see past all of this, they would see a gray tiger-striped tabby underneath.

The gray tabby dodges a drunk or two, and the occasional severed body part lying in the street, and looks for yet another pub to investigate this night.

A scandalously-clad Kavi with missing patches of fur here and there grins at the stranger, showing a few missing teeth. "Hey, shugga – got some shekels for a poor widow?" She stands in the doorway of an establishment that has no sign above the door – just several red-tinted windows.

"Shekels! Shekels for the poor!" cries out a blind beggar from one of the gutters. Or maybe he's NOT blind, if he's survived this long, this far into Darkside.

"Sssecretsss!" hisses a serpent from an alleyway. "Sssecrets for a pricsse!" He is wrapped from head to tail in swathes of dirty cloth, making him look something like a reptilian mummy.

The tabby hmms, and avoids the kavi. She isn't exactly the type he's looking for. He also makes a wide path around the beggar, knowing that in Darkside things are rarely what they seem. He pauses for a bit, taking a rest from his long walk. Taking off his hat, he wipes his forehead. This would seem a normal thing to do, except that now the back of his paw is black, which is not a good thing! The Khatta quickly puts his hat back on and continues on his way. Better be more careful with this fur makeup.

The gray Khatta pauses… secrets? Maybe, just maybe. After all, it's worth a shot, and people in the bazaar will do anything for a shekel. Warily, with daggers in his coat pocket should he need them, he makes his way to the lizard. "Secrets? What kind?"

The reptilian smiles – not a natural act for a reptilian, and an unnerving attempt at looking friendly to a mammal. "I know many thingsss in Darkssside. I know who livesss and who diesss … and who killed them. I know what there isss … and where to find it … and how much it will cossst."

The disguised tabby crosses his arms, "You know where to find people? How can I know you'll be honest?"

The reptilian smiles again. "You give me the ssshekelsss, I give you the sssecret. If you are not pleasssed, I will refund in full." He runs a finger across his throat. "Ssslit my throat and hope to die!"

The Khatta tries to look like a seasoned skeptic, appearing to mentally peruse the deal. "Okay, it's a deal. How much are you asking?"

The reptile answers, "It dependsss upon what you want to know!"

Hesitating, the cat mull over whether or not he should really ask this guy, but what else can he try? "Okay, I need to know the whereabouts of an individual, you may know her, she's a rel-, er, friend of mine. Her name is Lady Martinette… "

The snake's eyes go wide. "Lady Martinette?" His tongue flits about, and he asks again, "Lady Martinette?" His body shakes a bit, and he looks back and forth.

The diguised Khatta looks at the snake curiously, "Yes, Lady Martinette. Do you know where I can find her or not?"

"Yesss … yesss, I can, for I sssaid I could. I will not back down on my word, but you mussst ssswear to me that you will NEVER tell where you heard thisss!" The snake looks back and forth, then says, "I asssk only twenty ssshekelsss, and then I anssswer no more quessstionsss but the one you asssked me."

The cat blinks in amazement. That was certainly easy, but why all the fuss over an old lioness past her prime? He pulls out the shekels and shows them to the shiga. "Okay, here's the cash, now where can I find her? And I won't tell a soul."

The snake looks back and forth again, then leans in and whispers – his forked tongue occasionally tickling the Khatta's ear – "In the Old City, in the heart of the Graveyard, is an old house amongst the mausoleums. She lives there, where none will bother her, for none dare deal with rumors of the restless dead. Simply look for a dwelling amongst the tombs with lights in the windows, and you will surely find the place you seek."

With a jingle, the snake puts away the coins … then darts off into the alleyway. "Tell not a sssoul!" he hisses as he departs.

The feline's ears droop, the graveyard? Geez! With a sigh, he turns around, takes a deep breath, and starts off for the center of Darkside. The shiga better be right, or he'll blab to all…

The way to Old City is treacherous. There are plenty of cutthroats along the way. Fortunately, they're petty compared to the 'tiger' making his way through the streets … and soon join the others in the gutter. Eventually, the striped feline (with a few black spots from his travails on the way) makes his way to Old City … and the edge of the much-feared Cemetary.

The makeup-covered cat gulps at the sight before him. The last time he went into a cemetary ended up bad enough, but the rumors are that the Darkside dead still roam after life here. Pulling his coat up around him in a secure way, he heads into the cemetary, looking for the house.

Not far away is the Moz Ezley Asylum. Evidently that's NOT the house the serpent indicated, unless Lady Martinette is in really poor condition. After much journeying through the cemetary, though, another light appears – there is a house that looks like it may have shared the same architect as the Asylum, though much smaller. There's still quite a bit of distance to cover to reach it, though.

Flicks of light appear here and there amongst the tombstones, flittering about, blinking in and out of existence. Wills o' the wisp? Or perhaps merely flickertails.

Target in sight, the Khatta begins to run towards his destination, but slows as he sees the lights. No way this is good. He considers taking off his makeup, but then someone might recognize him as Feli Kurai, and that would hardly be good. Sighing, he flits behind obstacle to obstacle, trying to stay out of sight as he heads for the house.

"Looking for someone?" says an airy, feminine voice from atop a mausoleum next to one of the feline's momentary hiding places.

Fur on end, Jynx darts backwards away from the voice, paws on daggers. He gets into a springing position, and looks up at the source of the voice. "M-maybe I am, who're you?"

What previously could have been mistaken for a statue is actually a vixen in a tattered kimono, her face covered with a porcelain mask. "Guess," she says.

Some lights come on at the house, which is walled in from the adjoining graveyard. Perhaps voices carry. Maybe not.

The sounds of barking echo across the graveyard, from the walled-in house. The house must have at least a couple of guard-groks to ward off intruders.

The vixen taps her foot against the roof of the crumbling mausoleum a couple of times, then says, at last, "I suppose I didn't make much of an impression upon you, Neko-san. I am hurt."

Jynx backs away from the strange vixen, remembering stories of one of the lost souls doomed to roam the graveyard. "I-I-I guess not… wh-who are you? You're not going to stop me!"

The masked vixen leans forward. "Oh, but I have no intention of stopping you. I am Amaranth. And you are looking for something. If it is within the graveyard, I can find it for you – for a price."

The groks have stopped barking by now, making the graveyard eerily silent once more.

"P-price?" Even the ghosts around here want money? Inconceivable! "What kind of p-price?"

"Not much. A pittance, really, and no loss to yourself," the vixen says, her tails swishing behind her. "A young maiden. A fox would be ideal, though I realize how rare that is. I will settle for a Zerda. For that, I would give you many things. Or for the tails of a Kitsune, I would give you more than you could possibly imagine. … Well, perhaps you can imagine a lot. I shall be generous, at least."

Winged shadows rise up from the distant house, cutting through the air, coming toward this little chit-chat.

Jynx crosses his arms, attempting to look defiant. "But I already know what I'm looking for, and where its at! Why should I help-" He cuts short at the sight of the shadows.

The vixen looks up. "Very well, then. If you change your mind, you know where to find me." And then she is gone. She doesn't really leave – she's just … not there.

The disguised cat blinks. What in the name of Dagh? Shaking his head of the thought, he darts back behind another tombstone, remembering the shadows. Cautiously, he watches the house.

Two Eee warriors touch down, adorned in armor fashioned from the shells of creatures that look something like horseshoe crabs would in another universe. Their costumes are very familiar to Jynx – as he saw many of them quite close up and personal, even one inside of the head of a giant insect vehicle, once. They make no move, however, to attack – but scan back and forth across the tombstones.

Jynx stares at the bats. Babelite warriors, here? Why? Fur still on end from the eerie night, he wathes them, listening as best he can.

There is a ringing in the Khatta's ears … and a high-pitched sound that reverberates off of the tombstones.

The sound stops, but the ringing does not just yet. "Over there," one of the bats squeaks. "One hiding behind the stones. No sign of another." The other turns behind him and says, "We found one, Ambassador!" He draws a chitin blade and turns toward Jynx's hiding place. "Come out and spread out your arms and you will not be harmed. What business have you here?"

A smaller Eeee, unarmored but clad in black save for a bright red scarf at it's throat, floats down to perch atop a weatherworn stela. Its voice, or, rather, her voice is clear and bright as she calls out. "I wish no blood drawn. Hold him, until I arrive."

Jynx shivers – ambassador? Why are they calling Martinette ambassador? Or do they mean this smaller Eeee? Daggers hidden, he comes out from behind the tombstone. "I-I was told I could find a person here… "

"As you wish," the russet-furred bat – the first one – replies. The other bat (the one with his sword drawn), has fur of dirty gray. The gray one says, "Yes, and you've found someone. Who are you, and whom do you seek?"

With that, the bescarfed Ambassador floats over to land beside one of the coonsiderably taller warriors. "That's very nice. Disarm him." A pause, then, "Gently."

"Please hand over your weapons," the russet-furred Eee 'requests'.

The gray-furred feline gets in a pouncing position, "How do I know you won't do anything to me?"

"We won't," the Ambassador says, softly. "But we will, if you don't. This place, bedecked with tombs as it is, belongs to Ashdod."

Jynx hesitates, but doubts that he can defeat two trained Eeee warriors in hand to hand combat. "I'll give them to you if you promise to return them. They have… meaning to me." Another thought springs to mind, Ashdod? in Rephidim?

"On my honor," the russet-furred guard pledges, placing his fist to his chest.

The Khatta first takes out his obsidian Savan dagger, then his grandfather's silver dagger, offering them reluctantly to the Bat. "I-I'll hold you to that." He looks at the smaller female Eeee, "what did you mean this is part of Ashdod?"

The Ambassador brushes a lock of tightly-curled hair from her eyes. "You are on the grounds of Ashdod's Embassy in Rephidim." Her smile is a bright crescent in the dim light reflected from a hundred tombs.

The russet-furred bat looks over the daggers, his eyebrows rising appraisingly … and then he tucks them into his baldric.

"Though," and with this the Ambassador raises a brow, "I assure you the house is considerably safer and far more comfortable."

Jynx's heart sinks. If this is the Ashdod embassy, then where is his grandmother? The shiga must have lied; now Jynx'll definately blab to all, even if it does little good. He nods to the Ambassador, "Yes, I-I guess so."

The gray-furred bat says, "What about the other one? He was talking to someone out here."

Jynx blinks, "Oh, I was just… talking to myself. I do that." He tries to change the subject, "Do you mind if we go on in? I'm in a bit of a hurry."

The Ambassador rests her hands on the hilt of a slender chitin sword at her side, as she fixes her eyes on the Khatta before her. "I didn't see anyone, Avra. And since it appears our guest is in a rush, I suppose we shall return to the Embassy."

The two bat guards bow to the Ambassador.

Jynx nods, "Yes, a hurry." He wants to get in there quickly and take a look around, or maybe get some information from these Eeee. If he was lied to, that Shiga will be snake oil the next time he sees him."

The Ambassador, cloaked in shadow save for the dab of red at her throat, crouches before leaping into the air to circle about the guard. "Make sure he's properly bound. I'm not interested in having strange Khatta running about within the walls," she squeaks in Eeee. For those with the ear for it, her accent is decidedly Ashdodian, perhaps from Babel itself.

"Of course, Ambassador," the guards respond in unison, then turn toward the Khatta.

A whisper finds its way into Jynx's ear. "This might get ugly, Neko-san. For a price, I can get you out of this mess, and owe you favors to spare." The guards don't seem to notice.

Jynx says, "B-bound? You didn't say anything about that!" Jynx backs away slightly, both his mind and his instincts going crazy. He starts at the voice in his head, "Wh-what would you do?"

The russet-furred guard says, "There's no need to worry. It's just a security precaution, to make sure you don't cause any trouble. Just present your paws and we'll bind them up nice and secure." The gray bat readies some chitin restraining cuffs. "Won't hurt a bit."

The darkly-clad ambassador sighs audibly as she floats down to perch atop a battered obelisk. "We're not going to do anything terrible to you, but unpleasant people do wander amongst these stones. Until we know, you're not one of them, you will be bound."

The voice whispers, "How do you want it done? I can whisk you away into the shadows – and your precious little weapons, too. And Ashdod can find itself two new guards. And a new Ambassador, if she tries to stop me." Again, the guards show no sign of reaction to the voice, despite the underlying threats to their safety should Jynx agree.

Jynx sweats, gray colored makeup running down his forehead. He hasn't had the best of experiences with the Eeee, but also knows not to trust strange foxes baring gifts. Besides, he needs to get into that house. With a sigh, he presents his paws to the guards. "Okay, I'll do it. But not too tight!"

"Suit yourself, Neko-san," the whisper chuckles. "But don't say I didn't warn you." And then it disappears into the sound of a breeze whipping across the tombstones.

Jynx swallows, that can't be a good omen…

*clack* The shackles close upon the feline's paws. "Let's go," the russet-furred guard says … and before the Khatta can protest, he is yanked off of his feet and into the air by the two Eee warriors.

The gray-black Khatta's fur springs out, tail like a bottle brush, and his claws try to latch on to something desperately. Flying's not his thing.

The kohl-eared Ambassador ignores the Khatta as she floats nearby, her ears straining to catch the slightest echo from the stones below. Well, perhaps not entirely, for a quiet voice reaches the Khatta's ears. "It would be a very bad idea to struggle right now."

Jynx shuts his eyes tight and tries to hold still, a bad feeling surging through his body.

The Eee wing toward the house, which is surrounded by a protective stone wall that seems to be of more recent construction. At last, the guards touch down … and let the Khatta's feet touch firm ground once more.

The cat falls to all fours, ground at last! He quickly regains his posture, however, to avoid the ire of the guards. He takes a long look around, hoping to find any clue to Martinette.

A faint thump catches the Khatta's ear as the ambassador lands nearby, furling her wings neatly behind her. In the considerably brighter light within the walls, it's clear that Ashdod's ambassador is quite young, though her eyes are bright and cold. "Welcome to the Embassy."

"Th-thank you… " says the Khatta, trying to figure out the intentions of this young bat.

There's the faintest of smiles as the ambassador turns, clasping her hands behind her back. "Remember, we won't hurt you unless you do something foolish, and as I have questions for you, I suspect you have questions for me." Behind her, the embassy is radiant, as if well-considered effort has been made to cast the darkness of the old city far beyond its newly-built walls. Amidst ancient stone, clear, tall windows spill bright swords of light across a well-tended lawn, fragments of meandering paths, even the quiet disk of a small pond.

Jynx reminds himself mentally to heed her words. Eeee are known for their torture meathods. "Y-yes ma'am, I do have questions, but I don't know if you'd know the answers."

There's another faint smile as the ambassador turns to walk towards the Embassy. "Perhaps I might. I know more than a little about this part of Rephidim."

"M-maybe. But first, what questions would you have for me?" The Khatta grimaces.

The russet-furred bat whispers to the Ambassador, "One of these daggers of his … has a blade of silver."

Jynx perks his ears at the whispering, trying to make out what is being said, but to no avail.

A pair of well-groomed Savanites open polished stone doors as the young ambassador leads the Khatta and the guards that flank him into a bright, tiled foyer. The ceiling, a dome high above, encompasses a detailed painting of Babel itself. "My question is quite simple." She smiles faintly, giving no indication that the guard had spoken to her, save for the faintest turn of an ear. "Who were you speaking with in the tombs."

The black Khatta looks startled. It's not so much that he wants to keep the fox a secret, but more that people might think he's wacko for seeing a multi-tailed fox wearing a kimono and mask, and flitting around on rooftops. "N-no one, I was just talking to myself."

The bright brown eyes of the Ambassador harden, ever-so-slightly. "Do you often imitate the voice of a woman?"

Jynx winces, "Um, would you believe I'm practicing voice acting for a play?" His ears droop at the skeptical return look. "No, I didn't think so. Okay… " he sighs.

"I might sound crazy," continues the cat, "but there was this weird vixen with a bunch of tails standing on a roof. Oh yeah, she was wearing a mask too." He waits for a reaction, hoping this doesn't get him a trip to the Asylum.

Her voice is barely above a whisper as she turns to glance at the russet-furred guard. "I know," she whispers, in highly-pitched Eeee. For a moment her eyes grow a little warmer as she turns to look at the Khatta again, nodding understandingly. "There are a few Nohbakhim in the old city. Go on… "

Jynx blinks, Nohbakhim? She didn't look like one of those things to him. "Well, she asked me if I needed information, which she'd give me if I helped her catch someone, a maiden or something, but I refused."

Outside, the guard-groks start barking again. The gray bat gets a sour look on his face, and bows to the ambassador. "I shall go see what has stirred up the groks again, with your permission."

The ambassador sits with a rustle of wings on an ornate chair, her eyes fixed on the Khatta. "Granted." She motions for Jynx to take a seat in a somewhat less ornate chair. "A maiden, hm? I can't imagine she had anything particularly pleasant in mind. Did she ask any other favors of you?"

The guard bat flitters outside.

Jynx, paws still bound, sits in the plain chair, slowly, "No, that was about it." He gulps, hoping this doesn't get him killed or something.

The ambassador nods, her voice even and almost too quiet for the Khatta to hear. "That isn't quite what I heard."

The black Khatta blinks, heard? "What do you mean?" He starts to wish he had taken the fox's offer after all.

"Perhaps," the Ambassador whispers, "you should tell me everything you saw, and everything you heard while you were with this person. What did she ask of you, and why were you amongst the graves this late at night?"

"I-I told you everything!" Jynx squirms, "She told me to get her a maiden or something, like a Zerda! I refused!" He hesitates on his next answer, "And I'm h-here looking for a f-family member, honest!"

The ambassador smiles a bright, dangerous smile. "That's much better." She takes a breath, then continues, "Now, I believe you had a question as well, of us?"

Jynx nods, gray makeup comming off in splotches on his head, "I-I'm looking for my grandmother, and was told she lived here. M-maybe you know where she is?"

The barking from the groks becomes more pitched, and outside, and eeee voice squeeks, "Hey! Just what do you think you're… " There's a wet smacking noise. "Gurk!" The groks bark even louder, the din they create punctuated by snarls and growls. There's a scuffling noise, a series of sharp yips, and silence…

The gray-black Khatta turns his head at the commotion, trying to get a look at what's going on.

The russet-furred guard draws his chitin sword, taking a step toward the entrance.

"Hmm, your grandmother wouldn't be living here, but… " She turns sharply at the sound outside and stands. "You'd better not be lying to me about just what you were talking to in the graves." And with that she draws her own sword and begins shouting for the guard.

The guard outside does not reply. The groks are silent as well.

As the guard approaches the door, the center of it is sundered by some sort of heavy impact. It buckles inward, and hangs for a moment on shrieking hinges before it topples. In the doorway stands a pale orangey shiga… no, it must be a Kiriga, judging by the shock of white hair streaming down the back of his head. An equally white, scraggly beard hangs from his chin, much like the robes draped loosely over his emanciated frame. "EEEEYAHAAII!!!"

The shattered door knocks the russet-furred guard back. "Ungh!" His sword goes clattering to the floor – and the two daggers from within his baldric fall free as well.

Jynx, still shackled, sighs. Out 20 shekels for nothing but a lie, and no more closer to finding Martinette. At the sound of the crash, The cat leaps out of his chair and spins around. "What in the… ?"

Her scarf trails in crimson strands about her as the ambassador crouches, then leaps into the air. "Wires!" She arcs across the foyer, hovering for a moment as she tries to get well behind and above the Kiriga. "Cut the Khatta's bonds!"

Alas, the russet-furred guard is underneath part of the shattered door, and makes no move to obey the Ambassador's command. The gray-furred guard is nowhere to be seen. The rest of the household help seems to be bravely … keeping out of sight.

"So! You have been found, sly one!" The Kiriga cackles shrilly, his voice rough and scratchy, then lets his gaze dart around. He hops from foot to foot, as if changing stances. "You may have-a tried to confooz me… but aftah years and years, you cannot get away! Do not try to fool Master Tooth into thinking you tied up!"

The now back to black Khatta, since his makeup is all gone, blinks in total amazement at the old Kiriga. "Ummm, are you talking to m-me?"

The ambassador's screech of alarm is almost painful in the cavernous foyer, echoing down the halls that trail from it like fingers. "Guards!" Then, with a muttered curse she traces a few tight loops in the air and floats down to an alcove behind and above the Kiriga.

The decripit old reptile slaps his forehead. "Who else you think I talking to?! Her?" He points at the eeee flapping about near the ceiling. "Old Mastah Tooth had to beat some lies out of you assassin friends some days ago, but they told me you on this island, Shikouju! I look and look, and for a while, I think you not here… but then I see HER!" He nods sagely, as if all this makes perfect sense.

Jynx ohboys… "H-hey, look, I'm not Shikouju!" The Khatta puts his paws up defensively, palms open. "And who are you? And what do you mean, 'her'?" He backs away from the old Kiriga. Things keep getting weirder and weirder.

The fluttering of wings can be heard coming down the halls as the house's other guards finally answer the call. "Ambassador!"

The Eeee in question raises a brow, glancing from the Khatta, to the supine guard, to the clearly insane reptile. She shrugs, sheathing her slender sword, then reaches over to a nearby alcove and removes the lamp from within. This, lit and filled with oil, she throws at the Kiriga mere seconds befor the voices of the guards reach her ears.

The russet-furred guard makes a grunt and, struggling, slides the broken door off of himself. "Ugh … not used to … fighting … doors in Ashdod… "

The ambassador frowns. "Run."

"You-a think I old an' stupit?" Master Tooth narrows his eyes, long wispy white eyebrows fluttering in the draft coming through the door. "You tricks not work on me. I see you lady frien'… puppeteer, she was going to the docks. She look even more noble now with silver fur, ah? Martinette, she get-a onna ship with claw-bird on it, and… hoo! Hah!" The reptile's head cocks as the lamp hurtles toward him.

The Khatta winces as the lamp hurtles at the old reptile, but his ears perk up as he hears the familiar name. "Martinette? You know where she is?!"

"Eeyah! Kiai!" The reptile's fist snaps up ridgedly. The lamp rebounds off the Kiriga's knuckle with a dent for its troubles, spraying flaming oil over a wide arc…

In an amazingly bad twist of bad luck … or GOOD luck, depending upon whose side one is on … the flaming oil lands on the Khatta's bonds … AND on the clothes comprising his "Darkside disguise".

The lamp then rebounds off of a wall, and slides across the floor … skidding into the two daggers that were lying there. The impact snaps the silver blade up into the air, while the other goes skidding toward Jynx's feet, across the floor.

Meanwhile, the ambassador steps lightly from the alcove, drawing her sword as she floats to the ground. With luck, the arc described by her sword as she swings it, will intersect with some important portion of the Kiriga's anatomy. She may now what end of a sword to point at someone, but the blade is an art she never mastered.

Jynx begins to run towards the Kiriga, intent on learning what he knows, but quickly skids to a halt as he is covered in the oil. "YEEEEEOWCH!" Flailing and hissing, the Khatta quickjly throws his hat, overcoat, and shirt off as they go up in flames, and blows on his burned paws. Still flailing, the cat trips on some hard black sharp object, realizing only when he is on the ground and hurting even more that it is one of his daggers. He quickly picks it up, and looks for the precious silver one.

The silver blade tumbles end over end through the air … arcs downward … and plunges toward the black Khatta.

The blade snaps the bindings in two.

The ambassador looks up, up, up at the Kiriga's back. "Wires. Wires, wires, wires." She swings again as a lock of hair trails down to tickle her muzzle.

The ancient Kiriga howls triumphantly as he spies the silver dagger for a split second. "I see through you lie, Shik-… " Zwick! Brishen's own blade distracts Master Tooth for a moment.

Said Khatta's fur stands on end, two inches closer and there would have been a cat-head-kabob. He raches down and picks up his grandfather's dagger, and makes his way towards the exit. Info or no, he's not going to get killed over it.

Several angry bats flutter into the room just now, and start to converge upon the Kiriga…

Meanwhile, the exit looks to be fairly open right now. Especially since the door has been removed.

Master Tooth whips around like a scaley tornado as the blade wings at him. He dances backward with a bizarre kind of grace, and with an earsplitting kiai, launches himself in a flying kick at the ambassador! Unfortunately for him, he's slightly off target. The reptile sails right overhead, foot extended and robes a-flutter.

Jynx makes his escape for the door, but can't help but pause at the exit and watch the somewhat comical scene.

The Master sails through the air, amazingly airborne for one without wings … but what comes up must come down, and his arc takes him right toward a cut-glass window … and through it. *crash*

Outside can be heard, "Aiiagh! You elude me again, Shikoujuuuuuuuu… " *CRASH* *SMASH* *KLUNK* (Yip!) *SMASH* *CLATTER*

The Ambassador turns to stare at her guards, and growls. "Try to kill whatever that was before it gets to the wall. And find out where it got in."

"At once!" The bats split up, taking different exits out of the building.

With that, the Ambassador turns to fix her gaze on a certain Khatta. The tip of the sword she points at him wobbles about creatively. "And you. If you move a whisker I'll… You're still on fire."

The strangely animate bag of skin and bones that had made an unplanned exit through the window sounds somewhat lost outside. "Hah! Dahkuness only clouds de minds of de undiciplint!" [Thud] "Ow! Hai! Trees ah no match foh Old Master Long Tooth! Eh? What-a jou staring at, flap-u-rat?" "Who you calling a flap-rat, geezer? Get 'im! Get 'im!"

The ambassador shakes her head, abruptly, and turns to help the russet-furred guard from under the door.

Angry squeaks and chitters resound outside, along with the sounds of combat. "He hasn't even got a weapon! Circle around! Around!" "KIIYAH! KYOH! Hooooo… hoo! EYAH!" *Thwap!* *Krunch!* "Jou be careful wit' dat thing, you nearly cutchoo foot off!" *Whack!* "Block with hands!" *Thumpsqueak!* "Hands, not face!" *Smash!* "Dey notta teach anything here-a?"

Jynx belatedly realizes the truth of the Ambassador's warning … and takes off yowling like a cat on fire!

"This is a mess. This is a very expensive mess." The Ambassador mutters as she pushes her sleeves up and flutters out through the ruins of the front door. "I'm going to hurt someone. I don't know how, but I will."

The violent-sounding noises outside eventually die down to groans and whimperings, with another wheezy voice over the top of it. "Now looka whatchoo do. Jou make-a me lose Shikouju again. Maybe jou think-a more next time you make-a fun of grandmaster." Apparently finding no reason to remain anymore, the scaley stranger's footsteps can be heard padding away, along with the occasional clunk of a collision and curse.

Brishen sits, utterly disheveled with her back against a tree that appears to have acquired a few peculiar dents. She looks, through slitted eyes at the equally battered form of the russet-furred Eeee. Around her glitter bits and pieces of her sword, sticking up from the grass. "Did I hit him? Did I even hit him? I swear, if I see that black Khatta again, I'm going to – " She winces, cradling her arm. "Ow."