Forgetful Days

[Nayt]

He should have known that was coming. He should have! It'd happened before, and it was bound to happen again. Just like last time, too, Daniel's reaction was completely ignorant. There may well have been dangers abounds with this returning of the favor, and that thought didn't once cross his mind.

"Run a package for you?" he responded, following Everett's redirection of the inquiry to him.

Deliver a package? How hard could that be? It wasn't like he was asking them to run into a burning building and save a bunch of people. Though, for some time with those maids, Daniel would be willing to do just that--and then some. He might even be willing to put the fire out without any help.

"Sure," Daniel shrugged, "oI'm guessing that it's difficult to 'ave a dog or a drunk as a delivery service, roight?"

Out of context, it might have sounded rude, but Daniel held no tone of rudeness whatsoever. In fact, he was completely curious. Having a pyrokinetic dog-lion-bear-thing (or whatever it was that Everett called him) deliver a package, although very possible, would be decidedly awkward for whoever was receiving the package. Similarly, a drunk would just as likely walk off with one. Though, actually, they could probably walk off with the package and sell it for the sake of bandages, clothes, and a few more nights worth of decent sleep later on in their travels . . . if Daniel wasn't such a moral human being, that is. The package's delivery was guaranteed, so long as he was around.

[Lemon]

George chuckled inside, amused at the complete dichotomy between the pair. One was every bit what he seemed, yet he wasn't all there; the other, a woman of great bluntness hiding the truth of herself every step of the way. Opposites attract...

"The venerable veteran Flit isn't the problem, young buck. He's as good a messenger hound as he is a powder keg, but I suppose being anything but straight with you would be both a disservice to you and lead me down the road to ruin. You're the package, kiddies, which is why I need you specifically. See, that town down there and I share some things in common but--hey, everyone has their differences in opinion. I get kids like you wandering through here every now and then who can't pay me a dime, but my good nature prevents me from refusing you a room; so, when you're well rested and free to travel again, I've made promises to folks in town that I'd send as many their way as possible. Think of it like advertising on their part, but everyone benefits. Ya'll might not have money, but there can be more valuable things than gold in your pocket. And what's more, you'd be doin me a service in helping to keep my word. All you've gotta do is walk down with Flit and follow him to the markets--window shop a little bit, you don't even have to buy a thing. Then, all obligations are fulfilled and you may march on your merry way. Easy as tea on a sunny afternoon; will you do it?"

[Mandaz]

All they had to do was visit a town? Just walk though, and then they were free to go? No! She wanted to scream. Everything inside her wanted to shout it. It’s such an obvious trap! Fire starting dogs and Inns out of no where? The whole ordeal was way too bizarre not to have some sinister purpose! The girl huffed, folding her arms and puffing out her cheeks. It took everything she had to keep her opinions and suspicions to herself. This ‘George’ fellow would have gotten an earful from her if she wasn’t trying to be so damn polite. Instead, she scrunched up her face as tightly as possible and squeaked.

“Give me a moment to talk it over with my friend.”

No sooner had the last word escaped her mouth, she had Daniel by the wrist, tugging him off to a secluded corner where she could properly rant to him without causing a disruption. She’s talk low, in a whisper in fact, but it would be a forceful whisper. Leave it to Everett to sound like she was yelling even while attempting to remain silent.

“He must think we’re fools to fall for something like that! I bet that town is filled with murderers or cannibals! He’s sending us to our deaths to save his own hide! Or worse, for his own sick amusement! Of all the stupid, rotten, no good decisions. Why’d you have to fall under the temptation of that bed, huh? Sleeping under the stars makes you tough! There’s got to be a way out of this!”

[Nayt]

"Window shop, huh?" Daniel asked rhetorically.

Seems easy enough.

Daniel saw no strings attached. Perhaps he lacked the foresight that Everett had, and so, when Everett pulled him off of the bar--leaving Daniel to stumble behind her--he was rightfully confused. Daniel had to wonder if they were really out of range of George hearing them, too. Oh well. Everett was talking some madness, and Daniel was confounded; completely and utterly flabbergasted. This establishment wouldn't still be around if it was feeding children to cannibals--no, not with the amount of drunks he saw last night.

"Wait, wot? Why is this my f--" Daniel stopped himself shot, deciding not to fight that fight, but wonder what the hell Everett was talking about. "Wot the . . . Everett, it doesn't sound nearly as bad as you're making it out to be. Besoides, if it's a bunch of cannibals or something, it isn't loike we can't fight 'em off and make a break for it. It's a town, though--so, if it really is fine, we can probably get some jobs or something to get money for the future . . ."

It was worth the risk to him. He knew what it was like to travel without funding, and he didn't want to have to go through that whole mess all over again.

[Mandaz]

What Daniel was suggesting was a little insane to Everett. He wanted to go through this the crazy scheme and push themselves into the strange town. If Everett’s suspicious were even close to correct, then they’d be defending themselves against a lot more than a couple of people. Who knew how large the town was. It could have been mob-sized, or it could have held enough civilians to fill a small sea. And he was fine with the possibility to fighting so many enemies at once? Not just fine but willing? Now she was positive that not only Daniel was crazy, she was too for sticking around with him for so long.

“That’s way too dangerous.” She lamented “You’re effing injured you lunatic! Know your limitations! I won’t want to see you…get hurt again…”

She folded her arms and pouted for a moment. Then shook out her arms and placed them on her hips as if she were going to yell again. But with mouth agape, she stood in silence, not a single utterance of disapproval came out. Perhaps because she had already said it all. Once again she folded her arms and pouted, unable to really decide on a proper stance for such a situation. She sighed.

“Alright, we’ll check it out…but I’m leading this time!”

[Nayt]

The way Everett said it . . . that she didn't want to see him hurt again--and then, how she pouted immediately thereafter . . . that had Daniel reeling a bit. Not because she did anything wrong, but because she did everything right; she didn't have to do anything beyond that to change Daniel's mind about the idea. The way she looked at him just made him feel as if him insisting on going would make her extremely sad, and Daniel wouldn't have been able to live with himself under that sort of circumstance. She could be a total brat and overreact sometimes, but he didn't want to make her sad. That may or may not have even trumped his want of those maids.

If it did, though, he didn't realize it. It was unlikely that he was going to, either; they didn't get along enough on a regular basis for him to have the chance.

All Everett had to do at that point was say that she didn't want to do it, and he'd have wholeheartedly followed along, unwilling to argue. And she didn't. Everett figured that they could still go, and justified it by declaring that she'd lead. She already had Daniel's attention, so that quickly became the plan. The adolescent nodded to her. If things went wrong, he'd make it a point to come out with as few injuries as humanly possible.

"All roight," Daniel smiled a bit, "oI got your back, then."

[Mandaz]

She’d push past Daniel as if he were a swinging door. Seemed she was done with the sentimental stuff, not it was back to business. Now she had a reason to fight and in Daniel…something to protect. Of course she didn’t see it that way. And if the thought even crossed her mind about her actually caring deeply enough for the boy ever crossed her mind she’s probably have some sort of dramatic adverse effect. Like a seizure or a coma or something of that nature. To her Daniel was nothing more than a tag-a-long, she could probably survive without him, but it wasn’t necessarily bad that he was around. Still, if he died on her watch, she’d of course feel some sort of guilt or obligation to him. And feeling guilty wasn’t something she was too prepared for. She had to keep moving forward to her destination. To her goal. Guilt would only slow her down. So would any other unneeded emotion.

“Alright George, we’ll play your game!-I uh…I mean…anything to help someone who’s been nothing but gracious to a couple of poor souls like us.”

She’d accidentally slipped while pondering how she felt about Daniel in her head. Not good, not good. In fact Everett instantly became a little miffed with the boy for jumbling up her thoughts in such a manner. He was always like that. Always there. Even in her head. Didn’t he know the meaning of privacy? Had she not been in public, she would have smacked him right there and yelled something along the lines of ‘Mind your own damn business!’

[Nayt]

Some things were just too good to last for any length of time. Everett being kind about something was one of them. Well, can't have too much of a good thing, right? Daniel sighed. With no other option, he followed behind her, his arms folded over his chest.

"Oh, uh, oI hate to sound loike oI'm being ungrateful or anything, but, uh, well . . . if I'm going out, could I borrow a shirt? Maybe some shoes, too. They moight at least think I have the money to buy something, then."

Which was obviously not true, as Daniel clearly lacked a shirt, shoes, or socks. He just had hospital scrubs on for pants, and that was all. And then, to top it all off, all of his burn wounds were visible without the bandages. Clearly, he wasn't going to be buying anything; he'd most likely be regarded as some poor hobo, burnt up and cut up, traveling through with no direction. Actually, if they were all cannibals, he'd probably blend in. That might just be for the best. Well, if all else failed, he could just take a few articles of clothing off, and everything would be fine.

Daniel wasn't hoping for much, though. Just a t-shirt, maybe some sandals. Anything would be better than going barefoot and shirtless, when he might feel a bit self conscious about his injuries. He had already been hoping that the maids weren't looking; they were obviously wounds from third degree burns that hadn't healed over completely, and for any intelligent person, weathered by life, it would be pretty obvious that he was gone to have quite a few scars from it. In the worst case scenario, at least.

"Maybe some bandage wraps, if you have any," Daniel coughed, "If it isn't too much, at least."

[Nayt]

Lemon: “Oh, I know you’ll play…” George commented under his breath.

He’d been paying more attention to his maids than the misfit couple, but he certainly caught the slip. They had no choice in the matter, as he saw it, he was simply being courteous the in asking--his gallant, knightly nature shining through the thick veneer of cool he laid on as thick as dust on a crypt. The loose, golden sleeve of his suit slipped below the wrist as he waved his hand indifferently to Daniel’s question.

“You make a good point, I suppose. Having you two look good will make me look good, and I can’t be lookin’ bad now. What would these lovely ladies think of me if my reputation were tarnished because I wasn’t charitable enough to lend some nice clothes to two desperate kids? Daniel, follow Anne to my wardrobe and pick out whatever you like on the left-hand side. Ms. Everett, if you’d allow Belle to accompany you back to the Bridal Suite, I’d much appreciate it if you’d enjoy a long soak while she washes and patches your clothes. Unless of course you find the muck well suited to the complexion of your skin--some do. My maids were theorizing beside the fire this morning about you, I’m afraid they don’t understand adventurers like yourself do not feel the need to be constantly pretty. You could always use the time to give Flit a bath--he‘s even more filthy than… well, he needs a bath, just the same.”

Once Daniel was ready, Anne would lead him to the back of the building, past the kitchen, dining room, game room, indoor pool, and 24 hour snack bar to the expansive wardrobe of George Aeric Saints. To his right, he’d find such finery that couldn’t possibly have existed in this reality or any other. To his left he’d find a number of less stunning, though still logic-defying outfits ranging from silver suits similar to the golden one the owner currently wore, to deep purple and gold threaded sleepwear. There were several expensive looking shirts in a heap off to the side sporting a gaudy turquoise, but they seemed slightly scorched in random patterns and left to rot. Anne remained in the wardrobe, ready to assist the injured young man in dressing both his wounds and himself.

Mandaz: The look on Everett’s face fell flat as he danced not-so-lightly around the topic of her hygiene. She knew he was trying to be polite, but the issue truly did bother people like this. In all honesty she didn’t really want a bath, but then again she wasn’t about to kick and scream and throw a tantrum if they tried to force her into one. That was for children. She wasn’t a child. If they did, however, lock her in a room with nothing but a hot tub of water and a towel she’d simply splash the water around a little until she was sure she’d made it sound just convincing enough to escape, germs in-tact. When the subject of bathing the horrible mongrel came up, Everett’s look became a mixture of horror and disgust.

“Daniel, you be careful around that dog. I don’t want you to loose any body parts that might help you fight, you understand?!” She spoke to him with her finger pointed out, like a mother spoke to a child. A child who just happened to be nearly a foot or two taller than she was.

Nayto: Maybe Everett misunderstood that part. It sounded more like George was making an offhanded remark about Everett's hygeine, comparing it with the dog's . . . or something along those lines. Daniel sure as hell wasn't spraying that dog off. Water would probably evaporate around him, anyways! That dog could've caught the freakin' forest on fire! Yeah, yeah . . . no. That was one risk he wasn't going to take. He wasn't going to get anything out of that, anyways.

"Whoa, whoa, oI'm not bathing him," Daniel coughed.

Of course, once that fear was abated, the woman who he was to follow, Anne, was ready to lead him away, and Daniel finally began to realize what this meant. George wanted Everett to bathe, and he was suggesting that one of his barmaids assist her in that. Patching clothes up was completely optional. Getting in the bathtub together wasn't optional in the slightest. Not to Daniel. Definitely not to Daniel. In his mind, the busty Belle was going to be in a soapy bathtub with the lovely Everett in close proximity, and both were going to be surprisingly friendly towards one another--the latter perhaps shy and reserved at first. All was well in the world. That train of thought alone allowed Daniel to justify every adventure and misadventure to this point. In fact, that thought occupied his mind well beyond the amount of time it should have, and he at first did not react to the massive wardrobe. Then, it hit him like a brick wall, and he nearly fell over.

"Bloody hell . . ." Daniel whispered, followed in short by an impressed whistle. "These all look pretty expensive--you, uh . . . do you know whot he had in moind for me to borrow?"

Daniel, personally, wouldn't be lending out one of these fine suits to anyone he didn't know, if he owned them. Even if he owned this many. Actually, it looked like he could spare a good couple dozen suits, and still have one for every day of the year.

Lemon: George followed Daniel part of the way, deviating into the kitchen when they passed it, leaving Everett alone with the silently waiting Belle. It was up to her on what to do next, either to head up to the suite or out to wash Flit--if, of course, the owner was being serious and not just snatching the opportunity to take a jab at Everett.

Anne, in the wardrobe, similarly stood silently smiling at Daniel. When asked on what he should take, she simply motioned toward the silver suit on the nearest rack and a matching tie and cufflink set above, if he so chose to accessorize. Indeed, George did have enough suits to last him every day of the year; he had to. George only wore a suit once before discarding it and allowing the fabric to be reused for some lesser garment. of his maids or perhaps a poor street urchin. It was literally up to Daniel as to what he chose, but either way he'd need to be handled for his wounds first. Anne held up a long spool of soft cotton gauze and anticeptic rub.

Mandaz: Finally Everett was alone and silent…with a waitress. She started up at her, though she really couldn’t get a good look at her face from this angle, what with her natural enhancements and all. The blonde girl was just short enough to come to eye level with the twins and nothing else. She folded her arms and gave a sort of ‘hmph’ and glared as close to the waitresses face as she could glare. She figured her previous plan of just splashing around the water a bit for dramatic effects was easier to do than to actually attempt to clean a dog. It wasn’t necessarily the lesser of two evils, but it was the easiest to escape.

“Lead the way miss.” Everett cooed in a sugar-coated voice, while still giving a snarky look to her chest.

Nayto: "Whoa . . . that one?" Daniel replied, shocked.

The silver suits would probably look better on him, anyways. He started towards it, glancing at the hung up jacket. This would probably be sort of form fitting on him, too. It looked that way, at least. Daniel knew a fair amount about suits and the like; enough to know that he was going to need an undershirt. As he stepped back and got ready to ask about something along those lines, he found Anne standing there with a spool of gauze and some medicine. Oh, right, I need that. The idea that Anne would be rubbing any sort of lotion on him, even though it was just anticeptic rub, was a truly fantastic idea, and if it could at all happen, he'd be far more than just content with life: he'd be able to die happy. That thought had him slightly nervous, though. Shy, even. He laughed nervously before glancing around, just checking to see if anyone was around. George had tagged along for a bit earlier, but turned off at some point. He wasn't around. Awesome.

"Th-thanks. Er, um, uh, oI moight . . ." Daniel coughed, "Need a little help, y-you know, with the medicine and wrap and, uh, er, yeah." Smooth. Real smooth.

Lemon:: Anne nodded determinedly, a maid on a mission. She walked firmly up to Daniel and scooped out a big glop of the antiseptic paste. It stung her hand as she dug into it, but she seemed not to notice; the paste was especially strong and made for burn wounds. It would eat away the dead flesh and disinfect at the same time, but its effectiveness came at the cost of comfort--a fact Daniel would realize as she set to work, gobbing huge portions of the stuff all over his wounds. She was not a delicate flower, she was a woman of hard labor and saw Daniel as little more than something that needed to be fixed. She lifted his arms to get at the hidden spots, rubbing the concoction as deep as she could get it. It wouldn’t matter how much he squirmed or struggled, Anne was focused. Once the goo was applied, she set to work bandaging him, perhaps a bit overzealously. When she was done, there would be no means of removing the bandages for several days without cutting into Daniel’s flesh and he looked even more injured than if he’d remained unattended, to tell the truth. Her job done, she surveyed her work and gave a satisfactory nod, continuing to chose silence over fraternization.

Belle, however, seemed more confused and unfocused than her senior. She smiled and nodded happily to Everett, ignoring her breastward gaze, but as she ascended the stairs the got lost. All she had to do was go up. Straight up. But she persisted in walking the length of every hallway of every floor before actually making her way to the Bridal Suite. Finally at their destination, Belle completely ignored Everett, if the short woman even followed her in the first place. She undressed, entered the bathroom, filled the sizable tub with warm water, and waited for her company to join her.

Mandaz: Somewhere of in the distance, Everett thought she heard a scream. But she instead figured it to be something she imagined, since she felt like she was going crazy in the mixed up place, and quickly shook it off. The woman had insisted on checking nearly almost every room before they reached their destination. Everett kept silent during all of this, figuring the maid to have some sort of method to her madness. Then again, she was expecting too much out of this in. When they reached the room before the bridal suite, the young girl was ready to explode. Her face was blood red, holding back every single swear and curse she had in her arsenal, fists clenched and shaking, ready to pull out her sword and decapitate the woman rather messily.

But that would be rude, according to human custom (and angel as well) Instead she tried to keep focused on what made her happy. What did make her happy? Her sword made her happy. Thrusting said sword through the voluptuous bosom of this woman would make her happy. The thoughts continued on like that until the finally reached the suite and a wave of slight relief washed over her.

It was quickly drowned though, as the maid revealed herself to the young girl. She stood there, wide eyed and a little intimidated by all of the assets. It was then she realized that the woman intended to join her in this ritualistic ceremony of cleaning. Everett clicked her teeth together indecisively, staring at the woman (but trying not to stare too much) wondering how she was going to get out of this one.

[Nayt]

Indeed, there was scream--a pained, manly scream. Or a shout, or a cry--more like a cry. A young man trying to sound manly while shouting and crying. Actually, it was impossible for him to be remotely masculine about it at all, by the time it was over.

". . . ow . . . ! Oh, God, ow . . .," Daniel whined under his breath.

By the end of it all, he really did look like he had been smacked around quite a bit, and now every single burn wound, which was deal-with-able before, hurt like hell. Daniel winced with every breath as he hunched over. He had a few new bruises, too. Being injured and all, he figured that she'd have gone easy on him--or at least been sexy about it, even if it was out of pity. Anything but what really happened. Oh well. It was done, and he had new bandages on--and they probably weren't coming off for awhile, either.

"O-okay . . ." he panted, ". . . oI think, maybe . . . maybe I should have privacy whoile dressing . . ."

At first, he was excited about the notion of an attractive woman rubbing him down with some sort of lotion. Now, getting away from this woman was a great idea. He didn't want to experience a beating like that again, especially when he couldn't morally allow himself to fight back or run for the hills.

[Nayt]

Lemon: As Daniel spoke, Anne’s face was a blank slate; a soldier in boot could only hope to be this picture of conformity and unassumption that was she, but as soon as he was finished, that same determination from before broke her visage and she marched out of the closet, slamming the door behind her. Daniel would be able to hear her footsteps march off back toward the kitchens, leaving him alone with an entire wardrobe to chose from.

Belle, however, ignored Everett even more than she had been. She didn’t wait for the pretty girl for long before sudsing up her body with the honey fragranced bar of soap and leaning back into the warm water of the steel tub.

Mandaz: Everett was more than confused now. The woman didn’t seem interested in her at all. In fact, it seemed all she wanted was a bath for herself. Then what was the point of dragging her around the entire upstairs? Could Everett have left her side whenever she wanted? The notion struck her; she was in no way forced or physically carried to this room. She just followed orders without a second thought. In fact the though that she could have run away at any time never crossed her mind once. It was baffling. Well, she certainly had better things to do now than stand and grumble about the past, she had wasted enough time as it was.

“Well…you enjoy that.” She shrugged, turning her back to the bathing woman.

She was much more interested in exploring this mysterious inn than she was taking a bath with some insane mute.

Nayto: Left alone in privacy, Daniel was able to relax. Well, somewhat. For a moment, he was slightly afraid, as the militant maid slammed the door closed when she left. Offending her would be a bad idea. Hm. It wasn't even because it ruined the possibility of luring her into bed, either. In fact, Daniel wasn't even interested in that prospect anymore. Anne would have destroyed him in any sort of intimate setting. That was something he was going to avoid at all costs, unless, of course, he'd have a higher chance of survival. Nonetheless, given the privacy, he was able to don a new set of clothing . . . and after the struggle to put it all on . . .

"Man, if I had a pair of sunglasses . . ."

Daniel, upon looking at himself in a mirror, found that he was exquisitely appealing to even himself. The silver jacket was form fitting over top of a white undershirt whose cuffs were left unbuttoned. The pants were also of a fantastic silver color and the shoes he managed to find that fit him were a pair of black, sleek, shined, and polished loafers that brought the whole suit together. A hat would have also been great, but the only hats available were in gold--and that just didn't match. I wonder if I can keep this if we stroll through the place more than once . . .

Lemon: As Everett turned to leave, she’d meet a familiar face. Flit stood in the doorway, looking at her suspiciously but still wagging his tail all the same.

Where… You’re the first human I’ve found since I woke up this morning! What’re you doing in George’s room?

He’d slept outside after hearing the pair strike up a conversation with what he assumed had been the inn’s owner and the patrons within, but he hadn’t wanted to go in and agitate the girl any more than he already had. He counted himself the worst luck that he ran into her first… but a full night’s sleep should have improved her mood at least a smidgeon… right?

Mandaz: Her expression dropped once she came nearly face to face with the beast from the night before. Now she was stuck between a dog and a wet place, death was more welcoming than either option. She stared at the dog for a moment, frozen solid, not even bothering to reach for her sword. Everett took a small step back, slowly, and then another, and another, holding her palms before him. She didn’t want to admit it, but such a huge dog…well…he scared her. Dogs weren’t supposed to be that big, or catch on fire! Just the notion that a creature existed, and that there might be more! It made her uneasy. She was hoping he would just turn and go somewhere else, maybe if she stood still he wouldn’t see her? Then backing up was a waste of time. She couldn’t even call to the nude maid in the tub for fear that raising her voice would startle the mutt.

So she stood shakily before it, biting her lip. “Easy now…”

Nayto: When Daniel left the wardrobe, the first person he wanted to see was Everett. The reason for this was simple: if she could perhaps see how utterly amazing he looked at that moment, she might have fallen for him instantly. Hell, the bandages on his cheeks actually looked purposeful, like he had done it out of some sort of style. She wasn't out around the bar, though. So, instead, the second person he wanted to see was George, if only because he wanted to either fish for compliments, ask for a pair of sunglasses to even the entire suit out and set it as the single most awesome thing he'd ever worn, or somehow try to find a loophole he could use to buy this suit off of him--or, at the very least, work for long enough to get George to consider giving Daniel the suit. It fit him perfectly, after all!

The third person he wanted to see was a maid other than Anne, who quite frankly scared the living hell out of him. Maybe the others would be able to swoon over him--then, maybe he'd be able to tell stories of his pain, and they'd oo and aww over his bravery, and guided by the awesome of his attire, he'd somehow wind up in a bathtub with them. That's exactly what this jacket screams.

Lemon: Flit just sighed and turned around.

I hate humans…

Daniel would be able to hear the mutt’s dejected mutter from downstairs, but that was the only sound he’d hear within the building. The maids had all seemingly departed, save for the one happily bathing herself upstairs, immune to the situation. Flit padded down the wooden steps, turning the corner to see Daniel, his knight in retardedly shiny armor.

Wow kid, nice duds, you ask George before you stole his shit or are you hoping to book it before he gets back?

The female was the one who got things done between them, as far as he could figure, but the boy was the only sensible bastion in the sea of insanity that was the 11 Saints.

Mandaz: Once the dog had done so much as turned its tail Everett took off into a run. Between those rows and rows of teeth the dog sported in his mouth and the bodacious maid in the bath, she’d rather take the bath. She ran into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her. With a heavy pant she removed her shirt, pants, and undergarments and tossed them to the side. She was a frighteningly skinny child. Very frail, and very…underdeveloped. She looked even younger than she did clothed. Her skin was completely covered in dirt from head to toe, and her clothes were in the same condition.

The girl quickly tip-toed into the bath, making sure to be as far away from the nude maid in the tub as possible. She pressed herself against the opposite end of the bath, and turned her back to her so she didn’t have to be distracted by the dinner plates on the woman’s chest. Clutching her knees to her own chest, Everett swirled the water around with her finger, watching the dirt spread out. How long would she have to be in here before the dog was gone?

Nayto: "Nah, George let me borrow them," Daniel replied, "Besoides, if I can, oI'm going to try and do some work around here or something--or work in town, maybe?--to buy this koind of suit. It's pretty sharp."

Daniel didn't even consider the possibility that he was talking to a dog. In fact, he didn't realize that he wasn't hearing with his ears. His mind's ears were opened, and they heard just like his body's ears. That was altogether unfortunate for him, as someone talking in his mind sounded like they were talking right across the room from him--which, of course, made him feel at ease, but in these sorts of situations, made him look unnervingly stupid. Though, he didn't really need much help with that most of the time--at least when he wasn't wearing a suit this sharp. He could only look cool in this, regardless. Daniel turned a bit to see who was addressing him, only to find that dog from yesterday. He practically jumped back, scared shitless for a brief moment.

"A-ah, you, uh--yeah. oI'm just hearing things, roight . . .?" Daniel asked nervously.

Talking dogs? No way in hell.

[Lemon]

A single spark ripped into existence from nothing. A beautiful, fiery snowflake in a sea of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. The spark grew, multiplied, had children and grandchildren. The family grew into a brilliant red flower and consumed all the oxygen directly in front of Daniel's face. It wasn't a malevolent family, but certainly mischievous; while they sought to surprise and confound the boy, the thought of harming him never once entered their literarily personified mind. A sparks age of prosperity and good fortune passed by in an instant, but ages, like wheels, roll onward unmercifully. A famine set in; billions of little sparks died, starved and asphyxiated because their infantile government failed to predict such overcrowding. Eventually there was a moment when only one spark remained--a moment when a single, lonely creature that was not a creature and not at all alive reflected on the brilliance of its history and the irony of their simple beginnings juxtaposed to their solemn end. The moment passed.

I'm a dog that can blow things up by thinking really hard. Why wouldn't I be able to talk?

Upstairs, in the brass tub, things were about to get kinky. Belle wasn't the most focused individual at the moment, but she knew why she was in the bath--if perhaps only subconsciously. Already finished bathing herself, Belle soaped up a rag and handed it to Everett with a big smile.

[Mandaz]

“Uhh…thanks…” she mumbled to the mute, picking the rag out of her hand awkwardly.

Somewhere in her mind she was convinced the thing to be dowsed in poison, but her logical judgment kept her from making a scene. Everett refused to turn and face the woman, however. The water reached up to the small of her back, distorting her lower features as it rippled from movement. With the rag in hand she reached the parts of her back she could manage. The upper shoulders mostly, rinsing weeks worth of grime from her pale skin, over the shoulder blades and the dimples in them, a minute sign of the weight she carried on her back. The wet dirt smeared and ran down her flesh in droplets, racing along her developing curves. She was still very young for what she was. To Daniel she could hold superiority over him in years, but to her kind she was just a child, inexperienced and underdeveloped. The water that pooled around her turned murky within minutes of her just sitting in it. The filth spread out, dissipating into the surrounding area, quickly making the tub the least clean thing in the bathroom instead of Everett.

As she shyly smudged the dirt from her body her mind drifted off into her memories. Eyes half open, she watched the dirt swirl in the water, tainting it, cleansing her. The memories of her travels, the filth souvenirs, sinking into a clump on the tub’s smooth surface. And her pale skin emerging from behind that, the memory of her past, before she was hardened by mud and blood and tears. Memories of her mother, who had washed her in a tub similar to this when she was younger. She could remember not liking it then either.

[Nayt]

The display of brightness and flickers of light before Daniel's face was not construed as an act of the dog himself. Rather, Daniel started to blink rapidly, shortly before waving his hand in front of his face futilely--all before shutting and rubbing his eyes. This was thought to be a visual display of fatigue! Which made no sense, because he was perfectly awake, and had quite a great sleep last night. His eyes shouldn't have been going crazy and screwy like that. Well, crazier things had happened in the past, and this certainly wasn't going to be the last crazy thing to happen or go wrong with his body. Not that anything was wrong with his body, but Daniel figured it was. By the time he was done rubbing his eyes, the display had all but ceased, with Daniel maintaining ignorance.

"Uh . . . wot?"

He let his eyes follow the dog with interest. This really was a talking dog. A freakin' talking dog! A talking dog that could light things on fire--but that was irrelevant! The damn dog could talk! That was pretty awesome. Daniel had always been curious what a dog had on his mind. None of the questions he would have ever asked a dog were going to be asked to Flit, though, if only because Flit could probably light him on fire if he wanted to.

Daniel, figuring that either Everett or George would be back in eventually, sat upon one of the many bar-stools before the long stretch of counter. If he was going to be waiting, he was going to be off of his bum leg. The damn burns still hurt, even after he was manhandled earlier--technically, those wounds should have been hurting worse than the burns, but somehow, someway, that part of his brain that controlled the priority of nerves and sensations was either sleeping or permanently turned off.

". . . uh, er, roight," Daniel coughed, "You know, oI'm going to be honest. I really thought oI was dreaming up the whole talking dog thing. I bet you get that a lot?"

[Lemon]

You'd think, but around here? Not so much. I don't really deal with uh... normal people like yourself on a day-to-day, so yeah I guess I do get it every now and again. He paused, jumping onto a bar stool and again onto the bar itself, sniffing around at the dried puddles of booze and wine. He caught a glimpse of the boy's eye on his way up, No, kid. Don't even ask. THAT is something I do get more than enough of; maybe later you can ask me something... So uh, you seen George?

Above in the bath, Belle smiled when Everett took the washrag and set to work on herself. She came oh so close to saying, "Now there's a good girl," but the thought was lost as soon as it was formed. Instead, she relaxed in the warm water, humming a soft lullaby, filling the room with more than just steam. Simplistic though it was, Belle was known throughout town for her beautiful voice--such was apparent even in her simple hum.