The trek back through the tunnels of Rephidim gave Nicorina plenty of time to answer Tulani's questions about the ship and crew (and if the Captain was as good as he looked). The Sphynx was happy with it all, oddly - mainly because her primary concern was that there might be a mage on board, and she was relieved to learn there wasn't one in the crew. She also let Nicorina know that the Guardian flying back with them would be Gotrekis.
Since she had to return the clothing loaned to her by Hortense, Nicorina and Tulani made for the underground entrance to the Morgue instead of heading to the crystal cavern first, since the outfit wouldn't have fit Nicora properly. Jacoba intercepted the Skreek at the stairs, stripped away the clothing and turned her over to the does to get cleaned up (and after the incident with the Fnerf, she really needed it). They also brought the vinegar bag and cleaned her out inside as well.
Feeling refreshed, Nicorina played around for a bit with the bunnies, until Jacoba returned with a cloak.. and then played around as well for a bit. At least the Lapi didn't get the Skreek all dirty again, since she needed to see Mordecai next, back in his secret subterranean lair, where Tulani should also be waiting for her.
"You seem to like keeping me on my hands and knees a lot," Nicorina remarks to Jacoba, as well as cackles, as she pulls on the cloak to conceal her body again. "Granted, it does give you lots of leverage..."
"Well, can you blame me?" the Lapi asks. "What else do you have to do tonight?"
"I need to speak with Mordecai on a matter and then see to another issue, but will be otherwise free. Why do you ask?" Nicorina asks.
"Well, in case you were tired of sleeping down in his lair," Jacoba says, "I was gonna invite you to stay with us tonight.." He gestures to the does as well.
Nicorina giggles. "As what though? What would you want me to be?" she asks. "And I do have to consider what he will want of me. I did, ah, consent to being his property while here..."
"Oh, whatever you feel like!" Jacoba says. "It would be mostly for sleeping, after all. You do need to sleep sometimes, right?"
"Of course I do! You lapis are devious, though. I never quite know what you want! Well, outside of the obvious," the skreek comments as she cinches up the cloak. "I'll let you know when I know if I can, okay?"
"Hope to see you soon then!" the worn out buck offers.
Nicorina leans over and kisses Jacoba's cheek. "You're a sweetie; I would be a doe for you anytime," she tells him as she draws back. She waves, and heads back towards the passage down and into the tunnels.
Along the way, Nicorina hears the sounds of Hortense and her 'birthday boy'.. mainly squeaks and laughter. Otherwise nobody interrupts here, and the passages below are clear of smugglers, Darksiders and sewer-monsters until she gets to the door of the underground apartment. It opens at a knock, and Mordecai is standing there yawning as if he's just waking up. "Can I help you?" he asks.
"You know me. It's another form; I used it to scout out some things in Underside," Nicorina giggles, leans over, and licks his nose. She then flashes her piercing work as further proof. "Can I come in? I do have something to talk to you about."
"Oh, yes, come right in," the bat says, stepping aside and waving his arm. There are some lights burning in the room, and Tulani is giving herself a sponge-bath as well. "Are you feeling tired or hungry?" he asks.
"A little hungry, but not tired yet!" Nicorina claims as she slips through the door and stretches. She sheds the cloak quickly, content to walk around naked for the time being. "How willing and capable would you or the club be in helping someone disappear and hide if required?" she asks.
Mordecai chuckles, and hugs the Skreek from behind. "My dear, everyone in the club is someone hiding or disappeared," he notes, before biting her neck and having a drink.
"Ooooo!" Nicorina chirrs; the skreek's body sure has an odd reaction to pain. Namely, it somehow feels good too! "Well, there is a young Eeee who is in a bind. He's a refugee from Babel and being used as a pawn of a group that wants to overthrow Sunala Herself," she explains while the Eeee drinks. She also wiggles her backside just so to rub the Eeee in sensitive ways. "He may need to disappear quickly, depending on what happens. I was hoping you or the club would be able to shelter him for a bit if it came to that."
"If you can get him here unnoticed, we can hide him," Mordecai notes, after letting go of Nicorina's neck. He guides her over to the bathing Sphynx.. and bends her over Tulani. The half-Vartan makes a brief squeak of protest, but by then Mordecai is already at work at the other end of Nicorina. "How long do you need him hidden, and does he have special requirements?" the bat asks, continuing the conversation.
"H ... I!" goes Nicorina to Tulani when Mordecai goes to work; after being around him for so long, and all those sailors, she's sort of used to being used as an outlet, whether she reaches her peak or not. "I'm not sure how long," she admits when she's not feeling as distracted; his studding has this way of being very distracting. "At least a month, but hopefully not longer. No special needs I know of, he's not a vampire."
"Does he have a preference for boy or girls?" the Eeee asks next, amid various slapping sounds. Tulani tries to tickle Nicorina with her feathers as well.. because it's a cat thing to do.
Nicorina's tail curls around Mordecai's waist; he feels good no matter what form she is in it seems. "I know he likes girls, but I don't know about boys," she admits. "I never thought to ask that. And since Tulani is trying to tickle her, Nicorina licks a finger and sticks it in the sphynx's ear!
This causes some agitation as the Sphynx tries to wiggle away from the Wet Willy (and Skreeks have the perfect fingers for delivering them). The end result is a collapse of the support structure (namely, Tulani) resulting in a Skreek sandwich of sorts. "Oof!" Mordecai responds, but keeps his grip. "Well, that just leaves.. how much you like the fellow," he notes. "Should he be turned over to Hortense, or to the Lapis?"
"We have not always seen eye to eye, so it might be interesting for him to be a guest of Hortense for a while," Nicrona remarks as she grins deviously. "He's used to being the one in control around women .. so turning it around would be a good lesson. Nothing harsh ... just educational." She grins over her shoulder from her comfy sphynx pillow and adds, "Whereas I prefer to let someone like you be in control. Rr."
"He's used to being held captive anyway," Tulani points out, and then bites Nicorina in a non-vampiric but playful manner on the shoulder. "I'm sure Hortense will agree," Mordecai says, before really going to work at grinding the two females against one another.
"I'll also be leaving soon," Nicorina says after a bought of squeaking from being bitten and well, what the Eeee behind her is doing. "Jacoba has offered to let me stay with them tonight, but if you would prefer I remain with you so that you can do whatever more you may desire to me before I leave you have first choice," she tells Mordecai ... then tries to get back at Tulani by kissing her!
Kissing Tulani prompts another bite! "You need your rest, and you will get more with the Lapis," Mordecai admits. "I'm just waking up, and have other things I need to get done tonight, so you have my permission," he grants. "I'll keep Tulani in your stead.."
Nicorina breaks the kiss and grins at Tulani. "Rowr!" she says. To Mordecai she asks, "Will you want to see me once more before we leave, though? I feel I should ask; you have been ... well, not kind, but quite an experience!"
"Of course; I would not want to send you off on a long voyage without something to think back fondly upon," the bat says, leaning down to bite at the Skreek's neck again.
"Just tell me what body you want me in ... and I'll be at your doorstep the night before we leave to .. receive what farewell marks and memories you wish me to have," Nicorina says, sounding more and more distracted when her neck is bit. A full body shudder follows. Boy was Rina strange!
"Your Eeee body, for our final night," Mordecai requests. "I imagine you will be less approachable during your voyage - I hope you do not go into withdrawal."
"I get to have all the fun I want, at least," Tulani purrs.
"Don't remind me," Nicorina complains. "Maybe I should find a way for you to make me hurt for the duration so I don't even think about it."
"I would never hurt you, Nicora," Mordecai promises, just before slapping her sharply across the rear end.
"Timing will take care of that," Tulani notes. "Are you due to start your hormonal train ride soon?"
Nicorina actually finds herself wishing for Gorphat's attention so she won't think about what she'll be missing on the trip. the only thing she vocalizes, though, is a loud squeak from the slap! She tightens the grip of her tail around his waist, then admits to Tulani, "I think so, actually."
"Sure you don't want to go as the Skreek then?" Tulani teases. "You'd make some spending money.." She then pinches the rat, curious to see how she responds.
Nicorina squeaks! "Of course I want to go as this. Aside from the money it would be ... distracting! But I can't!" the skreek claims.
"But you can change forms," Mordecai notes, while nibbling on a large Skreek ear. "So long as you do not need to appear as both, and share the same sleeping quarters.."
Nicorina grins. "Well, could use the money and the title of a ship's tail was amusing," she admits, "Maybe ... maybe."
"You just have to figure out how to arrive on the ship twice!" Tulani says with a laugh. "Although you could turn someone into Nicorina, then change them back later on board.."
"It's a crazy idea, isn't it?" the skreek asks Tulani. "Or do you think I should try?"
"Crazy ideas are meant to be tried.." Mordecai notes.
Nicroina cackles. "Well, let me talk to Mave about it! If she thinks it would work and might help keep them from prying too much ... I'll consider it!" the rat agrees. "Besides, Nikky the Tail has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"
"And ... hm, gots any good tail bands, Mordecai?" Nicorina asks, grinning. "For the base of my tail..."
"One of the skreeks had one, looked good on him," she explains, "Thought maybe I should get one for this body!"
"Well, you'd have to keep track of it during your changes," Mordecai notes, and leans back to get a feel for the girth of Nicorina's tail. "I should have something though.."
"Well, I could take it off before changes, yes? It's not like it would be permanent?" Nicorina asks as she pushes back as he leans back...
"Ooof," Mordecai says, taking the push as a challenge. It's a bit longer before he catches his breath to say, "I think I have an open, wire-design one somewhere.."
"As long as i can always feel it, I'm sure it will be fine," Nicorina challenges and continues pushing back each time he comes forward. She's such a bad skreek.
Conversation takes a back-seat from that point, as the trio attempt to see what variations are possible (since Mordecai is still hungry, and wants to 'eat' Tulani as well). The night gets deeper outside, somewhere, and Mordecai finally needs a break.
"We should check out the 'back door' to the warehouse," Tulani suggests, "along the way to the crystal cavern, unless you want to stay as Nicorina for the night?"
Nicorina feels fairly satisfied from that. "Go find the band?" she asks Mordecai, then turns her attention to Tulani. "Seriously, would having the skreek on board help distract them from us ... or be a problem? and oh, I should go back to Nicora tonight if I'm to go see Mave and Rikat. I could stay the skreek though, if not ... and perhaps go tell Orca they have a Tail..."
"There's always going in the morning too," Tulani notes, and yawns. "As for Nikky the Tail.. well, it'd certainly take a lot of unwanted attention off of me. We just need to arrange for Nikky, Nicora, and me to all share the same lockable room.. Mave can probably sleep with the Captain, the lucky old bat.."
"Possibly. And that crew is pretty ... rough. I barely kept up with them. Anyway, shall we go shift me back, then check the door?" Nicorina asks.
"Or do you prefer me as a rat?" Nicorina asks and waggles her brow.
"Your choice! What did you want to 'give' the bunnies tonight, hmm?" Tulani asks. "You've got.. two different ones, right? Buck and Doe?"
"Right, but the buck would be a pregnancy risk for the does, wouldn't it? And what would Jacoba do?" Nicorina asks.
"Well, if Nicora can't get pregnant, why would the does?" Tulani reasons. "Maybe you should ask Kaira then, but I thought you kept a certain Eeee-ness that meant you can only get another Eeee pregnant?"
"Hmm, for that matter, it's only happened with Eeee women that couldn't get pregnant by anyone else, hasn't it?" the Sphynx adds.
"Oh, well, in that case I should go back as the buck! Hortense might enjoy it too, and I'm sure the does would," Nicorina agrees. "As for Jacoba ... I'll figure out something."
Nicorina cackles, "I think I'll be buck tonight, just because. Sounds fun!"
"And besides ...I think you liked the buck too," Nicorina adds.
"Well, it does mean I could borrow Jacoba," Tulani purrs.
"True!" Nicorina cackles. "So, shall we go binnify, then see the escape route?"
"Alright," Tulani says, as she shifts the rat off of her to pull on some clothes. "We need to be careful; this is the time of night most likely to see people using the tunnels."
Nicorina grabs her cloak. "Good reason to have good hearing, then," the skreek agrees, "So I can hear them coming."
"Or smell them, with that big pointy nose of yours," the feline teases.
"Right now all I smell is bat ... excitement," Nicorina counters and taps her nose. "Any luck finding the band?" she calls out to Mordecai.
The bat returns with something like a bracelet made of twisted, colorful wire. There's just enough metal in it to hold the other wire and chitin together, with a non-repeating abstract pattern to the weave. "How's this?" he asks.
Nicorina spins around, flips her cloak aside, and presents her tail (and butt). "Lets fit it and see!" she says.
The Eeee slides it down to the base of Nicorina's tail.. then squeezes it closed, causing a bit of a pinch!
"Owie!" Nicorina says, then grins toothily. She shimmes her butt and tail. "I like how it makes me hold my tail out," she says, "So ... yes, I like it!" She leans over and kisses Mordecai. "Thank you! I'll reward you more later."
"Do you want to wear it on your way to ... change your clothes?" Mordecai asks with a smirk.
"I wouldn't mind, it'll help me get used to it. Unless you prefer I leave it here?" Nicorina asks.
"Get used to it, just don't forget about it when you don't have a tail for it," the Eeee cautions, waggling a finger.
"And I see how it holds my tail to make me more ... accessible should I bend over," Nicorina cackles. She leans ofer and licks Mordecai's waggling finger, then says to Tulani, "Lets go!"
"Put your cloak on," Tulani tells the Skreek. "No sense tempting fate!" she notes, as she heads for the door.
Nicorina puts her cloak back on. "Oh Tulani ... " she sings out in an off-key voice as she follows the sphynx. "You'll wear this for me when I don't have a tail! Eehehehhehe!"
Along the way, Tulani leads them down a side passage. After a few twists and turns through the sewers, they arrive at an old manhole tube in the center of the curved ceiling. There's no ladder, however, and the smooth-sided tube goes up a good twenty feet before there's a grating. Light is coming through it, however. "I'm pretty sure this is it," Tulani notes, pointing straight up.
As silly as Nicorina can act, when it's the business of sneaking through a tunnel and keeping alert, she's really good at it. Her nose twitches the entire time and she scents the passage the entire way. When she looks up after Tulani points out the grate, she hmms. Her cloak is unhooked, then her tail-cuff is pried open and slid off. "I'll climb up and see if I can tell," she tells Tulani and hands over her cloak and cuff.
"Need a boost?" Tulani asks with a grin. "Or are you gonna just climb up me and stand on my shoulders?"
"I'm always all over you!" Nicorina giggles ... and proceeds to try and climb onto Tulani's shoulders!
Since her hands are full, Tulani has to try to maintain her balance by using her wings to counter Nicorina's weight. But despite some whisker-related tickling, the Skreek manages to stand on the Sphynx's shoulders and hook her hands into the walls of the tube above. The walls of it are made of ancient blocks, with quite a bit of mortar missing - so there are plenty of finger and tow-holds for a strong-limbed Skreek with decent claws.
"This is one nice thing about this body, boy can it climb," Nicorina thinks as her unusually strong arms and fingers hauls her up into the passage once they find strong holds. Soon her toe-claws find purchase and she scrabbles her way up the small passageway. "He'll need a rope, but that is what bed sheets are for..."
The passage is wide enough for the broad-shouldered Eeee, at least. And once she gets to the top, Nicorina is faced with the heavy ceramic grating.. and slit views of a warehouse, and her whiskers tell her that someone is moving around up there.
Nicorina's nose twitches as she sniffs about, trying to identify the species and peer through slits if she can.
There's a definite reptilian odor, but the sound of an Eeee, speaking in Babelite. "We'll start moving the crates out a few at a time in the morning. The wagons will each take a different route to an Underside drop-off depot to avoid suspicion.."
Nicorina goes still to listen a bit longer. "Ah, the travel plans. Lets see when they expect me to show back up as Nicora..." she thinks.
"Unlesss they are being watched already," the Naga voice replies. "Do not underessstimate the local authorities. However, they are mosst likely looking for smugglers worth blackmailing.."
"Interesting," Nicorina things and keeps on listening. "The trip seems less and less safe."
"I'm not worried about the crates; we've done this plenty of times before, and we know who to bribe," the Eeee voice notes. "The variable this time are those Yodh. The Sunala girl gives me the creeps; glad she's not staying here. Won't be sad to see the back of Gotrekis for a while either. Another two days, and they'll be gone."
"You feel nervous having one of the General's lieutenants looking over your ssshoulder?" the snake notes with a hissing laugh. "Of course not - it makes it harder to turn a decent profit. It's not like I'm going to be moving back to Babel after her little coup."
"Heh, I must be doing my job if I'm making them uncomfortable," Nicorina thinks smugly. "I'll have to be extra creepy to him next time we meet..."
The conversation turns to.. Tulani. "I don't mind that bodyguard though.. she seems more approachable than that Yodhinala, although I bet you wouldn't be able to walk for a few days after a romp with someone like that," the Eeee laughs. The serpent seems unimpressed. "You mammalsss are far too fixated on sssuch things."
Nicorina wants to laugh, but common sense keeps her from doing it. "Ohhh, I should tell her what they said..." she thinks, grinning like a madskreek.
"And at least none of them have mentioned the real Barsunala or Alptraum," Nicorina thinks. "Maybe no one is looking for him."
"Everything looks good here, let's go get some Mateh," the Eeee suggests. "Bert's about to start his watch anyway, and the Royal Pain should be ready for his nightcap."
Nicorina wonders, should she lift the lid and see where this is in the safehouse? Probably. How else can she tell Rikat where it is?
The sounds of the two men move off, and then vanish abruptly - meaning they probably passed through one of the shadow-shielded doorways.
Nicorina pushes a bit on the manhole cover. Slow and steady to keep noise down ... and if it moves, just enough to peer around.
It takes a bit of force, but there's a pop as the wax seal gives and the grate lifts up.
Nicora raises it maybe six inches, enough to look around and see if she recognizes the room. "Lets see where we are, mmm? I can't snoop around in here, alas," she thinks.
Nicorina...
The room is stacked high with crates.. all labeled 'Fruit Preserves'.. and there is a loading door, but the space seems small given the size of the warehouse - it must be partitioned off, and indeed the Skreek notices a large gap between the high ceiling and the top of the interior walls, made up for by a dim, hazy shadow-barrier.
"Okay, I can tell Rikat that he can find the access in the storage area ... and be sure to bring a rope of some sort," Nicorina thinks. She takes a minute to really sniff around the area, then lowers the manhole back down carefully.
She needs to pull on it to get the wax to squelch back into place.. apparently from the inside the grate must look permanently bolted down or something, from the extended ridge Nicorina noticed when she lifted it.
Nicorina lingers to pug and tug, making sure the grate is firmly down. Once she's satisfied, the rodent-girl scurries back down the passage. Instead of trying to climb down onto Tulani's shoulders, though, the skreek dangles from the opening, then lets herself fall the few remaining feet and land on all fours. "They think you're attractive," she remarks, amused, "And that I am scary. They're also glad we leave soon and that Gotrekis is going with us..."
"Of course they think I'm attractive," Tulani says, striking a pose with her chin held up while she gazes into the distance. "I can fly," she notes. "Probably all sorts of kinky stuff you can do while flying." She offers the tail-bracelet and cloak back to Nicorina.
Nicorina slips the tail cuff back on and squeezes it until it's secure about the base of her tail. She then slips her clioak around herself and fastens it. "Of course there is! I'll show you as my normal self someday," she offers.
The way to the crystal chamber is uneventful, with nobody else in the same area at the same time as them. Once there, Tulani dutifully draws out the Light. "Okay, you're free to bunnify! Don't forget to ask if you're shooting blanks or not though."
"Kaira, you in there? I need a form shift again. And guess what! I want to go male. The lapi buck form I have. But ... before I do, can you tell me if I'm a fertile lapi, or not?" Nicorina thinks as she paces around on the platform. She has sure left the daggar in a lot, but then she has to, to keep the form stable. It's buried somewhere deep in her arm when changed.
"None of your forms are fertile, except your original body," Kaira claims. "That would be a little too complex to work out."
"You may have made some does happy. That is if I can get a male body working. It's hard sometimes," Nicorina says as she slips her cloak off, then her tail band. She gestures for Tulani to come over...
The Sphynx comes over, and makes a grab for the tail band!
Nicorina holds it out of the way! "Turn around, I'll put in on you!" she insists.
"Hmmm," the feline ponders, narrowing her eyes. "First.. will you need me to 'jump-start' your male form?" she asks.
"Not unless you really want to. I'm sure the does or Hortense will offer too," Nicorina says. "I just want to put the band on you!"
"Well, if I get to do it, you'll have to wait to put the band on me," Tulani says with a big toothy grin. "I know the best way to make you know you're male, after all."
Nicorina offers the band to Tulani. "Deal," she cackles and then promptly sits down! "Kaira, buck me up!" she thinks. she even mentally thinks the crazed cackle!
"Okay.. but there'll be a slight detour first, for warm up purposes.." Kaira replies, as the black void swallows up Nicorina.
"Slight detour?" Alptraum thinks as he descends and floats into darkness. "Kaira, are you plotting against me again?"
The answer to that comes when Alptraum emerges from the darkness not as a bunny.. but as a dragon. And Tulani is already in her own silvery half-dragon form, which combined with the gold laced through his nethers most decidedly puts Alptraum into 'all male' mode.
"Ah ..." Alptraum rumbles as he grins with white teeth set against black scales and gums. He sits upright and licks his lips, "Checking to see if I'm still submitting?" His brow waggles in tease and he licks his lips again, showing off the tongue stud.
"Well, that depends," Tulani-dragon notes, rolling about lazily.. until she jumps to her feet, stretches her neck and gives little-Alptraum a quick lick before turning tail and dancing away teasingly. "On if you can catch me!"
With help from his wings, Alptraum gets to his feet. "Ohhh," he rumbles, "You want to play!" His grin turns predatory and his wings snap, launching him into the air and into a pounce towards Tulani!
Of course, it doesn't hurt that Tulani wants to be caught. However, since she doesn't exactly want to give up easily, there's still a bit of chase, even out into the tunnels a bit. Just enough to scare a group of Kavi trying to dump a body! They drop the bag and run off screaming.
Tulani stops to laugh, which of course gives Alptraum the opportunity to really pounce on her.
This actually disrupts the pursuit for a bit with the laughter of a black dragon as the kavi goes running! Still, it doesn't distract him long with gold-lust helping his urges ... and Tulani, whom in drake-mode instinctively claims as a 'mate', especially since Rosalind isn't here! So when he sees she's still, he jumps on Tulani! He gives her a split second to resist before, well, she is 'lanced'!
The tunnels echo with some very disturbing sounds, no doubt fueling further rumors of sewer-monsters or worse. It isn't until the two dragons are satisfied that they remember the dead body in a bag nearby.
"Mine," Alptraum rumbles in Tulani's ear and moves his body a bit forcefully to accentuate the point! A moment later, he pulls away and goes to check the bad to see who ended up on the wrong end of a kavi thug.
It is.. another Kavi. He's pretty bruised as well, but there are not clothes or other indications of who he might of been or what he did to earn such a fate.
Alptraum spends some time checking for identification, but comes up empty-clawed. "Poor fellow," the dragon remarks. He closes the bag back up out of respect.
"Is it wrong to think that if I were in my full-sized dragon form, I'd be wondering what he tastes like?" Tulani asks, and curls her lip back. "But.. he's not really fresh.."
"I was thinking the same thing," Alptraum rumbles with laughter. "You know, we're both pretty messed up. Look at us."
"Yes.. we look good," Tulani points out, smacking Alptraum on the rear with her tail.
"I look good in every body I wear. But ... I agree the reptilian ones are the best!" Alptraum rumbles. He swats his backside and tail after the swat. "So ... should we prepare to head back ... or do I have to defeat you more...?"
"We'd better get back, or it'll be time to wake up by the time we return to the Morgue," Tulani notes. She stretches, then sashays back towards the crystal cavern.
Alptraum lopes along behind Tulani and occasionally swats for her behind. "Fair point," he concedes as he heads towards the platform. "Okay, Tulani is permitting me to be a buck now." he thinks.
"Well, at least she won't have to break him in now," Kaira notes. "Really, becoming a dragon first is always the fastest route to resynchronizing your gender identity." Of course, the blackness is swallowing up Alptraum by then.
"I think you just like me all black and glistening scales, Alptraum teases Kaira as the void floats him once more. "And out of curiosity, do you know how bad it would be to have Mave bless my Flower tattoo?"
"I wouldn't know anything about that," the dragon-spell claims. "But it wouldn't help you get pregnant, of that I'm sure. May just drive you crazier though as the Skreek."
"I don't want to be pregnant! Alptraum thinks.
When the darkness recedes, Alptraum is.. Bucktraum? Coming up with a name for each of these forms could be a wonderful way to kill a few days of boredom during an airship journey.. although being the ship's Tail probably won't allow for much boredom time. Tulani has finished dressing.. and holds out the tail-band. "You look fluffy. Cute and fluffy," she remarks.
"I feel fluffy and ... buzzy," Laptraum claims as he takes the tail band and gets to his feet a little unsteadily. He motions for Tulani to turn around. "Bend over and present your fanny," he prompts, grinning his buck-toothed grin.
"Just for the band," Tulani says, turning around.. but watching over her shoulder. "I've already got my pants on, and it's getting late.."
"Aw, don't you trust me?" Laptraum asks as he gives her the cutest big lapi eyes. Still, he does behave and slips the band around her tail, carefully working it up until it's right at the base of her tail. He squeezes it down firmly, making it very snug but hopefully not painful.
"Mrowl!" Tulani yelps. But doesn't really complain, as she looks back and admires the jewelry. "Something about a shiny bit of bling in ones tail.." she mutters. She is part Vartan, after all.
Laptraum pats Tulani's butt. "It looks good on you, yes," he agrees as he collects his cloak again. "So, do you realyl think I should take the Tail job, or were you teasing me?" he asks.
"Put it this way: what would you do locked up by yourself in a room all day while your hormones make you horny as.. well, an Igorina, I guess," Tulani says.
"Meditate. Try and behave myself," Laptraum claims with a straight face. "You don't believe me, do you?"
"With that Captain just a wall away... and without a Tail to distract him?" Tulani asks.
"As long as I can manage to get both bodies on board I guess it will work. I can claim that when the skreek is in the room she's resting. No one would mess with a Yodhsunala's room, after all. When I'm out, er, I'll probably be bent over, tail up, most of the time," the buck admits and rubs his neck. "But ... I'll give it a try. A hundred shekels would help, plus any tips I get. The fnerf is tricky, but I know how to manage him."
"What, can't you turn into Lucy?" Tulani asks, tossing the cloak to the buck. "Not on the ship maybe, but the guy must get shore leave at some point.."
"Tongue and other parts work pretty well for the fnerf," Laptraum claims as he fastens the cloak and heads for the exit. "It's messy at the end, but it can be dealt with."
"Ewww, don't give me the details," Tulani notes. Typical feline reaction, given the desire to groom themselves with their tongues..
"And he didn't taste bad at all! But that might be skreek talking; things taste different in that body," Laptraum adds, just to tweak Tulani. "Come on, lets get back, I'll make sure Hortense is fine with me staying with the does, then we'll get some sleep."
They manage to avoid any more body-dumpers, and Tulani heads for Mordecai's lair while Laptraum continues up into the Morgue. Jacoba runs into him first.. and doesn't seem put off by him being another buck! "The girls are gonna love this," he says, then checks the situation by asking, "You can't get them pregnant, right?"
"No, I verified that," Laptraum claims, though how he doesn't exactly clarify. "Should I check with Hortense first since the does belong to her? She seems a bit particular about who stays with them. Tulani here wants to stay with you." He grins.
"We don't belong to Hortense, we just like to play with her toys," Jacoba says. Toys could mean many things, of course. "Tulani? Wants me?" the buck then asks, and says, "You know where to find the does!" And he's off for the stairs, hurrying towards Mordecai's lair.. and Tulani.
Laptraum grins. "Have fun!" he calls after her, then heads down the hallway towards the lounge. Along the way, he does stop and listen at Hortense's door for a moment, feeling that he ought to at least say hello before heading into the does. But .... only if she isn't busy.
There's a sound of a ratchet. Click-click-click. "Is that tight enough?" the Khatta's voice purrs. The reply is more of a gasping squeak. "I thought so!" Hortense says. Click-click-click..
"This is your visiting changer," Laptraum says outside of Hortense's door. "I'm going into the pillow room with the does. Enjoy your, ah, toy..."
"I'll capture you in the morning," Hortense sings out cheerily.
"I wonder if she's serious?" Laptraum wonders and heads towards the other door. He knocks on it and calls out, "It's your resident strange changing visitor ... I have a surprise for you!"
The door opens, and several bunny faces look out. Then several bunny hands reach out and drag Laptraum into the lounge..
"Eep!" goes Laptraum once he finds himself in the clutches of a bunch of crazy does! "I'm supposed to get some rest," he claims ... while one of them strips off his cloak! "No, really, rest!" he insists when another starts exploring. "I mean ... oooooh," he's suddenly not protesting so much. Ah, Lapis.