Pierce's dreams were odd, no doubt from all of the shape-changing from the day and evening before. Still, when he began to stir he felt refreshed. With a yawn, he opened his eyes - only find a pair of wide-set brown ones staring at him from a few inches away, above a v-slit nose that was twitching rapidly. He'd almost forgotten that Butterscotch was in the nest-bed with him, along with Tulani - who was pressed up against his back and whose breathing still indicated she was deep asleep.
Pierce blinks a few times and then slowly lifts his right hand and signs so that the doe can see it ... and he hopes she can understand it! "Hello. I hope you are feeling better this morning."
"Where am I?" the doe whispers, sounding frightened. "You carried me, I remember. Am I going back to.. hell?"
"No, that place is gone. Destroyed in a rather fitting way," Pierce signs, not moving anything else out of concern of frightening her any more. "You are in a hidden place and when you are well, we'll try to find a way to get you back home."
The doe stares at the gestures, her lips muttering. "Home? Was that sign 'home'? I don't know the fancy version of sign," she says.
Pierce nods and signs simply, "Yes."
"I'm not home though, so.. I'm going home?" Butterscotch asks with trembling lips.
"When we can arrange it," Pierce signs. "We need you to tell us who to contact in Rephidim to watch for you."
"I don't understand," the Lapi whispers, tears forming around her eyes now. "Just.. nod or shake your head, please? Am I being sent home to Rephidim?"
"If you want, Pierce signs and adds that with a nod.
"I'm not in a dungeon?" the doe asks next.
Pierce shakes his head no.
"Did my father send you to rescue me?" is the next question, the girl's voice quavering with hope.
Pierce shakes his head. "Luck," he signs. "But, someone was looking for you that may have been. I can contact him if you wish to meet him in a safe place." He isn't sure if she will understand that or not, but hopefully she will get the gist.
"Then.. he's really dead?" the doe asks, crying silently now.
"Dead? Explain," Pierce signs.
Apparently the doe knows the 'question mark' gesture. "Our ship was boarded, and they put a bag over my head and tied me up. I heard my father talking to them, but I don't know much Babelite and couldn't follow - I was so scared I wanted to pass out! But there was a scream, and I smelled blood. Then.. I did pass out. I thought I was dead, because I woke up in a horrible place."
"Then he may be. I can try to find out. I have contacts," Pierce signs and finally tries to sit upright. It's hard to sign while lying down.
The Lapi grabs onto Pierce and pulls his face into her chest ruff. "Don't go!" she pleads.
All this does is cause him to bark! "There are others here," he signs over his head.
This doesn't seem to make an impression on the sobbing doe, who is smothering the cheetah rather than risk being left alone again. "Don't leave me, don't leave me," she keeps muttering. Maybe she was kept alone in her cell at Velkarno's tower?
"Okay," the savanite signs before he finds it impossible to breath. "But I am no one important. Others tended to your injuries. Physical body is fixed; cannot erase the memories."
Eventually, the Lapi calms down enough to relax her death grip on Pierce. "I don't know what to do," she whispers. "I don't know anything about where I am or who you people are. Am I free, or a prisoner?"
"You are free," Pierce signs simply. "We are ... just trying to make a difference. Make better."
"Can you smile?" the doe asks, out of the blue.
Pierce' brow arches. He wiggles his ears, which is a common way for a savanite to display amusement or a 'smile'.
The doe then reaches out and grabs the nose ring. "What's this for?" she asks.
"Her idea," Pierce signs and thumbs to Tulani still asleep behind him. "I belong to her, so to speak."
The Lapi seems to notice the Sphynx now finally. "Is she your master? I remember her too.."
"In this city, yes. Free savanites in this city are very rare. So, I require an owner," Pierce signs.
"I don't understand you," Butterscotch says. "But you helped me. And you didn't do anything to me in the bed, even though we're both naked. I don't even know your name. I'm Butterscotch."
Pierce taps his nose ring. "People call me Pierce," he signs. "And why would I touch you in improper ways? You were horribly injured on the outside and inside. It would be wrong to do anything more to you."
"Can you.. uh.. explain your name simpler?" the doe asks, still bewildered by the signs.
Pierce thinks, then tries to spell Pierce by tracing each character on her palm, in standard.
"So, your name is.. Pounce?" Butterscotch asks, after turning her head this way and that to try and really grasp the letters.
"Close," Pierce signs, and signs it again on her palm. HE then pinches a bit of skin up on her forearm lightly and gestures like a needle going through it.
"Ow!" the girl squeaks. "Oh, Pinch! That's an odd name.."
Pierce's ears wiggle. "No, but still close," he signs, then sighs.
"Punch? Priest? Pierce? Percy?" Butterscotch asks, going through the variations quickly.
Pierce holds up three fingers to try and indicate her third suggestion.
"Pierce?" the doe asks, uncertain. Maybe she wasn't really keeping track of the names very closely.
Pierce nods, then signs, "Yes."
"Pierce!" Butterscotch says, and then hugs the cheetah again. "I'm hungry, Pierce," she notes.
"You'll have to let me up to find what food we have," Pierce signs while being hugged.
"I'm coming with you," the Lapi insists.
"Why? You should rest," Pierce signs.
"The cat-lady with wings scares me," the doe insists. "You don't. I won't run away, I promise. Besides, I have no clothes and if we're still in Babel.."
"We have clothes here," Pierce signs and stands, then offers her his hand. "We'll get you some clothes, then check what we have in storage here." he signs
The costume area is a labyrinth of racks... and Pierce never did see where Mave kept the food supplies (one of the notorious blind spots of vampires). For that matter, he isn't sure where Mave is either.
Pierce finds something simple for the doe to wear; a basic 'sun dress' for lack of a better description. For himself he just finds a rough tunic and a rope belt. IT's then on to the quest to find the food supplies. He really doesn't want to go into the city without Tulani.
After they've gotten dressed, Butterscotch seems a bit more lively. It's then that Mave appears, carrying a sack. "I'm surprised you're both awake," the Yodh notes, and hefts the sack. "I picked up some vegetables. They aren't easy to come by in Babel you know."
Pierce signs to Mave, "Ah, good. She is hungry." He even goes to help carry the sack over to one of the makeshift crate-tables.
The sack is full of.. round things. They look similar, but have different colors. "I think they are onions or turnips or something similar," Mave notes. "Possibly some sort of fungus too.."
And so Pierce rubs his forehead. It's not like he would know what they are, either! So ... he sets all of them out in a row and waves for Butterscotch to come over. He gestures to the assortment and has a rather pathetic-hopeful expression etched across his brow.
"Um, hello," Butterscotch says to Mave, as she kneels down and starts eating. It's almost scary to watch, but with her jaw healed it's probably the first solid food the doe has been able to eat since her capture.
"So, we need to find a way to send her back to Rephidim," Pierce signs to Mave while the doe eats. "Do you know anyone who could smuggle her out safely? I could also try contacting that strange Eeee from last night that seemed to know her name."
"I am Mave, your host," the Yodh notes while the girl eats. "You are in a safe place. Your father's associates will be contacted and a meeting will be set up. You are not being ransomed."
"Do you or Tulani know how to contact that person?" Mave asks in Babelite. "Did you already set up a meeting time?"
Aand ... Pierce sighs as that is more or less what he has been trying to communicate since she woke up. "Why am I even here?" he thinks to himself. "I have his name; I can find him again and arrange a time," he signs to Mave.
"Alright, I can watch over her until you have things arranged," Mave says, then looks to the nest and the still-sleeping Tulani. "What's the safest way to wake her up? Holding food under her nose?"
"Try throwing cold water on her," Pierce suggests in sign. "And I don't know if the doe will stay. she's scared of Tulani, and most likely of all Eeee."
"Surely not of ME," Mave insists. "I will use my maternal wiles to make her feel comfortable. I leave it to you to wake your partner, though."
And so Pierce picks Mave up and carries her over to the nest. He seems fully prepared to drop Mave on Tulani!
"Hey!" Mave protests. "This is undignified, Pierce!" she complains.
"I'm awake," Tulani grumbles. "All this noise. I thought keeping you a Savanite would make things quieter.."
Pierce arches his brow and eyes Mave. Since he can't dump Mave on Tulani, he sets her back on her feet. "Don't forget that I'm not really a slave," he signs to Mave, then nudges Tulani with his toe. "Doe is awake," he signs to her next.
The Sphynx stretches and yawns, then finally looks at Pierce. "Why are you wearing that ugly tunic?" she asks.
"So I am not naked around the guest," Pierce signs, then shrugs.
"Oh, right," Tulani says. "I'll get dressed too. Then we can go see what the reaction has been to our little escapade last night. Sound good to you?" she asks the cheetah.
"Right. Before we go out I'll change back into the garb you prefer though. You'll just have to chain me up," the Savanite teases, then helps Tulani get up to her feet.
"I've still got the chain with my clothes," Tulani notes. "How is the bunny princess? I see her appetite is healthy. Has she spoken or is she still traumatized?"
"She has spoken," Pierce signs then goes to grab Tulani's clothes for her and bring them back. He sets them down on a nearby crate for her. "She's still suffering. Her father is probably dead. We need to locate her father's associate and I know the name, then arrange for him to help get her out of the city."
"Fizz-something, wasn't it?" Tulani asks as she dresses. "I know his wife on sight by now. She should be at the cafe today as usual. How do you want to approach her?"
"Damo Phizcarro (spelled out). Well, you probably should since I'm not supposed to sign in public," Pierce points out. "Unless you want me to lure them to a private venue where I can sign." He then taps his head, thinking ... and then holds up a finger as if he has an idea. He goes over to the eating doe and combs his dull claws through her head-fur to get a sample as proof they do know Butterscotch.
"Do I have nits?" the doe asks, pausing in her meal.
Pierce shakes his head no, then returns to Tulani and hands her a small ball of lapi-fluff.
"This should be enough, if Damo already told her everything," Tulani says with a nod, and produces a kerchief to wrap the fluff in. "I'll have to talk to Helse too, to see if she'd be willing to let us use the salon as the drop-off."
"It would be as safe as any. The only other location I could probably arrange is at Mount Sunala itself," Pierce suggests. "That anyone could still get to, anyway."
"Hmm, that might be a good option too," Tulani notes, looking thoughtful. "After all, it was the Barsunala that promised him the girl was fine and would be brought to him."
"It would take longer to arrange. We should ask Helse if she would be willing to be a backup point if the Mount meeting falls through," Pierce suggests.
"Another option is bringing her right to his door," Tulani suggests. "But the salon is probably closer, if his wife is at the cafe every day. Lots of merchants live near the Coalition Tower now."
"But I am willing to try and arrange the drop at Mount Sunala when I can. We can propose the options to his wife and they can decide," Pierce suggests.
"We'll need to keep things secret too, if possible," Tulani notes, adjusting her vest. "There shouldn't be anything to tie us to the tower attack.. I made sure the guards who saw me won't talk."
"Just claim we we were paid to make the delivery through an intermediary. We haven't met those who did the rescuing," Pierce suggests as it's his turn to strip down and then begin to dress in Tulani's choice clothing for him. Namely, almost nothing except a flap keeping some modesty.
Tulani kneels down to attach Pierce's chain. "I may never get used to this," she notes, and gets a wicked grin - but in the end does not tickle the cheetah. "Alright, ready to go see if we're heroes or wanted vigilantes or agents of the divine?"
"I think you already have, because you're an expert at making it tight enough that I can always feel it reminding me," Pierce signs. It's also his turn to grin and he gestures to his collar, then his nose. "Leash as you like and we'll go."
This time, Tulani finds a Zolk leash - very expensive, probably. "If we get chased by mobs with pitchforks, we'll knock first before coming down, Mave," the Sphynx promises.
Pierce chuckles in the odd way his vocal chords will allow, which isn't much. He glances at the leash, impressed by the quality. Now the question is where she'll attach it.
Tulani isn't being very original by attaching it to Pierce's collar, but she does smile.
And Pierce leans over to Nuzzle Tulani's neck. He then nods towards the way back out. "/Out to the evil city we go,/" he thinks. "/Hopefully if there are any wanted posters of me, they'll draw the nose right..."