Things are noticeably different in Cenesta Plaza the day after the raid on the Velkarno's tower. There were small groups of people at the railings facing the Wound, all talking and arguing about the significance of what was missing: the aerial warship of the Yodhrephath which has patrolled the Wound for so long that people could tell time by its position. There were many more of the plain-clothes police types in circulation as well, often eavesdropping on the clusters of gawkers.
At the Cafe, the usual crowd was there: Mrs. Phizcarro and her tea group, along with plenty of other customers. The topic of conversation was the same, of course: what happened at Velkarno tower and where did the Yodhrephath suddenly shift their attention?
As usual, Tulani sits at a table next to that of the merchant wives, Pierce at her side. They've been served something that is supposedly 'mountain fish' and is just as likely to have been found in the dirt or air as in water.
"I don't even like fish. Well, I think this body does but ... fish. It's so ... fishy," Pierce thinks as he pokes a bit at the meal with his knife. He also has to wonder where the Yodhrepath disappeared to as well. Are they now actually hunting down more pirates? He's also at least partially relieved that no one has mentioned Alptraum at all. Also, since he's not sure he wwants to eat it quite yet, he spears part of the fish and offers it to Tulani instead. Aww, a doting slave feeding his Mistress! Flicking ears continue to listen.
"The tower was burned out, and I hear the ones who fled had gone mad and were babbling about monsters," one of the hens at the next table says, trying to sound authoritative. "And that Hastur Velkarno's body had to be identified by his jewelry."
"Celise wasn't found, so she must be hiding out somewhere," another of the group says, clearly more distressed by events than really enjoying the speculation and gossip.
"/Well, I did turn him into a pile of festering pudding. A gift surely for being Gorphat's lover,/" Pierce thinks a bit wryly to himself. "And nope, she's dying somewhere. Painfully. Snowcora could find out I bet if she visited her ... er, boyfriend monster, Hosheb.../"
"Oh, I imagine she's in some hole somewhere," Mrs. Phizcarro finally comments, hiding a smirk by sipping her tea.
"Wasn't your husband supposed to be calling on Hastur last night, Biali?" one of the tea-clatch asks.
"Of course she would know, heh," the savanite things to himself. He shifts a bit in his chair to lessen some tension on his chain. Tulani sure likes to keep it snug.
"Oh.. well, things came up," Biali claims, a bit curtly. She also glances around, noting the nearby poorly-disguised guards. "If he had been there, he would certainly be cooperating with the Coalition right now, instead of being bedridden with a bit of stomach flu, the poor dear."
"Lucky flu, that," Hen One notes. "Who knows what could have happened to him if he got caught in.. whatever happened."
"I think it's obvious what happened," Number Two clucks. "We don't need to pretend anymore: we know the Velkarno's were corrupt. Clearly the Yodhrephath decided to make an example, and are off cleaning things up."
"He was probably sick tyo his stomach from what he saw, so that's not quite a lie," the savanite thinks as he finally gives into his twitching nose from the smell of food and bites into his 'fish'. He still feels that nose ring; it's a true constant reminder.
Maybe the ring also alters his sense of smell, and dulls his tastes, for the 'fish' is very bland. "Here," Tulani says, passing over a bottle of brown liquid. "You need to spice it up a bit." She grins as she makes the offer.
Pierce sniffs at the fish again, which he then feels as the two balls move in the likely permanent grommet in his septum. Trying to not think too much about having to live with it for a very long tine, he takes the bottle and puts a copious amount on the fish, then tries it again.
It's much spicier now. The sauce almost certainly had ktyootcumber juice in it. It's not painfully spicy though, at least, which is a blessing: nobody wants a runny nose when there's a ring in it.
Pierce is surprised he actually now likes the taste. So on goes more! He also eyes Tulani, perhaps somewhat accusingly of, "You're trying to turn me into a cat."
"It could have been the Coalition too," one of the tea ladies says boldly, which earns some snide comments from the others. "So, all that effort to set up a court system and laws and all was just for show, is that what you mean?" one cuts in reply.
"Hah, no. It was all meee! Divine retribution by the one forced to wear a ring through his nose! Pierce thinks, amused.
"It was the Kindly Ones," Biali insists, quite seriously. "They've seen the error of their ways and are trying to help us now. Look to Mt. Sunala for proof of that."
"Good woman. You understand," Pierce thinks. Is he actually sitting up a little higher after that comment?
"Which Kindly One?" the stung hen asks, trying to deflect attention to Biali and off of herself. "Rephath?"
Pierce's brow arches too, he's curious to how she answers.
"It needn't only be one," Biali claims. "If Babel is to be united, why wouldn't They unite too?"
"Working on it," Pierce thinks as he stuffs another bite of spicy fish into his mouth.
Pierce also idly scratches his exposed stomach a bit, moving his navel stud and gem around a bit. Also perhaps feeling to see if Inala's glowing orb can still be felt beneath the fur and skin just below his navel.
"Because they're all but dead," the hitherto quiet woman of the group says, in a whisper. "What are they without their Yodh? Is Sunala really a little girl, who acts like she wants to be Rinala? Does Rephath guide the warship? And the others.. there's nothing left of them. A few hiding priestesses maybe. Yodhbarada sheltered or used by those who need information to survive now. No, Biali, this was retribution by people. By Babelites who had enough."
Pierce drops his fork with a clatter! "They are not dead," he thinks to himself as he has to bend over and fetch it.
"Vigilantes?" one of the others gasps. "May as well be pirates! Velkarno had lots of soldiers. And what would they accomplish if they're caught and sent to prison or worse by the Coalition? Or maybe it was the General.. except why would he destroy Velkarno unless.. they were already working together and Hastur became inconvenient, or was going to turn on the General.." Her eyes gaze into the distance, as if lost in the drama she imagines.
"Don't even joke about the General being involved," Biali hisses, and looks to see who may have overheard. "Let him be dead and forgotten, rather than the Kindly Ones."
"Hmf. No credit to me at all! The General indeed," Pierce thinks to himself as he licks his fork off and resumes eating. It doesn't even register that using his tongue to clean something was very feline.
At another table, a tall Eee man clears his throat and gives a warning glance towards the tea party.
"You really just.. have to trust me," Biali claims, after everyone ruffles at the throat-clearing and look ashamed. "The gods will follow the people of Babel. They won't abandon us."
Pierce's tail coils around Tulani's now as he resumes eating. Maybe he is a little proud that their actions may have invoked at least the start of change here. People are at least talking.
There's a bit of commotion as several young Eeee fly overhead, shouting, "The warship is in the Valley! It's defending the trade route!" and similar variations.
Pierce's tail coils tighter. That's good news! Repath is actively helping the city and not focusing on the wound. He should tank the Yodhrepath sometime.
One of the criers lands nearby - very nearby. She sits down at one of the vacant chairs at Tulani and Pierce's table. "Pretty amazing, isn't it?" the girl asks. She's not quite an urchin, and not quite middle-class - rather, her attire and appearance look very deliberately crafted to make her 'invisible' in terms of social class.
Pierce's brow arches a bit and he sniffs at her, deliberately waggling that ring to see how she reacts to it. He also suspects this might be a Yodhbarada. The attire is too 'well done' to be true street anything and no one who isn't hiding something will appear classless. He then smiles at her, shrugs, and offers her a bit of his spicy fish.
The girl accepts the fish, and asks, "What is the music that grass makes?"
"The sound of crickets," Tulani replies.
Pierce now eyes Tulani oddly. "Just what have you been up to?" he wonders.
The girl takes a bite of fish, and clearly wasn't expecting so much spicy sauce. She actually coughs a bit, before rasping, "What a coincidence, since my name is Cricket."
"I'm Tulani, and this is Pierce," the Sphynx replies, using her actual name instead of the Captain Tulamore moniker.
Pierce wiggles his pierced nose again, then his ears, before bowing slightly in the chair to the young girl.
"He's pretty with all the baubles," the girl giggles. "Are you enjoying Babel?" she asks, but it isn't clear if she's address Tulani or both of them (which would be odd, since generally questions are addressed to a slave's master alone).
Pierce glances to Tulani. The slave should always defer to its master, after all. He does try to keep up the proper appearance.
"It's been interesting," Tulani claims. "Quite a bit of excitement going on, after all. Is it usually so surprising?"
Pierce resumes eating for the moment, head bowed slightly like a properly trained slave deferring to the 'superiors' talking.
"Oh, there are lots of surprises nowadays," the girl claims, and smiles.. at Pierce. "And I'm not easy to surprise! Interesting times indeed. How are things in Draco County?" Of course, Tulani never mentioned they had come from Sylvania.
It's a herculean effort to keep his ears from twitching at that question. It's then he realizes this girl might be a spy from Draco County ... and would explain why Tulani knew the code word.
"Lilith is doing well," Tulani says, and then tilts her head. "But.. I have to ask: Cricket? Why be named after something Eee's eat, often candied?"
"The 'food chain' of Babel has changed," Cricket claims, and grins. "It's only fair to acknowledge the change, for certain people."
Pierce eats another bite of his fish, then rubs the back of his neck a bit. This makes him think of the very studded Eeee from the nearby salon. He quickly has to banish those thoughts before he becomes ... uncomfortable. So, he looks up again and watches the young Eeee curiously.
"Well, I'm sure even crickets survive if they're careful," Tulani claims.
At right at that moment, Pierce deliberately bites into something crunchy.
"I like you," Cricket says. "I'll keep an eye and ear out for you, okay? But now.. I have news to deliver! Thanks for the fish." And with that, the girl hops off her seat and flaps off!
"Well, we've met our contact," Tulani tells Pierce in Sylvanian.
"Cute girl, Pierce thinks then dips his head once in nod. He's still avoiding any sort of sign in public of course, so he squeezes his curled tail around hers as secondary confirmation.
"We can use her to get a message to the merchant about our mutual soft-furred friend," Tulani notes, grinning and squeezing back with her own tail. "If you're done with your fish, it's probably best to get to work."
Pierce sets down his fork, then rises from his seat. With a deep bow, he extends his hand to Tulani, offering to help her rise. He even purrs softly.
"Such a gentleman," Tulani comments as she takes the hand. "I knew there was something I liked about you like this.."
And Pierce leans in to nuzzle Tulani's neck like a doting slave as the pair leaves the cafe. He must be feeling better, the news was good.
Helse doesn't appear disturbed or excited by the news on the street. Today, she's got a pair of Naga coiled around her, with their tails spiraling around her legs and their heads biting into her shoulders - at least, that's what the body-paint shows. The hands of the Nagas are also apparently feeling-up the Eeee woman. "You're late," she notes to Tulani and Pierce.
That comment causes Puerce to actually drop down to one knee before the painted Eeee and bow his head in apology. He then taps his chest as if to possibly claim it was his fault, not his Mistress.
"Well, we got distracted," Tulani admits with a grin. "There's some other business I'd like to discuss with you as well, in private?"
"Follow me," Helse says, and leads them to the 'nest' room, which is moderately private. "Is this about the special guest from yesterday, whose master is almost certainly not coming to pick her up?"
Pierces rises from his kneel and looks to Tulani to see if he should follow or stay and help the naga in the salon.
"We need to arrange for someone else to pick her up, and I was hoping that could be done here, since.. well, we trust you," Tulani explains, as she sits on a cushion.
Pierce settles down on the floor in front of Tulani since the leash doesn't let him go far anyway. He nods in confirmation to Tulani's request. He touches his neck and jaw, then mimes as if wrapping bandage. Perhaps trying to say they got her medical help.
Helse puffs thoughtfully on her pipe, and then nods. "I'll want some compensation. Things are a bit 'hot' at the moment regarding that man, and I wouldn't want to be associated with any of what happened.. for free."
Pierce's brow arches at that request. He taps his chest as possible question that she would want more work from him, or something else? He then looks back at Tulani.
Tulani considers this, and looks at Pierce. She holds out the key to his chastity lock. "Well, I'm sure Pierce could compensate you.." she suggests.
"I'll accept that," Helse notes, taking the offered key. "When will the exchange take place?"
"Tomorrow if all goes well," Tulani promises.
Pierce bows his head to Helse as his 'ownership' in certain areas is transferred to Helse. He also has to shift a bit again to make his chain more comfortable.
"Let me know when you have the details, and if I need to make any special arrangements," Helse tells Tulani.
"I will," the Sphynx promises. "I'll go try and arrange things now, if you'll watch Pierce for me?"
"I'll do better than watch him," the Eeee promises, taking the cheetah's leash from Tulani.
"I wish I could tell her thank you for doing this," Pierce thinks as the Eeee does accept to help the doe. Of course once Tulani asks to watch him, he swallows. And when the leash is transferred, he gets even more worried. Helse is ... well, she scares him a little!
Helse tugs on the leash as she stands up. "Come along, Pierce," she coos.
Pierce leans over to nuzzle Tulani one last time ... and give her a very 'doe in the moonlight' look when he's called away. He rises up to join Helse as he watches her nervously. She was the one who talked Tulani into ringing his nose, after all.
The painted Eeee leads Pierce down the hall, to the Forbidden Door to her private chambers. The door opens into darkness, until Helse lights a few candles. While waiting for the light, Pierce has a flashback to Hortense's chamber of horrors (or delights). But there are no suspension harnesses or bondage gear here: just a large overstuffed cushion that could serve as a bed, a bookshelf with a few books and manuscripts and paintings of what might be Helse's parents looking down from the walls.
Pierce doesn't realize he was holding his breath until he releases it when candles light up the room. He suddenly feels a lot less worried, at least; there is no scary-looking equipment in here to torment him. So for the moment he looks around, ears flicking. He finally dares to risk a sign, and it's only to ask, "Permitted to sign?"
"You may sign," Helse says, and then unties Pierce's loin-flap.
Pierce nods and signs, "thank you". He also holds very still while the one of the small bits of clothing he's permitted is removed by the Eeee. "I will serve you as if you were my Mistress until you decide all dept owed to you is covered." he signs as his belled tail flicks nervously.
"Well, I want you to do something different this time," Helse says, as she unlocks and removes the chain. "I want you to.. make love to me like you really do love me," she requests.
"Is that rare? You are beautiful," Pierce signs to the Eeee as he moves closer, "From the paint, to the jewelry you have adorned your body with. I could never be as beautiful as you." The signing stops there as his hands now gently caress along the Eeee's arms and sides. He even purrs softly to her as he gently touches her.
"I am.. not someone who attracts affection," Helse admits, as she responds to the touches. "Those who are attracted... are not the best of elements, or cannot be seen to associate with me and maintain their reputations. I live in the shadows, as does my salon." She may be being literal, since the shop is underneath one of the upper platforms of the plaza.
"You attract me," Pierce signs to her just before he cups his hand just under her chin and kisses her. It's very gentle in its touch and the way his lips move. He's even mindful that his tongue would feel raspy.
Helse stretches out her neck, and then pulls the cheetah down on top of her on the cushion-bed - which makes a rather embarrassing 'blaaarp' noise from the impact.
"Are you also a creature of the shadows then?" Helse asks, sounding sultry - in a high-pitched Eeee sort of way.
Pierce really tries to ignore that sound lest it break the mode and instead licks along the underside of her throat. "You may wish to buy me before the day ends and take me deeper into the shadows than I ever have been ... though have many times had the desire to see. You said my Mistress had a good start on me with the body work, but under your artistic guidance I am certain you and your serpents could make me a savanite of the shadows," he signs to the Eeee, then purrs in a soft, rumbly sort of way. "I am honored to wear your ring in my nose," he adds, then dips his head down to groom along her neck and shoulders with his tongue.
"Oohh.. I'll have to think of something special then to.. complete you.." Helse promises, while she can still talk.
"Something to bring you newfound pleasure. In love, it is always about bringing joy and pleasure to the other," Pierce signs one last time before his hands fall to caress and explore this strange Eeee. He even nips and nibbles along her neck and shoulders, listening for sounds she makes and following them in where he goes. Once thing is sure; he's going slow and won't be rushed, even if she pushes at him to do so. In love, partners are brought to their absolute peak ... and he will settle for nothing less for Helse today...