the mouse house

[groundrules]

Welcome to Serthica’s Mouse House — a mini plot roll for recent newcomers, lasting until 11 August. Characters who opted in are in a different physical location but can contact the group at sea through their communicators. You can use the log post below to top level and mingle, or you can make your own logs and posts.

THE MOUSE HOUSE

---

Characters awaken in the dessert, unburied from high sands, recovering in medical tents or drifting towards a caravan. After a day to mend, they are presented to the caravan leader — the Merchant, who provides them translation and communication devices.

He explains they are outsiders who have reached the world of Akhuras, where undead factions wage war with each other and the living. The undead summon otherworldly conscripts, to enslave or weaponise them in the conflict. The Merchant finds and transports such newcomers east, where beacons might return the visitors back to their home worlds. Other otherworldly guests are currently travelling the haunted Crossing Seas — the Merchant offers their names.

The group at sea will reach the beacon-bearing clockwork citadel of Serthica within days. Caravan newcomers are supplied 10,000 coins each, blade weapons and ship passage to the impoverished Mouse House — the underground outskirts of Serthica and home to beggars, smugglers, contrived thief networks and mercenaries. Here, they must complete a set of tasks to wrangle, muscle, thieve or bribe coveted Serthica passport papers for themselves and their incoming comrades. Good luck!

Image source.

CHEESE FOR THE WHINE

■ The Mouse House is the literal industrialised underworld that surrounds Serthica. Coarse and labyrinthine, it has the gargantuan width of a very large vessel (50m). Here and there, crumbled makeshift stone roads show defunct rail tracks underneath. One train still runs in the outmost pathway of the Mouse House, taking daily imported coal shipments from the port to Serthica.

■ Often filthy, dangerous and entirely cavernous, the Mouse House comprises several crammed community homes — ‘rat mounds’ — some small illicit trade and forgery shops, and hideouts for opiate suppliers, slavers and thieves. Sleep lightly and watch your backs.

■ A pathway leads out to the ports. There are no windows, and the stuffy air is unhelped by limited ventilation. A strong scent of sedative incense blooms in the air to keep the criminal population tame(r).

■ Characters are taken in by Ma’am Mariol, the benevolent matronly leader of a ring of orphans who provide courier and espionage services for the various overlords of the Mouse House. Enjoy her hospitality: dried bread, questionable soup and a resting place in her breezy enclosures.

■ Ma’am Mariol looks after 12 valiant urchins. You can enlist their services but expect they’ll want pay.

■ Twice a day, at 6:00 and 18:00, the Mouse House suffers a dull shudder for a few minutes, as if suffering the echoes of a distant, rippling earthquake. Ma’am Mariol shares this is because the two city halves of Serthica are starting to swap places: Eidris comes up in the morning, while Minaras is overground at night. They only meet for one hour during the swap.

Image source.

✘ PRIME OPPORTUNITY

Win passage into Serthica by completing quests from the list below. Multiple people can tackle the same assignment. Report in by 23:59 GMT on 10 August for your gains.

PLOY & PLUNDER

Highly superstitious gang leader Artemius Bale is holding a festivity to celebrate conquering the territory of former rival Edward Three-Hands . The crème de la crème of the Mouse House’s underworl attends in a bustling, tight space. Despite his recent victory, Artemius remains heavily paranoid and keeps his cronies on guard.

■ Steal decent garments and function invitations from attendees to join the party.

■ Ease the pockets of the many criminal merrymakers, while they’re enjoying their fine wine. The more coin you can collect for later bribes, the better.

■ Pass for one of the many séance holders and ‘necromancers’ Artemius Bale has commissioned to entertain his guests. Coax attendees that the dead want them to patron incoming travellers — You may need to pair up and simulate a few ‘haunting’ tricks to persuade them of your great necromantic talent.

■ Why not pull a fast one on old fox Artemius? You could even persuade him he has been cursed by Edward Three-Hands and will fall deathly ill or unable to enjoy his gains if he does not make amends for his wrongdoings… to your benefit.

ALL ABOARD

A time-honoured fixture of Serthica, the single coal train typically enters the Mouse House each day at 11:00 without threat or trouble. Loaded to brim, it brings in fuel and smuggled goods.

Come early morning, Ma’am Mariol’s orphan scouts mention the latest 6:00 shake has toppled large pieces of stone and metallic debris over a segment of the railway. As the train approaches, Serthica officials send word that anyone who breaks their backs helps clear out the tracks by 13:00 will earn considerable good will with the citadel’s distraught customs office.

■ Grab a shovel. Use it wisely.

■ Careful with the various oversized rats that haunt the filthier depths of the Mouse House — they typically avoid groups of humans, but will jump you if you’re alone.

THE SCRIBE

Serthica’s most skilled forger, Rayssa is returning to the Mouse House after months of imprisonment in the citadel. She brings along decades of experience crafting passport papers — and a wealth of debt collectors who want the coin she owed before her disappearance.

It is widely known she will visit One-Eye Calliope’s tavern as her first point of call, to enjoy a first drink in freedom. Her pursuers will be waiting for her, armed, prickly and ready.

■ Win Rayssa’s good will and services by rescuing her from the inevitable bar brawl.

■ Head into her heavily watched quarters in the Mouse House to collect her tools of trade — inks, parchments, pens and stencils.

■ Hold her watch or her hair while a heavily inebriated Rayssa writes up your forged passport papers.

LADY LUCK LOVES YOU

If you’re no fan of honest looting, leave your fate to chance: the Mouse House’s various taverns and gathering places host nightly gambling games, from cards to bone dice, arm wrestling and a local favourite, mouse races.

Pair up to rig the games in your favour, and win coin, passport forgeries, clandestine passage or a crime lord’s patronage. You never know what favour the right name can earn you later!

QUESTIONS

NPC CONTACT

GAINS

GRAB A FRIEND

Comments

red | original character | ota

[growlies]

( ooc: open to wildcards AND entirely open to action spam comment responses too. i have no preference between action spam and prose. :) red can see souls/auras so please fill out this permission post if you're interested in playing with that. )

mariol's
What the fuck has been the thought racing through Red's head since landing in the sand and heat. This is not the Underworld. This is not the city she briefly fell into. Hades is not responsible for her being here, and the Merchant's answers leave a lot to be desired. But sure, yeah, from following one god's orders to now following this-random-fuck's orders. She doesn't belong in the world she came from and she doesn't belong here either.

At Mariol's, she pokes the weird soup without really wanting to eat it, asking the newbie nearest to her: "Wanna take bets on what's inside this shit?" Other sleepless nights in the cramped quarters has her tossing and turning before she stares up at the ceiling and releases a: "Fuck." likely too loud with so little space between them.

ploy & plunder
Stealing an invite to the party's not hard neither is convincing people she's a necromancer. It's not that she looks like one even dressed up in fancy dress (she's never actually worn a fancy dress before or been to a part like this one) - she still looks like a teenager (and kinda is and kinda isn't). However, her unique ability to see people's auras means she's got private information on hand, which she can blame on a spirit of a loved one, telling her their secrets. Granted, she does have a connection to the spirits and dead, but not all the spirits at the party seem to want to talk.

Some of these partygoers are so desperate to talk to those they've lost, they blurt it out, revealing even more than she'd otherwise know: 'Is Malinda there?' 'What about my dear departed husband?'

She doesn't understand grief, or family, and barely began to understand friendship before she was ripped away from the only two friends she's ever made. And she's not exactly charismatic.

She recruits help from any newbie nearby by asking in a low whisper, "Hey, you want to help with this? Maybe bring some kinda haunted flair to this? Like sound effects and shit?" or "That guy's been violent his whole life - we can use that to convince him that his dead sister wants him to try a more pacifist route and aid a traveler.'

lady luck loves you
Red somehow (through ancient, psychic intimidation) manages to win every single rat race she enters. She targets a different rat each time, and it ends up terrified, squeaking, running faster than they ever have before, but she's making good coin and learning to not win all the races or people get suspicious. She'll wave over any newbie here, and then quietly: "Wanna know who to bet on?"

And she also (channeling the ancient Cerberus inside of her) wins exactly one arm wrestling match against a particularly burly man who was on a high winning streak and all bets were stacked against the small looking teenager who dared volunteering.

"The hell is wrong with you? There's no way you coulda done that unless you ain't normal." He bellows, getting in her space - this is a man who has lived his life intimidating others.

Red doesn't back down, jaw locking as she stands up straight - she's not gonna be able to channel that strength again, but like hell is she going to be intimidated. "The fuck is wrong with you? It's not my fault you're getting so emotional over losing to a girl."

A man being told he is 'emotional' is also apparently upsetting to him. It results in his hauling her up by the arm. "Tell me what you did."

"Go to the crows, ya crybaby," she says, and he shakes her, and so perfectly rationally, she responds by spitting in his face. He drops her in surprise, and she's gonna try to sprint out of the way. And that's about the time all hell breaks loose with shouts and fists flying.

Ploy & Plunder

[sunnydaymonic]

Yuki avoided parties like this back home. He hated the pomp and excess, the fake social niceties. But they needed to help those who were to be arriving soon. He did not know any of them, none of their names familiar even in passing, but they needed their help to gain entry into the city and from what Yuki understood he would need them to continue their journey and return to his world. That is why he stole the invitation--he tried not to feel guilty for the "accident" he had concocted that caused the invitee to lose it, but at least he was not significantly hurt, only bruises that should fade in a few days--and here he is, trying to mingle in that very awkward way of his that can come across as if he's above all of it.

There is no point in being inconspicuous, so instead he recalls mannerisms of his grandfather, the straight back, proud shoulders, eternally judgment stare...

People both avoid him and accost him in equal measure, as if they assume he is Important. Mentioning he's a new doctor in town does tend to change their curiosity into "understanding." The stereotypes about doctors seem to transcend the multiverse. How fortuitous for him in the moment. It affords him some distance, allows him to shield himself from the mass of auras and emotions around him that are not as shielded from him as he would like. Of all the times for him to be pulled into a world such a this.

So the girl approaching him as she does surprises him for a moment before he recalls that she is like him, brought here by the Merchant. He can tell some people see them talking and thus he doesn't asking her what she means, because he'd already seen some of her performance. What help can he provide?

Or what help should he provide is likely the better question. He knows what he could do. He knows exactly which spells would assist her, would afford them some clout among the "necromancers" and patrons here. But giving in to them would be...

"...Is his sister currently present?" It's not an answer.

[growlies]

Red's keeping her head down, because his soul's so bright at first - she doesn't think she's ever seen one so full of light (light being drawn in and shining out at the same time). Then there's the undercurrent of ancient that make her nervous (more because of Hades than anything - she's got a small wisp of ancientness in her too somewhere). He's not human, but he's not a god. Just obviously really powerful and bright like the sun.

She shades her eyes a bit, frowning at the non-answer.

"Uh, I don't know. Guess I could poll the ghosts floating around to see if any of them are her, or we can make it more a general request from the spirits? Just seemed like it'd be more effective if it was personal."

[sunnydaymonic]

This girl has a powerful aura, he can tell. Strong enough to claw at the edges of the frayed barrier he keeps between himself and the world. Not enough to fully break through, thankfully. Not yet. But this could be a problem a week from now. Problems for Yuki of the not-so-distant future, at least.

"I do not disagree. Only wondered if any...assistance provided might lead to actual offense by those they are attributed to. Souls do not enjoy being slighted anymore than the living do."

He didn't want them to offend any souls and cause some sort of backlash among them. That might have the opposite effect of what she was seeking. But if this was purely for the sake making a man assume his sister was there then it would be the easiest and more logical course of action to provide some vague but compelling evidence. A simple apparition spell would--

--he should not even be considering that. Despite how much simpler it would be than the other options of acquiring tools to fake a spiritual visitation. His body is tense, but he is very skilled at hiding it. He knows what to do. And he knows others are counting on them for this. But should he?

"How expressive would you expect your guest to be?"

[growlies]

Red releases a breath at his statement before she slides her fingers through her hair and scrunches up her face a bit.

"I didn't even think about that. I'm not used to spirits in this world, and I'm not even sure what they can actually do while they're chillin with the living. Didn't the Merchant say something about Undead Lords?"

Not that floating spirits at a party are the same thing as like zombies. It just kind of tells her that she's in for a whole other experience with the dead here than in her own world. Is there even an afterlife in this world?

She shakes her head in answer to the question. "He's definitely normally a violent dude which doesn't say great things about his potential reaction, but you're right. I can at least make sure we don't piss off any spirits at the same time. We've got enough problems."

[sunnydaymonic]

Yuki nods slightly in agreement. Best not to offend the souls they may need later. "Perhaps it would be better to seek out those more easily influenced and thus needing less demonstrations and more...validation of their preconceived superstitions."

It may open him to more awareness, removing part of his protective shielding, but it would be useful. And not as potentially dangerous as using outright magic, in his opinion.

"Like the man over there has been paying great attention to your words, but with some trepidation," he subtly directs her eyes toward a sleekly dressed man surrounded by several beautifully dressed women--and even more empty whiskey glasses.

[growlies]

Red's gaze follows the direction he points out, noting the sleekly dressed man surrounded by women and whiskey glasses. He doesn't seem too steady on his feet at the moment, which implies he's already had quite a few.

She nods but doesn't linger. The man's aura is full of deception, lies.

"Good eye. Maybe another glass of whiskey to go along with the message might just push him over into believing whatever the hell I say, huh?"

She looks for where she can get a fresh glass.

ploy & plunder

[thedreamer]

The most disturbing thing about all of this, being here at all, has been the separation from his TARDIS. It's happened before, of course, but he generally always knew where the old girl was and that she'd come back. It's an unsettling feeling to not have his ship in sight, or any awareness at all as to the whereabouts of his TARDIS. But he's here and there are things to be done; at least he has nothing at all to be very bored about, otherwise there'd be no managing him.

He also knows a thing or two about grief. He dwells in heaps and heaps of it. Given their situation, his proclivity for self-recrimination gives him an angle, perhaps, on how to manipulate the right person in the right way. He doesn't want to hurt if it can be avoided, and there's a way to get what they need without being cruel about it, but there will be an aspect of playing on one's emotions here that's simply unavoidable. The Doctor is no stranger to that, either.

With his voice equally soft, he goes along with her suggestion, "It's a party but he's relatively alone. No one's come to clap him on the back, attaboy, share a drink. Dear old sister tells him life's been all well and good, he's celebrating now, but he's still alone. Might be a good time to rethink his choices."

[growlies]

Red doesn't think she'll ever get used to the difference in souls within their little group compared to the general riffraff. For instance, the man she's referring to has these strong streaks of violence (red and sharp like a blade), but wrapped around this whisp that speaks of longing for family. It's simple.

When she turns to ask the guy near her for help, the aura hits her enough that it takes time to process in her head and her heart. He is ancient - much older than he looks, but he smells like ghosts (a familiar scent but not quite like this - so many lost and some lost at his own hands). Then there's the wisp of lava, hot, red, heat, destruction, but more than all that, this feeling of a warm, cozy blanket with all these holes hinting at the more (the darkness and the cold).

She breathes in and stares, takes too long to respond, swallowing, shaking her head to clear it as her senses adjust.

"Shit, yeah, that's real perceptive of you. I didn't even notice, but of course, no one's gonna want to be near anyone violent and helping like this means he's got at least one person from the ragtag group to be a friend, right?"

[thedreamer]

"Gives us quite the advantage," he smiles just briefly. There's a thought again, a reminder to find balance in this approach. Manipulation of this sort causes harm, it's unavoidable, but he'll do everything possible to ensure no one is hurt beyond the ability to repair later on.

It didn't entirely escape his notice, of course, the way his young companion seemed to pause a moment after looking at him. Assessing him, no doubt; they're all doing that in some fashion, these people they've been thrown together with. But something more to it, perhaps. Something to ponder later. For now, they have a task at hand to focus on.

"Suppose his sister chooses to speak through you," the Doctor suggests. "That happens with these things, eh? So I've heard."

[growlies]

"Oh, yeah, yeah, that happens a lot in horror fiction. ...but I hope it can't happen in actual life." Red makes a face at the thought because she can see the spirits around, but none of them have tried to jump inside of her yet. They are all looking for help, but it's not like she can help them.

This is her first time interacting with spirits in the living realm much as she'd want to aid them in moving on. Even in the Underworld, it required Hades to decide. She was just the vehicle.

"You're kinda full of good ideas, huh? I don't know how good I'll be at acting, but I'll try." She tends to be more of a blunt force of nature, but this requires acting one way or another. "Are you doing the whole pretending to be a Necromancer thing too? Can you help... with the talking part? Like narrate what's happening to me or come up with good sounding bullshit?"

[thedreamer]

"Not to worry if it does. I'm sure it won't." After a beat, "Probably." He really is good at the reassuring thing most of the time, except in this case, he's a little less so being out of his element. He's a bit adrift without all of his usual resources, though he tells himself the two of them combined are more than capable of pulling this off.

The Doctor moves his hands to straighten a bowtie that isn't there (he misses his bowtie desperately), instead sort of aimlessly straightening his lapels, puffing his chin up a bit, confident at her question.

"Can I? Can I?" His voice raises in pitch slightly, then in a normal tone, he simply says, "Of course I can. Should we break away to a quiet corner somewhere for a quick rehearsal? No, too suspicious. What am I saying? There's no need. We've got this. More to the point, you'll be perfect and I've got your back. Believe me?"

[growlies]

Red raises an eyebrow at him at his attempt at reassurance like she doesn't quite believe him, but maybe she can figure out from someone here how easy that is to happen... and get some protections from it. But they do have business at hand, she's grateful that the person she approached seems game to help.

Even if she snorts laughter at the way he amusing rambly way he puts it. Fits with the cozy blanket vibes.

"I believe that you believe you, and I can appreciate the confidence, ace. Let's do this thing - this thing being pretending to be necromancers and then pretending to be a ghost."

Cause that's just where her new life has led her. She starts to walk over towards the man, thankful he's very alone at the moment, drinking in a corner. He perks up with interest when they approach but he looks gruff too like he's daring them to start something. Time to start off slow instead of going all in.

"Hey," Sheesh, she's never been to politeness classes either, but- "I heard you mentioning your sister who has passed. You want to try making a connection to her? We can make no promises, but my........uh, séance buddy and I here are willing to reach out to the other side to see if she will answer your call."

The man looks hopeful but also discerning. He shoots his gaze from one to the next. Possibly they don't look the part. "You two are necromancers?"

mariol's }

[matermali]

[ At least on the first day, Vanessa isn't eating the soup or the bread. She won't touch any water or wine. Or anything. If it's a hallucination, then she shouldn't need to eat. If it's the underworld, then consuming anything might trap her forever.

It will be easier to hold this conviction in the first twenty-four hours. After...she may find her will weakening. On the following day, she stares with supposedly cool eyes (but a yearning stomach) at the soup of the girl nearby for far too long before returning her attention to the Tarot cards she's attempting to cut and fashion. She's no classical artist, but it could be cruder work.

She doesn't mind the strange sensation that the girl gives off. It's not threatening to her. In fact, it's fitting. Familiar. Is there a better word for it? Even now, tiny growls tease the back her mind, and she barely manages to keep from smiling to herself as the girl vocalizes the displeasure that Vanessa can already sense. ]

Forbidden fruit, perhaps? A curious endeavor to draw us in, isn't it: to let us taste our sins so honestly.

[ It's only a half joke. She gives in to the smile, after all. A little. ]

[growlies]

( Red has been aware of the soul of the person near her since they all came together as a group. It's hard not to - there's a goddess in there though she doesn't appear to be a goddess herself really? Maybe? She is clearly entirely powerful - the dark smoke that tastes of blood and venom, but with fractured other colors within that are lighter, more gray than dark.

The woman is clearly very powerful. That much Red can feel. Its rattling around in her ancient bones. The Cerberus inside ready to obey, to receive instruction, to- It's familiar is the thing, and some part of her hates herself that she can find comfort in the familiar of a powerful god or goddess even one that could probably squash her like a bug. Not that it seems like she wants to, but can she sense her too?

Are they dancing around sensing each other? She tries to peek at what she's doing with the cards over there, but just taps her spoon on the outside of the bowl. )

Forbidden fruit? That's usually an actual fruit like a fuckin' pomegranate. At least that would taste good. ( This smells... like slop. )

[matermali]

[ She doesn't think she's ever interacted with such a vulgar young lady while still on amicable grounds, and the stereotype of spitfire redheads could come to mind, but she isn't as focused on the hair color whenever her gaze settles on Red. Eyes are untrustworthy. If she relied on them, she would be blind in this girl's presence. The sense of companionship is innate, and Vanessa is drawn to it. She thinks of Ethan, and that's enough to help her understand why. She needn't dig further without invitation. Vanessa isn't the only one here with a monster inside.

This is her second attempt at the project, not satisfied with the cards she had tried to use the previous night. If only she had her Tarot from home... Anything else feels incredibly wrong. It doesn't help that she hungers and thirsts in this heat, leaving her in a state of further frustration.

She's careful not to show it. God forbid her stomach should make a sound, however. ]

Isn't that the point? They need not hide behind the saccharin when they already know: some part of us chose to seek the Garden's gate.

[ She's ripping up a couple cards. Trash. There's a sideways glance to the girl, seeming to take her in for a moment. Inspiration strikes, and she'll pull over another blank 'card' to begin scratching something out. It would be easiest to simply put the names, but she feels the need to do justice to her mentor. ]

[growlies]

Speak for yourself on that one. ( She didn't choose any of this like she didn't choose to be locked to the Underworld and Hades. She chose to finally escape the Underworld, to be free or to be destroyed in the attempt to get out of Hades' hold, to be with the only two friends she's ever made. Still she's curious about the way the other woman puts it.

Her face scrunches up a bit in thought. )

Who exactly is they in all this?

( Red abandons the soup as she comes closer if only to look at what exactly she is trying to do with these cards. It's some strange mixture, wanting to get closer, understanding that doing so brings her closer to something- someone who is very powerful. )

[matermali]

[ Vanessa could argue that she never chose this, but what a lie it would be. She can be quite good at those lies, but sometimes it's best to err on the side of omission. Quietly accepting the girl's defiance of the situation, Vanessa doesn't immediately respond to her inquiry. It's rhetorical, perhaps, but Vanessa already knows. It shouldn't matter if she shares her knowledge or not, so there's no guilt in keeping quiet. These people are either false manifestations designed to confuse or test her, or they're the true spirits of the underworld. The closer that Red gets, the easier it is for Vanessa to believe that it could be more of the latter. She hears the clink of chains, though none are to be seen. It twists her heart.

To think too long on it would mean she would be forced to consider that they have agency. She'd rather not; it will get in the way of her goal. She can't take the time to begin caring about these ones when the people she does care for are waiting for her to awaken. ...Still, her hand pauses when the girl draws especially near. Underneath her pen is the beginnings of an abstract sketch, but one begin to make out something with four legs. She resumes her work after a moment's pause, tense shoulders relaxing again. A wolf? A dog? It's maw is tilted upward, as if ready to howl. Above it is a large circle, and above that in elegant penmanship: XVIII. The Moon. ]

You must have your own suspicions, no?

[growlies]

...no.

( If Hades were able to reach her, he would have destroyed her by now for her insolence then remade a new Cerberus who wasn't so human, wasn't so capable of breaking the rules. It doesn't smell like the afterlife - something she's so intrinsically connected to, but like living and breathing and movement. Auras and souls are more vibrant, changing because they have the possibility to change. There could definitely be gods hiding around somewhere in this world too, but she hasn't seen them yet. )

Not that I trust the Merchant either, but I don't think he's behind the mystery soup. ( She's curious about what she thinks, but - She notices the canine scrawled on the card below, the moon written above. ) What are you doing?

lady luck loves you (bc how could i not)

[snowcleave]

A young woman squaring off against a man twice her age and size is enough to draw Fei's attention, but she keeps her distance while their arm wrestling match plays out. She doesn't expect the woman who's also housed at the orphanage to win, but she does expect the brute she's bested to react as gracefully as he has.

Shocked when she spits in the man's face even as he keeps a tight grip on her arm, Fei gets to her feet - it's not the wisest move, but she's got to admire the other girl's guts, even if her methods strike Fei as completely unthinkable.

A fight breaks out and Youhuang hums as it’s pulled from its scabbard, the greenish gold metal catching the dim light of the bar as Fei uses it to parry and repel her way through the main room of the tavern, keeping people away from her without drawing blood - at least not in a fatal capacity.

Killing would have been a quicker way to get through the crowd, sure, but

“You make a strong impression.” Fei lifts her sword to block a chair hurling in their direction while she speaks. “How did you plan to get out now?”

She doesn’t know if Red can fight, but she’s going to have to hope she either can or is willing to move out of Fei’s way while she does. The door isn’t that far away, and while the brawling in the bar is an ugly sight, she doesn’t see anything threatening enough to be concerned about - just a lot of drunk, angry, obstacles.

[growlies]

Red is in the middle of scrambling for the coins she won fair and square and then got shoved around for. Like Hell is she leaving that shit here after everything so she's shoveling it into her pack when she realizes there is someone moving through the crowd to get to her. Well, that's surprising. She'd figured she was kind of fucked here.

It's another newbie. Her soul is one Red's already seen, but it has this hot, vibrant other energy that's confusing like something electric but something that isn't wholly hers. Is she possessed? No, doesn't seem like that. The river, wine, and metal scents are much more grounded. She already had a feeling that this woman must be a strong fighter.

It's something else to see it, of course. Red stares in awe at the Holy Shit incredible Badass easily making her way through the violent crowd like a sword might slice through bread. Her mouth parts as she still stares at the beautiful woman, and then-

Right. She's asking her something.

"Can't say absolutely any of this has been planned, Xena."

[snowcleave]

Once Fei realizes what the woman is doing, she covers her while the coins get gathered up. In ordinary circumstances, she would have pulled her off that floor and gotten her out, but they needed the money if they wished to reunite with the others on the boat, and Fei has not come this far for nothing.

She keeps her hand on the blunt edge of her sword as she swings it through the air, the metal of the weapon humming along with the momentum it gathers while she moves around Red, blocking her so she could gather that all-important gold unscathed.

"Zhou Fei," she says tartly over her shoulder, emphasizing the pronunciation of her family name, just before her sword clashes with another's. Decisively Fei runs her fingers up Youhuang's blunt side before coming to an abrupt halt. The weapon stops its humming as she lifts her hand and reaches for the blunt edge of her attacker's sword, breaking half of the blade away before he's shoved back and she can look back at Red with a stern frown.

"Can we go now?"

[growlies]

Red has returned to staring in awe openly with her mouth fully parted open as she stands with the pouch clutched against her chest. It's heavy with all the gold coins. She's sure the guy would have been pissed regardless because she's a girl who beat him, but it doesn't help that she won so much money in the process.

"...yeah." Ordinarily, she would have recklessly thrown her whole body at the attackers in some way in an effort to help, but it's clear Zhou Fei needed no help from her at all. This wasn't a place for Cerberus either - not that she's been able to will that form to manifest. "Let's make like a banana and split."

She moves over to the hero of the evening, keeps close as they head for the door, flips off the original asshole on the way out for good measure. He's down for the count, but it feels good anyway. "Holy shit, you are amazing."

[snowcleave]

The heft of Red's coin purse is impressive, and Fei knows it means they'll have to be on their guard and get back to the relative safety of the orphanage sooner rather than later. So far she hasn't seen a reason to think they won't do exactly that. After another few blows, Fei expresses exactly that, politely rebuffing the compliment that she, deep down, enjoys. "Amazing? These people fight like aimless fools."

Fei makes sure to watch Red's back as she hustles them closer to the exit, moving around her - and at times, moving her out of the way so she can fight around her, keeping the woman and her money unharmed.

After Red takes a moment to bid a special, very scornful-looking farewell to the lout that started this mess, Fei pays the same respects to the troublesome ruffian, kicking a chair in his direction, briefly obstructing their path.

Outside there's no fresh air, and breathing deeply is disappointing, but at least they made it out in one piece. She can appreciate that much while she clears them of the tavern and takes a moment to regain her composure.

"You did very well. He deserved to be beaten."

[growlies]

Red keeps close to Fei as they leave the tavern behind, still facing the man as she walks backward with her middle fingers pointed upward and manages to catch Fei kicking the chair in his direction. Man, even being with her makes everything feel more badass.

Once they're out the door, she'll turn back around, glancing over her shoulder but pausing beside the other woman. It doesn't look like anyone's following them. She doubts anyone would be interested in that after the display Fei put on there of her skill even if she insists that wasn't a big deal. It must take a certain amount of poise and strength and skill to make ones way through a crowd while not actually killing any of them.

Her face scrunches in brief confusion at the compliment. Mostly because she wasn't expecting that...

"Even though I pissed him off and spat on his face without a plan of how to get out of there?" She smirks a little, because she knows none of that was a good decision, but also. He pissed her off. "He did deserve to lose."