Re: Hunting Through Keliac - 119 4A

by **Kara Winters** Mon Dec 28, 2015 12:29 am

"If I modified her clothing," Holly pointed out, "It'll be easier for her to pretend to be man. Bigger clothes with slightly padded under clothes in the right spots will lessen the curves. I know several techniques that could make it easier on Wren without it being uncomfortable or cumbersome."

"Have you done this before?" Miyuki asked curiously.

The neko chuckled, "For cosplay purposes yes, it's not unusual for a woman to dress up as a male character from a piece of fiction. It's been a decade since I had to do anything like that, but it is very do-able. Especially if Wren passes herself as a young man, as when you're young you still have slightly feminine features."

by **Nara-pyon** Mon Dec 28, 2015 12:46 am

"And adult elves still keep them more than humans," Kaito added under his breath, hiding a grin.

"Either way, I do think it could work," Wren said decisively. She turned to Holly. "Do you think you could get it done by this evening?"

"Hold on," Khetal said, stepping forward now. "If she goes in alone, how would we ever know if something were to happen?"

Kyrie sighed. "As much as I have the feeling you're raising the point in order to try to prevent her from going in," she murmured to her brother, "you do have a point. Which brings me to my next thought." She paused, bracing herself for the protests she knew would come. "I think it would be best if she didn't go alone ... we need to let Alph go with her."

Immediately, Khetal began to protest loudly, and a few others murmured disagreement with the idea, but Kyrie spoke over them.

"I think it would be wise for a few reasons." She waited until everyone had quieted down again before continuing. "First, he lives there. He would be an asset. He knows the area, the people. It would also give her an in with the group. It would also be an extra safety measure. She wouldn't be on her own, she would have a place to stay, someone to protect her."

"And if he uses it as a chance to escape?" Kaito asked logically.

Kyrie shook her head. "He knows what will happen to him if he tries."

"I don't think he'd try anything," Jassin nodded, a satisfied look on his face.

by **Kara Winters** Mon Dec 28, 2015 10:12 pm

Holly thought about Wren's request, because it had been a decade since she had to do that sort of costuming, and she didn't have a modern sewing machine. Though the one that Andarien and Shoneah made was quite good and helped cut down on time.

"Iorlas, could you give me a hand with a few of those modifications?" Holly asked, "That way I can focus more on the undergarments to give her the right padding?"

Wren would need at least two sets of clothing if she was going to be in town for a while.

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 29, 2015 9:59 am

Iorlas glanced longingly at her husband, with whom she had been spending precious little time of late, before looking back at Holly and nodding firmly.

"I will do anything I can to help," she assured the neko.

Time with her husband could come later.

"I'm going to need some help with my hair, too," Wren added. "It doesn't just need to be short, but masculine."

"I can help with that," Lashrael offered. "It will be nice to cut someone else's hair for a change, rather than just my own." She smiled and touched her own hair. It had grown out a bit since they'd met her, but it was still barely to her shoulders.

"Is there a way we can keep an eye on Wren and Alph?" Khetal asked with a frown. "I mean, I don't want to be a constant naysayer, but how would we know if Alph did try something? Or how much time to give them? Or where they might be, or if something did happen?"

A memory tugged at the edge of Earendil's mind. "Shiro," he murmured, "what was that thing your mother used to do with ... I think with water? Watching people?"

"Scrying?" Shiro supplied.

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 29, 2015 4:04 pm

"Oh yea, that was a specialty of Yukito's that he passed to Elnara years ago," Lin remembered, "I don't know much about it though."

Miyuki looked over to Lancerial and Cael, "Is that something we can do? Like maybe with a mirror as it's more stable than water? At least... I'm assuming that's why water was used? Because it's somewhat reflective?"

She had only heard a bit about scrying, but that was because it was something the Winters (a few members) used on occasion.

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 29, 2015 4:27 pm

"If Wren doesn't mind not having any privacy," Lancaeriel admitted.

"I think I can trust you guys not to watch if I'm doing something that requires privacy," Wren agreed with a nod.

Lancaeriel nodded. "Then the best way to do it is to connect you to a mirror using a drop of your blood," she explained. "Without it there's a possibility that it might not always work, especially as when we're inside, we're in a different plane."

Wren shrugged. "It's not I haven't had to do that before. Now the only other thing I can think of, at least right now, is that I'll also need equipment without any runes on them. Bag, quiver ..."

A bit of a pain, since they'd just gone to the trouble of runing the quivers.

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 29, 2015 9:44 pm

"We can rummage around in storage to see if there's anything not runed," Lin replied.

Holly looked thoughtful, "We have a lot of leather from all the animals that had been caught in the past. If Iorlas and I are not pressed for time, we can throw together a bag, but not a quiver. It won't be the greatest bag compared to someone who specializes in leather work, but it will do in a pinch."

Leather was not technically textiles, so wasn't something Holly used a great deal even in Gaia, but she experimented with it, and had opened to take extra classes in the material before she fell through the tear.

"Let's see if there are any unmarked bags first," Miyuki replied, "Goodness knows, when you can store everything in runed boxes, we just seem to collect stuff."

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 29, 2015 9:52 pm

"Then it looks like many of us have work to do," Kyrie nodded. "Unless anyone can think of anything else to add, we should get started."

She looked around to see if anyone had anything else to say.

"Does Alph know about all this?" Rose asked quietly.

Kyrie pressed her lips together. "I'll be letting him know shortly."

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:26 pm

"Do you want me to unseal the room now or later?" Miyuki asked.

Since it would take a while for everyone to get ready anyways..

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:29 pm

Kyrie took a moment to think about it.

"Now," she decided finally. "It will give him time to think about it ... which I'm not entirely sure is the best idea, but then it would also give us time to show him just how well we'll be keeping an eye on him and Wren."

"I could create a second scrying mirror to watch him as well," Lancaeriel offered, "separate from Wren's."

Kyrie smiled and nodded. "I like that idea. Extra insurance. We can even show it to him. A bit of extra fear on his part won't hurt any." She turned back to Miyuki. "And I think we'll give him a proper meal before sealing him back in again. Show him we're not entirely heartless."

They had been keeping him in a tiny, unlit room for all his spare time lately. Solitary confinement, little space to move, no sound, no light - that was torture. She knew from experience.

"Perhaps if he stays quiet, we might not even need to put him back in for now," she added thoughtfully.

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:42 pm

"That would be nice," Miyuki admitted, "Really, we've only been putting him in there to keep him out of the way without worrying about having to watch him."

It was a simple and quick solution, but that simple and quick solution probably wasn't good for him.

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:44 pm

"It does on the other hand show him how serious we are about how he treated the Water Elves," Wren reminded them with slight annoyance. "There's mercy, sure, but then there's making a point."

"At any rate we'd best get going with our preparations," Kyrie added, stepping away from the wall. "The sooner we're ready, the better."

Lashrael stepped forward. "Come on, Wren, let's get your hair cut and get that out of the way," she murmured.

Wren nodded and headed off with her. "I'll be in your workshop as soon as I'm done with Lashrael," she told Holly as they headed off.

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:58 pm

Holly got up from her seat, "Well, time to get to work then."

They wouldn't have a lot of time, and if she had everything ready then she and Iorlas could get to work quickly.

Miyuki nodded as she got up, "I'll unseal the room then. Kyrie, when you're ready."

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:12 pm

Kyrie nodded. She was ready.

The afternoon passed in a blur. Wren's hair was cut, her finger poked for blood, and she was measured and remeasured for more masculine clothing. Non-runed supplies were found for her, and her new (old) bag was filled with travelers' supplies: food, a bit of coin, tools for weapon care, and her second set of clothes.

When night fell, Kyrie went out with Alph, Mailon and Kaito so that the four of them could fly on Uruloki's back close to Alph's home town. It was closer to dawn than midnight when they arrived and set up the tent, and they woke Lancaeriel to activate the security runes, and only when morning arrived did they bother to wake the others.

"How are you feeling about this?" Earendil asked Wren when everyone was sitting around the table for breakfast.

Wren shrugged one shoulder. She was slouching back in her chair, just poking at her food, and at her cousin's question she looked over at him. "Apprehensive," she admitted. "But determined. Alph is set?"

Kyrie looked at the man who was seated next to her. "Alph? You're ready for this?" she asked him.

He nodded and kept eating.

by **Kara Winters** Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:06 am

Holly yawned a bit before eating her breakfast, she had to pull a late night to get the clothes ready even with Iorlas help, and she didn't like to keep Iorlas too late as she was expecting.

"Then all we can do is wait right?" Holly asked.

That would be the hardest part. While Gaian movies were not accurate for real life, movies said that stake outs took a long while.

by **Nara-pyon** Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:11 am

"Wait and watch," Lancaeriel corrected Holly, smiling gently. "Don't forget, we'll be able to watch their progress."

It hadn't taken her long to prepare the two mirrors the day before, and she knew that she wasn't the only one who would be keeping watch.

"We can set out as soon as Alph is finished eating," Wren sighed, pushing her still-full plate away. "I'm just not hungry."

by **Kara Winters** Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:26 am

"Will you be alright?" Holly asked.

It was one thing to dress as a man character, and another to dress as a man to find a killer. She didn't want Wren to go in ill prepared, which also meant without a meal.

by **Nara-pyon** Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:33 am

"I'll be fine," Wren nodded. "I guess it's just hitting me what's in store." She smiled. "For all that's happened, this is the first thing I'm doing on my own. The first thing with risk, anyways."

Alph looked at Wren. "Time to go?" he asked.

Wren nodded. "Might as well."

"Before you go," Kyrie spoke up, pushing her chair back and standing, "Alph, you need your stuff back. It will only cause suspicion if you don't have your things with you when you return."

She headed off to find what few things of his they had, and Wren rose and started to pull on her own weapons. There was no point in putting it off, after all.

by **Kara Winters** Wed Dec 30, 2015 1:05 am

Once the two were ready, the group saw them off.

The mirrors were placed in the main area, so that anyone passing could watch, even when it wasn't their turn to monitor. It gave everyone at least a piece of mind.

by **Nara-pyon** Wed Dec 30, 2015 1:18 am

The first hour and a half were uneventful, as Alph and Wren were simply walking through the jungle and talking about random things. Then they came upon the town. There, Alph was quickly reunited with his family - a very pregnant wife and two young daughters. Wren was introduced as Ander, her father's name, and as a backstory she said she was from Quir, where they had met Mirania and Lamruil. Then the five of them did some shopping and headed to Alph's house, a simple wooden structure with only a few rooms.

For the remainder of the day, Wren was left more or less on her own to explore the town while Alph spent time with his family, and when night fell Wren was given a mat of palm leaves to sleep on on the floor next to the kitchen fireplace. She made the most of it - not that she had much choice, since the whole house consisted of only two rooms: a small bedroom for Alph and his wife, and a kitchen/dining room - and a loft above the bedroom where the children slept.

Meanwhile, back at the tent, people took turns watching what was going on. It was rather tedious, and most people grew bored of the task in less than an hour. The only exception was Khetal, who had to be strongly encouraged to leave the mirrors for food and rest.

by **Kara Winters** Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:42 pm

Miyuki also watched quite a bit, but more because she was curious. It was actually interesting to see Wren look around for work, and to see Alph's family.

The other nice thing about watching Wren was that if there was any leads they too would know about them.

by **Nara-pyon** Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:50 pm

"It feels a bit ... invasive, watching them like this," Khetal commented to Miyuki as they watched together. After a pause, he added, "It seems strange that Alph should have such a young family ... that he would leave his wife for such a long period of time while she's expecting a child."

He wasn't sure he would ever leave his wife and family for any length of time if he had one, but to voluntarily leave for ... well, he had no idea how long Alph had been absent from his family, but he still couldn't imagine doing it.

Of course, by this time, even though no one had said anything to anyone but Kyrie, most of the members of the group were becoming aware of his and Wren's mutual attachment.

by **Kara Winters** Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:58 pm

"I find it more odd he wouldn't find anything wrong with what he was doing seeing as he has a young family," Miyuki replied in turn.

After all the first time they ever heard of Alph was Uruloki describing how the man had walked away from a pile of bodies whistling.

"I mean, I know logically that it has to do with how different races view each other, but it seems so odd to me," the kitsune added.

by **Nara-pyon** Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:04 pm

"Personally, I can't understand why anyone would take a life so easily," Khetal murmured sadly. "They must not see any value in it at all ... and yet, they would fight to save their own life."

Look how much Alph had done, and was still doing, to save his own life.

He fell silent once more, watching as Wren made herself comfortable on the floor by the fire and settled in to sleep.

"Somehow that doesn't look overmuch comfortable," he smiled faintly.

by **Kara Winters** Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:11 pm

"Not at all," Miyuki agreed, "It can't be helped though, it seems to be a very small home."

The kitsune paused and looked thoughtful.

"A very small home for a family of four with another on the way..." she did recall that Alph said he had never seen so much money offered.

Perhaps there was trouble earning enough to meet the needs of the whole family? She wasn't giving Alph an out, but she did want to understand why anyone with a family would do work that was dangerous (ignoring for a moment the morals of what he had done).

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