一つ ☸ action, dictated

[papillo]

[ From the looks of it, she has been standing there for some time.

Ribbons of smoke form a sort of cage about the tall woman standing silent in the lobby, her long black hair like a curtain nearly concealing the phoenix decorating her loosely fastened uchikake kimono. A pale shoulder is left bare where one sleeve slipped down her arm but that isn't what concerns Yuuko now. The future is gone, she can no longer see or sense it. She never agreed to this.

This book on the other hand, she would tear out the pages if she thought it would harm her host (it would not). So with the journal open in one hand, she shakes her tobacco-stuffed opium pipe at the room, the castle, the empty air. ]

That's rude! Those who trick their clients will be made to close shop!

Comments

Action

[pint_sized_carnivore]

[Just seconds before Yuuko showed up, Chie made her way to the kitchen because she always goes there for some food (drinks this time, because she is still on her robot loss). Feeling like she forgot something, she took an abrupt turn and head back to the stairs. But then, at the corner of her eye, she saw someone who wasn't there before. She squints her eyes at the lady who was covered in smoke]

Oh, uhhhh. Hello there. Is something wrong?

forever!

[papillo]

[ Like magic (which, let's face it, it probably was), the smoke parts enough to reveal her face, red eyes glancing at the robot slash girl. Then she smiles faintly in amusement. ]

I was only straightening up some things with our host.

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley enjoys hanging out in the lobby, even if he doesn't live in the castle any more. It's a good place to watch people, to gently taunt them and mess with their little heads.

This, however, is very much a new person. He'll stroll past her to take his usual lounging spot on his usual chair, watching her in a veiled sort of disinterest]

I doubt the castle cares much, if it's rude or not.

[papillo]

[ He gets a mildly irritated glance in reply, but he's probably right. It would be a waste of good tobacco to keep shaking her smoking pipe at the castle. She rests her arm against herself, taking another puff of smoke. ]

Maybe if it starts losing customers.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

We don't really have one. Unless you count a magic castle as a host.

[inafadingcrown]

[Well, now. Isn't this woman interesting? Galadriel slows as she passes through the lobby, eventually stopping in front of this new curious new arrival, looking her over.]

Would that it were so simple.

[onlyanapple]

It's been doing that a lot lately, it just brings new ones in.

[He gives a soft shrug] It's not all that concerned with getting new blood.

[papillo]

[ Yuuko smiles a little wider, trying to be friendly you see. ]

Why can't it be a host? Because it doesn't bleed?

[papillo]

[ Well now. ]

I don't think it will ever be, if it can kidnap them and make them pay.

[papillo]

[ Yuuko brushes an arm through the air as if to part the smoke veil and see the other woman better. Elf-lady. Her anger subsides but she is still wary. ]

It can be. The question is how.

[inafadingcrown]

[Wary is good. Wary is smart. Galadriel's always a little amazed at easily some people here trust.]

That answer eludes me still, I fear, though not for lack of effort.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

[Chie was a little surprised. It's like talking to Mitsuru or any one of those fancy, scary women in the castle. Immediately she feels intimidated.]

Uhh, n-no. I mean, most people that come here just aren't used to the idea of a... living castle.

[onlyanapple]

And now you're one of the new blood. Congratulations, I'm sure you're very proud.

[papillo]

There is life in all objects, most of all in a castle this powerful.

[ She moves to step closer. ]

Are you always this way?

[papillo]

Annoyed. [ She sighs. ]

I feel cheated. Do they serve good beer?

[papillo]

[ It's more difficult to trust the more you know of people. ]

Not a very forthcoming host, hm. Maybe it will entertain the idea of dinner with two lovely ladies?

[pint_sized_carnivore]

Me? Oh no no... I'm actually a human. The castle is just messing with me right now. Turned me to a robot.

[inafadingcrown]

[A little chuckle] I will admit, to charm the castle out of its secrets is one approach I had not thought to take. Should we offer it wine also and hope that it cannot hold its drink?

[Action] THREADJACK. (But seriously, tell me if this isn't okay XD)

[fuckelves]

[Thorin is found, like he often is, carrying a mug of ale from the bar upstairs. He spots the two women and stops dead in his tracks. Thorin looks down to his ale. Then up again. Down again. Sighs.]

Oh, Mahal in heaven help me...now there's two of them.

[The apparent similarities between the two women are not lost on the King Under the Mountain. But he's not as displeased about this matter as he would have been when he first arrived at the castle.]

[papillo]

[ Yuuko taps her chin in thought, stopping barely two steps away from the woman. What is personal space? ]

What did you get in return?

[pint_sized_carnivore]

Nothing major. It just does this to everyone, and nobody knows why.

it's a-ok!

[papillo]

[ Yuuko titters, fingers against her lips. ]

Genius.

[ She turns so slowly to Thorin that it is as if she expected him to arrive just then, right at that spot. The faint smile on her lips is fixed there like part of the mask. ]

Now, now, it's rude to highlight a lady's age.

[ Because he can't have meant to talk about race. ]

[papillo]

Everything has a reason.

[ She moves to take a languid drag of her pipe, blowing the smoke away from the girl. ]

Does it grant wishes?

[pint_sized_carnivore]

Yeah! It actually does!

[Chie didn't mind it a second ago, but Yuuko being this close was beginning to make her a tad uncomfortable. But not enough for her to complain yet]

[inafadingcrown]

[Oh, she likes Yuuko even more now. That is just the perfect reaction. Her own lips twitch upwards into an almost-smile]

Two of us, now is it? I had not quite considered it in that manner. It does present promise. [You see what you've done, Thorin...]