EXT - Victoriana Park; Callisto. Day.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had free time, and a hard loaf from the kitchen from the day before, so upon returning home mid-morning with a bouquet of flowers for his sister after a few hours in the shop, he'd gone and begged her go for a walk to feed the birds and talk. He'd done some dock work, some shop work, and counted himself done for the day, until his twilight saber practice and evening ride on Irene. So it was that with a crusty loaf under one arm and a finely appointed sister's regally purple clad appendage under the other that he was remarking as they came into wrought iron gate, "-that colour really suits you like a Tyrian queen. Say, I meant to ask, but your friend from the snow festival... I did not want to ask because it seemed rude, but /what/ is she?"
His yellow curls shone in the sun and he had a gait that matched his twin's anytime, naturally, when he escorted her.
Dinah (dollihead) was happy to do something as entirely safe as feeding birds. She liked birds. Her arm in his, she walked alongside her brother and she laughed softly at his compliments, dipping her chin "you always have the best taste in what suits me. I think near everyone complimented me on that kimono, you know. Noone else would have had me considered wearing that sort of thing." she patted her hand against his arm as they got into the walled park. "do you mean thirteen? she means as she says. I am not entirely sure *What* but she was made that way. The professor studies hermetics, so perhaps.." she trailed off with a giggle. <"perhaps a haemonculus of some kind? but she bends aether like paper. very intelligent in her way">
Rene De LaFontaine (ripyourpinky): The bird that was now Rene had broken the door of the shop and was loudly on the way to the park and his beloved fountain, of which this particular devil bird had beaten the shit out of many a park goer as of late. With Serenity on his heels, trying to stop the swan that was the size of a small horse. The myth of Big Bertha lived on this day. With a mighty flap of wing and a loud honk in response to Serenity's pleas for "RENE!" the bird took wind just over the gate and then stood there honking wildly. A defensive posture with it's wings out near the fountain to which it would clearly die protecting.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp) was hot on Rene's heels, moving faster than a human really should as Serenity pushed the edges of what the covenant would allow to try and head the swan off before he caused mayhem. "Rene!" She shouted before taking in the park goers. "Rene," she hissed a little softer, casting the siblings a slight look as she opened the gate and took in the swan and his posture. "Rene, no. This is not yours," she pointed out, her tone a little hopeless as it wasn't like the man had been in a good state of mind before the bird had taken over. "Come on, let's go home. Wouldn't you rather be home?"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had tucked the bread under his elbow just so that he could reach over and pet his sister's sleeve. Only after brushing flour and crumbs onto himself, of course. Walking side by side with her was close, and almost close enough, but the extra motion of petting her was what really sealed it. He'd be in the process of replying to her assertions about the blue-eyed, frank, redhead he'd met in the hills beyond the Seiiki district with a nod, but aloud he replied with his urbane British gravel, "You know better what suits you. I just see your beauty however you are clad. And ah, that--I guess--makes sense?" The latter was a reply to an inward part of her explication, in minds that had shared thoughts from before they'd shared daylight.
The curly-haired brother would be stopped from any further remarks when there was a flapping and fluttering behind him of mighty wings. Spinning to put himself in front of his sister instinctively, he'd wind up with an arm behind his back, holding Di's hand. The other snatched the baguette from the crook of his elbow to grasp it from the bottom like a well-baked baton and when he realized what it was he'd heard, felt and then seen, silver eyes widened and he muttered, "Blimey." Staring at the swan he'd mutter further, "--do you see the SIZE of that... th--" his remarks died on his tongue, as he looked pretty much at eye-level with the bird.
Dinah (dollihead) turned in some surprise at the sound of a door breaking, the vicious honking of impending feathery doom. She stared, the massive beast of a swan making her pause for a moment. was she having some sort of strangely patriotic hallucination? she stared at the swan, then at the woman who was calling for the swan, and she smiled. So the swan-beast was named Rene? she smiled impishly to her brother but she chucked quietly, but she paused as dorian put himself between her and the bird. for once, she'd not argue.
"that *cant* be a swan, here. look at the size of him, gracious! but he is so lovely, isn't he? I didn't know swans lived here" hands on his shoulders, she peeked over from behind him.
Rene De LaFontaine (ripyourpinky): The bird seemed to soften only slightly at the idea of going home and let out the saddest honk, like he just might comply and then he heard voices. The avian beast turned to face both of the Windgraces, whom he did not know at this particular moment as he had not had the pleasure of their acquaintance under his civilized form, and let out a mighty hiss. When Rene was his beast he was a very vain man, and that trait carried over to his bird brain. So at the young ladies proclamation that he was lovely, the swan flapped his wings and straightened his neck in a very graceful pose before he resumed hissing. The hissing clearly spoke 'silly woman this is clearly my park and pond, how dare you state otherwise?'. It didn't move other than to stand there with his wings still outstretched hissing all the while.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp) gave the twins an apologetic look briefly although she didn't take her eyes off of the bird as she began to sidle closer to it very slowly. "Rene... Come, Rene, it is a lovely park and a lovely fountain but wouldn't you rather... perhaps we can go find Godric? I know you two had some sort of misunderstanding but surely you'd rather be with Godric then guarding your lovely fountain alone. We can come back after. With Godric. Wouldn't that be lovely?" Serenity murmured as she moved closer to the giant angry swan. "The young miss is right, you are lovely beast. Very pretty and very strong. No one is going to be able to... take your fountain?" Serenity cast a glance towards the fountain, vaguely mystified about what had triggered the swan's territorial instincts.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) did not particularly appreciate being startled by a bird, even if it was the size of a terrible lizard or larger. So he straightened up his posture and shoulders, saying out the side of his mouth as he swapped hands and handed out the loaf, disengaging from his sister, "Should we tell father that... um... their Majesties' swan people need to come here? I would offer to-- ahem," he realized he had no business being afraid of a bird. He was a MAN afterall. Thus he lifted out the baguette toward the epic swan who had hissed at his sister, and tried to distract it away, fountainward, telling it's handler, "Ah it's alright. Is Rene your pet, is he..." Dorian's eyes widened, and he'd append, snapping his ring-bedecked fingers and pointing at his sister when it dawned on him what the other woman had said, "Godric- GODRIC Lockewood's by chance? Does he like bread from the patisserie? Who would not, right? Here good fellow, have a bite." He waved the bread at the big bird, bravado giving him occasion to laugh as he proved he wasn't scared of it. That he might even get the creature to eat from his very hand.
Dinah (dollihead) giggled at the swans' preening, hesitating a half-step out from behind her brother. "Darling thing! look, he's posing. Beautiful, yes you are, truly the king of all swans~" she cooed. She perked at the mention to Godric, having met the man only yesterday prior, but she watched as Dorian separated himself from her. She smiled slightly, shaking her head "no, dear, if father came anywhere near this beautiful boy, he would try to have him for the trophy room" she spoke with great distaste, though she caught a breath as Dorian tried offering the bread. "Careful, dear. Careful... his beak is bigger than your hand, Dorian darling"
Rene De LaFontaine (ripyourpinky): Oh dear, talk of Godric made him quite sad but there were other words the bird wasn't a fan of right now. That included talk of other swans! Rene fluffed and puffed and hissed and watched, Serenity momentarily distracted by trying to figure out why the swan was guarding the fountain, and lunged forward swiftly to sieze the bread. Rene, sadly, was one of the strongest men on the island. Something most never guess. He made to grab that bread and toss it away almost insultingly. How dare! And if he didn't he most certainly tore a chunk off and tossed it. Hunt! Rene hissed angrily, how did this gentleman know Godric. Now he was doing this very strange slow walk, his head tucked just a little to give Dorian side eye. This was basically the precursor to swan attack, a slow walk forward in which they would suddenly pounce and flap their enemy, and it was clear Rene was bound to flap Dorian. A can of swan whoop ass.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp) had glanced away, only to realize that the swan was starting to size up a threat. "Godric is Rene's," Serenity explained, her concern with the imminent threat making her statement shorter and more garbled than a more eloquent explanation might have been. "Rene. Rene, no. Bad. Do not," she hissed back, her blue eyes going black as the swan's as she tried to coax and coerce the swan away. She should have just *acted* but Serenity was still wrestling with her own instincts and the pressure of the covenant. She was fairly certain that TWO swans would not improve the situation but the creature that she never ever let out beat in her breast clamoring for freedom. Nor could she risk dropping her glamour in such an open place without the risk of backlash. Which left her with the very human response of waving her hands at the swan in the hopes she might get his attention, slim though that was.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) at first was glad the bird took the bread until he realized that it had been tossed. Thus the broad smile receded to a visage of pure brow-drawn confusion, and he barked, "That was perfectly fine bread you know. A friend of your friend's baked it!" He held up his hands and as instinct told him to, he kept moving away from his sister while being given hostile attention, toward the fountain. He was over six foot of Englishman, he was not going to shy from someone's pet bird. Changing his tenor he'd remark instead, like he was talking to a street cat he had a whim to pet, singsongy, "I bet you you'll like this one:" he then began to sing part the old English dirge of a song he'd sung in the navy, "Farewell, all joys! O Death, come close mine eyes! More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise." Dorian did not have a poor singing voice, but he was thinking more about soothing a not so savage beast than potentially posturing for a scrabble. Sure he had them up in surrender, in show of weaponlessness, but he definitely did not stop locking eyes with those of the colossal avian.
Dinah (dollihead) gasped as the swan dived for the bread, but instead of eating it just tossed it away. she giggled a little nervously, shaking her head "gracious. he is a fancy boy, he doesn't want our bread. at least someone else will find it" she watched the strange slow sidle. "oh.. careful, dorian" she said softly, though when the woman said that Godric was Rene's, she turned towards the bakery. "oh! he was very polite to us. we met him briefly." she said cheerfully. Godric belonging to the monster swan seemingly made perfect sense to her. she sidled a little closer to the gate. "careful, dori darling" she nipped her lower lip.
Rene De LaFontaine (ripyourpinky): It wasn't that Rene was trying to ignore Serenity, he wasn't. He just had now focused upon Dorian like a swan with tunnel vision. To the comment that a friend of Godric had made the bread the swan lifted his head and trumpted. "HONK!" It said, as -he- had made the bread. His gaze snapped from Dinah to Dorian, and then turned briefly to Serenity. That was until he heard the phrase... PET BIRD. The swan let out an angry, proud protest of honks to that before it began walking angrily toward the singing man already flapping it's massive wings. Yes. Those were fighting words. Poor Serenity was going to have to grab him by his long and graceful neck and that might not even work.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp) was going to be too slow. Blame the layers of skirts hampering her movement and her moment of hope that she had coaxed Rene's attention off of the other man. When she realized he was going to charge and buffet Dorian, she lunged but her fingers were only going to close on air so Dorian and Rene could have their tussle in the fountain.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes): "HO THERE, RENE! COMMENT ALLEZ-VOUS? Je ne veux pas danse!" As a last resort the Englishman tried to resort to French with what was likely an annoying accent as well as poor conjugation to the native ear, backing up, and again, until oops there was a fountain and there was no more room to take a step. He righted himself by holding out his own arms, and trying to set his feet for a next move that he had no answer for in his repertoire, having never squared off against a bird.
***(How are you? I do not want to dance)
Dinah (dollihead) squealed at the flapping attack and she stumbled closer to the tree in the park "dorian! leave him be and stop playing with the swan, he's bigger than you are" she peeked out from behind the skinny tree, eyes wide. "What if it bites you? come away from the fountain!" she clutched her fingers to the bark, considering whether she'd need to pull off a shoe and huck it at the great bird. She certainly hoped she wouldn't need to
Rene De LaFontaine (ripyourpinky): There were no Serenity hands to stop Rene, and Dorian shouting about not wanting to dance in his bad French pronunciation was the icing on the cake. Yes. he was full on attack swan and he was fast. Later on, if he remembered this, Rene would laugh at Dinah yelling at Dorian not to play with the swan, but at the moment he was a hurricane of flapping wings and biting beak. If Dorian managed to get away from the swan attack, he'd be spared the bruises of the painful nips and bruises from the flapping wings. They felt like fists to an extent but this was mostly a 'the fuck did you just say' attack and not a 'I will drown you in the fountain!' sort of attack. Flap flap! Le smack! All with a flurry of honks.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp): "Make yourself big, make yourself big. Big arms!" Serenity suggested though it was probably too late to 'look big and stomp' technique for dealing with swans. Serenity went to snatch at the large bird, though he was fast and Serenity was holding back in a way that the swan wasn't. "Dammit, Rene! Do not kill the nice man in the fountain. Release. Drop it! Drop it!"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had done his duty, keeping the monster waterfowl from his sister, and called to her, "Bigger than me? It's a bloody bir--" Then he was trying to dodge a beak-blow, but did not miss so what could he do but try and turn making another into a glancing strike he went backward into the fountain, ass over proverbial teakettle. After a moment of coat flopping and boots in the air, he'd roll on over to pop up, damp hair all in his face and gasping for air, coughing out fountain water, with some aquatic greenery upon him, sliding back down toward whence it had come. He'd raise his dukes and do his best to not show that it smarted getting beak-butted. At the same time though, he'd move to start his sodden self backing up again, to put more fountain between them while he adjusted himself to the reality of having been outmanned by a bird.
Dinah (dollihead) squealed again as Dorian was utterly pounced. The greatest rivalry, Englishman vs Frenchman, with added Swan-ness. She braced her weight against the tree as she hopped, tugging free one of her heels "he IS bigger than you, Dori, behave yourself, you naughty thing. Dorian, come away from him" she adjusted her hold on her shoe to hold it by the heel, tossing it at the back of the swan. If nothing else, it might help distract the beast of a bird for a few seconds to get her soaking, fountain-stanky twin to get away from the villainous, territorial swan.
Rene De LaFontaine (ripyourpinky): When the Englishman went into the fountain, despite thinking it was his, Rene let out a triumphant honk. That's right, take that. And then the shoe smacked him in the back and Rene let out a honk of surprise and pain. He flapped in surprise now and turned and looked at Dinah, and then saw Serenity waving her arms. What was happening? The facts of a bird brain didn't always match up with person brain and for a moment the swan just stopped, making low sounds as he watched Serenity. He flapped again and then began walking toward the woman in blue making pitiful sounds of lucidity. Oh yes, he was going to remember this. Almost sounds of apology. And that usually meant if he didn't get somewhere quickly he'd end up nude in the park as he wrangled in his bird.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp) sighed, "This is what happens when you repress the bird, Rene," she said softly, "I am so, so sorry," she added to the Windgraces, lowering herself so she was closer to the bird's body and opening her arms for the swan to approach. If he got within grabbing range, she'd close her arms around the bird and lift him with a grunt, only really possible because of those hollow bones. Hopefully she wasn't about to be holding a nude man. "Gallic temperament and all that."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) tossed his head to get soaking yellow hair out of his face, and called out to his twin, "You go on get out of the gate, I will be right behind you!" Afterall, he did not think the bird could understand him. He'd sidled away toward the other gate, facing the swanosaur, calling to the swan's supposed keeper, "His master should consider selling him to the royal menagerie. Thing could pull a chariot if someone could properly tame it." This he hoped would keep the bird looking at him again, and more importantly from his singly shod sister. He did not have an ear for the tambor of the swan's song just now, nor if it sounded mournful or otherwise, the 'threat switch' had been flipped, and one simply did not needlessly duel birds whom belonged to potential friends.
Dinah (dollihead) sagged a little at the pained swan noise and even more at the sad swan sounds. She couldn't feel proud of being a victorious swan-slayer when he sounded so sorrowful.
"Ah, i hope i didn't hurt him" she said quietly as she stepped out from behind the tree. Serenity's words made her curious, but instead of tending to the talk of bird repression, she would hobble, semi-shoe-less, to rescue her brother, giggling and reaching to push her hands through his soaking hair "you smell of fountain water, brother mine" she teased, looking around for where her heel had ended up. "Don't worry. I shan't tell Drystan and Lilah"
Rene De LaFontaine (ripyourpinky): The swan in Serenity's arms was making sad sounds again, and then they were becoming quicker. Almost rushed. Because... well... He could feel the feathers shrinking into himself. He hooted and hooted as before their very eyes the feathers were becoming skin. That was when the beast struggled in her grasp and got away again, moving quickly toward the patisserie. He made it about half way into the street before what was running away was a nude man with platinum blonde hair and not a swan. "MERDE!" Shouted the man, much like a swan might shout, and disappeared back into the shop from which he came.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp) scrunched her nose as the blonde man ran bare assed back into his pastry shop. "I am so, SO sorry," Serenity apologized again, "I'm not sure what set him off exactly. I think he had some sort of trouble with Godric and he's quite bereft. Strong emotions," she trailed off, her hands fluttering a little as if to say 'you know how it is, you get upset and turn into a swan. "Really, so very sorry about all of the chaos, Mr. Windgrace."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) was still too adrenally charged to really consider that he had a heck of a couple bruises forming and a nice scrape to a cheekbone from the fountain. When Dinah neared he'd do a couple of things at once, warily try to keep himself between her and the monster being dragged away, and bend to pick up her shoe with an, "oof" of pain when he bent to snap it up and shifted to set it facing the proper way for a foot to be put in it. That oof was just a wince when he stood to his full height again and thought he caught sight of a man, not a bird with the woman departing, with one hand on his head, he'd grumble, with a barely breath caught sulk, "I think I have seen her at the sho-huh????"
The woman he was speaking of had addressed him and he replied, "No harm done, I think..." He did not want to re-escalate the fight, afterall, when he clearly was concussed or something.
Dinah (dollihead) hadn't been looking at first when the swan had started to turn into a man, but the rapid mini-honks had drawn her attention and she turned, then blinked, staring with owlishly wide eyes at the bare-assed naked frenchman running back into the bakery. Her lips pressed together, only managing to suppress the snort-laugh for a moment longer, waving Serenitys' concern away. "I don't think he liked the bread" she tittered, giving Dorian a grateful smile as he claimed her shoe "thank you, darling. Now hold still a moment, mm?" she stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his brow. A little bloom of healing magic from her lips, and she settled her foot into her heel again.
"there there. I am sure there is no harm done."
Hunter was getting better at moving around 'naturally.' He hopped and jumped when people looked at him, only really sliding around like a bunny-shaped fluid entity when he was in shadow or behind things and generally unseen. He was following the sounds of splashing water and general chaos, drawn by the latter like a moth to a flame. As he stood there at the gate peering into the park he simply looked like a very long black rabbit, fluffy belly stretched from the pavement to the top of that low wall so his head could keep through the gap in the metal fencing. His ears were back, one eye a dark gold while the other was a solid black with little flecks of red. He watched the naked bum bounce along into the shops, then stared at Serenity, then stared at Dinah and Dorian before sliding himself and through the gap and into the park on the other side. The naked man had rejected bread, he'd heard. Hunter very much liked bread, and he was - as always - rather hungry. So he hopped himself right on over and sat in a little pudgy rabbit puddle on the stones, his front 'paws' patting at his abdomen.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp): "He made the bread," Serenity sighed, "He just didn't like much else. Swans are territorial at the best of times and he was in a mood when the beast took over." She glanced over her shoulder, squinting slightly as she tried to decide where Godric might be this time of day. "The only one who can really control the bird is Godric but I'm not sure where he's off to. I didn't get a lot of information out of Rene before he lost control and destroyed the cake he was working on. I shan't brave his kitchen until he's set it, and himself to rights."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had a sister who literally kissed him better, even when he was reeking of fountain water. It took some of the sting out of the blow to his pride. And he was trying to understand why the mildly familiar woman was talking about the swan baking a cake, and being a man like that was ordinary, though he was having a hard time with it. "Well, ah... m..." Instead of resting a hand upon his head, he'd swipe the blonde mop back from his eyes and begin wringing out a set of sleeves where they rested on his arm for the walk home. He was going to literally make a joke about it to further move away from that gut-twisting feeling, and the discomfort of the whole scenario, but then he lay eyes on something else that made him certain he'd hit his head worse than he'd thought. So he remarked, "D-d-d- Di? Is this... a dream?"
And in his silent voice he continued the panicked thought, [-or is this what going mad feels like?] while broadcasting an image of the rabbit he was staring at to his sister in his thoughts."
Dinah (dollihead) peered towards the bakery again "we met godric at the snow festival last night. he was terribly polite to my brother and i" she explained to Serenity with a smile. "please tell Mr. Rene that we certainly shan't take any offense or distress. And I am quite sorry for hitting him with a shoe." she added sheepishly. The approach of the black, slightly lopsided bunny patting his belly, and Dorians' concern that he was going mad, she smiled "Don't worry, dear. I see him too. Is that..." the way the eyes were, she wiggled her foot into her shoe and turned to crouch beside the 'bunny'.
"hello, friend" she said quietly. Was it her newest squiddly little buddy? Or another one, similar?
Hunter cocked his head at the twins, then at Serenity. They were talking to someone clearly! He had seen the Windgraces have conversations but this was a new person, and therefore a new experience. Dinah received a little nudging, a poke in her head that was not particularly well-hidden and so able to be picked up by anyone else nearby with any modicum of sight. /"Hello Miss Dinah Windgrace! That's what the mgn'ghft the gold one calls you."/ Hunter's voice was unmistakable in mental space. The bunny hopped around the twins in a circle, his ass end lagging just slightly with each jump as if he needed to remember to bring it along with. /"I am looking like the rabbits,"/ he explained before hopping in Serenity's direction. /"Where is bread?"/
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp) gave the bunny a bemused smile that was just a little disconcerted as she took in the slight wrongness to it. "I am sure you will get a basket full of pastries. That is how Rene usually sends his apologies, regardless. In the future, if he does that little..." Serenity paused and copied the side eye and slow shuffle as well as she could in her human form which, to be fair, was probably better than most humans could manage. She shook it off quickly as aping the swan's behavior was uncomfortable for those tight controls she kept on her true nature. She shook out her hands a little. "Trying to look larger than the swan and stomping your feet might help. Swans won't attack anything larger than they are... unless he has young. Then there's no hope but getting out of range before he tries to murder you but Rene has no young and as long as no one gives him eggs to fuss over, it shall be fine. I will make certain to do what I can to smooth things over with Rene. I believe I met you both briefly at your shop... Serenity McAleer," she offered incase the name hadn't stuck.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) went utterly still when his sister talked to the rabbit-thing and it responded. He did not hear the voice, but he saw the way it moved. He'd call to the woman with the survival tips, "Th-thank you Miss MacAleer. We shall be sure to send no eggs in reply. G-god grant you good morrows." Though he called to her in a semblance of a voice that held good cheer, in all attempts at friendliness, it was somewhat hollowed, halting, distracted, staring between his sister and her strange chum. He'd shuck off his jacket to wring it out before putting it back on, all while watching this interplay with someone who'd not lead him astray, even though he felt rather far from solid ground. Same as he did around his sister's magic, or under the water.
Dinah (dollihead) felt the nudging and she accepted eagerly, beaming at the communication. <"gold one. you met Vedis?"> she replied with her mind out of habit, but she reached out to pet the 'bunny' behind the ear before replying aloud.
"You are a very fine bunny. I am pleased to see you out and about. Are you settling in well? Dorian, darling, Did you meet Hunter yet? Dorian, this is hunter. Hunter, this is my twin brother, dorian. he owns the rabbits you have been staying with" the idea of a rabbit named Hunter was amusing to her, though at the question about the bread, she turned to look where the swan had flung it. gesturing towards where it lay. "it's a little stale, but it's over there, dear" she pointed out helpfully before turning her attention back towards Serenity "aha! yes. I remember. Sorry, how terribly rude of me. I was a little distracted before" she apologized. "Regardless, as I said, I am certain there is no harm done, and i would be pleased to reassure Rene of that when he is feeling a little less...honkitudeish" she promised earnestly.
Hunter let out a burble that sounded decidedly not-rabbit like. He said a wet, "Hello Dorian twin brother," aloud because Dinah had spoken aloud before following the direction given to the stale piece of bread. He opened his mouth - a far too wide, far too toothy mouth - swallowed that piece of bread whole before bounding off, evidently having seen something whizzing by that caught his interest.
Serenity McAleer (willow.hollysharp) just stared at the bunny as it *talked* and then consumed the bread whole. She stared for a long moment and then looked at the twins. Serenity opened her mouth to caution treating with the fae before giving a little shake of her head. Not her circus, not her monkeys. That addage had gotten her through a very long life and ignoring it was how she ended up embroiled in swan drama. "Do rest. That was quite the walloping, Mr. Windgrace, and I hope you feel more the thing soon." She offered before nodding politely at Dinah with a brief curtsy, "I hope the rest of your day is less eventful, Ms. Windgrace." She added before turning to head towards the patissiere with a sweep of her outdated skirts.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) reverted to archaisms from his youth when confounded, and so he'd talked to Serenity as he did. And then his sister was introducing him to the rabbit? named Hunter? It dawned on him, as the bunny talked, and he was struck into another few moments silence, with a hand closed around the opposing wrist to wring himself out still again. His mouth was ajar and he'd mutter aloud, "A-are you sure, Dinah, are you quite sure this is not what it feels like to go mad?" Talking definitely-not rabbits and swan men beating him up, seemed fairly mad to him. But then he realized what it was, and he blurted it out, "Oh, I know what it is. Callisto is Carroll's Wonderland." As soon as he did he was laughing because what else was there for it? He'd seen all sorts of strange things, had done them, he was one, but with the fracas all done it seemed like the place was once more the quaint quiet downtown evocative of home once more.
Dinah (dollihead) watched Hunter dart away and devour the whole chunk of bread without so much as a chew and she laughed, turning to reach for dorian's hand. A slightly eerie talking bunny was nothing in the world of Dinah in Wonderland. Serenitys' manners earned her a curtsy in kind and she beamed. "and likewise. Do take care~!" she said cheerfully, turning to look back up to her brother.
"only for a normal degree of mad, dorian darling. Don't you remember, i mentioned hunter before? He came back with me from the wilds." she explained, brushing down his jacket. "oh bless you, you're soaking. You feel alright, love? beyond the...strangeness?"
Momiji Date was likely not going to help Dorian's feeling of... Wonderlandian whimsy. He was jogging down the street like he was late for something, heedless of the massive gourd strapped to his relatively diminutive frame by a series of red sashes. The raucous sound of clattering goods sounded from inside that gourd while the two smaller ones at his waist sloshed like liquid. Once he came abreast with the park gate he skidded to a stop, slowly turning to look at the twins. "Oh. He-LLO," he said, using a boot to scoot that gate open and maneuver himself and his massive burdens inside.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) nodded slowly, pegging what bit of reality he knew to where he stood so that he could find solid standing again. He'd felt like he was still adrift for a long while after getting out of the fountain. It was perhaps even more disorienting with that clear-headed heart-singing healing spell in the middle. But it was very easy to take Dinah's hand and lean down to kiss the ring finger, and then, only then, stand again to reply, "I feel... better than I should, all considered. But... that is.... is he imitating Bunnivere and Sir Bounce? And... and... Di... some knight I am, hm? Beaten by a swan, dueling a fairy with a crown-?"
He turned to look at the new-comer with his head tilted at a very canine forty-five degree angle. He'd just finished most of a thought when the clattering at the gate happened, so he just looked from them to his sister for guidance, afterall, she was at home in wonderland, and still functioning at a higher level than he was. Dorian had already started a fight he didn't finish once today, so he was a wary guard dog.
Dinah (dollihead) should have worn a blue pinafore dress today. As the whimsical, many-gourded man hurried into the park, she beamed and lifted her hand with a little wave. "good afternoon~" she greeted, turning back up to Dori as he kissed her hand.
"he likes the bunnies. he said they are polite. Brigand was terribly rude to him. and darling, that swan was the size of a small horse. Perhaps if you ask nicely you could strap a saddle to him and find a lance?" she smiled playfully. "as I said before, remember.. everything is a possible truth, dorian darling. I still worry about that duel of yours but.. i shan't stop you" she gave his hand a squeeze.
Momiji Date eyed the twins tentatively once he caught wind of the conversation and was past the awful hurdle of that metal gate. "Hmm. You'd have many silly things happen today, you two. And... have silly things to discuss, it seems. But some things of import there, some - key key things." He leaned forward, holding up two fingers. "You need the skill to ride a swan, don't you?" A finger went down. "Or... perhaps something to help with this duel you mentioned?" Another finger went down. "I have such things. Would you be interested? Would you like to see?" He bent his arms, setting the knuckles of each hand at his hips.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) wanted to mention that Dinah's horse only liked her, he had a half a hundred thoughts to share but none of them came to his lips, and he'd have time to ask her questions until she fell to sleep later. For now he was saddled with trying to contemplate everything being a possible truth, when his sister understood that better than he could. He pressed her hand with his wish for a possible truth close to his heart, his assurance of it, and he took a moment to feel water trickling down his neck which was sobering. Grounding as the feel of her palm on his. So he'd listen without wariness, but instead an open mind to the approach of someone with a magic draught for his upcoming adventure. With a little bit of a shrug, and a glance from the gourds-bearer to his sister's matching, but not waterlogged face, and following a chuckling headshake, he'd tentatively reply, "Sure. Yeah, I mean if you happen to have an ancient sword technique from a master bladesman like the One Eyed Dragon, Date Masamune or Uesugi Kenshin? We can talk terms."
Dinah (dollihead) gave Momiji a curious, amused sort of look and she nodded "silly things indeed." she agreed, giving Dorian's hand another squeeze.The many gourds drew her attention, though she quirked a brow at dorian's words. "you and that book again. I thought you already agreed to sabers, anyway?" she giggled, but then she paused. Was this the Tanuki merchant she'd heard about? she glanced at her brother, then back to the seller.
"...the cost is...secrets, isn't it?" she hazarded the guess excitedly. "I'll be interested in what you have too, if it's true" her smile grew on her face. A day full of strangeness, indeed, but at least thankfully it was at least relatively benign thus far. Fountain-soaking and pummelling besides.
Momiji Date lit up. He grinned wide and wider as Dinah spoke, nodding enthusiastically. Leaning forward, he put a hand to the side of his mouth like he was telling a secret. "Because you asked I'm going to give you something very special, and that's my full name!" he said to Dorian with a wink. "It's Date, Date Momiji, so I may know a thing or two about those... ancient sword techniques, hm?" He straightened up, clattering and clinking sounding from that massive beige gourd. The next bend was more of a bow. "The lady knows. My goods cost secrets. The more secret the secret the better the good. If you'd like to ssssss--" that s trailed off lengthily as the tanuki caught the scent of something familiar on the wind. His nose twitched amid the freckled skin, ears twitching, on alert. He let out a huff, cautious but still focused. "I-If you'd like to see, I can show you. Shall I?"
Reaching behind himself, he grasped the beige gourd and swung it around, going to a knee so the skinny middle of it settled on his thigh. He uncorked the thing and an ornately patterned cloth spilled out like liquid, unfurling itself onto the ground... and revealing a small assortment of trinkets and bottles and curious-looking packages of food items.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) started trying to consider what secret he knew might be worth something. It was a compelling thought to imagine trying to give away something about someone else, but almost immediately the simple feel of his sister's hand stopped him from that. Eyes wide, he beamed, "Date? You must be from Sendai. Both Masamune and Shigezane were fantastic duelists I hear." He started trying to consider things that would instead be costly for him to admit out loud. And he almost immediately set upon one. He reckoned it counted as a secret, because he'd only half-admitted his motives aloud even to his sister. He'd nodded abundantly to being shown the things and when a certain trinket caught his eye, he'd look between it and a shining bottle he'd solemnly nod and press his sister's hand. Then he'd lean in and offer his secret with a hand to one side of his mouth as if to keep it from his sister. He'd whisper as close as he could get to an ear quietly as possible, ["I am yet housing the boy, Blake Jermyn because I think he might be leverage against our common enemy. Not just to help him."]
Dinah (dollihead) liked the showmanship of this tanuki. They had had their black rabbit for today, and whilst they hadn't followed the rabbit, perhaps this would be the next stage in their odd little wonderland day. She didn't know too much about samurai and swordsmen, but she DID know about secrets. She watched her brother with interest, whilst she poked about the Trinkets on the assortments. Trinkets, and the bottles. you never knew what was going to be in an odd bottle, though the trinkets drew more of her attention than the rest. She didn't attempt to listen in on dorian's secret.. chances are, she would likely already know it, but if she *didnt*... she didn't want to devalue it.
Momiji Date snickered as Dorian spoke of Masamune and Shigezane. "One eye does not take your tactical skill, or your grace, or your ability with the sword away," he said as he tapped the side of his head. "A partial loss is not a whole, and what's left could ALWAYS be greater, hm?" He paced around the perimeter of his little silken cloth, watching their eyes as they considered the wears on display. Once Dorian leaned in and offered his secret the tanuki seemed to take a deep breath, then swallow as if he'd taken a giant mouthful of food. "That is a tasty secret. ANY of these trinkets would be a fair trade, I'd say, yes."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) did not mean to be a waffling Englishman about it, and he'd bite his lip, looking at the potions and put to the other, his own salesmanship likely dampened by his literal dripping, "Well Date-sama, perhaps you would not mind my choosing a potion instead? I reckon if that one turns me ten foot tall, or gives me some added potency, it will have been worth it, hm?" With one of his very obvious winks, he'd adjust his wishes and try to negotiate for a different prize, a potion he pointed to. He'd sweeten the deal, "I've a damp hip flask of excellent brandy to ease the negotiation, hm? Comes from France. And it's watertight."
At this precise moment he didn't want to taste anything particularly French. So it was easy to pull it from a pocket and offer it over with a schlurppppp.
Dinah (dollihead) glanced up between both gentlemen as she toyed with the ring, testing it's fit on her finger. She rubbed her thumb across the line of quartz and she looked up towards Momiji once more and she straightened with it on her palm. "And this one, Tanuki-san? what...weight of a secret would you take for this one?" there was a strange excitement to her eyes as she held the ring on her hand. She turned towards her brother as he retrieved his brandy and she pulled a face "...drystan still has my flask from last night" she murmured sulkily. she'd completely forgotten that he'd palmed her booze before she'd left the festival.
Momiji Date beamed as Dorian called him by his family name. "Ah, of course! Someone so respectful of a mighty lineage knows things, you know. Please peruse. I have potions and creams and spritzes. None of them will make you ten feet tall... but some may make you feel that way." He picked up the colorful bottles and juggled them, leaving the one that seemed empty sitting on the cloth. Dinah's question though had him clapping his hands together. He leaned in, head tilted forward. "A very big secret. That's a very very good one, a very good ring my lady," he said with quiet gravity.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had hovered his hand over the empty looking bottle. It gleamed just so. The shape was intriguing, so he'd pluck it up, and leave in it's place the bottle of aged armagnac, complete with his backup flask from the royal navy brimming with amber booze. He'd put the bottle into his pocket and bend in a bow, playing out some storybook fantasy of his own then look over at his sister, using his free hand to invite her to do hers. He'd not lean in nor cheat. In fact he'd turn his head and start to quietly hum the song he sang to his horse: 'Goodnight Irene.' Fair was fair.
Dinah (dollihead) studied the tanuki with interest, rolling the ring on her palm with her thumb. Secrets were very important. she had a lot of them. The biggest, though... something that even her siblings didn't know yet. "...what if... a secret becomes public knowledge after purchase?" she asked softly. She didn't want to fall afoul of someone who casually carried around a bunch of magical items. glancing towards Dorian as he made his exchange for...an empty bottle, she gave him an intrigued look, but she waited for the answer to her question before she would speak her own secret.
Momiji Date pouted at her. "Well... it ceases to be a secret hm? The value is diminished... the effect will be as well. So best to keep secrets as they are meant to be -- secret!" He said with a nod. The tanuki considered the bottle as Dorian picked it... giving him a nod of appreciation at his selection. He tapped his nose but said nothing else.
Dinah (dollihead) glanced at Dorian, gave him an apologetic smile. She took a deep breath. could she give voice to her secret? she stepped in closer, hand still outstretched with the ring on her palm, and she whispered her secret. There was the slightest hesitation in her voice, a faint, tremulous wobble.
"I am planning on killing my father"
The whisper was spoken almost directly against Date's ear, her hand still outstretched with the ring on her palm, waiting for the reaction.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) used the hand that had not gone to almost touch his sister, a poke in the rib above peplum, but then remembered his unclean state so redirected to tap the side of his own nose instead. He'd give another entire-face-bending wink and then keep humming, but he quietly sang instead, "Goodnight, Irene
Goodnight, Irene
I'll see you in my dreams...
Sometimes I live in the country
Sometimes I live in town
Sometimes I take a great notion
To jump into the river and drown"
It happened to be when his sister leaned in so her secret was safe.
Momiji Date did not react with his face. He waited until Dinah was done speaking and had stepped back before drawing in a breath so big his cheeks puffed... and swallowing it. "Oh my. Big secret. Big, big... I wonder if I might be able to take anymore today..." he mused, patting at the red rope around his abdomen. He stepped back to observe the two, glancing between them. "Now... be careful. Sometimes things you want can come to you in ways you're not prepared for, mmhm. Enjoy your items. Use them wisely! And... keep your secrets."
Dinah (dollihead) watched the secret be accepted and she slipped the ring onto her finger. She laughed, breathless and giddy, and she took a step back to press a kiss to dorian's cheek. The intricacies of her relationship with dorian might have been a good secret, if it wasn' for the fact of it being.. somewhat obvious to most. she turned her hand over, examining the ring.
"Thank you, Date-san. We do like to impress." she agreed, grinning again. "I certainly hope to."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) did peek over when he heard the response about the magnitude of her secret, but he only smirked and went back to humming. He could imagine what his magic empty bottle might do some more. When their transaction seemed to be done, he'd bow again, politely as he'd seen the help do with an unrelenting set of fingers twined through his sisters', and and he'd respond, "Do take care of yourself, not everyone you meet in town is as well-bred or well mannered as we two, hm? And ummm Oyasuminasai!"
He had also considered that somewhat open secret, but he'd not been careful so far from their parents as to get himself embroiled in a duel. Even having had the best night in his life after that fateful dinner party. He was glad he'd not used it when he turned to kiss the loosely pinned yellow hair atop her head with obvious fondness.