The Caravan Inn }Open{

[Master Nemesis]

"Woah!" Sabrina jumped back, surprised, when the Mermaid actually moved. "That's . . . that's something you don't see every day," she commented a little absentmindedly, watching it 'swim' over to the far side of the room. After a few moments, she remembered her manners, and called out to it to apologize. "Uh, sorry about that! I . . . I'll just . . . go now."


Embarrassed, she shuffled out of the room after Ash.


As they headed into the shop area, Sabrina thought she heard footsteps behind the little group. Wondering who it might be, she turned around to look . . .

[Magicck]

... And there was a shabby looking kid, poking his nose around and looking at stuff. Not at all paying attention to whether or not anybody was around.

[E is for Enigma]

Ben had been about to duck into the magic shop as Asherah bid, when he noticed the abrupt halt of Sabrina's shuffled step. Turning back, he saw that the girl's attention had been once again diverted from the tour. Ben followed her gaze back to the oceanside porch and spotted the small ragamuffin climb quietly, barefoot, up the steps.

"Miss Asherah," Ben called to their hostess. "It seems you have another visitor."

[Abyssal Majesty]

Turning her head at Ben's comment, Asherah smiled ecstatically. A little one! She loved children. Releasing the curtain to the magic shop, she hurried over to the child, reached out, and rested her hand on his shoulder lightly.

"Hey there sweety, can I help you with anything? "

Looking to Sabrina and Ben she nodded at the shop, they could still go on in, but the child took priority at the moment. Focusing back on the child she cocked her head to the side.

"Did you come all the way out here all alone?"

[Magicck]

Suddenly, PEOPLE.

AND SOME STRANGE LADY PUTTING HER HAND ON HIM!

Rock jumped a little, startled, and attempted to walk backwards glancing around and whatnot like he was looking for an escape. Not really used to somebody not chasing him out of their store or trying to hit him, he was reasonably paranoid.

"Uhm... yeah, AND I PROMISE I AINT TRYIN TO STEAL NOTHIN. I SWEAR!"

He held out his hands in front of him, fingers splayed, so that Asherah could see they were completely empty. And his clothes didn't have any pockets big enough to stuff something worth while.

[E is for Enigma]

Curious about the new arrival, Ben stayed where he was just before the door of the magic shop. He had all the time in the world to take his look around--and the boy looked a little flighty. He could take care of that if need be. For now, he figured it was best to remain at an easy distance so as not to appear overbearing, and wear a friendly face.

[Master Nemesis]

Sabrina leaned against the wall next to the doorway leading into the shop and folded her arms beneath her bosom to watch curiously as Asherah went to tend to the kid. Then she raised an eyebrow at the kid's odd reaction. It practically screamed 'GUILT!' in her opinion. She didn't say anything, though. It wasn't her place . . . and it didn't seem like he'd had a chance to steal anything yet, anyway.


Generally, Sabrina didn't do well with kids.

[Abyssal Majesty]

Giggling, Asherah shook her head and continued smiling at the boy.

"I know you haven't." She crooned calmly at she looked at the boy's hands. "Now.. Did you need a place to stay or food? Water?"

Mommy mode was flicked on as she continued talking with the boy, she just wanted to make sure he wasn't in any danger, and that he wasn't hurt.

"My name is Asherah, what's yours?"

[Magicck]

Food. Water. A place to stay. Man, all those things were really sounding nice to the little boy, who considered getting to sleep on soft ground with a blanket a luxury. Still, he appeared skeptical of the woman. Sometimes, when somebody is being suspiciously nice to you, they definitely want something from you -- that had never been good for him.

"I'm fine!"

His stomach growled, almost right on cue.

.___.;

"... my names Rock Steele!" Clearly that couldn't have been his real name, because it definitely sounded like something a 12 year old would make up. But you can't be a child hardass when you go around telling people your name is Thurman.

Seriously. Thurman.

He glanced around a bit, still curious of the others and whether or not this was all either a dream or a seriously bad trap.

[Abyssal Majesty]

Closing her one eye at the sound of his stomach and at the name she sighed happily.

"Well then Rock Steele. Let's get some food in your belly hmm?-- Phoebe?"

"Yes'm?"

"Why don't you cater to Rock here, he's hungry. I think there's some food on the burners he can gobble up."

"Yes'm! C'mere Rock, have a seat." Holding out her hand, Phoebe grinned.

In the mean time, turning on her heel and wiping a bit of sweat from her brow, Asherah walked back to Ben and Sabrina, still smiling. It was such an eventful first day. Nothing could make her happier. Well, maybe one thing- but he wasn't there.

"Now, did you have a look in the shop? Or are you saving that for a rainy day?"

[E is for Enigma]

Ben had watched the entire exchange with some curiosity. At first he had been deeply impressed by Asherah's generosity. He had never known anyone to offer such charity freely--which was exactly the reason alarms were going off in his head.

How often was it, he wondered, that a dirty ragamuffin wandered into a high-end establishment which offered any and all necessary amenities free of charge? He had to admit, it looked a little staged. Was this Asherah attempting to garner his favor with a child actor?

He shook his head to clear it. That didn't make any sense. He wouldn't be here unless it was truly safe--he was sure of it.

You're getting paranoid in your age, old man, he told himself, grinning.

"Just waiting for you, madam," he told the proprietess as she approached, and bowed her into the shop. "After you."

[Master Nemesis]

Antique Queen

"Well then Rock Steele. Let's get some food in your belly hmm?-- Phoebe?"

Sabrina felt her own stomach churn a little at the mention of food. She hadn't eaten since the evening before - one reason she'd come all the way out here to try and snag a job. Soon she wouldn't even have enough money to afford meals, and --

Antique Queen

"Yes'm?"

"Woah, where did she come from?" Sabrina wondered, as the girl had almost seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Man, shapely, scantily-clad ladies just seemed to be lurking around every corner in this place . . . Not that Sabrina was complaining, but . . . Her gaze dropped from Phoebe down to her own gut, poking out of her jeans in an unmistakable muffin top.


She felt her hopes of getting a job here, which hadn't been too high to begin with, sink just a little lower.

Antique Queen

"Now, did you have a look in the shop? Or are you saving that for a rainy day?"

The chubby young woman was snapped out of her slightly melancholy reverie and looked up at their smiling hostess. "Yeah, okay," she said, and offered a small smile, suddenly a little envious of the woman.

[Magicck]

Relaxed and feeling more comfortable now, Rock took the girls hand and walked with her over towards a table. It was strange, the feeling of holding another person's hand. Especially considering the last physical human contact he had had been almost a year ago. It wasn't surprisingly that nobody wanted to give a dirty little homeless kid a hug or a handshake, or for that matter a second look.

All seated, an unguarded smile slowly forming on his face. He waited to eat. ANXIOUSLY waited, at that.

When it was presented before him (whatever it may have been, he didn't care) he eagerly dug right into it. His table manners definitely left something to be desired.

OMNOMNOMNOM

Bits of food splattered on the table and onto his face as he dug right in with his hands, eating everything like eating was going out of style in the next five minutes. If he wasn't so hungry he would have realized that eating as fast and furiously as he was, he'd end up with a major stomach ache. It was pain that he was willing to accommodate, though!

YUM!

And once he finished his food, Rock promptly face planted on the table and went to sleep. ~

[Abyssal Majesty]

"Ah! It's a fairly small shop, you all should see it for yourselves." Looking to Ben she giggled. "Don't worry."

"Ash?"

Turning around, Asherah tilted her head as she looked at Phoebe, then Rock. Slowly, her posture relaxed, her smiled softened to see the boy sleeping. She hadn't had to take care of a child for a while, in a way, she missed it greatly. It brought back fond memories. Quietly moving to the table, Ash gently pulled out the chair from the table, and held Rock's shoulder, only to scoop him up with ease. Which was a bit curious, due to her size. Looking to Sabrina and Ben she held the boy close.

"Please continue without me for a moment. I'm going to go put this little guy to bed.. I'll be back~"

It didn't take Asherah too long to head out of her inn through the dining room entrance, and go to the first bungalow. Phoebe followed close on her heels. The girl opened the door to the room then stood to the side to let Ash in.

"Do you think we should leave him a note Phoebe?"

"Oh um.. I dunno. I suppose so, so he doesn't freak out."

"There's a bit of paper in one of the drawers, a pen too, I believe."

"What should we put on it?"

Asherah laid Rock onto the bed and let him be after that. She didn't know the boy, so she didn't want to be too motherly. Phoebe opened the drawer and pulled out the paper, only to hand it off to Ash, who then scribbled a simple note.

You're at Caravan Inn. You fell asleep after eating. There's an enclosed outside shower in the back. Soaps and all, a towel too.

<3,
Asherah

Placing the note to where he could see it, Asherah giggled quietly and swept them out of the bungalow to let the boy rest.

[Magicck]

~___~;

"... uugh."

It had been such a long time since Rockie had eaten like that he'd forgotten the bad side-effects from doing so. Namely, a stomach ache and a weakness all throughout his little body. Sitting up after drifting off to sleep, he glanced around. He was suddenly overcome by fright..

"WHERE AM I?"

Had somebody made off with him? No, wait, he wasn't tied down and he seemed to be perfectly okay. No limbs or other appendages were missing and nothing strange had been put on. Kicking back the light blankets into an uneven pile, Rock swung his legs over the edge of his 'bed' and let his feet dangle, taking in a look of the place. It was comforting.

Further inspection of the area revealed a note sitting next to him. He picked it up and examined it, turning it sideways and upside down. Little did the people here realize that the kid was illiterate. Coming from an extremely poor family and spending the last few years on the streets hadn't done much to further his education. All he knew how to get by on was scraps, meager generosity and some good running and hiding skills. Throwing the note down and hopping out of bed, Rock began to wander around. Exploring this new place had become something of a priority. Depending on the people, he would either want to know all the exits or the best places to hide.

His ventures took him out the place where he'd been left and into where he had been many hours before. Rock knew that something was missing, and that something was his little sack filled with old food, some tickets, counterfeit gold and his knife. He wanted to get that back into his possession. It was important to him afterall. In the back of his mind, though, he wondered who these nice people were that they didn't want to beat him up or run him off, and instead decided to help him.

It was unusual.