Welcome to Gaia! ::

There had been the sound of trickling echoing through the alleys. She followed it though some display windows, past the security desks and turnstiles of the mall admittance, through the shopfronts into the back bowels and maze of plywood walls and cement floors that only employees once saw in their meanderings to take out trash of get a smokey treat. She thought it was a janitor's closet, red vinyl logo on the rust-bolted push-door, probably a leaky faucet to some sink that by some miracle was connected to the only line in the whole ******** city that still managed to have water running to it.

How had no one heard it? Camped it out and made it their niche and kingdom. At least with all the rotted clothes and displays and mannequins the place would have a creepy, if effective line of defense and assured warmth of bedding.

She walked into the dark room and instead walked onto grass?

Dim open nothing sky and the scent of fresh flowers. More sound of water.
Her stomach flipped like she'd dove from a cliff top and plunged into water, but she was just standing there. No, kneeling now and trying not to hurl bile and not much else on this ....grass. The door closed behind her with a faded metal clink. Through the screen of her bangs, there wasn't a door there at all anymore. Just open columns. White stone and marble in the dim. A fountain. No, more then one. Where was here?

((Hell, I'll bite? I assume the setting is the Pantheon? XD))

Phaedra had been lounging idly; the fountain's soft babble was more soothing to her ears than the endless silence of her own chambers, which of late had been reminding her only of her lack of a court. All vestige of the Throned Glory that her dear Emperor had exalted seemed gone now, smoothed out under pale marble and cool water.

Which were nice in their own way, but the way Creation did it just felt sterile.

Her ears perked as she heard sound, unexpected - footsteps suddenly sounding against marble. Suddenly, as if the one making the sounds had just appeared, not approached. That was interesting enough to draw the goddess to her feet, to come around a pillar and raise one eyebrow at the figure standing there.

"Hello?" she called out, affecting a calm and welcoming pose; the benevolent goddess at rest. "Who is there? Don't fear; I won't harm you."

( setting is indeed the pantheon )



Hjava did not whirl on the voice. She did bring the back of her hand in front of her mouth as a precaution and looked around again. A black woman with BI-ZARRE eyes and ears. She had a tail mod. Really nice one. Either a pleasure model cy, synth, or maybe just some douche who'd had waaaaay too much money and freetime and a furry fetish.

Who the hell started off with a line like that anymore unless that was exactly what they were going to do in this day and age?

"Where is this?"

"Is this yours? There's water here. Plants. That's impossible."

Want was just as easily mixed with anger in her. She'd had what she'd wanted in life, had in it hand and it was stolen away. She'd had a job.

Pyrotechnics on the road, living prefect to prefect and concert to concert on tour with the band. She'd had love, five bandmates who got along and shared perks and friendship as well as beds. She'd had fame, any asking price she could think up and still deny all the rest to keep with her crew. Oh, she'd been loyal.

Then there weren't any concerts, no money, no music. No nothing except running from place to place looking for food and waiting for everyone to die off, psych out, starve or sweat to death in fever.

She wanted it back. She wanted friends, fame, fortune and glory. She wanted fans and a band, and to make s**t blow up for thousands. This cut-and-run survival crap was grating and dull. She'd cut, and do it damn fine. She'd find a city and people to wow with art again, and she'd find it standing.

"Greenery is a good start. Food. There's gotta be a lot of people here, right? There's no coven I've found of survivors that have found some stash that there wasn't a rat's nest of them. "

"What's the catch? There's always some initiation to get the goods. I'm not in the mood for staying if I've gotta hitch up to some cult; you don't look a whole lot like a scrapper. I don't have much to trade, but I can get s**t done. "

There didn't look like a bodyguard was about either. Not that this one looked like it was worth roughing up. She had nice curves; luxurious like leather interior and a cashmere throw in a car with its own pool.

((I'm sewing too, but I'll jump in for a bit. ))

Taj slipped down the stairs, Madrigal in his arms. It was time for an outing for the boy and he was planning to enjoy it. Lisana's critters were in the green nearby he planned to try to teach Maddie a few things about animals. Perhaps even play in the fountain a short while.

It was meant to be a quiet day for both of them. At the very least one away from the forge for Taj, the god was quite certain that it would be interrupted in some fashion. Something was always happening.

Maddie giggled clinging to his father's shirt tightly with one hand. Continually he tried crawling up over Mystery's shoulder to get to the wings and feathers, small fingers reaching. Taj would let him get so far before pulling him back with a smile. It was becoming a game.

As he rounded the pillar, Taj suddenly stopped at the sound of voices. Neither one he recognized but there were enough people here that he doubted he would know but a few of them. Still, he stopped just to the side, watching them as Madrigal tried once more to reach his wings.

Perhaps they'd not play in the fountain. He was suddenly quite certain neither would like being splashed with the water.

Well, she certainly came off half-raving like a diva. She spoke of crowds, and civilizations. "You don't look like a who lotta rock, but I'm pickin' up some of what you're putting down."

"You know where there's a city near here then? Where one was? " Finding anything more then three-stories that was still standing anymore had to be the work of some primeval almighty anyway.

He wasn't best pleased with the new acquisition to their duo; it seemed like they'd gotten rid of one small, chittering creature only to pick up a larger, man-shaped one. Truth be told, he knew he was irritable and it would probably be better to not take it out on James. That was why he was silent, stonily so, and allowing Mang to do the talking for him. Everyone was happy, that way. All he had to do was move his feet, and let his eyes scan over the gardens for... well, God.

The priest prayed he'd sense Him, or that if they stumbled upon Him by mere chance, He would be recognizable. He knew his luck wasn't that good though, but kept the grumbled comments to himself.

"I assure you, our Lord will be able to clear things up for you. There are many gods and goddesses still trapped within their gems, and they will need strength and faith from potential supporters, such as yourself." Shuo was quite taken with the energetic mortal.

Voices carried, soft, but definitely feminine, and the priest unconsciously veered around one of the many columns, drawn by the sound and the constant trickle of water.

Two women--one decidedly not human, while the other looked somewhat more normal. The dragon cut off in mid-sentence to pause, evaluating the situation for a moment. Another of my kin. You feel that sensation of want, in the air...?

The priest did, and he didn't like it. Dark eyes slid to James, as though seeing what he thought about the situation before he'd step forward. Maybe they knew where Harmodius was. If not, he knew Shuo would be pleased to introduce himself to another god or goddess...

He'd keep himself at a respectable distance, once he caught glimpse of yet another man--god, from the wings--and the child in his arms. So many gathered here. It made him feel like maybe they were close, at last. "They might know where Lord Harmodius is." He muttered for James' benefit, finally speaking to the man.

Taj's lips twitched upwards as he listened for a moment. Greed she had said. A goddess he had not met yet. One of many of those he had yet to meet.

His eyes caught sight of the others as they stopped nearby also. The voices had drawn them as they had him. It was obvious the woman had just arrived.

Avoid the doors upstairs.. snagged his attention. Shifting Madrigal, he pulled his tablet free to write on it. Did Greed not know of the mortal hallway upstairs for those in need?

< A plain door next to bubbles will shelter mortal needs. >

Moving forwards, he inclined his head to Greed before holding the tablet out to both. His lips twitched wondering how she would take the interference. She could continue to play afterwards with the girl if that was what she wished.

More BI-zarre names. Nothing she remembered off the positioning systems of charts. Footsteps behind her too slow and obvious to be an ambush so she casually turned to the side so that neither of these were at her back and ready to donkey-punch her in the back of the skull.

"The planet ain't equitable, and I don't have my ex-position. World isn't fair, but if you want a name, I go by Hjava. Sur's are for pussies who need more then one. Glad you do the same. Faydra...It's got about five golden rings to it, maybe a ringtone even if communications get up and running. "

No cities. Well, that was a strike for this area. But people, shelter, info and food were a home run to at least take the advice and stay for more then the minute it took to refill canteens and walk to the border. She looked back, all while slipping a hand into her pocket to put on the tour rings of all her mates...impromptu brass knuckle stand-in, at the newcomer walking and standing there waiting in Captain Obvious vision.

Then there was some freak just prancing upto her like a pony with some pet on his arm, "Speak it up, if you're gonna live it up. I have no problems at all making your face greet the green Earth if you get outa line, so lets start it straight. You keep your kindly distance til I know you're not a inpatient on outpatient status."

She back-stepped at the approach and lifted the glinting fist in warning and pugilist preparation.

A Dragon King! When the little tidbit had been revealed to him, the researcher had been near ecstatic, unable to quite comprehend his luck. Well, truth be told, he didn't know quite how lucky he was, but apparently these Kings were a rarity among the gods, whose numbers seemed as numerous (by tale, not by his own observation) as stones along the riverbed. This was why it was important to question everyone when you had the opportunity in a more open society- you never knew just what sort of observation you could be missing if you stopped for a moment to consider caution! Not that he hadn't been cautious enough, mind you, but he did consider himself somewhat an expert on the human species and their Earthly abilities. Laurence, from the outside, had not seemed like a man who could brutalize him easily. If anything, he looked drastically underfed.

But the priest had shown he had a trick up his sleeve yet. Or, to be more correct, a godly presence. Another host. They had spent some time meandering through the garden, not simply content to wait for their Godot, and they had conversed on whatever the Esarian felt fit to bring up. Shuo was quite charming, something James was beginning to think was inherent of all gods. The subject had come up pertaining to hosts, and James had inquired innocently as to what Shuo thought really made a good host to a deity. He had gotten an answer before, but he it would be folly to hold one opinion over another in his line of work. Could anyone, a seemingly ordinary Joe-Schmoe like James, for example, be a host? And understandably, Shuo had taken it as an offer.

The resulting conversation was promising, however, and now James turned it over in his mind as he walked side by side with Dragon King and host. A follower? Well, perhaps. He was not opposed to servitude, so long as he was allowed some life of his own. Worship, though... Worship might take some getting used to!

Suddenly, the other paused in his phrase, and James dutifully looked over to him, then followed his eyes. Off in the distance, there were three. Two were strange, feline-featured humanoids and one was what looked like a human girl. Were these servants, the aoide? How naive he was at the time to suspect as much. As Laurence made the aside to him, James perked a little, giving a nod to indicate he thought it'd be a good idea.

"My lord," He said humbly enough with a hint of a wry smile. It was the first time James had granted anyone the honorable the whole duration of his stay. Shuo could lead the way. The group looked a little busy, besides, and James was shameless enough to let the god be his escort. His cover story, in a sense.

Enekpe's day so far had been uneventful, as most of her days were now - and which, in her opinion, was a very good thing! She much preferred lazing around or playing with Ari the floox to the way things had been before. Who wouldn't? Every now and then she might get a little bored, but that was easy enough to nap away, or else she could talk to k**e. Today, all she'd done so far was go for a swim.

As the still-soggy pooka set off in search of a snack to follow her bath, she caught wind of a vaguely familiar scent, and decided to follow it and save eating for later. She wasn't that hungry; food could wait when there were friends to see! Soon enough, she caught sight of the priest - and there was someone with him! And some other people nearby...?

After a quiet chuckle to herself, she made to creep up behind Laurence with a mischievous little "Boo!"

Hjava, she said, foreign and certainly nothing he'd heard of before, followed by what sounded like 'Faydra.' The goddess' name? Perhaps. He was content to watch for now, as when the man stepped forward as held something up to the pair... well, the following conversation seemed tense, at best. "Calm the ******** down." He snorted at the girl with her multicolored hair, not impressed and irritated by her, though he shouldn't have been. They'd all gone through trying times, undoubtedly, but he was not in the mood.

James' words made him snort again, not so much at the respect due, but by the way the dragon swelled with pleasure. "Perhaps it would be best, if we simply observed." Shuo spoke aloud for the mortal's benefit, though would extend his voice, notably deeper than Laurence's. "She is right; we mean you no harm, and apologize for the lack of introduction--" The dragon was cut abruptly off as the priest practically jumped out of his skin, whirling about for his assailant with narrowed eyes and curled lips before, realizing, his gleaming eyes dropped downward.

"Enekpe." He grunted, feeling pissed off and stupid, but also not about to take it out on the pooka. "Scared the hell outta me, don't do that." Turning his back on the three, he crouched to better look at the small creature, patting at her head for a moment. "You holdin' up all right?" A pause. "Enekpe, this is James. This is Enekpe. She's a host, too." He grunted at the other man, clearly going to at least introduce them.

((G'night Ivy. I hope you feel better. Sorry it took me so long. I keep getting dced. Going to have to call the cable office tomorrow I think.. -_- ))

Mystery blinked in surprise. Her speech was so strange and she spoke of things he had not heard of. He did however recognize an inpatient on outpatient status.

She thought he was crazy? Or perhaps uncertain? Most likely the second option.

His lips twitched upwards into a cheshire grin. Shrugging he glanced over at Phaedra, amused by her words as much as the others. Writing again, he penned, < Dear Greed, continue your play. A fountain and mad raven await Mystery. >

The tablet was only held long enough for the goddess to see before he bowed, turning towards the fountain nearby. Madrigal tried to climb his shoulder again but then giggled as his father put him on the edge letting him kick his bare feet in the water.

The alien disguised as a brunette man was simply content to observe as Shuo's host snapped at the pretentious female, only offering a blink in response to his tone. His eyes admittedly wandered as Mang himself perked up to speak, acknowledging the statement inwardly while he took a study of Taj and his brood. Only when he heard the 'boo!' start up from somewhere beside him did he whip around to see Laurence's body in possession of a new, fuzzy growth. What in the worlds...?

"A... A host?" James echoed, his brows hitching up in surprise as he considered the little animal. "You're sentient, then? How curious. Enekpe, indeed, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance! Do you have a moment? I didn't know non-humanoids could be hosts."

"Hehehehe," Enekpe giggled merrily. "Sorry! But it was fun." She hadn't had anyone to do that to in ages! She'd spent quite some time avoiding people entirely, given that she was small and potentially edible, but now she had friends she could play games with! Even if they weren't necessarily as amused as she was...

She wagged her tail happily at the head-pattings, answering with an "Mm-hm! How're you?" before peering up at the man she was introduced to. "Hello, James!"

Her look turned briefly puzzled, however, as she didn't have a clue what 'sentient' meant. "Sentient? Nah, I'm a pooka!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." The priest grumbled, and while the female was temporarily distracted with James, he muttered a prayer for forgiveness under his breath. Too much swearing and bad temper, and though they'd been rightly used in the heat of the moment, he was still working on trying to curb those particular vices.

"I'm well. Shuo says hi." He relayed dutifully before snorting slightly at her denial that she wasn't sentient, but a pooka instead.

She was really rather endearing, despite himself.

"Went to Adi's place to drop off Floox, for a bit. Gonna recollect him one day." As in, whenever he felt like it and whenever he had a place to keep the little creature. Illisia's room was enormous, true, but he had a feeling the little creature would vanish into the wilderness in a heartbeat, if allowed. "Where's yours at?"

He would pause to watch Taj and the newcomer for a moment, his gaze pointedly unfriendly, and Shuo would rebuke him a little, but to no avail. Laurence just wasn't in a good mood right now.

If James spared the childlike newcomer a glance, it was brief, and he dutifully chuckled softly at the little animal's response. "Sentience is a state of mind, indicating a state of perception, generally of the self. Many animals act upon an instinctual basis, thinking of survival and procreation only. Sentient beings hold the culpability of reason, in the most base of my perception of it. That you speak with us and retain a recognition beyond safety and potential food source makes you sentient."

Laurence was speaking, and he paused to allow the man to relate to the creature while he pondered over her very existence. A pooka? That name meant something to him, in terms of mythology. Irish origin, dealing with fae creatures who took the form of a horse or mongrel, always shadowed. Somehow, he had always gotten the impression that they were much more... sinister. Despite the lore that said they were, ultimately, benevolent tricksters. In this manner, Enekpe fit the bill. But perhaps there was another creature, such as her, that called themselves the Pooka... It was not unlikely in the least.

"Adi?" His senses perked at the familiar name. He had met her, hadn't he? And her floox, Phlox. "Hmm." Was the additive, meant to suggest Laurence not mind his interjection for now.

"Hi to you too, Shuo!" En chirped back at the dragon. "I dunno where she's at. She didn't come swimming with me."

...hmm. Enekpe listened to James' explanation with her head tilted, and a comical look of half-understanding concentration on her face. Sentient she might be, but her education, could it be called such, was very limited. What she gathered, more or less, was that being sentient meant she could talk. There were a couple of words in there she didn't know.

Since he was obviously willing to clarify such things, she asked, "What's procreation?"

"Just as well." The man muttered to himself; he didn't need the floox giving him doe-eyes because Floox wasn't around.

My, you thought I could be confusing. Shuo chuckled at the man's description of sentience, and Laurence just rubbed at his brow for a moment. Then, of course, Enekpe had to focus on that "procreation" term, and the priest could already see the wheels turning in James' brain. Before the man could answer, Laurence would hastily interject, shooting the man a venomous stare that dared him to try and talk over what he was about to say.

"It basically means having kids." The dark-haired man said gruffly, shaking his head slightly. No need to get graphic with the pooka, thanks. He didn't even know if her species could procreate, though there was no reason he saw that said she couldn't.

Indeed, he was about to dutifully inform her of the mechanics that determined procreation (after all, he was always eager to please when it was a subject he knew of) when he was suddenly affronted with a harsh look from his happenstance companion. His lips thinned, instinct telling him to sink into a defensive stance should the vicious thing strike for his throat. What he did do was clear his throat, reaching up to fiddle with his glasses as if they weren't straight enough on his nose as it was.

"Yes, essentially, Laurence is correct," James agreed passively. "Enekpe, if I may ask, who do you serve host to?"

"Oh." Well! For a mystery word like that, it wasn't terribly interesting. Not to her, anyway, since she'd certainly never be involved in any sort of...procreation. "Pooka don't have kids."

En paused to shake some of the water from her shaggy coat and sat, making herself comfortable. There were other words she would have liked to ask him about, but he asked her a question first, and so she answered, "Kikechum! She's the goddess of animals."

"They don't?" He asked before he could catch himself, blinking for a moment. "How did you start... well, existing, then?" Surely there was some method to it. Unless she told him she and her kind simply appeared in a puff of smoke--or better yet, she was the only one of her kind.

While Enekpe spoke to James, Shuo privately saw to addressing his host's irritation. We will find Him soon.

I know. The man replied, curt but not unkind. He'd wanted to get it over quickly, that was all. Now he was being forced to slow down--but he could and would deal with it.

Besides, seeing Enekpe again was nice, and certainly not something he regretted.

"I see." From the pouch at his hip, James drew a pad and paper and began to scribble down information. Without looking up, he said, "Laurence does pose an valid point. If you would enlighten us, Enekpe...?"

"Nope," she confirmed, shaking her head. "We're made! Evolved pooka, anyway. I'm not sure how the normal ones start." After a moment, she added with one of those shiny new words, "They're not sentient. But for us, they get a couple of regular pooka and put their influences together, and then there's an egg!" En, truth be told, only had a very vague and not an entirely accurate idea of how she'd come to be, and didn't know much more about her parent species.

"And we bond to somebody when we hatch, and that's our person."

Made... And what they were made from--they couldn't talk and process thoughts, like she could? "That sounds complicated." Laurence rolled his shoulders, somewhat thoughtful. Influences--did that mean the parents... were more or less used up, in the creation of a child of sorts? He wasn't quite sure, and didn't know if he wanted to dwell on it.

"Ah." Yes, she'd told him about her person--and how her person had died. So clearly, they didn't need their bonded to survive, though clearly Enekpe was still quite sad over it. He was satisfied with the answer, and saw no more reason to pry, but knowing James...

...Well, James was James.

"...Astounding." The Esarian would say, his eyes moving to study Enekpe anew. The process she was describing was not like anything else he had ever heard, which was saying something for James. It was possible, given her current intelligence, that she wasn't exactly being true to whatever the process actually was. Still, he took the notes down exactly as she had said them, thinking it over. As far as the growth of her species went, the 'evolved' pooka she called it, well, that could simply be a type of metamorphosis or maturity.

"You mentioned a person..." Laurence had hit the nail on the head, despite the fact that they had known one another for all of about an hour or so. If there was anything predictable about James, it was his tendency to ask questions, even if those might be things a human might term rude or personal. "After you received your gem, did you leave them? Where is your bonded?"

"She died," En answered sadly, her ears falling back and her feather-crest flattening. "A long time ago." It seemed like a long time to her, anyway, though how long it had actually been escaped her. She'd been through a lot since then, and her carefree life as a housepet seemed at once very far away and as though it was only a few days behind her.

"That's when I left. I didn't have k**e then."

Did no one ever speak here that breaking the silence brought them out of the corners like a hive of bees? Well, she'd wanted people and apparently that was easily granted.

The conversations fragmented between sources, traveled here or there and left. She just listened for a moment, jaw set firmly. Well, asylums usually did have open spaces and gardens. This one had necessities of life. No cities nearby, the door to the mall was gone...

So where did that all leave her? Well, the cat-girl with the crystal eye had given her a clue-in on a place to go at least. Specifics were good. Kitty had fangs too. Preferable to mimes with kids and dudes who talked to stuffed animals.

So there was an upstairs, however that worked in a building that looked like it came from ancient ocean-side pinnacles. She could kinda see the stairs inside, craning.

"As long as everyone is copacetic keeping more then arms length, I'll gladly keep it on the DL."

"Where is here? I was in the Eastgate Mall at Tovaugn I....but this isn't there. " If she new star-charts like Belly Robbers, which she didn't, it wouldn't even matter for telling where this was. The sky was all black here except for the ambient light pollution of lamps and weirdo unattached globes.

Astounding. Was it really? His gaze slid across the gardens, silently taking in their surroundings and searching for any new faces besides the four. As it were, two of the men--gods?--seemed to be going, and Laurence felt a little more at ease with that.

The sadness of the pooka had his eyes narrowing a little, and though the priest sad nothing, there was a notable tension framing his shoulders, his face, like taut strings. Should James pull them too much, they'd snap, and that wouldn't be fun for anyone present.

"A lot of people died." He said curtly, less to En and more to his nosy companion. Then, perhaps unexpectedly, he left them to their conversation again, removing himself by taking a few steps so James could continue without a sneering shoulder angel monitoring his words. The women were still there, but unless they addressed him, he wasn't much in the mood for initiating conversation.

"Unknown to me at least." Didn't mean it wasn't known to someone. " I followed the sound of water and walked out here. "


Pantheon came across to her as 'every god' ...taking that whole shindig further down the river. Why not? If you had food and shelter and living green stuff, standing buildings and a population, you may as well call yourselves gods. Maybe there was an opening for god of L'oreal. If there was something she'd been able to pick up plenty of and stuff into her knap it was an unhealthy supply of makeup. Useful for tours, not for eating.

"It isn't really a problem about getting back. Nothing much there. Best policy is to keep on wheelin' " The term was a little lost without actually HAVING a ride, but there wasn't gas to be had either.

'So this place is free range?" Basing assumptions on people just walking about and tripping over them.

" 'Lord' ? " She was serious from her tone and stance. It just came out natural as 'Chinese Laundry' and just as out of place. "Are we having feudal play along? Alright."

Hjava's mouth curved into an exaggerated frown but she gave the slow nod of diggin' it. "I can play along. "

So she adjusted her pack and started to the 'other' stairs.

"I see. That is unfortunate. I'm sorry." James told her, allowing his voice to soften a little from its normal, curious beat. He didn't miss Laurence's input and his tone, but he gracefully ignored the man's attitude for the most part. The pooka had nicknamed her goddess, something James found a little curious being it was so... familiar a mannerism. One might have thought a deity would prefer their full name spoken unless given the permission otherwise. Perhaps it was one of the host's rights.

He was about to speak more when he heard the nearby conversation pick up to words of 'Lord' and 'Pantheon'. Were they speaking of the Creation god, Harmodius? The brunette turned his head distractedly, "Laurence, I think that hipster is looking for Harmodius as well."

"I won't forget it, Fay. You've got a good chic."

She lifted a hand of recognition and thanks as she walked. A small wave that stopped when she got into the actual building and was staring at the biggest relief sculpture she'd ever laid eyes on.

She just stood there for long moments, panning over the shapes and forms gawk-mouthed as a tween at her first concert. It was amazing, but who even came up with stuff like that? WIth some redecoration, this place could make the most heinous concert hall, especially with some beast like that up on the wall.

Enekpe blinked owlishly after Laurence when he stepped away a little. He seemed unhappy. Had he lost someone, too? The pooka sighed, and conversation moved away from its focus on her. Which would have been okay, except now she was sad, and at times like that, being so small and on the ground felt rather lonely.

"Can someone pick me up?" she inquired. "My neck is tired." It wasn't, really, but it was a passable excuse.

James' use of the word 'hipster' was enough to earn him an exasperated glance for a moment, before the true value of what he was saying would sink in. She was going to see Lord Harmodius? "Lord Harmodius." He corrected automatically, then jerked his head after the woman's retreating back in the universal sign to follow.

Don't forget--

The priest stuttered to a stop, turning back to the man and pooka to kneel and gently scoop En up into his arms. "C'mon." The pooka would be tucked closer to his chest before he headed after the woman. Hopefully James caught the hint and would follow. A narrowed glance was spared for Phaedra before he'd politely shifted past her.

Laurence didn't feel much like addressing the strange youth, and instead lent his voice to the dragon. He was better at smooth talking, anyway.

"Excuse me, miss? Might you be in search of the Lord of this place? I'm not one to eavesdrop, but if our goals coincide, well... I am Shuo Huang Zhe."

It felt like an appropriate time to bow, but the priest stubbornly kept himself upright, letting his eyes wander with a bit of awe over the sculpture before them, only shifting to make sure En was comfortable in his arms.

James was puzzled for a moment by the correction -what had he said?- but let it pass. Laurence was already beginning to walk, and just as James had turned to acquiesce the pooka's plea, the priest swept in and saved the day. He was the taller of the males, and the more familiar, so it was just as well. James, secretly, may have liked to touch her fur, though.

As he passed Greed, the mousey little brunette man nodded politely, giving her a soft "Good day." before he hurried after Laurence and Shuo, the latter of which seemed to be in control now.

"And I'm James," He would pip up after the dragon had introduced himself, coming to stand somewhere behind and off to the side of Laurence. They both seemed to be captured by the relief on the wall, which James had studied some time ago. He didn't spare it too long of a look.

"Well then, gents, its good to meet you." Sho and Jimbo, the tweed team from the kingdom of stick-up-butt.
"Aren't you a little...white for a name like that?"

Maybe he was raised on the fly by interstellar monks and taught the intimate secrets of wuuwongfu or such.

They provided enough distraction from the layout of the place that she started up the stairs again. The door and walls at the top were total celtic revival, a whole lot gag. Maybe it could liven up with a deathDruid motif.

"Knock Knock, and I'll huff and I'll Puff and I'll blow your house in." She kicked the door, stacatto thuds, leaving black smudges from the soles of her boots.

Hooray, it had worked! She had had her doubts for a second there, but Laurence came through and scooped her up. Being picked up in and of itself was always sort of fun, like a little ride, although the best part was just being close to someone. The still-damp pooka snuggled close, her short tail wagging happily as her sadness evaporated.

She peered curiously at the colorful woman they went to meet, glad to have a good view from being carried. This was so much nicer than staring up at people all the time!

"And I'm En!" she added cheerfully to the men's introductions, though the lady had already begun to continue on.

Sharp words and sharper knocking sounds on the door found their way into sensitive ears. Yu had been curled, half dozing at his Lord's feet when the racket began. His eyes slowly opened only to narrow in the direction of the sound; a low growl began deep in his chest and rumbled up through his throat much the way any dog would respond to an unwarranted, impatient 'guest'.

Slowly he uncoiled himself from the base of Creation's throne, looking to Him with an annoyed expression on his bestial face. "Company..." He pricked an ear towards the doorway again, "Female and impatient." Up on two legs instead of four, Yu would stalk to the door and open it with something of a snarl - unless his master called for him to heel. Of course, Xia Lu Ling would not turn anyone (that wasn't a Grigori) from His door...but he certainly could give them a little pause - maybe impatient wenches would learn to be a little less...abrasive, coming face-to-face with a Monster.

((DOGGIE: BARK BARK BARK BARK))

A little white. Irritation throbbed in the back of his mind, low and seething, but he bit his tongue even as the woman began to climb the stairs again.

”My host’s name is Laurence—“ The dragon continued patiently until her heels smacked into the door, marring the beautiful surface. There was no hope of even pretending he could calm Laurence now, and the priest would turn to, as gently as he could, push En into James’ arms before he stalked forward, not about to grab the woman, but definitely crossing the lines of personal space.

“You have hands, knock with them.” He told her frankly, not about to stand for desecration. “Keep it up, and—“ And whatever he’d been about to say would never be known, as the door opened. God wasn’t there, probably his polar opposite, really, and Laurence found himself craning his neck back to meet the multiple eyes of a horned, fanged beast that certainly met the description of a demon.

He sensed nothing but threw his arm out anyway, not caring if he caught Hjava in the gut, just wanting to get the woman behind him even as he stepped forward to face the beast, openly bristling. One swipe of those hands would probably knock the wind out of him, but if he could get a prayer off, boost his strength and speed—There was really no time for words as he started to react, ignoring the words of Shuo echoing through his mind.

Laurence, he's not an enemy--!

"I also have other body parts I know how to use. Can you say the same?"

But the door was open and the biggest furry in the universe was on the other side. It didn't actually look like a fur-suit. It made noises like the real deal.
But then she was getting ushered around like a damsel and really she wanted to kick the guy in the nuts for discourtesy. It'd be easy enough, from behind.

But if you had something snarling at you, it was usually better to be the guy in back then the dope in front.

"Is the Lord in, Handsome?" She mosh-yelled it over Sho's shoulder.

James' eyebrows shot up a bit as the female began to kick the magnificent work on the door. Now, there was absolutely no necessity for such a stunt in his mind. He didn't know how she treated her things where she was from, but she was just asking for trouble. When Laurence handed the pooka off to him, the brunette didn't spare a word of disapproval though he knew completely well what the man was going to do. His arms delicately pulled En to his chest, and while he wasn't as warm as Laurence he at least made an attempt to pet his fingers along the crest of her brow.

And then the doors opened, filled not with the face of beauty that he had come to find typical in this realm. It was a monstrosity. Though it was symmetrical, it was beastly and not at all what any of them had likely been expecting. The punkish girl had, indeed, summoned the Big Bad Wolf to the doorstep. James bristled automatically in defense as well, keeping Enekpe in one arm while his other moved for the stungun in his bag. But then, Laurence was throwing himself in, and the gaudy girl back. What did he think he was doing?

And the girl was shouting at the thing, prompting it to come along. James, who was behind her like any sensible beast that thought their hide worth keeping, gave her a stage-whisper. "It might be prudent to ask yourself if you're willing to take on the door-man to see him." He was about two seconds from running himself. But what about Laurence? And Shuo? If the thing seemed rabid, he'd have to do what he could.

..whuuuh. Suddenly, there was a really big, really ugly thing with lots of eyes at the door, and the next thing she knew, she was getting passed around! En tucked her face in James' arm, trusting that, somehow or another, she'd be protected. She hadn't gotten this far just to be eaten!

I don't think there's anything to be afraid of.