Welcome to Gaia! ::

Iden approached the shop with a certain degree of trepidation, given that she hadn't stopped by in..months, really, and she wasn't terribly sure wht sort of reception she might get, depending on who was around. Her hair was held back and up by a claw clip, so that the red ends brushed just below her shoulders, swaying when she moved, as did the black, pleated skirt she wore. She'd clasped her hands behind her back to stop herself pulling anxiously at the laces of her corset top, and was looking down at Toby as she walked, clearly paying more attention to the young Velvet than she was to where she was going. Then again, there wasn't much to trip over, except maybe for him.

Toby was enjoying the little evening stroll immensely, and was making a game of snatching at the red laces of Iden's tall boots. Shoes and shoelaces of any sort were among the dog's favorite things, but he had yet to get a good taste of these nice, clunky ones. They just had to be good for chewing, especially those heel parts. Oooh...

Sighing, the young vampire gently shook one leg to get Toby to let go of her bootlaces, then reached out with one pale hand and opened the shop door, shooing the little dog in before her.

"Ah," Iden started, self-consciously pushing an escaped strand of hair behind one of her long, pointed ears. She looked up from watching Toby (couldn't he at least wait until she wasn't wearing her boots to chew on them?) with eyes turned bright red, smiling a little sheepishly. "Evening, D.."

Toby was just about to turn around and make another grab at one bit or another of Iden's boots, hoping she'd be too distracted to really notice, but quite forgot about it once they were inside.

His ears threw forward at the sound of his name, and he barked excitedly, his tail starting to wag with enthusiasm. He had a very vague sense of recognition, even if the only real result was that he was happy to see Sidney, despite not having properly 'met' him yet..at least, not in actual memory. And besides that, Toby'd never even seen a real snake before. So Sidney was of immediate, urgent interest. Oooh, indeed.

"Uh..." Iden rubbed the back of her neck, trying to come up with a decent answer. Somehow, 'Oh, y'know, being a vampire,' just didn't seem like the way to answer. Actually, nothing really did. "Um, well..I moved, but other than that..heh..." Feeling more than a little awkward, she grinned in a bad attempt to cover it up..and in so doing, offered a glimpse of her fangs without really meaning to.

Once Sidney was on the floor, Toby wasted no time in bounding over, skidding to a shaky halt in front of his fellow Velvet. He whuffed excitedly, wagging his tail harder.

"Oh! Oh, oh, damn.." The last was more to herself than anything, as she fumbled for what to say, honestly surprised by D's assumption that it had been Naraka who turned her...it was an understandable mistake, inevitable even, but it had never occurred to her that someone might make a connection out of it.

Iden was rather distressed herself as she rushed to reassure D. "Y-you're right,..but no, no, it wasn't Nar, I swear. He didn't, he really didn't..."

Toby's tailwagging was starting to involve the rest of him too, and he was fairly wriggling with his enthusiasm. He hadn't any idea what camping was, or a party, or hide and seek, but if they were new ways to play, well, that was fine by him! An excited whine worked its way loose at the prospect.

"It was, ah..someone I've been living with for awhile. Well, he's been living with me. Close enough." She chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck again. She witheld Vlad's identity for now, knowing it wasn't something most people would be inclined to believe, that she had Dracula hanging around. "Did I want it? I..don't know. But it wasn't entirely...unexpected." She didn't seem to mind answering D's questions; Iden figured she probably owed the other woman at least that much, after giving her something of a shock and all.

Toby followed Sidney's gaze, looking faintly concerned for a moment. But Iden didn't seem to be in any sort of danger, just a bit flustered. That checked out as a fairly normal state for her. So he turned his attention back to Sidney, though the brief pause had at least slowed down his wiggling considerably. It was hard to keep up for long, anyway.

Iden trailed after D, settling herself against the opposite arm of the couch. She was glad to hear the relief in D's voice, after all that. "He's been around since..damn, since last November." She looked taken aback herself at that..that seemed so recent and yet long ago.

She shook her head, clearing it. "No, it wasn't an accident. What he does is usually exactly what he means to do. But it wasn't exactly planned either, not really. Well, he never said anything about it or gave any real indication, anyway. I guess I just...I wasn't exactly expecting it, but...it wasn't surprising. I mean, it was definitely surprising when he did it, but...oh, that's not making sense. It was and it wasn't, in different ways."

Okay, stop rambling. "It's..it's okay. I understand. I'm alright, I guess. Better some days than others, but mainly I'm okay."

Toby perked his ears again, eager to do just about anything Sidney might come up with. He'd be quite happy to do anything from play ball to just following him around. He was, really, quite easily amused. So he just gave a further wag of his tail and nudged gently at Sidney with his wet nose, before lowering his front half in a play-bow.

Iden sounded very confusing. It was unexpected but not a surprise? This guy she lived with sounded rather... strange. And imagine not planning it? But it wasn't an accident. "Did he even ask you if you wanted it? That's... that's so terrible! I mean, it's a huge change for a person. Why... what made him think you wanted it?" D shut up when she realised she was probably making Iden feel worse about her situation. She ran a hand through her hair and looked sheepish. "Sorry, I'm not really helping huh? Umm... well, there are some good things. Easy diet for one." She gave a very sheepish chuckle at that but quickly stopped. "Umm... no more illnesses or stuff like that... If anything it should make you stronger."

Sidney patted at Toby's nose in a vague sort of way. Well, the dog was as big as he was after all! Would make a great pack horse.... Sid almost chuckled to himself at the joking thought.
"Like those ideas? Ok, well umm.... I don't have a ball... Maybe I should show you around first and then we might find one. This place is a kind of toyshop, well even if it only sells plushes. Maybe there's one laying around."
He started to slither off towards the vending machine. It was a favourite of his. Not for the food inside of course! But because it made a great climbing frame inside.
"This here is the Temple of Treats!" He announced, waving at it with a scaley hand. "In it's depths lie all sorts of edible goodies. And it's pretty neat for hiding in too."

Iden sighed, leaning back. She certainly didn't want to upset D any more, but she wasn't going to lie to her. Apparently Vlad was as hard to hear about as he was to explain. "No, he didn't ask. He's not exactly...considerate like that."

"Nah, don't be sorry." She waved her hand lightly. "I don't mind if you ask, it's just..you probably won't like most of the answers." She shrugged, smiling faintly. "Well, it does have its good points."

Toby followed right after Sid, claws clicking across the shop floor. At the snake's announcement of what it is, he perked up, eyeing the huge thing with wonder. Treats? Treats! But where? The Temple (not that he knew what that was) wasn't a giant treat, was it? It didn't smell like one...well, there were bits of food-smell on it, but they didn't belong to it. Bewildered, Toby did the only thing there was to be done. He licked it.

And to his sore disappointment, it tasted like metal and plastic. It was not a big, glowing treat. Blast.

"He didn't ask?" D looked quite shocked. "So he.. he attacked you then?" She looked at Iden quite concerned. The poor girl! She'd had this forced on her by some guy who was starting to sound like a real jerk. "Well I think you need to kick him or something. How dare he! I mean, yeah good points... but you didn't ask for them. Why would he do something like that? Just because he's not that considerate? Are you sure you want him staying with you?"

Sidney laughed out loud with hiss, as Toby did the only thing reasonable and tasted the vending machine. "Oh no! No, no! It'ss got things inside that you eat. Not the whole thing. That's just like a... casse or box. Here, I'll get you something out of it that you can eat."

With that he slipped expertly through the flap at the bottom and began to climb up the shelves and hanging packets of chocolate and crisps and other confectionary. Grabbing something he had seen D eating on a couple of occassion he headed back down and climbed out, pulling the Snickers bar behind him. Unfortunatly he didn't possess the common knowledge that chocolate would make dogs sick.

"Here. Thiss one is nice. Well I don't like it myssself. Too ssweet. But D eatss it ssometimess."

"Well, I wouldn't say he attacked me...he wasn't awful about it or anything. And he'd, ah, bite me now and then anyway, which I didn't really mind, so I didn't quite realize what he was up to at first." She looked a little embarassed at the admission she hadn't minded being bitten, and scratched her head. "Why would he do that? Self-interest, really." Iden sighed, shifting. "And yeah, I'm sure I want him around."

Toby waited patiently for Sidney to return, backing up a little to watch him through the glass, fascinated. Upon the snake's return, he rushed forward to give him a great big lick before setting to an investigation of the tasty something Sidney had brought with him. He whuffled at it curiously, discovering it smelled a lot like one of Iden's critters, some poor pooka he was always licking and trying to gnaw at. He licked the wrapper experimentally.

"You didn't mind getting btten?" D tilted her head at the undead girl. "Well, it gives me the shivers!" She exclaimed, without much thought. "Phobia of needles you see? You make it sound you were a favourite snack of his... umm, no offence." She picked up a cushion absently and held it in her lap. "I'm glad it wasn't a terrible experience. And that you want him around. Maybe I'm getting the wrong picture of him. Perhaps he thought you'd be better off like this? You know, being immortal. As you say, self interest... perhaps he didn't want to be lonely..."

Sidney rubbed at his face where the dog had decided to show his appreciation in the only way dogs can. Once he had gotten pretty much all of Toby's saliva off his scales he looked up to see the dog sniffing at the chocolate bar.
"Oh right, gotta open it firsst..." He reached for it as Toby began to lick at it curiously. Gripping it in his hands, Sidney used his teeth to get ahold of the wrapper near the top and tear it open so the brown chocolate coating was revealed. "There you go. Don't eat it all though.... it'ss pretty big for a velvet." He warned his new friend.

Iden cracked a grin, chuckling just a little at D's reaction. "Huh, I guess a fear of needles would carry over to fangs...I hadn't thought about it like that." She tugged at her armwarmer, thoughtful. D really wasn't getting the wrong picture. "I'm safer, at any rate. I know that's something he wants. But not wanting to be lonely? I don't know..I don't know if he even gets lonely. I don't think he'd miss me, not really."

Iden stilled, tilting her head at the sound of the crinkly wrapper. Mildly curious, but not particularly concerned, she cast a glance over at the two velvets, though she couldn't quite see what it was they had. "Mm, havin' a bit of a snack?"

Toby wagged his tail at Sidney in further thanks, then gave the candybar a good lick. Ooh! It was like Iden's little brown pooka! But there was a hint of something else, too. The dog had bitten down on one corner when he heard his caretaker's voice, and perked the ear closest to her, giving her a questioning look out of the corner of his eye. Maybe she'd want some, too? Iden never did take him up on his offers to share food, but maybe she'd like this..

"Yeah, and it's not just in your arm either, it's in your neck." D emphasized with a chuckle and gave a feigned shiver. "It more about the whole piercing into the skin part really. Just not something I like even imagining."
Iden's comment about this vampire wanting her safer made D nod. Iden wouldn't get sick now and would be stronger, that's for sure. So yeah, it could be considered that she was safer like this. "Oh I don't know... I've met some people you wouldn't think cared about much at all, especially other people. But when you get to know them they're really quite mellow and soft inside. Like a defensive shield. That's what he might be projecting but not necessarily what he's feeling."

When Iden looks to see what the velvets were up to, D does as well. Spotting Sid and Toby on the floor with something. "Sidney, what are you up to?"

"I got him something from the machine. You know, the one with chocolate and nuts like you like. I'll go put a coin in if you want." Sidney replied. D had this thing about making sure she paid for these treats. But Sidney didn't quite get it. You went and took artifacts and treasures from temples without paying. And this was the closest thing to a temple he had.

"Well, or a few other places.." Iden chuckled, but didn't elaborate. Since even imagining being bitten bothered her, D probably wouldn't want to hear. "Well, maybe so. I know he covers up some things, but damn if I know what they are." Well, D was getting a rather different view of Vlad, but maybe that was a good thing, since it..distressed some people. "Though I think he's anything but mellow, even on the inside."

Iden took a moment to process Sidney's answer, then put a hand to her mouth. Uh-oh! Chocolate+Toby=not good. Though she didn't want to alarm Sid or hurt his feelings or anything. Rather calmly, she explained, "I'm afraid he shouldn't have chocolate, it might make him sick. A lot of dogs are allergic to it."

To Toby, she clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Leave it, handsome. Please."

In the time it took for the exchange, Toby had bitten off the corner and was chewing away at it, having a time with chewy bits getting stuck in his teeth. But it was duly chewed and swallowed in all its tastiness, and he looked up at Iden when she gave the command, forlorn. He really couldn't have anymore?

D did look at her a bit strange though, raising an eyebrow, when she mentioned other places. What exactly did she mean? D could only imagine but decided maybe it was best not to ask. If Iden and this vampire guy were living together and he was biting her, who knew what else they might get up too. Probably was rather personal. "Is he gentle about it? I mean, I have.. uh heard they can sort of hypnotise you. So you don't feel a thing. Well some types I think. Anyway, maybe not mellow but sensitive or something? You know, a reason to act defensively? You did say he wanted to make you safer. That could be considered a sort of - Oh Sid! Careful. Iden's right, dogs and chocolate don't do so well together..."

D sat up straighter and looked over to their small charges. She was impressed by Iden's calm manner and that she didn't snap at Sid. Even when worried about the wellbeing of Toby. "Yeah, they're allergic. Better take it off him. He probably likes meats and things better, like you do."

Sidney looked at them confused. Toby was allergic to chocolate? Well, Sidney wasn't keen on it himself, thought it was far too sweet for his tastes. But looking at Toby chewing on it, he didn't seem to not be enjoying it. Surely if it made him sick he wouldn't like eating it. What a strange dog!

"Ssorry Toby. You can't have it." Reluctantly he picked up the bar from the un-chewed end and headed over to Iden with it. "I don't know if you want the resst. He's ssslobbered on it. But why doess he eat it if it makess him ssick?" He turned back to the dog and gave him a helpless shrug. "We'll find you something else yeah? What about eggss? I like eggss. Although there'ss none around here."

More personal areas hadn't really been what Iden was thinking about when she'd commented, but she caught D's look and realized it probably hadn't sounded terribly good. She grinned, embarrassed but amused. Iden's mind was rather prone to..going into the gutter, anyway. And then she heard D asking if he was 'gentle about it,' and she just couldn't help but snicker. "Oh, oh, sorry," she apologized, before answering, "Sometimes. Well, it's not so much not feeling a thing, as..well, something other than pain. Though there's still some of that as well, at least when he does it. Well, I'm not terribly sure what his reason to act defensively is, but..he does, that's for certain."

"He's never had chocolate before, so he doesn't know it'll make him sick. He'll eat just about anything, so he always learns the hard way," Iden explained to Sidney. "Well, no slobbery chocolate for me, but I'm sure someone around my house'll eat it and not know the difference." She grinned. "Eggs?" Didn't she remember something about Sidney liking raw eggs? Eh, those wouldn't hurt. "Yeah, those he'd probably eat."

Toby's ears drooped, and he sighed. Well, at least some was better than none, right? Maybe there'd be more food coming...even better food?

Iden's talk was getting more vague and confusing as she continued. Something other than pain? What exactly was that supposed to mean? A swoon or something perhaps. Or perhaps not, considering the way Iden snickered at the comment. "Ah so it's not exactly painless?" D winced. "Well.... That's a shame. Maybe he doesn't have that skill. Some uh.. lines of vampires have different skills and powers. I certainly wouldn't be too willing if it meant feeling those ivory blades slicing into me." She gave another wince and shock it off with a sheepish smile. "At least you're made of tougher stuff than I am." She gave her a grin and ran a hand through her hair. Perhaps she was prodding a bit too much into the subject.

Looking down at Sid mentioning eggs, D gave him a nod. "Yeah, think of the things you like. He probably won't get sick on those. But I doubt they have raw chicken or eggs here. You'll have to invite him round and you two can have something to eat at home."

"If he hassn't had it before, how do you know he will?" Sidney asks, sounded puzzled. "Or do all dogs get ssick from it? I know raw meat makess people ssick. But yeah!! Can Toby come round ssome time? Oh oh! The invitess! Don't forget to give him one!" As Sidney remembered the party invites he got more excited and turned around to motion to Toby. "Yeah, we can have raw eggss at the party!"

Remembering the pieces of paper in her pocket when Sidney reminded her, D pulls them out and hands one to Iden. "Oh yeah, here. I'm organising a sort of belated birthday party for Sid. I feel bad for missing it on the actual day, I was away you see. But better late than never. And Sidney's happy enough that he's getting some friends coming over. It'll be at night. A camp-out style of thing. Is that ok?.... oh!" Remembering Iden's new aversion to sunlight, D gave her an embarrassed look. "I suppose a night-time party would be best in your book." sweatdrop

"For all I know he does, and just..doesn't use it. I wouldn't be all that surprised, anyway. It would be pretty in line with...his way of things, I suppose is a way to put it. At any rate, I don't mind..maybe it's not so much being tough as just getting used to it." And in Iden's case..maybe getting to like it. She shrugged, pulling at her armwarmers. Then she looked up and looked at D questioningly, realizing something. "You seem to know at least a fair bit about vampires."

"Well, now and then there are dogs who don't get sick from it, but most do, and the only way to really find out is if they get hold of some. But he didn't have much, so if he does react to it, it probably won't be anything much more than a tummyache.

Head tilted curiously, she took the bit of her paper handed to her, then grinned. "A birthday party, huh? Camp-out sounds like something Toby might like, being a dog and all." The she chuckled, more amused by D's rememberance than anything. Iden usually did her best to keep a sense of humor about her situation. "Heheh, that does make it a bit easier." Though she could have had Toby's pard 'older sister' take him if it were during the day, that might have come off a little strange.

Toby really didn't know quite what was being discussed, though he did catch his name and something to do with eating, and that was always at the top of his list. And with Sidney excited on top of it, Toby perked right up again, his tail getting back to wagging. But come to think of eating..what was that D had just given to Iden? Something tasty, maybe? He stared up at the invitation in Iden's hands, avidly curious.

"His way of things? Into a bit of pain huh? I'll refrain from any domination jokes, don't worry." D gave a little laugh. "And you're used to it? Well that's something. Some people don't mind getting used to injections. Diabetics and that. Just me with my phobia that makes me cringe about the idea of no, well, painkillers."

She gave a little laugh and looked down at the cushion. "Oh yeah well, I talked to Naraka about it and he gave me uh, a demonstration. Well, that was becase of a bit of a misunderstanding on my part. I mean, I just assumed it to be more of an attack and he got rather offended and offered to show me."

"Yeah a camp-out! With all sortsss of thingss. We'll have a campfire and play sspotlight and all that sstuff." Sidney slithered over to Toby, who seemed keen and was looking at the invite from his spot on the floor. "Do you know how to play sspotlight? I can sshow you. It'ss just like hide and sseek but at night and with torchesss."

That worked just fine to get Iden giggling again, no domination jokes required. For someone who could turn just about anything into something..muckier than intended, she wound up saying a lot of things that were perfect for someone else to do just that with and not realizing it. Not that those interpretations were wrong, though. She got over her little fit of giggles fairly quickly, but the grin stayed.

"Oh, I see! A generous offer," she remarked teasingly, chuckling. She was actually a bit close to making some sort of comment in line with the..occasional dips they were taking in conversation, but didn't want to push things too far and risk really bothering D.

With no offer of sampling the invitation forthcoming, Toby turned his attention back to Sidney when spoken to. He just wagged his tail, terribly pleased with his new friend, who was apparently as keen to play as he was. Hide and seek he knew, after a fashion...he played it with Tori. But the other velvet would probably be harder to find..the pard he regarded as his sister was rather large and brightly-colored, whereas Sid was small and camouflaged.

Iden's laughing got a big grin out of D. Seemed she didn't mind D joking the topic. Certainly didn't seem shocked or offended in any case. Of course it didn't give D any indication that Iden liked getten bitten or that she might be onto something there...

"Generous? Oh yes, so he told me. It's kinda embarrassing actually. He's told some other vampire friend of his that I'm quite nice. And now he wants a sample too!" She smiled and shook her head, clutching the cushion more. "I don't know about that! I rather trust Nar, but I don't know much about this guy. Anyway, it's not something I make a habit of. Getting bitten I mean. I suppose if a vampire lived with you, it would be more common." She looked over at the new vampire near her.

Sidney took his tail-wagging as a sign that yes, he wanted to play hide and seek and have Sid explain it to him. "Ok." He said. "Well what you do iss have everyone hide exsscept for one person. They have to find everyone elsse and then the firsst person they find isss the one who hass to sseek next time. I'll sshow you. Go hide and I'll count to ten before coming to find you."

"Oh! That would be kind of..strange. Awkward." She chuckled, bemused. "Drac's one thing," comfortable, Iden slipped with her nickname for Vlad and continued without really realizing it, "But I think I'd be pretty leery of someone I didn't know, even if they were a friend of his." Maybe especially if they were. "I'm probably safe there, though."

Toby listened attentively, taking a few moments to let the instructions settle in before setting off across the shop floor, looking around for a good hiding place.

"Awkward, yes that's a good description. But anyway, I don't have to worry about that. He lives overseas somewhere." D explained and then pondered out loud on Iden's friend's name. "Drac huh? Like after the character?" She didn't know he was actually real. "Although you never said what his name is. Is it Drac? I bet he gets annoyed when people compare him." She chuckled, imagining the sorts of things this guy might have to put up with. Jokes about girls in nightgowns and open bedroom balconies, oh boy! "Hmmm safe? His friends aren't close by either?"

Sidney was careful not to watch the direction in which Toby ran. Instead he slithered over to the couch and leant his head against it, hands over his eyes. "One... two..." He began to count. It was the least he could do anyway, since snakes were quite good with scents. Although, unknown to Sid, dogs were as well.

"Drac's just what I call him, because..well, I did it to aggravate him, but it stuck and he's gotten used to it. His name's Vlad, really." She ducked her head, trying to decide whether or not to tell D that she was closer than she thought. Iden had rather learned her lesson about saying..it just wasn't the sort of thing people were inclined to believe. For the moment, she let it rest. "As far as I know, he's really only got one friend, and he's..not a vampire."

Toby listened distantly to Sidney's counting while he searched for a place to hide. At last, he settled on one of the toyboxes and jumped up, heaving himself over the edge and in. Once there, he buried himself amongst the stuffed animals to wait.

D chuckled when Iden admitted she had given the name Drac to this guy to annoy him. Ah well, he was apparently used to it now. "Oh I see!" She grinned. "Vlad? Yeah, that's a good vampire name.... although saying that, any name would be. I mean, th- you're still people." She didn't seem too phased by the fact Vlad's only friend wasn't a vampire. She simply assumed they were human then, like Iden had been. And that was common enough she felt. Naraka only had one vampire friend that she knew of, the rest were or had been human. "Well I guess with only one friend who's human, you don't have to worry about them trying to get a sample of your blood." She gave her a wink.

".... nine... ten!!" Sidney stopped and looked up and all around. No sign of the dog could be seen.... but it could be smelt. Hmmm... yes, his unique velvety scent still hung in the air. It was just a matter of finding where it was coming from the strongest. Slithering along, he began to move past the shelves of plushes. Plenty of good hiding spots there but his flickering tongue couldn't find any evidence of Toby.

"Well, some people are better-suited to their names than others." Though her Vlad might well be part of the reason that name had become such a good 'vampire name' to begin with. The thought made Iden chuckle. "Oh..his friend might not be after blood...but well, he's not human either, never has been. He's fey, actually. And out for tastes of..other things." She wrinkled her nose distastefully. She was far from fond of Vlad's friend.

Toby was careful to make sure his tail was in with the rest of him, since that waving up out of the toybox would be a fanatastic giveaway of where he was hiding. With all of himself safely tucked away, all there was left to do was wait.

D nodded in agreement, bringing up her legs to curl them under her and just generally making herself comfortable. Names were... interesting things. Of course she always got the impression people grew into their names. Most of her friends she couldn't imagine the same if they suddenly decided to change their name. But then again there were alot of unsuitable names, things that sounded like part of a joke. Poor people. She smiled and looked down.

But as Iden went on to mention Vlad's friend she looked up and paid more attention. "A fey?" She looked confused. "You mean like a fairy or something?" She could guess what Iden was referring to by 'other tastes' though. Especially with that look of disgust on her face. D's eyes widened a bit and gave Iden a sympathetic look. "Oh! Right.... And I suppose he can't take a hint that you're not going to umm... Well, that you're not interested?"

Sidney continued to slither along silently. Hmm... no not in the plushes on the shelves... elsewhere... He ducked right down on his belly and peered under the couches and desk. No sign of any paws there either so he had to be somewhere higher? Or in or behind something....

Keeping low so that he slithered along more like a real snake, with his hands moving to pull and grip at the floor as he moved, Sidney got into his real hunting mode. Mmm.... yes the scent was getting stronger.... he approached the box and could tell it was strongest here. Ah hah! But just for fun, he decided to give out a low hiss, just so his prey knew he was there, ready to spring!

"Yeah, like a fairy, but nothing sparkly or pleasant or nice. He looks as much goat as person, really." Iden sighed. Puck really needed to lay off..not like that would ever happen. "I think he can take the hint, he just..doesn't. And he likes to aggravate people to begin with, anyway."

Toby, hearing that hiss and knowing he was found, opted to turn the tables on his friend. Crouching down amongst the toys, he suddenly leapt out of the box, meaning to pounce on Sidney.

"Oh..." D replied a bit more slowly. "Goat huh? Like a satyr or something? Well!! I guess I understand now about our last conversation. How you were quite used to the more exotic customers, it makes alot more sense now. Ah well, he sounds like a bit of a jerk, if you don't mind me saying. Worse than not being able to see it when you're giving him a hint is to ignore it completely. Why would he think aggravating people is going to get him anywhere?" D tsked and shook her head.

Sidney had all been set to coil up and make a lunge over the top of the box. But to suddenly find himself face to face with a pouncing dog was not what he was expecting! As such, his roll out of the way didn't happen fast enough and the dog landed on top of him. Instinctively Sid wrapped his tail around one of Toby's back paws and attempted to coil the rest of himself around him, but only in a playful way of course.

"Mm, a little close to a satyr in looks, I guess. There's a little..well, a lot more..goat to him than that. He's a phooka, specifically." She scratched her head, then nodded. "Yeah, I've gotten kinda used to..more 'exotic' people, as you put it. Even if I seem to run into the nasty ones mostly. I think he's the worst p***k I've ever met, honestly." Iden frowned. "He just..likes to aggravate people, and especially scare them. Not because he thinks it'll get him anywhere, it's just fun to him."

Feeling something wrap around one of his hind paws, Toby suddenly stopped, bewildered, making it easy for Sid to coil around him. The dog was totally confused though, peering back at his paw and wondering what that could possibly be around it.

A phooka, or what that was, didn't help much with D's mental picture of this guy. She had no clue what one of those was. But she simply nodded. A satyr with more goat in him. Well, she sorta had a picture. She also just assumed that she meant this phooka when she said she ran into the nastier sort of people, considering she had just called him a p***k.

"Ah." D said, watching Iden's face and mimicing her look of annoyance. "Does sound like creep. And an annoying one at that. Can't you tell Vlad? Seeing as he's his friend and all? Have words with him or something. Or are you two staying at your place? I just figured since you said he was living with you and not the other way around. Then you can just lock him out until he learns some manners."

Taking the open opportunity as Toby paused in confusion, Sidney did get his strong body muscles up and around the dog. But both velvets were about the same size and so Sidney couldn't get completely wrapped around like he might do to a mouse or small bird. Instead he only managed to get looped around once, with his tail still around one paw and his head and shoulders up on the dog's back. "Ah ha!" He cried, thinking he'd conqured his playmate and giving him a mild squeeze. "Thought you could catch this great adventurer?"

Iden shook her head. "Vlad knows, but isn't particularly concerned by it. As long as he's not stupid enough to do me any real harm and just keeps to his tricks, I doubt he'd do anything about it. As for..locking him out, I only have to deal with him when I go to a particular shop. So I just..don't go terribly often."

Toby uttered a low, bewildered 'wroo,' trying to crane his head around to look at Sidney. He wasn't getting this at all. Feeling a bit..constrained, he gave himself a vigorous shake.

D shook her head. "Sticks with his friend huh? Well I guess you could give him a good slap, now you've well, got some more punch to it. Or yeah, just avoid that shop when you can." She wasn't quite sure what to say, let alone advise. No one had ever given her such trouble. But yes, Iden was better equiped now to deal with it. Maybe that's what Vlad had in mind when he turned her?

The snake gave a chuckling hiss at the dog's confused noise and continued to hold on. And it was a good thing too, because Toby decided it was time to try and shake him off. His hands came in useful for holding onto the fur on Toby's back, although it wasn't very long, but his natural reaction was to try and hold on with his coils, making it slightly tighter for the dog.

"Hold on Toby!" He cried, not wanting to hurt him but not wanting to get thrown off either. "Sstand sstill and I can get off."

"Takes a bit more than a slap to phase him." She curled her lip, the motion baring fangs. But then she shook her head with a short laugh. "Well, you've probably heard quite a bit more than you wanted about the..men in my life."

Toby laid his ears back, still rather confused, but did as Sidney said and stood still, even though the tighter coil was a bit off-putting.

D paused, deciding perhaps not to make any more comments. Judging from that fang-baring sneer, it just got Iden more and more annoyed. Presumably with these two guys in her life, as she put it. But D didn't want to risk annoying her and getting her upset with herself. "Ah, yeah plenty." She gave a small smile at Iden little snort of laughter. "But it was alright. Gave me a good idea of what you have to put up with." She gave Iden a little nod. "Guess I'm very lucky in that area."

As Toby relaxed and stood quite, Sidney loosened his grip and slide off, untangling his tail from the dog's leg last. "There you go. You alright? Didn't mean to ssqueeze you too hard but you were going to ssend me flying with all that ssshaking!"

Iden wasn't annoyed with D by any means, but more or less in general at the situation she was in sometimes. Though it could be easy to confuse the two. She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that..I talk much too much, when someone manages to get me going." Then, though she was probably pushing it, but couldn't resist, she slipped in with an impish gleam in her eye, "Lucky in general in what you have to put up with, or in the men you have to put up with?"

Toby gave his tail a faint wave before shaking again to get rid of that weird squeezed feeling. But that bit of chocolate was starting to set in, and with the pouncing and the squeezing and the shaking...he was beginning to feel a bit ill.

"No it's alright. I was curious, I must admit, about how you.." She waved a hand to indicate Iden's new appearance. "I'm glad you told me." D perked up when she saw the other girl's smile and gleaming eyes. Obviously she wasn't too offended or anything by D's proding.
"Oh, well both I suppose." D answered. "I mean, I certainly don't have any one giving me trouble like that. No one I really have to avoid. So that's lucky. And I am pleased with the main guy I have to put up with, besides Sidney here of course." D grinned, sheepish. Even though Iden was now a blood-sucking, strong as steel creature of the night.... it felt as if they were just young girls gossiping away at school.

Sidney slithered around to look at the dog's face once he had reached the floor. He tilted his head at him though, Toby looked a bit funny and that wave of his tail seemed alot less enthused as it did previously. "Hey? Toby?" He queried, looking a bit concerned. He had coiled around him tight enough to hold on, but not nearly enough to completely wind or hurt him, or at least Sidney assumed. Now he wasn't so sure.
"Ummm.... do you want to ssit down? Or ssee Iden. You don't look ssoo good."

"Ooh, really?" Iden giggled, feeling just the way D did about their talking away. Maybe she was eager for it, even. She didn't really get much 'girl talk.'

Iden..yes, he wanted to go see Iden. Maybe she could fix it. So Toby gave Sid a further, brief wave of his tail then started to make his way over to women on the couch. Ooh, he didn't feel so good. He whimpered, looking really rather pitiful.

Iden heard the dog's whimpering and looked over to see what might be the matter. She clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, scooping him gently up once he'd gotten close enough. "I think the chocolate's finally getting to him."

"Yes really." D laughed out loud. "No fey or goat people or sleezeballs who don't understand the word 'no'. It's mostly just me and Sidney. Oh and there's my housemate, Elissa... and this other guy." She doesn't openingly expand on that part though, seeing as it was someone Iden knew.

Fortunatly for now, Toby provided a good distraction, even if it was at the poor dog's expense. "Oh Toby? You poor thing!" She looks at the dog. His pitiful puppy eyes doing their magic on her perfectly. "You need a hot water bottle or something to ease that poor tummy of your's."

Sidney followed, climbing up the side of the couch as Iden picked up her velvet. "Iss he going to be alright?" Sidney hadn't really believed the thing about the chocolate. The dog have gobbled up what he could and had seemed fine afterwards. And if the dog hadn't known himself then Sid could hardly be blamed either.

Iden left off, opting not to prod, since it seemed D didn't care to elaborate. She wasn't bothered by it, although it did make her rather more curious than before. But anyway, there were other things to worry about at the moment.

She stroked Toby's side gently, smiling comfortingly as the little dog. "He should be alright," she informed Sidney, "He'll just have a bit of a rough night. I should probably get him home, though."

Toby lay listlessly on Iden's lap, eyes half-closed. Ooh, his stomach hurt so bad. This was so not worth that chocolate stuff.

D did wonder if Iden might have asked more if Toby wasn't feeling so well, or if she was being polite. She wouldn't have blamed her, after all the questions and discussing D did about Vlad and the phooka. But she didn't say anymore on the subject, instead turning her attention to the sickly-looking dog.
"Yeah, an early night and a wam bed would be a good idea for him. What would you give a dog for an upset stomach? Grass? Oh no, that's cats..." While D did like dogs, her experience in caring specifically for them was rather limited.

Sidney crawled up to Iden's side and looked at Toby's quietened form. Certainly not the bouncing enthusiastic dog he had been when he first arrived. "Ssorry Toby." He told him. "Neither of uss knew... You get better ssoon ok? Got to get better in time to come to our housse. I don't want you to misss out."

"Grass goes for dogs, too." Iden nodded absently, then slid the invite D had given her earlier into her boot. "He should be fine by then, Sidney. I'm sure he'll be able to make it."

Toby gave his tail a couple slow wags, and put on a faint doggie-grin for Sid. Iden would make it alright and he'd get better, oh yes.

Iden smiled and stood, Toby cradled carefully in her arms. "Well, better get home then. It's been nice talking to you, D." With a nod, she headed out the door and started home.

Getting the 'ok' signal from the little gryphon, D went about gently scratching at it's head and neck, enjoying the feeling of the soft feathers and fur. "What was his name again? Sefer? He's very cute."

"Oh and yes, I don't know what I would have said to the plumber. I don't think they'd be thrilled with the thought of retrieving a snake!" D chuckled. "Mmm... and maybe it is. I've met some pets and people that enjoy causing trouble. Making others worried and that is the best bit for them. But with Sid I think it's more that he's so sure he can take care of himself. He doesn't expect me or others to worry about him because he's such a 'Great Explorer'." D grinned over at Iden, completely missing the two sneaking velvets go past. "How about Toby? How are you coping with him?"

Sidney followed him, pausing to check D and Iden weren't looking when it appeared this was going to be a secret adventure. At least, that's what he gathered from Toby's quiet creeping. Sidney did the same, keeping low on his belly he slid along close to the wall. Oooo.... secret adventures were the best!!

"Mm-hm, Sefer. It's the name for an Egyptian, umm..variety of gryphon, pretty much." Iden smiled fondly at the little nyokii, who had started to purr and lean into D's scratching. "I've had him for a long time. He's a very good friend."

"Heheh, I seem to wind up with the ones who like to make trouble mostly. Well, Toby doesn't, at least. He's very considerate, actually. I think he might worry about me even more than I worry about him. He's rather sweet, and I think he fancies himself as a sort of protector." She chuckled, shaking her head. Iden didn't notice the adventuring pair, either. "He doesn't always get on so well with Vlad, though, and I think that might have something to do with it somehow."

Once they were in the hallway and out of the girls' line of sight, Toby relaxed, though he still made sure to move quietly. Now confident that they wouldn't be stopped, he turned to Sid and wagged his tail before nudging the basement door open just a bit further, enough that they could squeeze through.

"Egyptian huh? I like it." D nodded, glancing back at Sefer when he began to purr. She didn't know they could do that but it delighted her all the same. "Heehee, you like that huh?"

"Oh dear, poor Iden with a pack of trouble-makers. That doesn't sound good. At least Toby's not trouble. A protector huh? That is very sweet. I bet he just likes you so much. The other day, when he wasn't well, I noticed he came straight up to you for comfort." D smiled. "But he doesn't like Vlad you say? Hmm... could it be jealousy? Or just that he feels you need protecting from him?" D knew her own housemate could be overprotective when it came to D's male friends, so she assumed it was similar with Toby.

Sidney kept up his silence until they were out of sight of the humans. When they reached the basement door he sat up on his tail and flickered his tongue curiously. "Down there huh?" He asked Toby when the dog pushed the door open more and slipped through. Sidney wasn't the least bit afraid of the dark but he was still curious as to what they might find down there. D's cellar only had bottles in it and wasn't particularly interesting. But maybe Toby's was better. "Alright, let'ss go check out thiss cave...."

Sefer clacked his beak, well-pleased, and settled himself on the arm of the sofa. Might as well get comfortable.

"I hope I haven't made him too dependent or anything. I did hold and fuss on him a lot when he was a plush; do you think things that happened then have something to do with the way they turn out?" Iden asked curiously. She'd been wondering that for awhile. "I think he feels he needs to protect me from him. I don't know if it would occur to Toby to be jealous."

The basement wasn't quite pitch black; what with the light coming in through the partly-open door, the stairs were at least lit just enough that they wouldn't wind up falling down them. Casting one more glance back at Sid, Toby started to hop his way slowly down the steps. They were carpeted, fortunately, so he didn't have to worry about his claws clicking and maybe giving them away.

Making herself comfortable, D absently petted and scratched at Sefer while looking over at Iden. "Weelll... maybe he's just not keen on him. Or doesn't like that fact he... turned you." She said cautiously. Who knew why Toby might not like someone. He seemed so happy every time D saw him. But perhaps if he were really over protective he might not like the fact Iden'd been changed.

"As for when they're plushies... well, I think they might. I mean, I read Harry Potter to him as a plush and now he loves his slytherin scarf. And the night before he came alive we were watching a bit of Indiana Jones... and well, you can see the sort of adventurer he's turned out like. But cuddling and fussing I wouldn't worry about. I mean, he doesn't seem too dependant, just enjoys company. I wouldn't worry." D smiled at her.

Slipping down each step after the minature canine, Sidney's reptilian eyes looked around. He couldn't see much yet, not until he got used to the dim after the light from the hall. "What do you think'ss down here Toby?" He asked, wondering if perhaps he should have brought his little whip along with him.

Sefer let out a contented sigh and closed his eyes, tuning out the noise of the women's voices as Iden made her reply. "I'm not sure. Maybe it's some sort of animal sense, I don't know..but most of the animals don't seem to mind him. Do you think maybe that's it, that he turned me? It did happen before he came alive."

She tilted her head, thinking. "Maybe that's got something to do with why he's protective..things from when he was a plush, I mean. I play an awful lot of games and watch a lot of movies that have heroes in them." Iden laughed. "Maybe he thinks I need saving."

Toby continued on until they reached the bottom of the stairs, growing steadily more excited. He really would have liked to tell Sid what was down here, but the only way he had of doing that was showing him. But ooh, there was such wonderful stuff! Clothes on the floor just waiting to be slept on or carried off, and shoes to be chewed. And there were shinies that Iden wore, including some he'd learned weren't good for chewing, since they were spiky and a bit sharp, and hurt the roof of his mouth. And ohh, such nice fluffy pillows that were just excellent for tearing the stuffing and feathers out of. There were all sorts of assorted, mysterious things around, too.

The dim basement was rather large, not carpeted but with rugs (mm, such lovely fringe on those!) here and there on the otherwise concrete floor. It was quite cluttered, too, from the clothes on the floor that Toby was quite fond of, to the unpacked cardboard boxes still left from when they'd moved. There was furniture, a big dark dresser with an oval mirror over it aainst one wall, and a bed over in one of the far corners. It was hard to make out much of anything over there, though.

"Did it? Well if events and actions do affect them while they're still plusies, then that could well be the case. I personally believe they do. There's too many similarities between how Sid is now and what he likes to what I showed him when he still just made of fluff. I'd say then that it'd be the same with Toby too."

D grinned. "Well, nothing wrong with heros. And wanting to save you has to be better than wanting to cause trouble for you. No no, I think he'll be fine."

Slowly but surely Sid's eyes grew used to the darkness down here and he gazed about from his perch on the second last step. Woah! This room was brimming with stuff! He glanced at Toby as he ran down the steps, his tail wagging enthusiastically. Yep, definatly a treasure trove!

"Thisss iss great!" He exclaimed as he slithered down the last couple of steps to the floor. "Look at all thiss sstuff. A bed and mirror? What do you think it iss? Ssomething's lair? Or a tomb perhapss?" He moved over and examined the rugs. "Flying oness no doubt. They'd be good for an esscape if the tomb'ss keeper comes back.... but let'ss have a look around while they're gone eh?" Sidney grinned and poked around the clothes scattered about on the floor.

"I'm glad to know I wasn't reading too much into things, thinking like that. I know he's still an animal yet, not a kid like Sidney, but there are still things about him that have made me wonder if what happened while he was a plush affected him somehow." Iden nodded, smiling and satisfied. It made a certain amount of sense, then, that Toby didn't trust Vlad, at the very least not around her.

Toby looked proud and grinned another of his doggy grins, holding his wagging tail high. He followed Sid as he examined and poked around, before sticking his head in one pile of clothes, only to end up blinking comically at Sidney through the red lacings of one of Iden's corsets. Rugs could fly? o.o Did Sidney know how to make them do that?

Though he wasn't capable of telling his friend, Iden usually slept down here, and Vlad too. He whuffed grumpily to himself at that thought, though the sound might easily be mistaken as pertaining to the fact that he was half-inside his caretaker's corset.

But, little did either of them realize, the dim basement lair was actually presently occuppied by one of its usual tenants, laying back amongst the bed's many pillows. Vlad listenened to the hissing, unfamiliar voice, waiting until the speaker had finished before stirring, moving in one fluid movement to the edge of the bed, from which he looked down at the intruders with red eyes and a fanged grin. His face was framed by a curtain of dark hair, damp from the shower he'd taken just earlier.

What a strange pair they made, miniature dog and talking snake. A talking snake with arms. What had Toby dragged in? "And if the tomb's keeper has not yet left? What then, little serpent?" the vampire inquired calmly, although there was a menacing quality to him, not something intentionally assumed but simply there.

"Hey, it's a curious thing these velvets!" D laughed. "I'd be fairly concerned too about what might have effected him while a plush, if I knew from the start what was going to happen. I found out shortly after, when I met another velvet already grown.... but at the beginning I don't know if I really believed the stuffed toy I'd bought was going to come alive, let alone turn into something so child-like. And that's a whole new kettle of fish!" D winked at the other woman. "Things do get a bit easier. They can talk and you can finally understand them better... but I've never had much experience with children. Alot more work than a pet. Fortunatly Sidney's pretty self-sufficient and still doesn't eat much. Plus a friend of mine is helping tutor him."

Sidney, not one for clothes himself as scales and a scarf did him nicely, wasn't aware what it was Toby had gotten himself tangled up in. But the little dog seemed a bit stuck and Sidney grinned and came over to help him. "Ah... trapss. Got to watch out for them. Don't worry, I'll get you out of it."

It was while he helped lift bits of lace of Toby's ears and off his paws that he heard Vlad speak. His head snapped round, not in fright but mostly in surprise. He hadn't noticed anyone here! Had they just arrived or had they been hidden? Sid did recognise the pointed fangs but after having met Iden and Naraka already that didn't really concern him.

"Oh!" He hissed, quickly carrying on with his little fantasy game. This new person had described himself as the tomb's keeper after all. "Well, it dependss on the kind of keeper.... Umm, sometimess you can ssneak around them, or loose them in a mazzze. Oh and if they have eyess that turn you to sstone then you need a mirror. Reflect the sspell back on them you ssee?" He explained, recalling some of the adventure stories he'd been read or told about.

"I met Nayati right off, so I guess I was lucky there. I had some idea what would happen, at least." Iden smiled, remembering that night and the little unicorn fondly. "It's going to be strange when he grows up. I've never really been around children much, myself. I hope I manage alright. Something tells me Toby won't be a light eater, though." She chuckled. "Even now he'll try to eat most things at least once."

Toby licked Sid's hand gratefully as he was being 'freed,' but tensed all over when Vlad made himself known. He set his ears forward, glaring at him and showing a bit of tooth himself, his hackles raised. It was partly surprise that prompted the reaction, but defensiveness too, since he had no idea how the vampire might be inclined to treat is friend. So he stood his ground and glared warningly, deciding it best to make himself clear now in the best way he could. Vlad had better not try anything, not with Toby around! >3

Vlad heard Sidney out with an amused smile. So, a little snake-child with a head for stories, it would seem. He cast a glance at Toby, raising an eyebrow. Iden had gone on quite a bit about 'velvets,' which she said the dog was...and which, he assumed, his reptilian friend was as well. Toby would become a dog-child, he supposed...but with a head for what? A good question, indeed.

"Ah, but here there is only one way in and out, and no maze," he pointed out, "And I am afraid mirrors do not reflect my powers. Could it be that you are without escape, raider of tombs?"

If I can manage I'm sure you can." D smiled. She had to laugh though when Iden said Toby liked to eat everything. "That's the dog in him is it? Well, at least you'll be able to tell him what's for eating and what's not. Maybe he'll grow out of it though? You never know."

Toby's reaction was a curious one and Sidney looked at him. Either he was playing along and 'defending' them from this person, or he really didn't like the man at all. Sidney admitted he was rather spooky, but then, Sidney never let spooky things stand in his way.

Keeping his ground next to Toby, and wishing he had bought his whip with him, Sidney pulled himself up a bit on his coils. "Careful Toby... perhapss he meanss to trick uss with riddless." He said quietly to his friend. But he also mentioned it because he didn't know what this person was up to. Tomb protectors usually liked to attack adventures caught in their lairs. They had to be ready for it....

"Only one way out huh?" He replied to Vlad, casting a quick glance around the room. All they would need was a pipe or vent, something they'd fit into but not this person. "There'sss alwayss a few ways pluss the door's sstill open... And everything'ss got some weaknesss. Like... like that one dragon who fell assleep if you rubbed it's belly. Then again, why do we need to escape? We haven't umm, raided anything yet?"

"I hope so," Iden said fervently, then chuckled. "Yeah, definitely the dog in him there. I don't know that he'll outgrow his stomach, but hopefully he will have the sense to listen if I tell him not to eat something. Otherwise he's in for a lifetime of stomachaches."

Toby sidled closer to Sid, still visibly wary. Vlad hadn't offered either of them harm, but he wasn't about to let down his guard. He was worried about more than just tricks with Vlad.

"The door's still open, yes, but what if I'm faster than you?" the vampire continued to push, interested to see what other strategies the child could come up with. "True, you've yet to raid this tomb. But you are trespassing; or didn't you know you aren't supposed to be down here?" Vlad chuckled. He didn't care that they were down here at the moment, not really. He was more amused than anything.

"A lifetime of stomach aches? Oh ho! That would be awful! I think one of his first lessons will be on what's edible and what's not." D chuckled. "But I'm sure he'll soon realise it's not fun eating some things." Enjoying her little chat with Iden, she wasn't too worried about Sid. Even though she just assumed he was still in the front garden with the pooka, she figured he was safe enough at a friend's house. Toby had survived so far in any case!

Sidney shifted his coils under him as he pondered the situation. Glancing quickly at Toby he wondered if they could make it back out the door fast enough. Toby might but even though Sidney was pretty fast for a snake, the velvet's size didn't help against something as big as a person. He did have pretty sharp teeth, not that he was into biting people normally, but if he had too... And then there was his hypnotism. That worked best on mice and birds. He tried it on Dee once but she had to be sitting quietly for it to work.

However Vlad was laying still and was just talking quietly, it might work. No harm in trying. "Well... it's not really tress-tresspasssing if you're an explorer. How elsse do placess get disscovered?" Sidney replied slowly, working up his power. "And why? Are we not supposed to be down here? ......Hiding sssomething are you? Treassure?" He grinned, beginning to wind his tail and lower half slowly, shifting his stripes so that they tricked the eye and looked like they were moving by themselves over his scales.

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll learn eventually. If nothing else, just by trial and error." Iden laughed, shaking her head fondly. She wasn't at all worried about what Toby and Sid might be up to, either. What was around here that they could get in trouble with, after all?

Toby returned Sid's glance, though he didn't know just what Sid was glancing at him for. At this point, the dog wasn't terribly sure what to do. He might be small and fast, but not as fast as Vlad, especially not on stairs. And with Sidney having to slither up them..the pair wouldn't make it to the door before the vampire. If he tried to pull something, their best hope would really be to just make a lot of noise and hope someone would notice.

Vlad laughed. "I wasn't aware that explorers were interested in 'discovering' other people's basements. Whatever happened to exotic, faraway places? Have you ever been somewhere like that?" Continuing to simply stare at Sidney, since he was talking to him after all, he was silent for a long pause, suddenly finding that he was content just to keep staring...and then realizing, from prior experience, what was happening, he tore his eyes away and looked at Toby instead. This snake-child was..very interesting, indeed. "Perhaps you are not allowed down here, not for the sake of keeping something safe, but for your own good."

"Trial and error..." D wondered aloud with a smile before giving an amused sigh. "I'm afraid that might be the case anyway. It's all very well warning them against things. But sometimes they don't listen, or don't believe you until they try it themselves."

Sidney didn't say anything at first, just continuing his little spell. It seemed to be.... yes.... Ahh!! Drat! Vlad turned away, looking a bit like he realised what was happening. Or hopefully he just found the experience uncomfortable and instinctively turned away before it was complete. In either case Sid decided it was best not to mention it.

"Well, you have to usse your imagination. Ssso it's not really a bassement... it could be ssome ancient temple or ssomething. Haven't you ever played that before?" He replied. "And I have been to the beach. That's kinda exssotic. Well, if there's cavess and pirates. But do you mean real templess? Nah, there'ss none around here.... And what do you mean 'for our own good'? You think it's dangerouss here? Ussually dangerousss places have traps or warnings or ssomething."

"The same sorts of things our parents lamented over, probably." Iden laughed, shaking her head. "I know I wasn't exactly one for listening, a lot of the time."

Toby shifted his weight from one front paw to the other, unfailingly on guard despite his fidgeting. Still, Vlad seemed in a good kind of mood. Maybe it would be alright.

"It's been...a very long time since I 'played that.'" Not since he'd raised his own children...but that was something better left not thought upon. "Haven't you ever wanted to see something you didn't have to imagine to see? A real place, with real treasure? A real adventure?" Vlad brushed a drying, wavy strand of hair back behind his ear. "It's not here that's dangerous. It's what lives down here that's dangerous. When I want to be." His expression was lit with a kind of strange good humor.

"Is that right?" D looked over at the turned-vampire with a curious grin on her face. "A little terror huh? What on earth did you get up to? Climbing on the roof? Playing out in the cold without a sweater?" She laughed, although she wouldn't have minded hearing about Iden's childhood. "I don't remember doing anything really bad myself as a child." It was hard to when you had to help out your mother alot and the home was a business.

Toby's shifting was getting Sidney a little suspicious. Normally Sid wouldn't really worry about it but he had to consider that the other velvet knew more about this house and it's occupants than he did. What was the dog so nervous about? Sure this guy was rather creepy... moreso than Nar or Iden. But so far he hadn't done anything to be alarmed about. Just talked and Sidney assumed he'd just been playing along with their game.

But his curiousity was sparked when Vlad asked about wanting to go someplace that would be a real adventure. No ruined temples made out of the couch cushions.... no overgrown headhunter-inhabited jungles that were really just the patch of garden around the back of the house... the real thing!?!
"A real adventure? Real treassshure? Are you sseriouss? Where? I haven't heard of any plascess near here. D'ss never ssaid anything about a plasce like that." He looked at Toby to see if he knew about such a place. Maybe that's why he'd brought them down here?
"And you, dangerouss? Well, everyone can be dangerouss if they want... and have the sskillss. Did you want to play along and be the sscary tombkeeper? I ssupposse you can if you want... You were doing ok before."

"Yeah, actually I did manage to get out on the barn roof a couple of times. And took dad's horse for a ride once and wound up with a broken arm." Iden laughed, then grinned a little slyly. "And plenty of things they never found about, once I was older."

Toby was clueless when he looked up at Sid. The little dog really had no idea what was going on. But nonetheless, he mustered a hearty, reassuring tailwag for his friend.

Vlad grinned, an idea having begun to take shape in his mind..and it wasn't a sinister one, surprisingly. Although Iden might have fits if she realized Toby and his friend were nowhere to be found. Well, that was just an added bonus. "It's not near here, exactly, but it isn't exactly far away, either. I'd suppose 'D' never said anything about it because they don't know about it. No one does. But I do, and I know how to get there."

"Perhaps...we can leave the 'scary tombkeeper' for another time."

"Going for a ride without permission? Well there you are then! Something we're probably likely to tell our young charges now, and if Toby does go off well you'll know what it's like." D chuckled. "Of course, I do hope neither would do anything that ended up with a broken arm or any other broken limbs. That must have been a painful lesson."

Taking Toby's wagging tail to mean he was happy enough with this trail of conversation, Sidney carried on. He couldn't let it go now in any case, not when Vlad said he knew how to get there.
"Ssomewhere ssecret? That'ss even better! Then the graverobberss wouldn't have gotten there firssst." Sidney beamed. It was confusing that the vampire said it wasn't near but it wasn't exactly far either. Maybe he meant something else? "So where is it? Let'ss go check it out! You want to ssee it too Toby? Come on, it'll be a real adventure!"

"At least they don't have any horses to run off with, eh? Not anywhere near their size, anyway." Iden nodded. "But I had plenty of fun up until then. It might even have been worth it."

Toby was..gradually..feeling better about this. If Vlad wanted to harm them, he would have by now...right? And Sidney seemed excited, so maybe this wouldn't be a bad thing, if it made his friend so happy. So he summoned another wag of his tail, signaling his readiness to tag along.

At Sidney's enthusiastic reaction, Vlad's grin widened, and he slid fluidly off the side of the bed to hunt for his boots in the dark. Once he'd found them, he leaned against the bedpost and set about pulling them on. "My old home," he explained, "My old Wallachia. Romania."

Ready now, he looked down, regarding Iden's strange little dog, and his even stranger friend. But then, Sidney wasn't so strange after all. Just a child, if in a very odd package. "Shall we?"

"Oh dear, can you imagine if they tried that with Nayati?" D laughed out loud. She hadn't met the shop owner's velvet very often but she knew who he was. "And riding is good fun, I enjoy it myself... although not on your conventional horse... Do you still ride?"

Sidney watched as the man slid up off the bed with as much 'slink' as a snake. It was kinda impressive and he wondered about him and who he was. Toby... well, didn't seem to like him all that much but he wasn't growling or cowering. In fact the dog looked happy about the situation now. Sid assumed it was because they were going to go on an adventure for real! Who wouldn't be excited about that?!

"Wallacheeeia Row-mania?" Sidney rolled the name around on his tongue. He'd never heard of it before but it did sound ancient and exoctic. He wrapped his scarf around his neck a little tighter to stop it falling off. "Yep! Ready! Aren't we Toby? Ssooo... which way iss it? You better lead. Be our guide." He turned as if to go back up the stairs, guessing (as any normal person would) that they had to go outside to start heading off to this new place.