Douaga: the search for Brother Dalton

[Drannin]

There were other vibrations that Argus was somewhat more concerned about. Auditory vibrations, to be specific. Rather angrily calling his name.

"FATHER!!!"

Argus winced. Uh-oh. Slowly, he turned his head to the side... and saw Fayna, storming towards him with a look of rage on her face, robes whipping about her like a storm, a clearly distressed Harker following in her wake.

Yep. She's angry.

[Graybeard]

Both of the priests from the temple turned their heads quickly toward the angry "FATHER!!!", worrying that it had something to do with the temple. It didn't take them long to deduce otherwise, and they turned back toward Sister Rose, whose reactions to the call were quite different. "Who is this?" Father Morton demanded.

Rose took a moment to try to compose herself and show a calm equanimity that she definitely did not feel. "Argus' daughter," she said. And my potential stepdaughter. "That's her company's airship docked up above. Presumably she's here on business."

And she's pissed. I wish I knew why... I think.

[Drannin]

Fayna's face was a storm, raging like her emotions. She stalked up to her father and leaned in close, their eyes inches apart. Argus remained silent, letting Fayna have her way.

After glaring at her father for a while, she glanced over him carefully, as if to confirm that he was well. After a brief nod to her self, Fayna resumed eye-contact.

The was a moment of silence.

Finally, Fayna gave up on maintaining composure and burst into tears.

[Graybeard]

Sister Rose, of course, watched this encounter in polite, sympathetic silence. There would be a time for her to say and do something. Now was clearly not that time.

Therese, on the other hand, was clearly baffled. She turned to Desiree and stepped back away from the group. "Any idea who this is?" she asked.

[OOC: Volleyed back to you, D; run with it.]

[Drannin]

"What the hell happened to you?!" Fayna sobbed. "You just vanished into a burst of energy! I didn't know what happened! Why didn't you even try to contact me?!"

Argus gently put his arms around his daughter, letting her emotions run their course. She deserved a full explanation.

[Graybeard]

OOC: Obviously what happens from here is going to depend in no small part on the nature of the dynamic between Fayna and Rose. I have been prowling the archives, and have yet to find any clear indication that they have actually met, although Argus said something about that once. Clearly they've observed each other from a distance and Argus has obviously told each quite a bit about the other. Argus probably knows what he's talking about there, but I just can't find it.

Can we reach a quick consensus on this, and then roll the interaction? In your hands for the moment, D. Meanwhile, if Desiree and Therese want to whisper furtively in the background, we can still do that, plus whatever mischief Audie and Anfisa get up to.

[Alberich]

[OOC: Anfisa absolutely hates the sight of Therese and Desiree together and it makes her want to scream. Therefore, she is staying here and getting a good view without making a sound. Audie, despite the freedom of this assignment, isn't running off by himself in this scary snaky country, 'least not right now he isn't. I think Khoo and Anne-Lida are on deck in the other thread.]

[Drannin]

Carefully, Argus lead Fayna away from the others, whispering to her gently. Harker looked at the rest of the group. "They're, uh, gonna need some time," he commented.

[Graybeard]

The two Veracian priests' eyes grew large at the sight of Harker, and one of them (Sister Rose couldn't be sure which) made the Sign of Luminosita, as though warding off an evil spirit. However, they'd been warned that one of the party members had an ... unusual ... companion. And more unusual sights than a bipedal, talking beaver were reputed to roam this continent. They fixed their eyes on the approaching walking tree and tried to pretend that Harker didn't exist.

Minister Musoke, for his part, took the familiar in stride; he'd also been liaison for Tsuirakuan trade delegations, and familiars were, well, familiar to him. The mushroom man, however, got a look of absolute astonishment on his face that rapidly gave way to a wide grin. He started to mumble something in his own language, and the translator gadget picked it up.

"He's so cute ... like a talking fdrych ... must pet him." He knelt and began to stroke the familiar's head, continuing to murmur what sounded like baby talk to Rose and her gadget.

Which didn't keep Rose from grimacing silently. Restraint, Harker, restraint ... please ...

[Alberich]

Audie, of all people, piped up at that sight. "Uh, hey, mister?" -- the mushroom priest looked uncomprehending. Audie made the best negative gestures he could. "Don't be doin' that, sir," he said (for during his time in Kiyoka he had learned of such things), "That be a familiar, not a pet. Nooo" -- he made gestures of negation with both hands -- "petting" -- he mimed petting, exaggeratedly -- "the famiiiliar" -- he flailed helplessly before pointing at Harker. "It be bad for your heath, sir, your fingers too. Can someone tell him?" He looked around at his companions.