There and Back Again

Rayman-Szklana Góra, Outside The Inn

Rayman could indeed feel the sunshine radiating from Okuu-which made it all the more alarming when Okuu broke out crying, the sunshine disappearing behind a veil of clouds and tears.

Well that wouldn't do!

"Hey, hey. Don't cry! " Rayman said soothingly. "Look at this!

And then Rayman would pull the goofiest face he could-grabbing the corners of his mouth, he'd stretch his mouth open wide and waggle his tongue back and forth◊. The end result was a face so ridiculous looking, that (Rayman hoped) it'd shock Okuu right out of her sadness and make her laugh.

Team A

Tights' 'comfort' didn't seem to do much to quell Okuu's crying, but the Rayman Special certainly did the trick, as the raven-maiden's hiccups turned to giggling and then full-blown laughter.

   "Ehehehe— Ahahahaha! Y-Your face! Y-Your f-face is— Hahahahaha!"    Practically wheezing for breath, she doubled over, and reached out to stabilize herself, coincidentally planting her hand on the limbless Guardian's head, whereupon she ruffled his small patch of hair lightly.

   "You're amazing, Rayman, you know that?!"    she declared, beaming down at him, the warm sunlight back in her countenance in full.    "Thanks, I think I really needed that! Oh! But you better get back to your mission, huh? In you go! Go talk to Marno-sama!"   

Saying that, she ushered him in through the inn door, then turned back toward Tights, considering the mysterious Dr. K.

   "Kay, Kay... Ka, Ka... Keh, Keh... Ki, Ki... Koh, Koh... Ku, Ku..."   

Edited by darksidevoid on Apr 29th 2024 at 4:53:20 AM

Rayman-Szklana Góra

Rayman beamed as his silly face did the trick, cheering Okuu right up and snapping her out of her depressive state. He couldn't help but let out a bright and cheerful laugh as Okuu ruffled his hair, happy with a job well done.

Interestingly, despite the ruffling, Rayman's hair would snap back into its neat, tidy fronds just as soon as Okuu lifted her hand away.

"Aye aye! Rayman cheered as Okuu then helped him into the tavern, giving her a salute.

Just as Rayman took a step further into the tavern though, he felt something....familiar. He could feel a dark, oily sort of magic in the air, and following it to its source, Rayman found just the blue-haired boy he was looking for, asleep at a table surrounded by other people.

Walking over without a trace of trepidation, ignoring any curious glances or stares leveled his way, Rayman would tap the blue-haired boy's shoulder. "Excuse me, sir. I'm real sorry to wake you up from your nap, but are you Marno?"

Thinking back on it, Rayman wasn't sure how the whole 'Marno was possessing this guy' thing worked. Did that mean Marno was in control here, or was the boy in control and Marno was simply hitching a ride? Either way, Okuu had made it seem that Marno was a good person, just heavily misunderstood, so Rayman hoped whatever arrangement made here was beneficial to both parties.

Szklana Góra, Outside The Inn

"Kuh...something, ugh, c'mon, I'm the smart one and she's the charming one, this is messing up our team dynamic...let's get inside, ask Chief's friends if they wanna go around town asking in the morning. It's getting late."

Tights leads the outside group into the inn...

Szklana Góra Inn

   "Uh, Sagi...Sagi?"   

"Sagi."

...where Sagi bolts upright in his chair upon hearing Milly call him.

"I'm up!"

He then looks at the limbless wonder addressing him.

"He asked if you're Marno."

"Well...not really...he's here, but-"

   "I'm Marno, his Guardian Spirit...wait."   

Marno pauses for a few seconds, processing what Rayman just asked.

   "...who even told you that name?"   

Tights walks in, observing the situation.

"We think we have a lead on Maester Stein, he had a pen pal in the area. All we've got to go on right now is, uh...a first initial. A 'Dr. K,' but maybe people around here might know something? Okuu, seriously, we're getting you penmanship classes..."

Rayman- Szklana Góra Inn

"Okuu told me!" Rayman said blithely, pointing to the group who had just entered moments after him.

Guess the boy-Sagi-was in control and Marno was a cool disembodied voice that hung out with him. Neat! (Even if the energy that belonged to Marno was strange. He supposed maybe Marno couldn't help it though, so he wasn't going to judge).

Oh, he should probably introduce himself, huh?

"My name's Rayman!" He said chipperly, extending a hand out in friendly greeting. "And I think you helped make me me!"

Leo, in the Palace

Creeping in through the palace window, Leo found himself in a spacious room with red velvet curtains and green leafy patterns over yellow walls. The place was a cluttered mess, with colourful balls, goofy puppets and other paraphernalia scattered about the floor. Over to the right, a figure stood facing a full-length mirror, dressed in a strange outfit of black and white◊, and a cap with bells on not unlike NiGHT's own head.

"Tis bad at master's court to lie, bad the truth t... No, too wordy, won't fit the meter. Hr-khm... Tis bad to lie, and worse truth to tell. Lion, intent on showing...all that...he was humble? Hum-bell? No, no, no, that's still too long, and it doesn't even rhyme right! Ugh. Stupid common tongue... Tis bad to-...Tis worse a thing AAAH!"

The man froze in alarm, having spotted Leo in the corner of the mirror's reflection.

"...I really think you should know," he said, "There's a lot of better targets in this palace than me. Somehow, I don't think the assassin's club would be impressed with my head on a platter."

Edited by LizardOfAus on May 6th 2024 at 11:37:54 AM

Szklana Góra Inn

Marno’s lack of facial features and body language makes discerning his reaction difficult, his several seconds of prolonged silence make his confusion more than obvious.

   “I have…absolutely no idea what-“   

“That light…probably, at least. Lemme guess, Rayman - you just came down the mountain, didn’t you?”

Sagi sits upright in his chair, now fully awake.

“…Everyone’s been saying Marno’s giving off weird magic…maybe that’s related?”

“I’m no magic expert - well, on the practical side at least, I’ve read the theory in school - but if energy’s like machina fuel, Marno’s an impurity.”

   “Your face is an impurity…”   

“Whatever that light show was probably reacted to him being so close. Like how Sagi would get headaches when…”

Milly trails off, looking at a suddenly-a-little-uncomfortable Sagi.

“…A-anyways, am I on the right track, Mr…’Ray Man?’”

Edited by ZodanTheUnbounceable on May 7th 2024 at 10:55:51 AM

Leo (The Palace)

"AAAH!" Leo let out a scream of his own at the jester's scream, flailing his arms and nearly falling over in surprise before he managed to right himself. "Don't call the guards I'm not an assassin!" he babbled out in a panic, really, really hoping this didn't come to another fight.