Difference between revisions of "Log:The Fallen Fair"

2017.10.14

The Autumn Court hosts the Fallen Fair for 2017.

Near Stoneheart

The Fallen Fair is an annual Autumn Court ritual. Changelings demonstrate their advanced aptitudes with well-known contracts, display new found tokens and share their unique pacts, if they have any. Sadly this was not done on Friday the 13th. But Saturday the 14th, much to the chagrin of the Autumn Queen, but, schedules! There's been things going on all day and things are starting to pick up as it goes into the evening.

Ashe herself is here and will be here until the closing of the event. She's dressed in a rust colored dress that has long sleeves and brown riding boots. She's talking to two fellow Autumns, Donald Mcphearson and Garrett Bonneville. Both well known around these parts. One is the Custodian Assistant Librarian. But that doesn't mean that the Monarch can't talk to others!

Esther bumbles in rather excitedly. She tried her best to dress up, and has managed to look like an 80s schoolmarm, sort of. Her well worn clothing consists of a white blouse with a floppy bow, a dark green jacket with built up shoulders, and a black velvet skirt that comes just above her ankles. She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and then starts to rummage through a back pack for a notebook and pen.

Michelle walks into the Fallen Fair, wearing a purple corset with black haunted houses on it, and a pair of black jeans. Her boots reach mid-knee over the pants, and she's... well... not really dressed for the Hedge whatsoever in all that silver and gold bedecking her already perfect visage. She's been escorted into the Hedge by Cassian. She pauses to look around just inside and to the left of the entrance, smiling. Spotting Ashe, she gives a nod but does not approach.

Cassian was there because the whimsy of the Universe had demanded it of him. Between helping acquire books for Rozalia's collection, and being a purveyor of whatever's himself, these sorts of places were a common sight. It also didn't hurt that Michelle needed someone to navigate her safely to the place. But, it served as a two-birds sort of scenario for good ol' Cas. Tucked under his arm, is a black, felt-lined book with strange characters on the binding. A glance is given back to Michelle, as she seems to settle. "You'll get used to the Hedge. Of course, as soon as you do, it'll change again. But, at least it isn't boring, yea?" He offers towards her, as he begins peering about the room. Where was the little red-sash wearing pomp.

Byron probably has been in and out as Ashe got things set up, but as people might start filtering in, the gargoyle reappears from the direction of the Stoneheart, pausing a moment to look over the few that have already turned up, before starting towards the queen. A small bow of his head is given to both Donald and Garrett, but he makes no attempt to engage either or the queen in conversation, just peoplewatching for a moment, or at least getting a better idea of what others have to show off or offer.

Allen, perhaps surprisingly, is stationed at one of the tables near the entrance to the Fair. He's dressed in his usual leathers and seems to have taken the time to polish them again. He fusses occasionally with a full set of 4- and 6-inch tall soapstone and alabaster chess pieces, each looking freshly chiseled and shined. At the opposite end of the table is a bust that looks to be the spitting image of Allen's mien. In the center of the table is a sign in the ogre's distinctive, blocky handwriting that reads "Stone Carving and Statuary by Allen."

Michelle grins at Cassian an nods, watching him for a moment before looking around the place once more. Then she moves father into the room, touching a nearby book softly, reverently. Then she wanders toward Allen. "Ah! You do stone carving! How lovely," the Fairest says to the Ogre. "Your touch must be exceedingly delicate for such intricate work." She lifts a piece, if allowed, inspecting it closely. "Are you selling things, or just showing off?"

Ashe gives a nod to Esther and those that come in. Recognizing all of the faces. When you don't forget people that helps. Donald peels off after a few things and heads off to go check a few things. Garrett however moves to the side to stand for the moment as he looks over things, just watching with those black eyes of his and that paper white skin. If people look closely enough, they look oddly alike, except Garrett's just taller. And not as cut up in the face. Garrett does give a wave to Byron when he sees him though and a half smile.

Esther manages to get her notebook and pen, and scribbles furiously for a few moments. Then she jams those items back into the backpack and begins to canvass the area, her beady eyes scanning items in booths and displays. She watches with dropped jaw a demonstration of control over fire, clapping excitedly when the other Autumn finishes.

It only took a few moments before Cassian's hunting eyes spotted the little man, wearing his red sash and sitting on a pile of books behind a desk. Some would be lecturer. Then, Cassian was off and tending to his own business. "You were wrong about the burial site, Dermonde," Cassian accuses of the man, immediately. The smallish man, swelling with anticipation as he spots the book, seems to let it go if it were some spiteful measure.

Cassian, meanwhile, continues, "The Poem you found wasn't referencing his wife, but his mistress. The stanza referencing the red-spill'd watercolor threw us off at first, but he took a lover with a red-headed lass fresh off the boat from Ireland the Spring before. The book passed to her son, buried in N'Orlean' for now one-hundred-and-twelve year. Which means you owe Rozalia her terms of the wager."

The ogre responds to Michelle in the flat tone of someone who is more than a little distracted, though whether it's the people milling around or something else entirely might be difficult to discern immediately. "The chess pieces are for sale, the bust is not." He reflexively reaches out for the pawn that the Fairest picks up, then catches himself. "Please be careful," he says simply, before returning the offending hand to a smaller sculpting hammer that's in a modified holster around his waist.

There's the sounds of murmuring voices all over the building and the sound of clapping and then a few gasps as a vial breaks somewhere in the distance. A few hobs go scurrying off in that direction. Probably a clean up crew or something to the effect. "No one was hurt!" someone calls out.

"And it isn't venomous!" is followed shortly after.

Michelle tilts her head and smiles, putting the chess piece down gently. "Of course. I assume you are the titular Allen? I'm Michelle. My friends call me Miche--or they would, if I had any friends." She grins, though, obviously joking. "The work you do is exquisite. How much for the chess pieces, please?" Then she turns to the commotion. "That... sounds less than ideal," she murmurs, but stays put.

The small man, Dermonde, seems aghast at the idea he'd lost the wager Cassian mentioned. Though his fear seems to pass as the book is set in front of him. "She would have accepted the sport of it, but, do you know what my Lily doesn't like? South Dakota--There's only three colors there, you know: stone-grey, foliage-green and wheat-brown," Cassian says, as he gets comfortable on the edge of the man's desk, turned away from Dermonde.

"She got so bored she changed a bushel of apples into a rainbow one night. Made the paper the next morning, though, the town only had a hundred or so people. Why they have a paper I'll never know," Cassian says, drifting into thought for a few moments.

Esther's attention goes to the commotion. "It may not be venomous, but it might be poisonous. Or cause mutations," she mutters while foolhardily heading in that direction. "Oh, hello, Your Majesty," she says to Ashe as she passes her, dropping a curtsey, then walking on.

"Offer what you think is a fair price," comes Allen's somewhat terse reply. The sculpting hammer's head pulses faintly under his hand. Then the ruckus at the other end of the hall catches his attention as it does most everyone else in the building. He turns his head that way, snorting in un-Allen-like derision, then turns back to Michelle, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

Byron draws up closer to Ashe as he settles, though the cries of no one being hurt are enough for the large man to crane his head up and over that way - maybe just to make sure something large and angry isn't materializing over there. When clearly the matter isn't out of hand, he settles back down and observes, "You worked quickly. I didn't even know you had crept away to start on this..."

Michelle shrugs. "This is easily $500 work," she tells Allen, "But I think I'd rather offer six. Hundred, that is." His expectant eyebrow is mirrored on her elegant face, a hint of a smirk there. "However, if you get a better offer, let me know. I'm happy to support local artists, be it by buying their work, or by stepping aside when someone else comes by with a better offer." She brushes those ruby tresses behind her shoulder, breathing slowly.

A sudden shake of Cassian's head seems to drop him out of his thoughts of Rozalia 'researching'. "Anyway, Der', we followed the trail to New Orleans parish and found the family crypt. There, at his feet, was the book," Cassian explains, as he pulls free a blue-colored apple and a small knife to cut at it.

"But you know the worst part, Der?" Cassian says, cutting a slice of apple, and chomping it down his throat. Then, he turns slightly in his seated position to point the dagger at Dermonde. "I didn't get to steal -anything-. You promised me a caper, Dermonde Antonio Percival Theras, and all I got was a bit of grave-digging. They even comp'd our breakfast because they undercooked Rozalia's eggs. We didn't even ask!" Cassian says, infuriated suddenly. Though the commotion elsewhere draws attention away for a moment. "You will submit to Rozalia's terms of the wager, and you -will- find me a heist of reknown, or," Cassian's dagger stoops low, drawing across a page until he is able to maneuver the book away from Dermonde. "I find the freshest, greenest, most bright eyed and naive little Faeling in the room and I give the book to her," Cassian says, smiling softly towards Dermonde.

Ashe and Garrett exchange glances and then turn to head the same way Esther does. Ashe gives the tall woman as smile, "Hello, Esther." she tells her as she heads after her, her hand reaches out to twine fingers through her husbands for him to come along as well, "I wanted to let you sleep a bit." she tells him with a smile.

The commotion as it would appear, is over a bug. A rather small one at that. The Changeling is question that is holding it has it on his hand and there's a few people standing around him as it moves it's arms a little in anxiety. "This is a Charb. The name is a work in progress. Found a little group of these guys in the Hedge around Seattle a few months ago. They're like little reptiles, but clearly with their mantis like features and their flower like features they're not. But hedge beasts are downright peculiar sometimes." he chuckles.

The ogre clearly didn't expect a price so high to be offered so quickly. Allen's raised eyebrow is joined by his other eyebrow as he stands silently for a moment, allowing the hedge beast lecturer to be heard a bit more clearly. After a moment, he settles back into a more Allen-like demeanor: soft-spoken, shy, stammering speech: "Um, well, uh, sure, I mean, I would've taken $400, I guess, but, okay, sure." The Stonebones should never be the person to haggle at market. "I mean, if you want to give me $600 for the set, that's great. I'll take it."

Michelle grins at Allen. "I shocked you," she says. "I figured I might. But like I said, I support crafters, Autumnal ones even more." And she pulls out a wallet. And--holy crap are those fifties? She counts out twelve of them, handing them over with a sincere smile. "Do you work on a large scale as well?" she asks Allen, watching the crowd settle some.

Esther squints at the hedge creature resting on the Changeling's hand. Then she raises her hand, awaiting to be chosen to ask a question. When she is picked (are you going to ignore the rather large ogre schoolmarm?), she asks, "You've brought this creature all the way from Seattle. Is there a concern about invasive species? If it gets loose here, it might inhabit a niche heretofore unoccupied, or exhibit predation on a species that was the top of its food chain."

Byron rumbles softly in amusement at Ashe, "Got away from the house shaking with my snoring, perhaps..." and trails off, shifting his attention away from the small commotion over in Allen's direction with his discussion with Michelle, taking in the chess pieces he's offering for sale with some contemplation. Under his breath, he offers to the Queen and her company, "S'cuse me a moment..." and starts towards Michelle and Allen.

If the tiny man was mortified at Cassian's dagger, the following threat seemed all the more real to him. He pleads, offering all manner of things that were not grand capers or to-be-famous heists. Cassian retrieves the book from the desk with a somber shake of his head. "Having not received the proper payment, I chose instead to exercise my right. Next time you come to market, I suggest you have payment in hand," Cassian says. The dagger is slipped away, but so is the felt-lined book. "Good day, Dermonde," Cassian says, before leaving the desk and disappearing into the crowd to leave the small 'Ling to his mourning.

"Oh, um, yes, I do," Allen answers. "I prefer smaller, uh, stuff, but I can do, like, full-size statues, too. And jewelry. Rings and necklaces and stuff." He looks a little embarrassed suddenly. "I didn't have any time to finish any of that, though."

Michelle nods thoughtfully, watching Allen. She doesn't see Byron coming up. "Oh?" She says. "I hope I'm not taking something dear away." Her fingertip gently rests on a stone rook. "I am just really interested in this work. I like your style. If you get more time, let me know, please." She smiles.

Byron steps up to Allen's little spot as the two are possibly concluding things, but hearing Allen's words, he simply reaches out and taps a finger lightly on the table, "I think I would as well...I mean, talk about your crafting skills when your time allows. If you will keep me in mind as well?" Hey, he even smiles a little at both - something must be wrong.

The smaller Flowering looks up to Esther and there's a bit of a blush to his petals, "I did think of that, Ma'am. It's why I only brought the one with me. I didn't want them to get out just in case and all of that." he admits. The Charb seems to get a little anxious and spits an adorable sized fireball at the hand of the Flowering that's holding him. It doesn't do much damage either.

Esther realizes that she has perhaps overstepped her boundaries on her question. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just...I've read a bit on cats in Hawaii and non native snakes in Florida. It's quite a thing." She coughs into her fist. "Um, is the coloration a form of camouflage or more of a warning to predators?"

Michelle smiles a little up at Byron. "Oh, hi!" she says. She's unaware that he's not much of a smiler. "It's nice to meet more Autumns. I'm Michelle. I just pledged to the Freehold last night." She's chatty, isn't she? She offers her hand toward him, after nodding to Allen. "I'll get the pieces home safely and display them well," she promises.

"Oh no, please," blurts Allen, "The chess pieces are for sale, just... " His eyes catch Byron approaching and he stammers to a stop as the other gargoyle speaks. "Oh, wow, that's, uh, wow," Allen's attention, now divided, is thankful for Michelle's good social graces. When she addresses him again, he's composed himself a bit more. "That's... that's great," he says to the Fairest before looking back at Byron. "And, yeah, sure, whatever you want. I'm happy to do whatever. Yeah."

The Flowering gives a smile to Esther, "No ma'am, you're fine. I understand that you're just asking questions, which is a good thing!" he tells her with a bright smile. "And yes, invasive species are a serious issue. Those Asian Carp in the river in Illinois are a bad thing. But good eating." he tells her. "This little guy...or girl...will probably not be invasive. But I thought they were neat and I was traveling as it was and thought I'd stop in and visit a young Freehold is all." he admits to her.

Meanwhile Ashe has been standing quietly back and listening to the Flowering and Esther while taking mental notes. The Charb is ADORABLE!

Byron rumbles softly and first nods to Allen, "Of course. I am sure we will speak soon," but just as quickly shifts his attention to Michelle, taking the offered hand as he explains, "Byron, of the Harvestmen and a local Warden, should you end up in need of either services. Always good to see more of the Court in town." The woman is offered a bright smile, though the lingering smell of flame is enough to tweak his attention towards the little critter he can't quite see yet. Its enough to make him murmur, "Perhaps there is something else we should get a look at."

Michelle nods to Byron. "I'll catch up," the Fairest says, smiling. "I want to collect my treasures." And the Treasured makes arrangements with Allen to have the pieces stored until after the Fair, when she'll pick them up. Until then, though, he has to head off at least briefly, and she turns to start over toward the Charb with an inquisitive expression.

Esther does that fist cough again. "Well, um. Thank you for coming to visit us. I'm Esther Buckingham." She offers a shy wave of her hand, then slinks back into the crowd. At least, as much as she can.

There's another sneeze from the Charb and a tiny ball of flame erupts from the creature, sends a little roll of smoke over the skin of the Flowering. It was quite the show those two. He then steps back up to his booth and starts to speak to others about his other findings, letting the creature wander back into it's tank for the moment.

Something had kept Cassian there--Perhaps an interest in fulfilling his threat to give the book to the snottiest snot-nozed fresh-Autumn. Or, whimsy had demanded more of his time. Dark eyes linger for a moment at the room before he slips into a dark archway. His long, slender fingers are the last to disappear, but not before invoking a bit of Wyrd.

Byron finally DOES see the little critter belching its adorable little ball of flame, and the gargoyle perks up a bit. Whatever the Flowering might have moved on to natter on about goes completely unnoticed, while Byron maks his way up to the Charb's tank and peers closer at it, much the same way people stop and stare at the obigatory window of puppies at the pet store.

Ashe's attention is drawn by something and the Autumn Monarch excuses herself to head off in that direction...

Despite her showing at the Q&A, Esther is still quite interested in the little hedge beast, and ends up standing next to Byron in front of the Charb's tank. "Fascinating little creature, isn't it? And that *was* nice of him to share it with us."

Cassian's stiletto-like fingers finally vanish into the dark archway. It was a simple stretch of hall, built of the same stone though seeminglt lacking in the light from the other room. Who put out these candles? But then, there weren't many paying attention to him. That's when the sound begins to swell within the Crowned's mind, the sound of crying echoing off of stone walls, heard only by her.

Around the corner, the darkness mostly conceals a girl of about ten, in a billowy white dress. She's at the end of the hallway, knelt over, with her long, black hair concealing her face. She's sobbing, low and full, with her face in her hands. To Ashe, anyway.

Kids in the Hedge? That should be worrisome enough. Crying kids in the Hedge? That's downright creepy. And when did the hallway get dark? Too late to go back now. Ashe has instincts that are programmed. Like the gun that is drawn smoothly and the hammer cocked back effortlessly as she steps forward and kneels down a few feet away, "Are you alright?" she asks her in a soft tone as she looks around.

Byron might be a little distracted when Ashe kneels down to talk to, well, someone, asking if they are okay. He glances at the Crown for a few seconds, but no one sounds distressed or upset, so the gargoyle clearly dismisses the moment in his head, allowing his attention to be drawn back to the Flowering's little pets. Leave him there long enough and someone is gonna get a 'Mom, I want one!"

The sobbing girl continues to cry as Ashe approaches, just until Ashe settles those few feet away. Suddenly, a burst of motion from the girl happens and she glances up. The sobbing is replaced by a sudden scream of anger and terror. It lasts a half second, long enough for those tormented, dead eyes to meet Ashe's.

And then she's gone. No kid, no white dress, and no crying. Disolving around them, the glamour fades into wherever it was it went. Ashe is left in the long, darkened hallway with only wisps of smoke rising from extinguished candles. And, above her, Cassian lounged on a crossbeam, one leg draping now into view. He figured that might make her less likely to shoot him.

"Did I ever tell you I was an Autumn, once? Mm, I do love the classics," came Cassian's soft voice, lilting in the air above her periphery. Shadows clung to him, but certainly he was more than just a leg.

"I do wonder what other creatures he has. And all the way from Seattle, he's probably got quite a diverse little zoo." Esther prattles on to Byron, completely clueless to the actions of her Monarch.

About the time that thing opens it's maw at her the silver streaks in Ashe's eyes disappear and it leaves them flat black and emotionless as she squeezes off two quick rounds. Which she feels stupid for wasting once she realizes it's an illusion. The woman collects her casings and then looks up to the man lounging like a big cat in the beam. A bit of a huff, "Cassian." she shakes her head. "What if I would have shot /you/?" she states the question to him. Apparently she didn't like shooting people. "Come down." she motions to him, "Please." she adds. "You'd be a really good Autumn. Why did you leave the Court, Cassian?" she asks him seriously.

Meanwhile Uvall has fluttered out of the hallway in search of Dad. Because Mom is shooting! And why yes, yes everyone did here that gun go off.

Byron murmurs, "Well, I wonder if he might part with that little..." well, yes, the gunshot going of is CERTAINLY enough for the gargoyle to blink and perk up, because THAT is not part of anyone showing off. "What the fuck? S'cuse me a moment." Attention squarely turned away from the critter, he gets a couple of steps towards the sound when little Uvall comes into sight, "What's going on?" leaving the little beast plenty of space to land on his head or shoulders as he heads for the hallway the shot echoed from.

Gunshots didn't frighten Cassian, they were the typical tool he used in the mortal world for his ... profession. "Then I suspect I would have two bullet holes in my chest," he says quietly, "Do you think I haven't been shot before?" He lets that question linger for a moment before he drops from the beam gracefully. "I failed something," he says, answering her question about the Court. "But that is a story for another time, with much more alcohol," he says pensively.

Esther jumps at the sound of the gun. "My goodness!" She's a little shaken, and smart enough to let Byron head towards the source of the gunshot...first. That's right, she's not smart enough to head in the opposite direction, and so she's dodging around the wave of intelligent changelings, hobs, and others who know what you are supposed to do in such a situation.

"Mom is shooting at walls!" Uvall whispers to Byron as he lands on the Gargoyles head.

"That is not the point, Cassian." Ashe states as she re holsters the gun and rubs a hand over her face. "I've been shot before. It's sucks." she tells him. "Anyways, thank you for the demonstration. It was curious and informative." she admits. "And I didn't mean to..uh...overreact." she adds. "Are you going to stay with the Freehold?" she asks him as she starts to head back towards the end of the hallway, where there's light.

Byron murmurs to Uvall's question, "Did they deserve it?" He stops at the hallway entrance to peer down, catching sight of the crowned one and the one she might be speaking to in the distance. There's a long pause, because there's no cries of alarm or fighting, "Everything okay?" A glance is shot back at Esther for just a moment, maybe to keep track of where the ogress is, before shifting his attention back to Ashe and Cassian.

"You think that was an overreaction?" Cassian calls after her, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully. There's a chuckle waiting in his throat as he looks back to the floor, and the lines the slugs made. He would collect the bullets, later. He knew collectors. For now, however, he sidles after Ashe. "Come now, I think we both knew my pledge was an eventuality. My hesitation merely a deception of neccessity--I had to speak with the Soundless. My curiosity," he says, tilting his head in what he would think is charming. "And you invited us here to display our Mastery. When I crash Spring shindigs I write sonnets--Bad ones. When I treat with Summers I do so over feathered arrows and sharp daggers. For you and the Autumn, I shape," he admits, as his eyes slip to the Queen's saviors. Byron is eyed--He had seen the gargoyle only once before. God, was he a biggun. "The Queen shot a ten year old," Cassian says, dryly, towards Byron.

Esther tries to sum up the situation, and it is not quite adding up. But she can glare at Cassian with all the glare she can muster. Which, until her Queen says anything more, is all she can do.

Ashe gives a smile to her husband, "Everything is alright, Cassian was showing off his Mastery of the Witchwoods contract is all." she tells him. "That is what today is for." she states as she looks around to the crowd that has started to gather around. Then there's a look back to Cassian and a smile, "Thank you." she tells him.

Then she looks back to the crowd and she straightens up a bit. "Before everyone takes a break for dinner, I wanted to thank Master Builder Donald Macphearson and his apprentice Allen Wright of Fate's Harvest for building this lovely building for this fair and we'll be using it for a few other things this season." she states.

"Now, I'd like to demonstrate something that I've learned over the last year with the Fang and Talon contract." she tells them with a smile. She reaches up and touches Uvall and most people who know Fang and Talon would expect the Autumn Monarch to turn into one bat of some sort. Instead. The Monarch EXPLODES into a SWARM of bats that fly up and around the top of the crowd. That's new indeed!

Byron seems to accept that things are just fine when Ashe talks about Cassian showing off, even offering, "If it got your guns out, it must have been pretty good. I'm impressed." He trails off and straightens up when she explains further, but flinches, lifting an arm and the accompanying wing as a bit of an instinctual shield when she takes her turn and explodes into a cloud of bats. From the look on his face, she's certainly been keeping THAT one a secret for a bit!

Esther's glare fades as Ashe explains what Cassian was up to. But she still isn't smiling. "Well played, sir," is her only comment on the subject. Her expression quickly changes when Ashe shows her own skills. The ogress' jaw drops, and she applauds excitedly. "My goodness!"

There weren't many folk taller than him, but being in a room full of Ogres and Gargoyle's made the Woodblood seem small. When Esther offers him a comment, he smirks a bit. "If it makes you feel any better she definitely would've put me down if she had shot at me," Cassian offers towards Byron. That was why Cassian wore body armor. Everywhere.

Garrett makes a face when Ashe bursts into a cloud of bats and he shakes his head at it. Then the bats starts to swirl back to the ground, one piling up on each other, forming into the Shadowsoul and there's a bit of a time that it takes, but soon again it's the Monarch. She gives a bow to everyone, "Thank you." she smiles to them. "Now everyone, go have a nice break!" she waves to them. "Beep, beep, Richie." she looks over to Garrett.

And meanwhile Garrett heads over to take her by the arm and lead her to Byron, "You'll want to take her home and put her to sleep. And don't let her argue." the Darkling tells him with soft voice.

Byron chuckles at Cassian, "If you managed to spook her, you have my congratulations, not my enmity. I tried to kill her at a job interview when I first arrived in town." When Garrett leads Ashe back to him, the gargoyle lifts a brow in curiosity at the instruction, but offers his arm to her for her to take, "Well, she gets used to everyone else saying 'yes, your Highness', I have to argue with her about SOMEthing..." and gives the crowned shadowsoul a wink.

Esther sighs as Ashe reforms and is escorted home. And it looks like she is about to leave as well. Though she is heard to mutter, "Is there anyone who hasn't tried to hurt her? Poor thing..."

Why the hell did Ashe say something that a weird clown did? Because that's how you call your Fae-Mount! The door to the building gets head-butted open and a big old dragonbat looking thing with a split mandible tries to look in. "Apollyon is probably antsy." she murmurs to her husband as they head out.