An uninvited guest

[Midnight]

*Midnight the panther landed hard on the floor her own momentum and some force from the fireball sending her sliding on her side. Looking up she sees the tiger stand between her and Lord Fear on one side and the some what surprised Sly Hands on the other. *

*Thinks*
Maybe I need his help more than I dare admit....

*then when he says "I have no wish to see further harm come to her she thinks*

nor I you....

*Seeing the tiger lie down she knows one thing....it's time to give in......for now.They couldn't fight against Lord Fear in the forms they were in and she was almost defenseless in her human form.*

*Seeing Lord Fear aim his swords at them both she begins to worry...and then places her head down to the floor...what ever happens..happens.*

*Thinks*
We are in no position to do anything.

*Slowly Midnight changes from the panther to the woman. Her dress now also has a large hole from the fireball her skin is burnt but no serious injury is done. The roar was more from shock than anything else. Other than the burnt skin some of what seems to be a large scar can be seen. Looking up to Lord Fear she sighs.*

*Sighs*

*To Lord Fear*
You win Lord Fear....*underbreath so no one hear* for now.

*Standing up slowly and going in front of the tiger she takes his place as he protected her she would protect him with what ever she could.*

[Sylvester Hands]

* Hands retrieves his rope, still somewhat surprised by his discovery that it is, in fact, magical; for years he'd been claiming as much just to impress and intimidate, albeit with little success. Though it was not sufficiently magical to keep a pair of limbs bound together throughout their transformation from human arms to panther forelegs, it did manage to repair itself. Although the tiger appears to be a more immediate concern, to bind it would be impractical, to say the least, so he once again ties Midnight's hands behind her back, reflecting that the magic rope could probably prevent shape-changing or other means of escape if he only knew the first thing about working its enchantments; he makes a mental note (almost as laborious a task for him as a written one) to ask Lord Fear if he has any idea. Then he pulls on the end of the rope binding Midnight and, in an uncharacteristic burst of inspiration that can only be explained by the adrenalin rush caused by the recent encounter with two large predatory cats, says: *

Right, you can come with me to Tiny's pen - 'e's an 'obgoblin, 'e is, so don't try and metamorph- metaphorm- mephatorm- turn into the big cat or 'e'll bash you on the 'ead with 'is club. 'Ere, your Lordship, isn't there any magic you can do that'd stop 'em changin', like that thing you kept 'Ordriss in years ago or somethin'? Anyway, gel, you come with me.

* Hands drags Midnight to Tiny's pen, pushes her to the floor on her front, bends her legs hard, with no regard for her comfort, and ties her wrists to her ankles before binding what little length of rope remains to one of the metal hoops hammered into the wall to which live beings intended for Tiny's consumption are sometimes secured; remembering her previous escape from Brinkatore's cell, he doesn't want to take any chances. *

Tiny, this gel is stayin' 'ere for a while. If she tries anythin', whack 'er on the 'ead. And don't eat 'er.

* Considering that Tiny is one of the few beings easier to trick than he is and anxious to make it more difficult for Midnight, Hands tears off a strip from his ragged cloak and gags her with it, not stopping for a moment to consider the health hazard it represents. With that, he departs, locks the door and returns to Lord Fear, stopping on the way to collect some chains in case Coriolis is causing trouble. *

[Midnight]

*Midnight watches the hobgoblin as closely as it watches her. Sly Hands part of cloak stunk to high heaven and made Midnight feel sick. She could taste dirt, grime and the taste of burning from the shock earlier.*

*Thinks.*
Well you protected him well didn't you. Now your stuck here tied up yet AGAIN and he's stuck with them on his own.
It's all my fault if I had just walked away from him back at the inn then we wouldn't be here now. Now Mog has no idea where I am and probably thinks I've abandoned her.

*The pain from the burn had increased again with the rough handling of Sly Hands. Midnight then closes her eyes to think and worry thats all she can do....for now.*

[Lord Fear]

*Lord Fear holds both swords at Coriolis throat as he see Hands return to the Throne Room.*

"Hands, take this thing to a cell, make sure you have Grippa and Rhark escort him with you, and once you're there question him about himself and the girl" said Lord Fear as he made the swords become one again.

[Sylvester Hands]

Right.

* Hands draws his sword for the first time. *

You'll become human again if you know what's good for you.

[Coriolis]

*In a single lithe movement, the Cat moves forward at ankle level until it is practically barging the stinking beggar to one side. At the last moment, Coriolis changes back to human form. He seems to almost erupt from the very marble floor that they stand on.*

*He stands nearly a head higher than the beggar and appears so quickly next to him that Sly cannot help but jump back in suprise. Using this moments distraction, Coriolis quickly shunts his belt around to one side, concealing the, as yet undiscovered, Dirk between the small of his back and his cape. It's a desperate move but there is no other choice if the Watcher wishes to leave Marblehead with Midnights and his own skin still intact.*

*With a mocking ettiquette which would be more befitting Hordriss, he Bows stiffly and waves one hand in an expansive gesture.*

[To Sly] After you my Liege....

*His thoughts dwell on the Panther and where she might have been taken and he's worried. Unlike many of this realm of the magical persuasion, he can only sense her presence nearby. Any other information will need to be gained by more traditional means...*

*The future is looking bleak for both of them.........*

[Sylvester Hands]

Right, then.

* Hands chains Coriolis's upper body thoroughly and keeps hold of one end, his other hand holding his sword. *

Just before we go, your Lordship, do you want me to question the other one when I've finished with 'im, or shall I leave 'er to you?

[Lord Fear]

"Do what you heart says Hands" said Lord Fear.

*Lord Fear walks to his throne and sits down on it taking a deep breath.*

"I have a feeling I might need to keep this out" said Lord Fear keeping a grip on his Sword.

[Midnight]

*After what seems to be forever Midnight opens her eyes and begins to wriggle trying to get the magic rope off but for once Sly has done a good job and Midnight isin't going any where. Due to the wriggling a small vial rolls off towards Tiny the hobgoblin. Within minutes he gets up and walks over to the vial some how opens it.*

*Midnight begins to yell at the goblin to frop it but nothing more than..*

hmm. hmmmm hhmmmm

*can be heard as Tiny begins to drink the contents os the vial that hold within the sleeping potion that was meant to be given to the shape-shifter. After a couple of deep gulps Tiny falls over within minutes of drinking it sound asleep,*

[Madmogsue]

(occ: continued from "The moogle's Proclamation")

*As the goblin drops off into a deep sleep, Midnight is left lying on the floor with nothing but the deep snorts from the dozing creature for company.*

*A little time passes and she hears several footsteps walking past her door....and then nothing.....just a sleepy Tiny.....hours pass and she is sure that she can hear someone singing....*

faintly in the distance: ......
But I would walk through a sludge pit
And i would bare the stench i wore
Just to be the Mog who walk to Marblehead
To fall down at your door

*as imagination becomes reality, the moogle suddenly appears in the room, leaving behind her a trail of wreckage and destruction.*

*The moogle Stands and admires the Mog shaped hole in the wall, before turning her attention to her lost friend*

Mog: Kupo?

[Midnight]

*Midnight looks up in shock at the wreakage and the red moogle.*

*Thinks*

Red?Red? What the hell happened to her.

*Midnight then begins to try and talk but again all that an be heard is.*

hmmm mmmm hmmm

*Thinks*

Damn and blast this blooming gag.

[Madmogsue]

*The moogle stands still and quiet..... and very red..... The dead pepper infused Kuponut is in full swing and she cant actually see for her eyes have gone funny, red and watery, so all she sees is a red river..... *

*She hears a mummble coming from somewhere across the room and sniffs at the air, picking up two very different scents, one is strange and unknown to her, and almost feels-------- the other is very familiar to her, with a sigh of relief, she realises she's found Midnight and starts to walk in the general direction of the mubling and rustling.... thinking that the creator of the noise is her friend, she is badly mistaken...*

*after waving her arms about she feels something squishy.... and rough.....*

Mid... Midnight? is that you? you feel like you've put on a lot of weight in a short space of time. and you feel like sandpaper all over.....and really hairy....

*At this point the sleeping potion that had taken Tiny's interest wears off, as the moogle starts to poke and prod at him..... in the face........*

*as stated before the moogle can see nothing.... but has the destinct feeling of someone breathing down her neck.*

You're not Midnight are you.......

[Midnight]

*Midnight watches in shock as Mog walks over to Tiny and begins to prod and poke him in the face and almosts dies of heart attack when Tiny begins to wake up....*

*Midnight begins to wriggle and strain against the binding ropes trying to get loose but fails miserably...*

*Thinks*
Just wait until I get my hands on that stinky Sly.

*After a couple more minutes of struggling Midnight hears a distinctive sound,.metal sliding against metal and she realises her dagger must be coming out of it's sheath.It had been hidden behind a loose piece of fabric that Midnight had then used to hide it for work.

(OCC: I did say almost defenseless.)

*Thinks*
Now if only I could cut the rope....

[Madmogsue]

*As Mog realises that what she has come across was not her entended target, she senses danger. she takes a jump back and still charged up on dead peppers she charges at the creature who is about 150x her size, sendingTiny flying......straight through the wall leaving a hobgoblin shaped hole in the wall...*

*As she rubs her head after the impact, the feels her way around the room and listening for the other sound in the room. She has a sniff at the air and the only scent there is that of her friend. Following her nose she finds her companion.*

Midnight, you ok?

[Midnight]

*Watching the little Moogle take on Tiny Midnight's eyes widen in shock and amusement.*

*Thinks*
Your braver than me Mog.

Hhhhmmmm mmmm hmmm.

*The stench of the gag was becoming unbearable especially as Mog was so close she could take the thing out of her mouth.*