Maybe Baby (IC)

[Ecalsneerg]

Equinox calmly placed Hayley up onto her shoulder, and once again sent her senses through the mental link they shared, in order to be aware of the smells of the forest as much as the sights, sounds and magical auras.

"Well, I'm still following you, aren't I?" asked the witch dryly in response to the faerie. <Hayley, keep an eye out. This looks like it could be a trap, and I don't plan to get into a fight while I'm here if I can possibly avoid it.>

<Looking out, check.> The raccoon nodded.

[Supercape]

GM

The Fae child skipped along, surprisingly agile over the rocks, water, and twisted tree roots that weaved through the forest. It was hard going to walk, and flying would not be much easier, unless one was to travel over the dense canopy of trees that covered the sky above. The temperature was a pleasantly cool one, and the light scattered over the forest floor through the trees above.

"Nearly there!" smiled the child, skipping ahead, finding the forest second nature. The sound of water grew a little louder as they progressed.

The trees and flora become slightly more strange, with odd, garish colours of blue, yellow and pink.

As the sound of water grew, they reached an area of wond'rous shrubbery, full of large blue bulbous fruit, all spindles and hair, that blew off shimmering dust in the gentle breeze and sunlight.

"Nearly there, Nearly there!

I brought you here, fair and square,

Through the water, underground,

There the Fae Queen shall be found,

Her champion's there, I dare say,

If your fate does lie that way!"

He giggled even more inanely than normal, and carried on, almost drunkenly...

[Ecalsneerg]

Equinox touched her amulet with one hand, feeling her magical wards and protections slip around her like a familiar coat. With a mere thought, she suppressed the white glow of her aura, but the telltale signs of her glowing white eyes remained.

She drew her coat back a little and tucked it back, so the handle of her wand was easily accessible in case she needed to draw it quickly.

"I don't recall asking for narration,

I asked you to lead me, not for oration,

I surmise my annoyance brings you elation,

So please shut up, make this your cessation."

[Supercape]

GM

The Fae Child shrugged his shoulders and carried on, giggling to himself, and making pretty shapes with his hands in the scattered sunlight.

The Forest was now thick of trees and shrubs, with the blue bulbous fruit seemingly growing everywhere, swaying in the breeze still. Just ahead, through the trees, Equinox could spy a small pool and waterfall, that fell at least ten feet from rocks and trees above.

"Calm yourself, we are there,

Yonder is the Fae Queens Liar,

What a trek, my feet feel dead,

Why not rest your weary head?

This Glad is soothing is it not?

Something in the air...what?

[Ecalsneerg]

Hayley looked up, sniffing the air cautiously. <Siobhan, it all smells... funny.> She covered her tiny nose with her paws, eyes screwed shut. <I don't like it.>

<Keep it covered, the little bastard's double crossed us again,> came the snarling reply as Equinox pulled one lapel of her coat up to cover her nose and mouth, resisting the urge to breath as much as she could.

"I'm sick of you," came her muffled voice. "Sick of your lies, sick of your tricks, and sick your damned custom of speaking in rhyme. I asked you to lead us to your mistress not into a trap. Ergo, I stop extending the courtesy to you of adhering to your laws and customs." Applying her prodigial will to the task of not succumbing to the sleep-inducing spores, she cast aside her coat's lapel and straightened up.

"I'm not Dorothy, little fairy. I'm the witch. And I'm not ensnared by your pathetic, pathetic tricks. KINESI!" She cast out her right arm, making a twisting gesture with her hand, and a thin beam of white force extended forth from her hand and grabbed the faerie by the throat, dangling him up and off the ground. "Fly, my pretty."

[Supercape]

GM

"But I lead you here, without deceit!

This is the door, that wat'try sheet!

My rhymes and puns are just for funs,

But now I see I must runs,

Away I must, I do see fit,

As I am clearly in the...AAAACK"

The little Fae Child looked petrified and started scrambling away as Equinox started gathering her mystical power. But alas, his rhymes had delayed him, and he tumbled and span caught in the grasp of her spell...

[Ecalsneerg]

"Shut it. You helped kidnap a child," said Equinox in a low voice. "Maybe you didn't do it, but you're fully aware of it, didn't stop it, and assumed a child's form to mock me." By this point, the faerie was held up high in the air, immediately above the witch staring directly up at him. "This is what I'm going to do," she said sweetly, bringing the struggling spirit down until he was almost nose-to-nose with her.

"Your court's champion is going to be cast into the mud. I'm taking back Josephine Rhymer. And I will walk out of here, and you will remember Siobhan Drake, the witch calling herself Equinox... you will remember that name as the one who beat you." Her voice was hard, but not raised in anger. She said it coolly and calmly as if she were merely stating facts. "And you will damn well tell me what the deal you struck with my familiar means in plain speech, or I am going to hurl you skyward. Would you survive the fall? Because, believe me, the only thing waiting for you down here if you did would be me."

[Supercape]

GM

The Child writhed around in Equinox's grip.

It slowly changed form, shifting into a fox shape, with 9 flowing tails that would not be out of place in a television hair commercial.

"Well, well, well..." started the Fae creature "...you have me, and no mistake..."

He spun around, trying to break free of the spell, to no avail, and eventually just gave up.

"I may as well tell you" it continued "the pact is simple...

To keep away from underground,

'ere blinded by the darkness found!

...Hayley won't be able to see, or use that cute little nose of hers, when underground. Even if it is lit up as bright as daylight!"

He pointed towards the waterfall.

"And over there, dear witch, is the wat'try sheet. The door to the Fae Queen, lying underground and under mound!"

He chuckled to himself.

[Ecalsneerg]

"You're sick," informed Siobhan. "That's just... why would you do that?" She couldn't hide the look of disgust from her face, before sighing in resignation.

<Can't see? But... then I'd have to stay out here... with him...>

<Yeah...> Hayley clung tightly to Equinox's shoulder, pleading.

<Nononononono, I don't want to!> She clutched on tighter, until her claws started digging into Siobhan's skin. The witch brought up her left arm to stroke her fur.

"How about we alter the deal." Her voice was soft and quiet. "Transfer the deal to me. Until we leave this realm, Hayley can see and smell fine underground, but I go blind. Sound like a fair trade?"

[Supercape]

GM

"A swap? What a riddle, a fiddle, a diddle!" complained the Kirtsune.

"Well, if I do this deed, will you have me freed?" it asked, still suspended by Equinox' spell.

It gave a beady eye look at Equinox and Haley.

"And after letting me go, striking me down is a no?" it queried, anxious that freedom would not mean Equinox just ripping him to shreds. Clearly the cunning faerie had made its fare share of bargains, and was not about to get duped too easily.

[Ecalsneerg]

"Hmmm..." pondered Equinox. "No. I'm not including that as part of the same exchange." This fox had duped them too much already. "I will let you down, and not harm you, if you swear to leave now. Walk away, and never try to attempt any deal with me or mine ever again." She smiled sweetly at the dangling fox, making him bob up and down a little to prove her point.

"If you think that sounds unfair, think of the alternative. You're getting off very lightly out of this bargain, wouldn't you agree?"

[Supercape]

GM

"Yes yes, that's what I meant, now let me down!" said the Fox, a little irritated.

"*Ahem* it continued, regaining its composure. "What I meant was...

As you wish, oh powerful lady,

The deal is struck, I don't mean maybe,

Underground, blind you'll be,

Whilst Raccoon's sight will be free,

Hocus Pocus, Smoke and Shade,

Now lay me down upon this glade!

Equinox could sense a tingle in the air and in the back of her eyes. Yes, it seemed this time the Fae Fox was true to his word.

[Ecalsneerg]

Siobhan shuddered as she felt the effects of the deal. In for a penny, in for a pound. With exaggerated caution, she lowered the fox to its feet, and withdrew her spell. "Alright, you've got what you want," she said.

<You... made the deal?> Hayley looked shocked. <But... you'll die. You can't win if you can't see!> The response was just a wry smile.

<Hey... magic, remember?> The witch looked the faerie dead in the eye. "Right, fox, you made the deal, you've done your part, now hop along. I'm going to go get back that child, and you don't want to be in the vicinity if things go badly."

Running a hand absently through her familiar's fur, the witch turned and walked towards the waterfall, Hayley frantically clawing at her shoulder. <Whywhywhywhy? You can't do this just cos I'm scared! You'll die! I don't want you to get hurt!>

<Listen, fuzzball. You're a pain in the ass. You eat my food,> thought Equinox, grabbing the furball by the scruff of her neck, and holding her out in front of her. <You make an even bigger mess of my apartment. You ate my favourite dress. You just appear in my life, and annoy me, nearly 24/7.> Then, instead of looking angry, the witch just planted a kiss on the animal's head and tucked her under her coat to stop her getting wet under the waterfall.

<But I love you to bits, idiot. Don't blame yourself.> And with that, she strode calmly into the faerie cavern.

[Supercape]

GM

Both the initial pact, and the subsequent reversal, became evident as Equinox dived through the waterfall into the cavern below: she could not see a thing.

For now, whilst underground, she would be seeing through Hayleys' eyes. And nose.

Having said that, it was not as if the cavern was exactly bright anyway. It glowed with a faint golden light that seemed to drift through like mist through the slightly damp cool air.

The cavern itself was spacious, partly natural and partly man made, with timber beams supporting here and there. Fantastical mushrooms sprouted at irregular intervals as the cavern bended this way and that, always sloping slightly downwards.

And, ahead, a baby's giggling could be heard...

[Ecalsneerg]

As soon as her feet touched the floor of the cavern, Siobhan nearly panicked. Everything just went black, and she froze solid, hardly breathing. <Hayley, you can see, right?> She didn't even chance walking, in case she fell over, or walked into a wall, or encountered something more deadly.

<Yeah...> The familiar timidly looked up at her mistress, then recoiled. Equinox's eyes were always white when she was using magic. But this time, they weren't glowing white. The iris and pupil were just gone. <Are you going to do the thing?>

Nodding a little, Equinox let out a long breath, and then she was seeing out of Hayley's eyes, and smelling with her nose. <Yeah. Lead on. I can hear the kid, she's laughing. And, believe me, that's not a good thing. They're going to try to make me think she's better off here.>

And slowly, lead by a beleaguered looking raccoon, the witch shuffled forwards through the passageway.

[Supercape]

GM

The witch queen sat on a throne of what Equinox (or rather Hayley) thought looked liked bone, policshed and maybe even waxed. The cavern here was slightly bigger, and definitely brighter, a warm golden glow permeating through the dusty wet air.

The queen herself was red haired, pale skinned, and green eyed, and unquestionably possessing a beauty of an unconventional but present sort. She was dressed in robes of gold and red, which were neither too revealing or too modest. Aside from a pale silver necklace of fine workmanship, Equipnox (or Hayley) could see no ornaments indicating her status, and yet somehow her status was unquestionable.

At her feet, three Redcaps tended to not one, not two, but a full dozen young babies, all in swaddling clothes, laughing as pretty golden lights danced in front of their eyes...

Hayley could smell magic on them. All of them...

"Welcome, welcome" droned the queen in musical tones. "Come to face my champion have you?"

[Ecalsneerg]

Equinox's hands clutched on her wand until the knuckles turned bone white. She very pointedly did not curtsy, or bow, or show any sign of deference, merely aligning her head as haughtily as she could to look upon where she thought she'd appear to be staring straight at the queen.

"I expect you're wanting deference," she spat. "You want formalities, you want me to fight this little duel and leave." Hayley's head turned to look at the babies, and a low growl escaped from the witch's throat. "I'm going to show as much respect to your laws, as you have shown respect to my laws. I will show as much respect to your people as you have shown to mine. Namely... this ends now. You're going to return these children, if I have to cast down a thousand of your champions. And, no, I'm not trying to intimidate you here. Hell, thanks to your damned little cronies, I'm fighting blind. But believe me."

Her magical aura had began flaring brilliant bright white, and fire was smoldering at the tip of her wand. Wind involuntarily stirred up her coat and hair as she spat out the last words. "Return the children in the next five minutes or I declare war on your court."

[Supercape]

GM

The Fae Witch half arose from her throne of bones.

"So... declare war on me and my court would you, baby-snatcher? Pfah! your cruelty know no limits!" she snarled, wiping away a tear.

"All my life, a fae touched queen I have been, no human life for me! mystic power and these fae creatures at my command, but no child of my own. Well that changes! The child has great potential, and I shall raise her as my own... and no gutter thief shall take her from me!" she wailed, drying the last tear from her face.

"I shall send you back to the mortal world in pieces, youngling!" she screeched, as mystic power congealed around her...

[Ecalsneerg]

Hayley looked around with a strong degree of fear. Everyone was suddenly about to start fighting, and frankly, she wasn't very good at that, being only a few pounds of fur and teeth. But she couldn't run away this time. Her mistress needed her eyes and nose, or she was going to die, and then... well, then Hayley would be in deep trouble.

So she just stood there, tensed to spring away from any blows aimed at her, wanting desperately to close her eyes and curl into a ball, but knowing that she wasn't able to do so. She'd just have to try and stay alive, and hope for the best.

[Supercape]

GM

The redcaps skipped and danced into action, their grins wide with anticipation, and their curved, horrible daggers eager for flesh.

"

Horror, horror! The gall of it all!

A poor little furball in this hall!

It warms my heart, my belly rumbles,

Into the pot, with 'erbs it tumbles,

What a fine dish for us, we mumbles!"

And with that two pounced at the poor Raccoon, with one cartwheeling of their shoulders and launching himself at Equinox with a mad laugh and a swipe of his knife.

[Supercape]

GM

The redcaps skipped and danced into action, their grins wide with anticipation, and their curved, horrible daggers eager for flesh.

"

Horror, horror! The gall of it all!

A poor little furball in this hall!

It warms my heart, my belly rumbles,

Into the pot, with 'erbs it tumbles,

What a fine dish for us, we mumbles!"

And with that two pounced at the poor Raccoon, with one cartwheeling of their shoulders and launching himself at Equinox with a mad laugh and a swipe of his knife.

[Ecalsneerg]

Equinox's magical wards flared for a brief second, and the knife was swept wide by an unseen force, even as she brought both hands up to mimic her holding a sword in its scabbard in her hands. With a quick flourish, and the sound of steel being drawn forth, her wand of wood had turned into a longsword of steel, flaming flickering red over the cold steel.

And her attacker was down on the ground before she'd even registered that Hayley was being assaulted, knives digging into the squeaking animal's skin. "Magna dea!" she screamed, whirling in a wide arc, the sword roaring like a dragon as flames swept through the air. "Dux manu mea!" One of the redcaps was hurled into the air, crashing hard onto the ground, as spell-forged steel and flame hit it in the small of the back. "Prohibere me non!" The last one tumbled backwards as the sword was spun in mid-air, and slammed into its jaw.

[Supercape]

GM

"Very impressive" commented the Fae Queen, as she held her hands apart and gazed Equinox in the eye. "I can see that despite your foolishness, you have a way with your wand..."

She waved her hands in long circular movements, gathering a pale green fire in them, before unleashing it at her enemy, spitting out an unrecognised incantation as she did.

The ground erupted in streaks of a similarly hue fire, not hot, but searing nonetheless, and caressing both Equinox and Hayley both.

[Ecalsneerg]

Equinox deftly sidestepped the flames, slashing at them with the sword to clear a path to safety, the last flickering remnants in her wake barely even causing sweat to bead on her forehead. Hayley wasn't so lucky, throwing herself to the ground and rolling to clear the flames from her fur. <Siobhan! Siobhan! Stop her before she burns me again!> she wailed.

But nonetheless, the little raccoon sat up, and frantically looked around for the Rhymer baby, darting off to carry her off to safety. No longer able to see through Hayley's eyes, the witch paused for a second, standing stock still in spite of the violence and chaos she'd just been a part of. But Equinox still had Hayley's most important senses open to her... she could smell the magical energy rushing around, the green flames flickering at her feet; the dome of force she'd brought up before herself, earthen and stone-like despite its exterior appearance simply being a white dome of force; the familiar tang of Hayley's voice in her head; and the thrumming power of the sword in her hand, held together only by her will in stubborn defiance of the spell-unraveling powers threatening to turn the sword into broken shards on the floor... she could smell them all.

And she could smell that fairy bitch. "Tace, misera ipsum," she spat, the flames on her sword flaring brighter and brighter with each word. "A way with my wand? I've forgotten more about magic than you'll ever learn, obsessing with kidnapping children instead of studying. If you'd come to someone about wanting a child, you know what, maybe I'd have helped. But you're not going to spin your sob story and stop me bringing that baby home!" She lunged up and off the ground, sword raised high above her head, a wordless cry of rage spilling from her lips and she brought the sword down in an arc.

[Supercape]

GM

"Ha ha ha" laughed the Queen as the sword screeched to a halt spitting green fire above her. "My mystic enchantments are more than enough for your pretty little butter-knife. It may have been enough for those Redcaps, but you will find me a much more terrible opponent. Foolish you are you challenge me in my domain! muahahaha!"

With a laugh, she floated away from Equinox gaily, and raised her hands again, beckoning the earth once more and murmuring an incantation in some strange dialect.

From the ground beneath Equinox burst forth a half dozen green tendrils, plant like, but with a faint green glow and white hairs, curling and writhing as they sought to entangle her...