New ways to live

Cole stumbles back into the Inn just as the sun begins to rise. And quickly finds a quiet out of the way spot to set and meditate, focusing his mental and spiritually abilities to help heal himself.

After an hour, the young woman from before discovers Cole. "My gosh you're bleeding!" She exclaims, hurrying over to him, prompting Cole to open an eye at her approach. "Yes. I encountered another monster....But I'm curious, it seems as though your people possess an unhealthy facilitation with women and bowls."

Bewildered the woman shakes head head,
"I...I don't know what you're talking about..." She says with a laugh. "But you're hurt," She says tenderly pulling his Ge ruined ge from his chest. "I can see to this if you'll like."

"I wouldn't want to be a burden." He says.

"You won't be." She says sternly, stay here, I'll get some supplies to clean you up." She says, hurrying to the back room.

Cole watches the young woman leave and a sighs, shrugging out of his gi. Taking the time to neatly fold it. and lay it blood stain up down beside him. Just as the woman returns with an armload of supplies. The one item he eyes most suspiciously is the bottle of bourbon she brought with her.

"Do you need to drink for this?" Cole asks.

The woman glances at Cole's chest, and the bottle, and back to his chest. "Well maybe a little to calm my nerves, but most will be for you."

"I do not see why my becoming inebriated would assist you in this task..." He says confused.

"No," she sighs stifling a giggle, "It's to help clean your wounds...and for the pain." She insists, handing him the bottle.

"Pain is the cleanser, and it doesn't hurt so much...It helps keep my alert." He says.

Walking down the stairs on her way towards the kitchen Hetty notices Cole in less than good shape with the barmaid from earlier fawning over him. Altering her destination she stands by the pair with a look of concern.

"Are you okay Cole? What happened?" Judging by the lack of apparent damage to the building the mage assumes whatever it was did not happen here.

About to ask if he needs a healer or doctor she stops herself not wanting to offend the other woman... especially as she is the only one other then the innkeeper who knows how to make a proper cup of tea. Hetty does not want to examine the effects of arsenic poisoning from first hand experience.

snapping his attention to Hetty, he bows his head, ""There was a child in town-a fat slovenly thing, cruel, to others, so I relieved him of these confections. He did not need more and shared them with the less fortunate...I was enjoying my share..." He say's almost sadly. "Cookies I believe you call them here, we don't have them in my world...they were delicious...But a monster attacked me..similar to the others we've faced since my arrival... it destroyed my cookies....But I defeated it. Then another winged creature leapt onto it and began eating it...I saw it best to leave it be for the moment and just walk away...This world is strange to me."

Her lips twitch as she tries not to chuckle at Cole's newfound love of cookies. "Don't judge the rest of this world by recent events. I can assure these creatures are unique to this area. Walking away was probably a very good idea..."

On a good note it seems they have one less monster to worry about on the creature's hit list. "Can I get you anything Cole?"

Cole's eyes light up, "Yes, do you know if the Inn has any cookies on the premises? I never tasted such confessions before."

Grinning she shrugs. "I haven't a clue. But if it does I will find them!" With that Hetty goes to rummage in the kitchen for breakfast and cookies.

A few minutes later Hetty returns carrying a full tray. Setting it down carefully she places the small plate of cookies and glass of cold milk in front of Cole. "Cookies are best had with milk. Something about it makes them taste even better."

Picking the tray back up she heads back upstairs.

Cole smiles and generally picks up a glass of milk and tries it with a cookie while the young woman begins treating his wounds.

"Mmmmm," He says smiling satisfactory, "These two are good, you should try some." He offers to the girl, who smiles and glances at the offering.

"Maybe you save me some and I can sit with you when I'm finished patching you up?" She asks.

Cole nods, "I look forward to it. Would it be appropriate for me to ask your name?" He asks, glancing at the woman.

"It is, I'm Emily...and you are Cole...The traveler," She says with a smile.

Leading Shadow back to the inn, Shard glances back at Shadow as he hold the door open for him.
"How about now? Any closer to understanding me?"

Shadow
Rolling his eyes, "Now, understanding, was all I could make out, the rest was...nonsense." He says not bothering to hide his annoyance... Shard had only tried speaking every five or ten minutes, and only just now began making any kind of sense to him.

Snatching a cookie on her way out of the kitchen she takes a bite as she enters the tap room, needing something to distract her for at least a few seconds. The sight of Shard is a relief and a little bit of the tension in her shoulders relaxes. "You don't want to go in there. I don't know how safe it is."

Nodding, "Our little blond friend again?" he asks, not at all surprised, Then motioning to Shadow, "Oh Shadow Hetty, Hetty, Shadow. We're still apparently under the gibberish spell, but it seems to be wearing off."

Hetty nods absentmindedly in aknowledgemnt to Shadow. Turning her attention back to Shard she winces. "He disappeared in a most spectacular fashion against his will. I'm pretty sure someone was trying to kill him. I didn't tell Anna that second part..."

Nodding, he steps in closer to Hetty and speaking more quietly and aware a few more people were not occupying the tap room, whispers "Wouldn't be the first time, he has a history of being teleported to places against his will...usually to help, or save someone...But he's been charmed with good luck. But every once in awhile, his luck turns bad for eight till twelve hours....."

Shadow
Seeing Hetty his eyes shift back and forth for a moment. "Ah...you must be the mage? So where's this pet of yours I've heard so much about it. I hear he's been an...excellent protector."

Feeling a little- emphasis on the little, bit better about the situation she figures that as they can't do anything about it she may as well just go with the flow.

Shadow's interruption makes her give him a second, longer look. Though she's heard his name tossed into a conversation or two, Hetty really has no real idea who this man is. As he seems to know a bit about her she can only think that Shard and he have managed some functional conversation.

Guessing he's referring to the creature she shrugs. "I don't think 'pet' or 'protector' are terms I would use. How about very creepy creature that, for the time being, doesn't have a strong interest in eating me and finds me mildly useful?"

Shadow
Nodding, with a smile, "Hmm...that's good to hear..." He says grinning, turning his left hand into a scythe and slamming it up through Shard's back, lifting the surprised Atlantian off his feet and tossing him across the Inn. As his face and body takes the form of Anna. Then pointing the fingers of his right hand at Hetty, as her fingers become spears which shoot through the air towards her. As Lyyod smiles with the face of Anna.

Having a fraction of a second to realize he never mentioned Hetty or Sparky to Shadow, not Shadow. he managed to reach into a pocket as he's pierced and flung through the air. He hits the ground hard, cursing, "Run!" And tossing a fistful of seeds through the air, which quickly grow into spungey mushrooms, blunting the tips of Not Anna's fingers as they jut through the air at Hetty.

Her eyes go wide as she cries out in surprise. The protective shield that springs up around Hetty is purely instinctual- as is her ducking and covering. Feeling a duller 'thunk' on her barrier then she was expecting, her eyes spot the mushroom blunted spears. It is definitely a creative method of diminishing an attack.

Torn between following Shard's order and running, or staying and helping how she can, she looks with worry at Shard, still laying prone on the floor. Not sure how one who isn't a shapeshifter can effectively fight one, Hetty is at a loss as her brain flies through her options.

A slow grin forms as an idea pops in her brain to use his apparent fear against him. Using her knowledge of what she did see of the creature, Hetty builds a quick but very convincing illusion of the creature rushing down the stairs with a shriek towards their attacker.

Not Anna

Turning to meet the creature, he curses, and quickly glances about the room, and the Mage, who Llyod doesn't see as much of a threat. He rolls his shoulders. Turning his back to both Hetty and Shard. "Dammit...Was hoping to avoid this fight!" He growls, deciding to do what he tried on Bull and transforms both arms into large drills which he drives at the Creature hoping to impale the monster if not impede its path to him, not much looking forward to having another bout with the monster and not entirely sure how to kill it. Causing him to almost admire the creature if it wasn't trying to kill him and protect the mage.

Seeing the creature as well Shard rolls his eyes and curses their luck. And tries pushing himself up as blood flows freely from the exit wound in his stomach and more steadily from the entry wound at his back. He falls back to the floor and reaches to unshouder his bow, and instead reaches for Draken his flaming sword remembering too late that he left the blade in his room beside Hetty's bed. He curses, and again begins struggling to unshoulder the bow while withering on the floor.

Having hoped he would have run rather then attacked, she says a quiet swear which is a most unHetty-like thing to do.

Gnawing on her bottom lip the mage 'hardens' the illusion, thickening the air in the areas and make the results of Lloyd's efforts more believable to prolong the rouse.

Eden Rose
Sighing, she climbs out of her booth, and smooths her clothes, she's a bit surprised to see Envy has officially thrown in with Famine. Then spotting Hetty's illusion, she picks her harp up from the table and begins to play, adding her own magic to Hetty's bolstering the Illusion.

Not Anna
Hearing the sound of the harp cords, an eye opens up on the back of his/her head, then spotting Eden he grimaces and allows a spike to form in her back and jut out across the tap room, impaling her through the chest, and ceasing the sound of her music, as she dies before the harp even has a chance to fall from her hands.

Then spotting Shard trying to get up, long prickly spikes begins to from along not Anna's back, and begin shooting across the room like spears at Shard's body.

Watching the events unfold and flinching at the sight of Anna, his would be friend attacking his other friends, Cole calmly pushes Emily away. "Hide." He whispers as he stands igniting his fists, as he approaches her cautiously not knowing what to make of this new...development of Anna who was now engaged into fighting the monster he had last seen eating the other creature he had slain.

"Friend Anna. I don't know what it is you're trying to do...but we are your friends, Friend Shard is my friend and the Inn's protector. Stop this foolishness and I'll aid you in the taking out of this monster." HE says darting his eyes over at the creature.