"Hiya Sky," Rainbow returned the Harpy's greeting cheerfully in her childish voice, waving a little to her. "The floor feels weird? Huh... I'm feeling a little funny, too," she told the bird-girl vaguely, figuring that she could go into more detail with them all, including Randy, when the stranger was gone. "Maybe we're both coming down with something... really weird?" She shrugged her small shoulders a little, running her bright blue-green eyes around the small, dilapidated room boredly, then using them to size up the stranger at the door.

He wasn't extraordinary in height or weight-- but then again, she wasn't either. He had messy, mousy brown hair, and wore a strange, reflecty, purple visor-thing over his eyes, so she was unable to tell what color they were or even how they were positioned. You didn't have to be an empath to read people by their expressions, but that was hard without the eyes. His face was average, other than the visor-thing, but splashed with freckles much like her own. 'Hmmm....' She thought, still glancing him over. 'Hmmmmmmmmmm.....'

Bored of her sword, her hair and thinking. As well as her failure to sleep, she stood up. She found that she was on the outskirts of a city. Marcella stood up, and stumbled away from the tree, she slowly tumbled away because she'd fallen over. It wasn't very bright as she rolled past the houses. Feeling rather sick in the process, and her sword knocking her at every turn wasn't pelasent. Eventually, she hit a trash can. Rubbish falling into her face. "Oh Fuck this." She was now ratehr pissed offa s she stood up and stumbled away from the trash can.

She reeked quite badly by this point, of rotten bananas and some other things, which she really didn't want to know about. Marcella whiped herself down with her hands, swearing as she walked. She walked for a while and came to a shabby building, the front door was open, someone was standing in front of it, and there where some people inside, she looked at them, strangely, she was almost standing right in front of them while waying them up.

Rowen rolled his eyes at Randy's comment about his clothes,
"Its not that different from what I would usually wear," He shrugged. He pulled off his night cap and ran a hand through his bleach-white hair,
"Seducing is easier said than done, and troublesome. And you know I didn't mean to go that far," He stated in his defense, "And speaking of meals," he chuckled, his eyes traveling toward the front door of the apartment, downstairs.
"There is a rather delicious, foreign smell coming from the front door. I'm guessing its some sort of a fairy judging by that scent. Did the higher ups send a new recruit that you know of?" He questioned Randy as he leaned out from the apartment door and gazed down at the door, being careful not to bump into the man that was standing next to him.
"On second thought, it is a nice night out tonight. I suppose I'll go," Rowen said more to himself than anyone before walking out of the room and up the stairs to his own room to get properly dressed.

Melvin blinked, stepping back a pace at the abrupt opening of the door. Inside stood several people, none of them look anything like a harpy. It took a moment for Melvin's mind to work, he cleared his throat to try and get it working again.

"Ah.. I .. uh.. right. I'm Melvin Fuddlebuddim from Paranomal Mythbusters Magazine, and there have been rumors of a thing called a..." Melvin glanced at his notes, the strange word was hard for him to remember, they should have just called it a bird-woman and been done with it. "Called a harpy, would you please consent to an interview to clear up the rumors Miss?" In the background he saw a young lady wearing a feather boa with light-brownish hair. She looked a little like the bird woman from the picture and Melvin wondered if they might be a theatre troup or something.

Her eyes widened before going into slits. Marcella was not being anyones lunch, or dinner.

"Oi! Who the hell said that? Higher ups? Are you a sect of some sort??" She shouted abruptly over everyone else there. Marcella was unfortunately, a little bit too front forward sometimes, and would have done better to think about what she was about to say before saying it.

"On second thoughts, sorry" She bowed and slowly walked away backwards. Although, She stopped at a distance. Demon or whatever it was that wanted her for lunch, she wasn't going to be its tea.

Before Melvin could respond to the fairy behind him, Skyler silded up to him, ignoring the screams of wrongness from her legs. She fluffed her feathers up around her collar and wrapped her arm around his shoulders.
Through a very thick southern drawl she said, "Good sir, Ah do believe you are mistahken. We are but a humble group of ahqaintences, who just so happen to be of the misfortune of sharing this dreary ahpahtment. Ahs for this Harpy of yours, well, Ah haven't got the faintest clue of what it could be." She was laying it on thick and hoped that it was believable enough that he would ignore the others. "Perhaps if you had a picture or a discription, I could keep an eye out for one. Ah would certainly let you be the first to know handsome."

Melvin was blushing so hard at the young woman's advances that his cheeks turned purple. "Well ma'am, you see... I have a duty to find the truth.. and um well.." He couldnt seem to get much more out than that. He was painfully shy around females and when one got too close he couldnt think.

"I.. picture.. uhm" Lost for words he pulled out his black laptop with its glowing alien head logo. Popping it open he saw the picture of the harpy woman that looked very much like her. "This.. this.. this.. is-sn't-t-t y-you?" He managed to squeak out as he showed her the picture.

By now poor little Melvin looked like he was going to fall over from embarrassment.

Could it have been a more obnoxious combination of things to crop up all at once? Probably. At least there was something going on. Unfortunately, something Randy probably didn't have the tact to handle. She was impressed with Skyler's response though, always good to strike to kill. And with the geeky types, well, that was usually simple if you could produce a moderately attractive person of the gender of their preference. Going by how befuddled this guy was getting... But, she did notice something.... Amiss. Skyler. Her legs, they were... Well, normal. But, she just figured that was Rainbows doing, she was an illusionist, after all. She glanced at the younger girl, "Sure, you can come, and, sir" she flashed a dazzlingly charming smile "we're just some friends who live in the same area, you're a myth buster, surely you can tell the difference between a woman and..." she glanced at the picture and made a mental note to hunt down whoever took it and had them... Taken care of. She smiled again, "well, some over zealous kid who fancies themselves a witch and has been smoking goodness knows what. Now, if you'll excuse me," she said, forcing the cringe that was fighting it's way to the surface when the fairy outside started yelling things about a sect.

She walked past the investigator, trusting Skyler and Rainbow to take care of that to go verbally beat the hell out of whoever, or whatever, was outside. She spotted the fairy pretty easily, knowing what to look for, and sighed. "Great. A fairy," for the record, most of her dealing with fairies have been of the more mischievous and troublesome variety. The very obviously human woman ran a hand through her hair and looked at Marcella, before saying in that very quiet voice that meant she was ready to draw blood that her anger management classes had forced into being habitual and said, "Are you some kind of imbecile? You're a fairy for Christ sake. You should learn some more discretion." She grabbed the other girl by the arm, although not roughly and dragged her more into the shadows, "One. Keep your voice down, will you? It's not exactly safe screaming that sort of thing out. Two. Who the hell are you?" The previously mentioned quiet angry voice was doing what it always did, becoming more apparent that it was angry. If the death glares weren't enough, that is. She wasn't going to employ force and set the girl ablaze quite yet. She was stupid, but, it was her job to find the oddball critters wandering around and take them in. If she had a decent story, it was actually in her contract to help. Damn unions.

Rainbow jumped in the air and squealed as Randy gave her permission. She was on the verge of hugging the other woman as she walked out the door. Shrugging a little, she started towards Sky and the strange young man. Her eyes widened as she inspected him up close, and she practically shoved her face within an inch of his. After assuring herself about whatever it had been that she'd been looking him over for, her bright green lips pulled back in a grin and she pinched his cheek with two rainbow-polished fingers. "What a cutie you've found for yourself, Sky!" she giggled, releasing his face and stepping back foot or so.

"Omigawd!" she screeched as he pulled out his laptop. She jumped forward again and stared at it with wide eyes. "I love your laptop! And your bag!" she squealed again, grabbing at his shirt and shoulder and clutching to them happily. "Where did you get themmmm!?"

Marcella drew back, flicking her hair. "You know dear. You look, rather pissed off" Marcella wasn't in a particularly good mood either, henseforth, letting her gaurd down, and shouting in succession. Something that she rarely ever did, unless it was verbal abuse at a mentally weak enemy of some sort."I must have been awake far too long than is healthy." She was waving her hands as she talked. "So I apologise and if you'll excuse me, my name is Marcella. I was just wandering. I suppose if I was trying to pick a fight, I may have found one. Yet I'm not in the mood. I'm just a 400 or so year old wandering warrior sun fairy. Nothing much more, nothing much less."

Marcella probably failed at most things, she sounded very cold as she talked, and seemed to be dragging her words slightly. Marcella wasn't actually used to conversing with most other species, at least, she hadn't been the past few years.

Curiously enough, the rainbow girl didnt seem to jumble up Melvin like the southern belle did. Her questions were a welcome distraction and he snatched the change of subject eagerly.

"My laptop is a custom model. The case is a titanium-silver hybrid that's currently in the testing phases at NIUA. The screen is LCD with 500 megapixel capabilities. I wont even get into the insides of this fine speciemin." He explained beaming with pride at his computer.

"As for my shirt, my sister made it for me to match my computer. My trenchcoat was on sale at Foleys."

He grinned slyly at the curious girl, a sudden idea bloomed in his head. "If you wouldnt mind consenting to an interview about this Harpy Matter, I wouldnt mind asking my sister to make a shirt for you." He was willing to bargain as long as he got the truth he was looking for.

Skyler took a look at the picture as Rainbow distracted the poor man even further. Looking closely at it she drew in a sharp hiss, the picture was indeed of her. But the real question was how did anyone come in possesion of a picture of her, she rarely left the apartment and when she did it was usually under illusion. This meant trouble for her and for the sect.
"Why, you do sure know ahlot about computers, I never realy got to understanding them mahself. As for this Harpy Matter Ah'm sure that Rainbow and I could aid you." She leaned back away from the monitor smiling, "That picture you got here it does seem to resemble me, but perhaps it is one of those new-fangled computerized pictures they've got out now. A gentleman caller of mine knew how to work pictures on the computer once, I had to send him off though, with all his drinking and carrying on." her accent was begining to slip but she hoped her mannerisms distracted enough in time for her to regain the accent.

Randy simmered down a little after Marcella's statements. Warrior fairy. Recruitment time? Probably. She sighed, and visibly loosened herself up. "You really have no idea where you are, do you?" she asked, much more gentle. "My name is Randy, and, you're currently in front of the minimalist head quarters of a group that keeps the human world and the other world separate. We keep the humans safe from critters, and, the critters safe from humans." She paused, "this involves offering sanctuary to those who are... Lost or confused," baby steps. "If you can keep your voice down, we can help you learn to blend in a bit better with humans and such. That is, if you want to." She forced a smile at the last statement. It was her job to double as a social worker some days, sending people running away crying was frowned upon.

((LC AKA Skylar - Not to be a nit-picky git, but the picture of you is on Melvin's computer screen. So unless you have your hands on his entire computer it would be a little hard to fold up. :lol: ))


"Oh I see whats going on here." Melvin said with a sly all-knowing grin. "You're accent is good Miss, but my grandparents live in the south and I can hear the difference."

For once Melvin was glad of all the summers he was dragged down to Texas to spend the summer with grammy and papa. Melvin had to admit if she hadnt slipped a little he might not have caught it.

"You guys are a theatre troupe right? I bet you're working on a new show arent you? That explains why you dont want to admit this is you, you dont want to spoil it do you?" Melvin said smugly as if the mystery had been solved.

She raised her wings further at the comments made. Marcella was certainly lost, she was always lost afterall. "You're a sect then?" She asked. It was the only way she really knew them, she wasn't in a normal one though, it was probably slightly less legal, but she didn't care. She disliked it, being told what to do. Heck, beign part of a group, where working together was part of the package, made the hairs on her back shvier slightly.

"I could blend in. But there's hardly a reason I'd want to be, around humans anyway" She sighed. Marcella was tired of most of the things that had happened around the humans which she had sometimes been forced to work with. "If you can explain to me what you mean by Blend in." Marcella shrugged her shoulders, she knew what she meant, but during the lasst couple of hundred years, she's learnt to always double check.

((thanks Hatter I edited my last post so that it was indeed the computer she saw and didn't fold up.))

Letting out an overdramatic sigh both of desperation and relief, "That's it toots, you caught me" she smiled and hugged Melvin, "It's been awhile since someone saw through my 'Southern Belle' act, I congratulate you. We are a troupe of sorts, we act out our daily lives for the expence of others, you could say. Just keep it to yourself. Mums the word!" She held a finger up to her lips indicating secrecy.
Skyler was just glad that Melvin had come up with a decent and convientent lie for her to follow and go off with. An acting troupe was as close to the truth as she could get anyways.

((Ha ha no problem! It was probally my fault for not making that especially clear in my original post.))

Melvin was a little disapointed that he didnt find a harpy, but he was excited to find an acting troupe with advanced make-up knowledge. If he could get them to show him how its done, maybe he would have an easier time spotting false magical creatures. Melvin didnt have time to go about chasing every lead, knowing what to look for would help alot.

"Wow! Your costume looks so real! May I see it? How do you make your hair look like feathers? Is it a wig, or do you have to weave all the little feathers in your hair?"

Melvin bombarded the woman with questions, one after another till he stopped forming sentences and just unleased a flood of inquiries.

Randy quirked a brow, "I guess you could call us a sect. We work to keep the average person oblivious to the less then average, and safe from them, and to keep the less then average safe from those who would ultimately try to hunt and kill them. Learning to bled in a little better is basically just that. If you're running around on highways, yelling about magic and such, you're probably going to get caught. And, don't be naive, the government has programs for the likes of us. But, so long as we keep a low profile, they tend to leave us be. It's the disruptive one's who get nabbed." she shrugged, "we can help you, or, you can take your chances, ultimately, it's up to you. I'm going back inside now to make sure some guy hasn't started writing an article about harpies and their existence. If you're coming with me, hide the wings." she shrugged off her own coat tossed it to the fairy without looking back before heading in.

She found the guy still there, and questioning Skyler quite intently. She sighed, rubbing her temple. Well, she had wanted some action... Not that she counted this as action, but, at least it wasn't "10 things I hate about you". "Why is this nutter still here?" she asked loudly enough to grab his attention. "Is he asking if we do black magic sacrifices of virgins on the roof under a full moon? 'Cause that we do do, but you'll have to come back on a full moon and bring your own virgin." Ah, sarcasm. Where would she be without it? Probably in an asylum. But, shh.

Skyler stepped back a bit as the onslaught of questions reached an unintelligible level. She was only able to make out a few of the questions Melvin was asking. She had no idea about costume make-up and she certainly wasn't an actress of any sort. She wanted an adventure but Melvin was not what she thought an adventure should start off with.
Her legs were hurting, they still felt weird and now her back was hurting too. She tried to make up an excuse in order to go sit down away from his questioning.
"Oh, I can't show you my costume and I certainly can't give you the secrets of my art. But here, see this head feather. I didn't quite have the time to remove it," she pointed to the one that was falling into her face, "They are put in the same way hair extensions go. Same idea, different material. How do you think they got the doll's hair in the Raggedy Anne play to look like yarn? It wasn't a wig."
Randy's entrance and comments made for a great distraction, Skyler smiled weakly clearly in pain, and forced out a chuckle at the sacrifice comment. She apologized and stepped into the kitchen to take a seat and grab a drink.

Melvin didnt really understand what the woman was trying to point out, because the "head feather" she pointed too was just normal lightish brown hair. Melvin was going to question her further but the other woman had returned and seemed quite irritated about something.

"Ma'am, would you consent to an interview about your future play? What role do you play in the troupe? Are you the manager? Is this your first play? How many years of experience do you have in the theatre industry?" Melvin's onslaught was not staunched in the least it was simply redirected to a more available source.

Marcella sighed and flicked the coat, folding it. She chanted a few words, and her wings where concealed easily, she slung the coat over her shoulder, an watched as the chameleon illusion worked its magic. A ratty know it all, was the impression marcella got. She had a very low profile personality, kill and dispose, or not even dispose, was her way of dealing with most things as she rolled her eyes. She knew that she always tended to look for trouble, but that wasn't always the intention, trouble used to have a habit of finding her, but as she got closer to this human city, it seemed the distance between trouble and her was growing more, which was insanely irritating.

She followed towards the house and sided a glance at the conversation going on. She just leaned against the wall, The coat flowing behind her back. She was hoping, that her chameleon effect was working, cause she was sure as hell never going to be able to hide her butterfly wings to that much of an effect otherwise. Luckily enough, it was working.

Never a good sign when your Harpy is feeling weak. She had gotten used to her demons getting woozy from lack of blood or what ever it was they fed on, but, harpies? That hadn't been an issue as of yet. She couldn't afford to have anyone go and get sick on her. Could harpies get sick? Probably... She yanked herself back to the present pretty quickly as Melvin berated her with questions. Theater? Was that the cover story Skyler and Rainbow had gone for? Well, all things considered, that was actually a pretty good cover. I mean, the theater was such an eccentric, sporadic place complete with equally eccentric sporadic people...

Except, Randy had never had any involvement with theater, and very little with theater people. Other then seeing what nut jobs the one's at her college were. She smiled, "I'm sorry sir, but I'm not giving out a single detail until opening night. If you like, I can send you an invite for it though" Had she paid a bit closer attention, she would have noticed that most of them leap at any chance to talk about what they're up to. She should have just said they were doing a Mid-Summer's Night Dream.

You know, she found it amusing. If the question about her wings ever came up. She could just say it was costume. She just had to attatch some string around her arms. The coat was never going to do a good job. No matter how well she was folding it around them. They still hit the floor when dropped. She almost wondered if they'd tuck into her shoes and she could make it out was some sort of strange hippie outfit.

She sighed, moving away from the door and wall shuffling in the direction, of behind a large bin. She came to the conclusion human towns suck, really quite badly. She much prefered being an assassain. The darkness was a very good place to hide afterall.

An arm suddenly wrapped around Melvin's shoulders,
"And who might this guy be? A snack? He's kind of puny," Rowen stated as he looked the man over. No one seemed to notice his descent down the stairs and entry into the room. His eyebrows raised as he noted the computer and strange glasses.
'He must be some kind of researcher. And those visors, how queer,' he thought in curiosity before he inwardly growled. He couldn't even sense this person's energy, let alone feed off of it. He stood only a few inches taller than Melvin and it was only in his exaggerated view that Melvin was 'puny'. Even if he concentrated there was nothing, and it wasn't just Melvin. Everyone in the room seemed like empty shells to him. No energy, no aura.
'What the hell is this guy?' he thought in frustration and anger. Without his sixth sense, he felt blind.

Melvin yelped and scooted away as the strange arm came down around his shoulders. Just the week before he had been on a research project that was investigating a zombie attack. As it turns out they were just a group of cannibles attacking innocent tourists. Melvin knew the young man was kidding but to hear that particular phrase was still a little unsettling.

"I wouldnt eat me sir, I've been raised on nothing but hotpockets and kool-aid since I was a little sprat. I would go right to your ass, and I wouldnt make a healthy edition to your cholesterol content." Melvin sputtered trying to throw the man off in case he actually was a cannible. One could never be too careful after all.

This group was eccentric, but they didnt really seem like the theatre type. He wasnt really an expert on the subject, but he knew someone who was. Now he just had to figure out how to secure an invitation to come back...