It was another fine morning at the Red Dragon Inn.

In Rhydin there still isn't snow on the ground but this didn't stop her from visiting, whistling and softly singing an old Christmas carol.

Oh, by gosh, by golly It's time for mistletoe and holly Tasty pheasants, Christmas presents Countrysides covered with snow

Oh, by gosh, by jingle It's time for carols and Kris Kringle Overeating, merry greetings From relatives you don't know

Then comes that big night Giving the tree the trim You'll hear voices by starlight Singing a Yuletide hymn

The Gypsy walked in without much fanfare, dressed in black tights with a sleek pair of knee-high boots; she had always considered these boots special, of the ass-kicking variety. She had on a bright red, baby-tee style dress that flared out just before hitting mid-thing, a fuzzy trim of white lining the bottom but also matching the trim encircling her shoulders. The sleeves were long, close fitting around her wrists, with that same fuzzy trim. The whole outfit was complete with a Santa hat, perched on her head. She had even braided her hair into two plaits, left to dangle over each shoulder. What could Vera say, she was feeling festive.

"Merry Christmas!" She sang out, her smile already fixed in place. She carried a few bags in her hand.

Amelyn moved from rafter to rafter, mocking a high-pitched and dramatic voice, "Oh no! It is Kyuur, Thane of ....Winter places and murderous kitten-eater of Sky-rim," her pronunciation was a little off, "Save me, save me from such a hideous fate!" And yes, she was watching him lest her were modern enough to be carrying a firearm. She wasn't getting shot, not tonight.

"Oh hells! Ame itss you, not funny! I was denied a hunt." He grumbled, his grip hard on his deadly double-axe. He put the double-axe back onto his back in its sling. He glared at Vera, not in festive mood. Headed to the bar and poured a two pint mug of nord mead.

Well. Vera shrugged, blinking at the dragon born. Apparently not everyone enjoyed Christmas.

Amelyn snickered merrily and bounded from beam to beat, finally coming to rest above the bar, "Who is Mary Chrismus?" Just a little sheltered, perhaps.

Argonians didn't celebrate Yuletide, that was a Human and Mer festival. Not that anyone would know that, but all the same. He huffed and drank a full quarter of a pint in one go.

The Gypsy cleared her throat, stubbornly refusing to give up her smile. "It's a holiday luv, one I celebrate. In fact, I'll be in Romania later on, with meu fiica and my family." She walked to the bar and placed her bags there. "I bought you something too, you can give the rest out if I don't see the rest of the Darkstar company."

Kyuur looked at Vera, that word, that place, Romania, clicked with him. Settled now he spoke, politely to Vera. "Rom..an..niah' I know thiss place, I know someone from there yess."

Vera turned her bright smile towards him, "Oh' That's wonderful! I don't find many around here, unless they are from that side of things, that have even heard of my home. I hope they had many good things to say about it." Amelyn looked curious, "What'd you bring?" The concept was foreign, but she was a sucker for any kind of presents. Xun had a nasty habit of bribing her to do her lessons.

"Yess, a woman named Lydia Tolmay, she iss from there. She did not say anything about that place, except that she was from there."

"Oh, I have a nice collection of perfumes for you girls; you, Rayva, and Faer. I have two jugs of Romanian spice rum for Xav and Cael. I thought about Rayva's mother but I was afraid she'd be affronted if I bought her any perfume..." The Gypsy looked back at the dragon born, even as she began to sort out the bags. "Tolmay, Tolmay," she murmured, rolling the name on her tongue. "Sounds familiar but I don't believe I know her."

"Yess, she and her sister Leta run a guild compound outside the city. And I am ssorry for my anger, it was not to you human. I was denied a hunt, I was tracking a werebeast, a cat one. Thiss iss new to me. It has vanished, but I will find it again. My appologiess."

"Oh no," Vera waved off his apology. "It's all right. Nothing to be sorry about, I can understand one's disappointment." Thinking she set out three bags, one containing the before mentioned perfumes and the other two holding the jugs of rum. "I have heard about a castle or some such, run by twin sisters. I haven't the chance to meet them yet sadly. I hope I do get the chance, it's nice to be able to speak in my language. So few here know it."

Amelyn murmured, "Ooh....Yeah, not so sure about Talis. She's weird about strangers bearing gifts." Then she paused, "The Tolmay sisters of Bristol Crios, you mean?"

"Yes," she gave Ame a nod. "That is the one!"

"Yess that iss the name, Bristol Crioss, a very nice place. A number of large manor housess. I am a member of one of the guildss there, it iss my new home here."

Amelyn said, "Velociraptors..." and that was all of her cryptic response on it.

Vera nodded. "Sounds marvelous. Maybe you can," She paused and gave Amelyn a look, her brow arched, "pass on a message for me. Let them know a sister of Romania is also hanging about the Inn."

He wasn't even going to try and say that word. His common was difficult enough to speak. That was a word beyond him. He nodded to Vera. "Yess I shall, but I will need your name to give them the message, yess?"

"Vera, Vera Deya." She said, grabbing a fourth bag and moving behind the bar. This one was labeled for Katt. She thought about leaving it at her shop but the Gypsy wasn't sure she'd find it.

Amelyn's nose twitched and lip curled into a ghost of a sneer after that word and she eyed Kyuur carefully.

"Veraa Deyaa, yess I will tell them you are native to Ro..ma..niya too. And that you are here at timess." He nodded and drank his mead. He looked back at Ame.

"Yess Ame, iss there something you need?"

The Gypsy gave Amelyn a concerned glance. "All right, luv?"

Amelyn shook her head and managed a small smirk for both of them. "Velociraptors are nasty beasts..." This was stated matter-of-factly, but not explained.

"I ssee, you are very sstrange at timess Ame." He shook his head.

Vera raised both her brows now, tilting her head. "Umm, well. Where I am from, they're all dead. The dinosaurs." She shook her head, chuckling softly. "You mean to say, dinosaurs are roaming here?"

Kyuur looked intrigued, asking, "Dinosaurss" What are these?"

Vera replied, "They were huge creatures from where I use to live. Some considered them reptilian until it was later discovered that a lot of them are related in some way to birds. I can't fully describe them but I'll do you one better, I'll dig up a book for you and let you see for yourself."

"Huge reptiles related to birdss?" That perplexed him alot. "Are these Dinosaurss like dragonss" Do they fly?"

Amelyn glanced to Vera, then nodded. V is for Velociraptor, but there are other words that could start out the same, and she wasn't a fan of those. She wouldn't explain further than a simple nod. The topic was changed, "Is there coffee made?" The dark elf turned towards the coffee maker.

Kyuur perked up, the word coffee was mentioned.

Vera tapped her chin, suddenly frowning. "I suppose it is possible that a few have found their way here but I haven't encountered any. Thankfully. Xenomorphs are enough for me." She looked at Kyuur, "Some did, yes, the ones called pterodactyls.?"

Vera shook her head at Amelyn. "I haven't made any yet, just got here."

"I ssee, yess I would like to ssee thiss book of yourss about these dinosaurss, interesting to me yess." Kyuur said.

Amelyn dropped from the rafters behind the bar and sniffed the carafe, dumping and rinsing it at the sink. "Well, if you would, please, I'll try to find some of Katt's leftovers. I only drink the stuff. No idea of how to make a decent pot." She slid the carafe back into place and grinned.

"Then my good friend, it will be yours." Vera said, smiling and with that she breezed into the kitchen, leaving Katt's bag in the usual spot where she would normally store her goods from the Bon Bon. Coming back she laughed softly at hearing Amelyn, walking over to the coffee pot.

"Right then, like always, I am the coffee maker. I leave the baking to Katt."

"What iss this coffee pot you speak of, it lookss like a glasss tea pot, very sstrange. Doess it take magick to make it work?" He canted his head peering at the coffee maker.

Amelyn snickered.....pleasepleaseplease let this turn out like it did with Rayva's mate getting the sense shocked out of him.

Kyuur nodded to Vera, his attention on the coffee maker, he was if anything, very curious about new things and devices. He couldn't help but get up and look at it. Poking it with a finger.

"Not varja eh, magic. No. Well, I don't consider it magic at any rate. Electricity runs the pot, allowing hot water to filter through the grounds," and through this explanation the Gypsy was placing said items together, the cradle of coffee with it crushed beans and paper filter, slipped into its holder. "It starts to percolate, which..."

She bit her lip, rapidly thinking. Sometimes she still struggled with English, at least so much when she still thought mostly in Romany. She went with the best definition she could come up with. "Filter gradually through a porous surface or substance. In this case, the substance is the coffee grounds, beans that have been crushed up to allow the water to filter through it better!"

Well, she felt damn right proud of herself now.

Annd he was completely lost when Vera tried to explain this to him. He had no idea what electricity was. Vera might as well be speaking in Greek to him, it would make no difference.

Vera just ...Sigh.

Kyuur's finger was following along the cord to the wall plug, dangerously close to electrocuting himself.

"No!" gently Vera swatted his hand. "Baaaad idea. Very bad. Yes, don't do that .."

He snarled a bit at Vera. "Why you slap my hand." Glaring at her.

"Are you immortal?" She raised a brow at him, staring head on, not afraid of his snarl.

That got a look from him, head set aback in shock. How to answer that one, it was a whopper.

She crossed her arms over her chest, tapping a foot. Waiting.

Slipping into the inn and looking around, the neko was glad all seemed calm. She was in her normal form and with a happy sigh kept her footfalls silent ones. She was hampered by a limp, a white bandaged wrapped around her right ankle, matching the long white baggy jumper and vest top. She had on a pair of white shorts hidden by the length of the jumper, her tail dragging on the ground her, furry ears sticking out from her bright red hair.

Amelyn decided to intervene. "Ok....Kyuur....water to this line....and about 3 scoops of the dirt looking stuff in one of these paper bowl things go in the top." She chuckled, repeating the motions and showing him. "And don't stick your finger in that. Outlets bite."

He huffed and glanced at Amelyn, sitting down, defeated.

"Fine, I will not touch the cord thing."

Vera beamed. Gypsy wins, always.

The neko moved behind the bar looking for a bottle of cream, her gold eyes darting around. Smiling gently to herself, she found the cream and placed a coin into the till before moving away slowly towards the hearth.

Defeated twice in one night, this was one sad Argonian. Though he remained stoic, snorted though, like a dragon. Then he spotted the girl, glaring. "It's her! The catbeast! Die!" He jumped at Rose, ready to strike with his very claws.

By the smell, the aroma carrying throughout the whole common room, the coffee was done. Vera set out three mugs, grinning all the while. That is, until the dragon born lost his sh*t. Now she stared, holding the carafe in one hand.

"Uuh ..."

The neko jumped. "Nya!" Curling around the bottle of cream, shaking.

"I didn't do anything!"

Vera just stood there. "Uuh ....coffee's done .." She said in a small voice.

"Smell, I know the smell of my prey!" Big heavy hand with wicked claws aimed for small neko's face.

"So the coffee, it's done now ..." Vera was now staring at the carafe. Because really, what else did she have to do at this point.

God Bless it.

Neko was terrified, looking at him, her eyes rounding with tears streaking her face. "What prey?" Backing up she winced, using her injured foot to try and move.

The dark elf would, of course, take refuge in the rafters. In a manner very similar to Parkour, she leapt and found footing on the edge of the sideboard, grabbing a rafter and bounding her way upward.

"I'll take mine black, no cat-beast, no cream," she mused as steps carried her towards the kitchen and away from the action.

"There should be at least a beignet somewhere in this place..."

Vera decided it was time to try and be the voice of reason.

"Want coffee" I have coffee!"

Meanwhile the neko was panicking. "What in the name of BAST! I didn't do anything! You were nice to me! Then you freak out!"

She closed her eyes, moving at the last minute to get away from the suddenly enraged Kyuur.

Roaring ensued, really loud, loud enough to make the windows rattle. And across her face came the wicked, vicious claws, with all the fury of a Dragonborn.

"HEY! CUT IT OUT AND SIT YOUR DRAGON ASS DOWN!" Bellowed the Gypsy.

Gasping and curling up, the neko was shaking badly and slunk into a corner, still nursing the bottle of cream while sobbing, "All I did was say hi!!"

"Oh, God Bless it!" She was not a fighter and she was not cut out for this sort of thing. "Name, name, Amelyn, what is his damn name! He's going to kill her!"

Amelyn dropped from the rafters and slid through the kitchen door, amidst the roaring and yelling....The young one was on a mission....a mission for yummy, baked goodness. She called towards Vera, "Kyuur..."

Kyuur snorted, snarled. Blood rage...

"You, werebeast, you die!" He bought out his double-axe, enflamed and dripping with acid now.

The Gypsy quickly rounded the corner but she kept a good three feet away from the dragon born. "Hey, hey, Kyuur ....let's calm down now, okay' Just, hold on!" She was frantic, trying to be as soothing as possible, her voice mellowing to a soft coo one might use with a frightened animal.

"She's just a young thing, not a beast for slaughter, your senses must be telling you something wrong..." Placating she held up her hands, "Come, sit with me, have some coffee ....Put the damn axe away ..."

The neko blinked, looking up at him. "W.....w.....werebeast!"

Looking around she exclaimed, "Where!" They don't like my kind!"

Rose was starting to panic more.

Kyuur spun around, angry, eyes blood red. Snarling, he huffed deep.

"Fine, thiss thing iss not even figthing me, itss not worth to kill." He unsummoned the flame and acid, sat down, but glared at Rose. Then drank some coffee, black.

Amelyn brought a box from the back, untying the strings and happily presenting the last of yesterday's baked goods to the others, "Ta-da!"

Beignets and bearclaws, as usual.

"Kyuur," Vera crooned gently, walking slowly over to him but not within touching range. Oh no. "It's fine, she's not a werebeast, she's just," the Gypsy gave the creature a glance, noting her odd features, cat-like in structure and demeanor. "She's a different sort of species. Its fine, she's not going to morph, er — change into any sort of monster."

And then upon hearing Amelyn, Vera gave the elf a long, long, long look. "Thank you very much Amelyn, your help is very appreciated."

Sarcasm' Maybe a little.

The neko snapped out of her panic, hissing, "THING! I'm a neko! A Persian neko to be exact! And werewolves scare me! Now you do!" Glaring at him she continued, "Just "cause I took human form and introduced myself when I could, by the way." Sniffing she turned away, "thanks for the hot milk!" She headed to a dark corner, sitting and drinking the cream quietly with her tail flicking at the tip.

Kyuur gave a low snarl thinking, werebeast or not, he hated shapeshifters. He sipped his coffee, giving a curt nod to Vera. He was not happy right now. He placed the double-axe at his side, leaning it against the bar.

Vera gave a sigh. She now turned towards the neko, thinking, Mateus is going to take a belt to my backside if he hears about this.

"Luv, calm down now, all is well. He's new around here." And winced. Like that was going to make it better somehow.

Looking over her shoulder and then back to the cream, she hissed softly, "Still?its rude to attack someone after you help them."

He glared at Rose. "Keep thiss up shifter, I will not have mercy for you next time." A dire threat he would back up.

"So Amelyn brought out snacks! Have a bearclaw Kyuur."

She didn't want to see someone slaughtered on Christmas...

But Rose had more to say, "Well next time don't help!" Her back straightened, she was tired of being scared and so sipped at her cream slowly.

"So we have treats with our coffee." Came the voice of the Gypsy, rising once more in volume.

Kyuur huffed, snorted, and shook his head. He took a bearclaw, and in one chomp he ate half of it.

The neko was feeling better! Dipping a finger into the cream she licked it off, purring and playing with the food. It makes her happy, her tail flicking merrily.

For Vera it was a slow walk behind the bar, even her Santa hat seemed to droop a little. This is how her Christmas morning was going.

"Knew I should have gone straight to Romania." She muttered, frowning fiercely at her coffee mug, somehow blaming it for all the morning's drama.

And somewhere, the song still plays ...

Oh, by gosh, by golly It's time for mistletoe and holly Fancy ties an' granny's pies An' folks stealin' a kiss or two As they whisper, "Merry Christmas" to you

Then comes that big night Giving the tree the trim You'll hear voices by starlight Singing a Yuletide hymn

Oh, by gosh, by golly It's time for mistletoe and holly Fancy ties an' granny's pies An' folks stealin' a kiss or two As they whisper, "Merry Christmas" to you

(This was taken from liveplay like with the Conversations thread. Thank you, all the players involved!)