Topic: An uninvited guest

LordTravanix

Date: 2007-04-06 17:03 EST
The form again was announced to the offices by the chill of the air that crawled along the ground. He moved to the receptionist, and gave a gentle nod, and whispered something dark and seductive in her ear before moving on to the desk of the intrepid reporter. No doubt feeling the affects of his "suggestions from the other eve, he left a small gift upon her desk with no note. The black ribbin with red highlights would be enough.

He stood up, and reviewed the "bull pin" briefly, his arms folding behind him. After a moment, he returned to the receptionist, and whispered again to her before he departed, the chill following him out.

Tera Destre

Date: 2007-04-10 12:11 EST
Des felt the chill in the air and shivered. This was twice now she had felt in here in The Oracle offices and that just wasn?t normal. She briskly rubbed her hands up and down her arms while glancing around leaning as far to the left then to the right as she could in her chair trying to see if there was something out of place. What was that over there she wondered? Did she catch a glimpse of someone or something just leaving?

A shadowy figure in one of those cloaks like they wear to cover themselves up from head to toe so you couldn?t really see them good and proper until you got right up on them maybe. And just where had they been in here and what had they been doing being so silent like and all? She could have sworn she felt eyes on her for a brief moment while she was working but they hadn?t lingered, more like just glanced around kind of looking and moved on.

The chill was definitely gone from the air now so she assumed whatever or whoever had been here brought it and took it with them. That meant there might be a mystery and right here in The Oracle offices perhaps which in turn meant there might just be a story and if there was a story that meant one very happy Amal and if there was one very happy Amal that meant a bonus and if there was a bonus that meant an extra visit to the Vet for Little Kali Kat this next month!

The cowgirl Queen hopped up from her chair to get a better view of all the desks in her immediate vicinity then gave a yell. ?Wyh ya here today!? Keg Sister ya in that office of yours!? We got some investigatin? to do right here!?

Talomar Longden

Date: 2007-04-18 02:52 EST
Count Talomar Longden walked into the Oracle office with a letter in his hand. It was a letter that had been written by Sharon Gossip a month ago. He looked at the letter once more.

Dear Count Longden;

My name is Sharon Gossip and I am a reporter for The Oracle.

Recently in an interview with Lord Lucius DeAuster, he mentioned that you and he were in business together. In particular some kind of slave trade. I am currently working on a story about the sudden influx of slavers to Rhy'Din and would welcome the chance to interview you. At your convenience of course.

Should you deign to offer me such a privilege, I leave date and time to your picking.

Thank you,
Sharon Gossip
Oracle Reporter

He had been away, but the date and time of his own choosing was now.

Talomar looked at Bruce the secretary, an effeminate transsexual that had replaced Becky who ran off after Captain Stephen Kidd shot at her. ?Show me where Sharon sits,? he said in a commanding voice.

Bruce pointed back to where her desk was located.

The Count walked back to the desk and saw Sharon?s name plate on the desk, but no Sharon. He reached down on her desk and picked up a pen with which he wrote on the letter:

Contact me with time and place. ? Count Longden.

He dropped the pen back in the holder and looked at a box sitting upon her desk ? a box with a black ribbon with red highlights. He immediately felt the evil associated with that box.

A smirk came to his face.

A slaver could easily recognize the work of another slaver. Furthermore, he recognized the scent.

Travanix.

He hadn?t seen Travanix since he kicked him out of his home with his tale between his legs, when the slaver tried to do business with his wife. He smiled remembering how his wife had laughed all the way to their bedroom.

The smile quickly ran away.

Sharon had done a feature article on slavers, and obviously she had stepped on Travanix's toes. It was not her fault he talked too much. The front page should never contain such information. Sharon didn?t know better. He did.

Talomar picked up the box and felt the intensity of the evil power. ?Evidently Travanix wants to give you an up close and personal view of the slaving industry, Ms. Gossip,? Talomar hissed quietly to himself.

He set his letter on Sharon?s desk and departed with the box in hand.

In the reception room the Count crooked his finger to Bruce. ?Come with me,? he said with a hypnotic voice that could not be resisted. Bruce stood and followed.

Out in the street Talomar gave the box to Bruce and told him to walk it to the building down the street.

Bruce nodded and took the box. ?Yes, sir,? he said in his effeminate voice.

When Bruce was twenty yards away and in the middle of the street, Count Talomar released a power that tore into the box, exploding the slaver?s contents in a blinding flash that took Bruce along with it.

Bruce laid dead, black and burnt and smoldering on the street. The box was totally destroyed.

The Oracle office would once again have to hire a new secretary.

Talomar never did like transsexuals.

JadeRosenWolfe

Date: 2007-04-18 03:16 EST
::Why was it that Jade always found ehr self at the wrong place at the wrong time.She stopped mid step,smelling the scent of burnt and dead flesh upon the air. Bright blue hues peeked around the corner,to the man dead burnt upon the cobble stone.She then looked arounf a bit.::One more for the body count...

:;She moved along leaving the body lay there, the burnt paper smell lifted to her nose as she walked on towards that building where the paper was published,wondering if somehow the whole thing was connected. There was a slight chill in the air that perked her senses as she stopped before the building,wondering if she should investigate further or push on with out a care.Idle fingers slid along that chocker at her neck a bit, with that odd sense of being watched..::

::Curiousty killed the cat, and seemly the wolf as well. For she would stay there outside that building,brows perked upwards at it.Shed both read the paper and had met a few who wrote for it,but the chill about this palce was immense, perhaps it was just Rhydin as of late. With a shiver and tug of her cloak she pushed on,perhaps to think over what she had seen::

Tera Destre

Date: 2007-04-18 08:27 EST
She hadn't heard Wyh or Jewell so she just looked around and didn't touch the package. Instead she went back to her desk and kept it in sight. Des was there when the Count came strolling into the Offices and her eyes got as huge as saucers. What was this a Slaver's convention right here in The Oracle office building!? She sure didn't know what was going on but certainly felt outnumbered.

The last time she had seen Talomar he had been in one of his "moods" and she wanted none of that today. She slunk out of her chair and ducked down behind the nearest desk for cover. Warily she peeked around the corner of it to see what he would do. Well now that was just really strange as he too went over to Sharon's desk. What in tarnation had she done to bring these two Slavers seeking her out at the office Des had to wonder. The article hadn't seemed like something to warrent anyone being mad at her that Des could figure out but maybe they were a might touchier than she thought.

But then the Count picked that package up from Sharon's desk and took it with him after leaving something else behind. Des just about couldn't stand not knowing what was going on now but she didn't dare show herself or let Talomar know for sure she was in the building. Granted her scent was there but she worked there so she figured as long as she didn't show herself she should be safe.

The cowgirl Queen was happy when after what felt like having been in hiding forever the Count finally turned to the receptionist with the package in hand but oh dear he was taking Bruce with him and they just hired him! Amal was going to have one major house dropping fit if another receptionist was lost so soon after the last. Des debated showing herself to save this one but sadly for Bruce he had told her one too many times she really should so something about her hair and that she should really consider having a make over one day when she had come in looking rather haggard after a particularly rough night with Gwenilbeth.

Forget the little twit they could always get another receptionist for now she was sneaking from desk to pillar to potted plant to doorframe to peek out the front door to see what would happen. She blinked and gasped as the package from Sharon's desk exploded and with it Bruce. "Lordy be! We could have all been killed!"

Des ran back to her desk and grabbed paper and pen to write a letter then sent it off with extra silvers for the messenger if they could find the one it was intended for.

Dear Anubis,

I ain't got no idea what is going on but there are Slavers showing up left and right in The Oracle offices. I'm sure that you read the article last month in the paper. One of them left a package that exploded! Another has left a letter or note on Sharon's desk. I'd didn't go look to see yet. But you may just want to get down here and see what is going on. If nothing else perhaps you would like your point of view on Slaving put in the paper by Sharon too. Anyhow it just don't seem so safe in the workplace.

Des

Gavilean

Date: 2007-04-18 11:25 EST
Gavilean came back to the Oracle office after a photography session at the Rhy'Din Elementary School Teacher Appreciation Day.

"Bruce!" he called out. "Oh Brucie...where arrrree yooouuuu?"

The secretary was nowhere to be found.

"Where is that guy . . . or girl . . . or girlie guy . . . or whatever?"

He went to his wife's desk.

"Des, where's Bruce? Oh, and who's been doing the barbecuing in the street? Smells good!"

LordTravanix

Date: 2007-04-18 11:37 EST
He sat across the street, drinking a tea and quietly watched the main doors to the Oracle. The comings and goings of the reporters and such. He frowned slightly as he saw and felt the presance of Talomar. Blast his hide. What was this?

The package!

No doubt that damned fool was going to get in his way. The last thing he needed right now. Things were working perfectly. He pulled his chronometer verifying the time.

He was going to be late for a very important meeting at church.

Sharon Gossip

Date: 2007-04-18 15:00 EST
Sharon trips her way inside the Oracle?s front door, catching herself up against the wall as she smiles to the receptionist. A wide-eyed owlish blink of surprise from behind thick ugly glasses at the empty desk.

?Oh, my! Have we lost another one already?? asking of nobody in particular.

Truth is, Sharon hadn?t even known the new receptionist?s name or that they were transsexual.

She straightens from her lean to the wall continuing the path towards her desk. A wave and smile to any she passes; Sharon likes to be friendly with her co-workers, (even if she doesn?t know their names.) Well, almost all of them. She dislikes Gav, but that?s because he doesn?t value her head nearly as much as she does!

Speak of the devil! Gav is standing by Tera?s desk and the lovebirds are chatting.

Sharon likes Tera and merrily gives her a wave and a smile before taking a seat at her own desk.

Peering down at the notes she?s left herself she spies a new one; a note she?d not written. She picks it up between finger and thumb, reading over it quickly. A smile of happy excitement blooms on her face.

?The Count is giving *me* an *Interview*!? exclaimed aloud as she waves the note over her head exuberantly. ?Wow!?

She can barely wait! She?s fairly bursting with anticipation. This could be the break she needed and a wonderful way to keep her head on her shoulders too! Two birds with one interview! Yes, Sharon is very pleased.

Little does our intrepid heroine know what a narrow escape she?s had.

Gavilean

Date: 2007-04-19 18:35 EST
Gavilean gave his sexy wife a kiss and headed out to take pictures of the new Piggly Wiggly opening in Ryh'Din.

He passed by Sharon.

"Hey, Gossip, you look far too happy. Something bad must be up. Where's that frown that we've all come to love and appreciate?"

He loved teasing her. It's no wonder she couldn't stand him.

Gav looked for Bruce one more time as he passed through the reception area. "Probably putting on lipstick in the ladies room," he mumbled to himself. Then he went out the door singing Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady."

"So never judge a book by it's cover
Or who you're going to love by your lover
Love put me wise to her love in disguise
She had the body of a venus
Lord imagine my surprise.

That, that . . . Dude looks like a lady
That, that . . . Dude looks like a lady"

His voice faded away down the street.

Talomar Longden

Date: 2007-04-20 18:58 EST
The following day might have been like any other at the Oracle offices, a bit of chaos smothered in shambles, had not Count Talomar Longden appeared in the reception area with a dozen red roses in a crystal vase held in his hand. He noticed that no one had yet been hired to replace the dearly departed transsexual.

Just as well.

Talomar sensed that Sharon Gossip was present and at her desk. Had he walked up the stairs unnoticed or simply appeared instantly before her desk, no one would have been able to swear, for without warning or formal announcement of his arrival, he stood there looking down upon the bespectacled gossip columnist.

?Ms. Gossip,? the Count said in a deep, soft voice with a slight bow of his head. ?I couldn?t help but notice when I was here yesterday, that your desk looked frightfully bland. One so fine as yourself should never be without flowers around you to cheer you up and remind you of your value.?

While waiting for her to recover enough from the shock to speak, he set the crystal vase of prize red roses picked from his own greenhouse, upon the corner of her desk, and tilted his head slightly to the side as he arranged each in perfect configuration.

?There we are; perfection and beauty. I do love roses, don?t you??

He raised a brow and smiled at the rather plain receptionist with thick glasses. ?Please ignore the note I left here yesterday. I decided to just here come at my own convenience instead. Come. Where shall we have that interview?" He paused just briefly, then added, "I?ll think of something.?

He held out his hand to her, that she might rise from her chair and take it.

Sharon Gossip

Date: 2007-04-21 14:06 EST
As Gav had passed making his comment, Sharon did exactly as he requested; frowned. Now, some may wonder how such a marvelous husband to Des may have become such an annoyance to Sharon. The answer, dear readers, is simple; Gav reminds her of her brothers.

Being one of eight children, the only daughter and the youngest, Sharon has born the brunt of many years of abuse, a byproduct of male adolescence. Gav may think his ?teasing? is light and perhaps even playful, but Sharon has a different perception. She finds it all very ?childish?.

Yet it wasn?t long before she was once again smiling. After all she had an interview with Count Longden!

Sitting forward in her desk she pens him a quick response, planning to drop it in the mail on her way home that night.

?Dear Count Longden,

It was with great pleasure that I found your note accepting my request for an interview. Please know that I am available any time, any day and am happy to await your convenience.

I know that you are a busy man and my schedule is flexible therefore it behooves me to accommodate you.

Thank you,
Sharon Gossip
Oracle Reporter?

Folding the note she slipped it into an envelope then jotted down the Count?s address, (previously unearthed at the Rhy?Din Repository of Property and Acquisitions.) On her way home that night she dropped the envelope off at a conveniently located RPS branch just across the street from The Oracle.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The following day?

As our intrepid heroine is sitting at her desk jotting out notes to herself, the unexpected happens; Count Talomar Longden suddenly appears. You know, like ?out-of-thin-air? kind of thing, something one might expect from a horror film, so you can well imagine her shock and awe.

And what?s this?! He?s offering her flowers of all things!!!!

Sharon is a terrible actress and it shows. As the Count speaks her mouth falls open, (her mother would say she?s trying to catch flies!), green eyes widen then rapidly blink, blink, blink behind thick ugly glasses while she struggles to regain her composure.

The vase is beautiful as are the roses. The Count is asking her about them, what should she say? Luckily she is spared as he continues speaking. It is almost as if he understands which is more unnerving than his sudden appearance.

He offers her his hand and for a moment she stares at it without seeming to comprehend his gesture. Then as the shock begins to wear off she bobs her head while reaching out to take his hand.

Not knowing the reputation of the Count as well as some, Sharon believes the hype she heard during the Governors Race. Count Longden is a ?good guy? out to do ?good things?. Yes, sometimes are heroine doesn?t think things through as much as she should. How else could she have gotten so much attention from the ?wrong? sorts of late?

Putting on her most professional smile, Sharon stands without a typical display of her clumsy nature, (thankfully!), and keeping a respectful distance between them, responds to his invitation enthusiastically. ?Why, I am more than happy to interview you now, right here, Count Longden. Anywhere is fine!?

Sharon Gossip
Oracle Reporter

Tera Destre

Date: 2007-04-21 15:25 EST
The cowgirl Queen was contentedly writing up her sports for the next issue when suddenly the hair on the back of her neck prickled. The first place she looked was toward Amal's glass fronted office to see if the Boss was checking on her. The way she did this was to duck down and peer around the cubbyholes she had designed to shove papers into in order to appear busy when she needed to whether she was busy or not.

As long as she was moving papers around here and there it would seem to anyone watching her that she was doing her job instead of her usual gossiping and drinking coffee with the other reporters that had desks near hers.

Nope Amal was busy with that typesetter that had got the date wrong on the ShadoWeaver Challenge Match. How the idjit had escaped her for this long Des had no clue but Amal was never one to give up the hunt just like herself and there they were now standing in front of her desk. Well make that there they had been as BAM the house landed on them. Des cringed and ducked back behind her cubbyholes.

She turned to look around the rest of the desk area to see what could have set her nerves on edge and that was when she spotted none other than the Count again visiting The Oracle office building! Fast as could be she was out of her chair and beneath her desk all curled up as the thought went through her shielded mind. "That is it. I'm gonna get myself one of them there wooden stakes and I'm gonna find where that there Talomar rests and I'm gonna stake 'em. He ain't gonna be sneakin' up on me no more."

Des made herself as small as possible and put a hand over her mouth and nose to keep her breathing as silent as was humanly possible. She attempted to keep her heart rate even and steady so as not to tip off the Count that anyone was worried about his presence. Her scent there was still nothing she could do about but as the day before he knew she worked there and if it was a bit stronger today well she could have stopped by and already left for the day.

She just crouched there and fumed while eyeing the feet and legs that passed by her line of sight and waiting for Talomar to get the heck out of there so she could finish up her articles and the steaming cup of cafe mocha that was on her desk screaming her name at the moment. Des really, really, wished she had thought to drag that beneath the desk with her.

Gavilean

Date: 2007-04-22 01:45 EST
Gav, clueless as ever, comes from his desk to Des? and sees her bending down, hiding. ?Des, what are you . . .?

He stopped in mid sentence.

?DES! Do you see what I see??!! Holy Rhydinean Gardenias! Count Longden has given Gossip roses and . . . and he?s . . . damn, he?s going to take her out on a date!!?

None of this made sense. What does Count Longden see in clumsy, plain, boring Sharon?

Gav looked to Des and spoke with no little bewilderment in his voice, ?Des love, I think I?ve been way underestimating Sharon Gossip.? He leaned toward her and whispered, ?I think she must put out!?

Talomar Longden

Date: 2007-04-22 02:10 EST
Count Longden took her soft, small hand in his, and looked into those marvelous green eyes. ?My dear Sharon, even someone with your talent would have trouble doing a proper interview with weasels such as Gavilean looking on.? The presence of Gavilean and Destre did not go unnoticed.

?Come, please, Ms. Gossip. It?s a beautiful spring day and I know a little caf? with outdoor tables and a lovely view. We?ll have a little refreshment and those delightful little club sandwiches, and I?ll give you an interview worthy of the front page.?

He placed his lips whisper-light to the back of her hand, and with his other hand he motioned elegantly toward the exit.

?Shall we?? he said with raised brow and a most handsome smile, and then he began to escort her to the door.

Tera Destre

Date: 2007-04-22 02:23 EST
First she saw the familiar boots then she heard that voice she would know anywhere and under any circumstances. It was the voice that softly sang to her in the middle of the night when she was so tired she wasn't sure she could go on. It was the voice that whispered how much the owner loved her and would always love her just as she loved them and always would forever and those extra two days because forever just wasn't long enough to love her precious Gavilean.

However at this particular moment her precious Gavilean had just given away to Talomar, who was in one of his "moods", that she was hiding right under his nose. Des was not pleased when she popped up from underneath her desk to stand toe-to-toe with her beloved husband and eyed him up. "Babe! Yup, I did see that Talomar is over there and it does look like he might be courtin' Sharon but he is in one of his 'moods' at the moment so I was being scarce. Did ya get yourself a cafe mocha on the way over cause I got me one and I'll share?"

Now that Gav was here she knew she had nothing at all to worry about so she gave him a hug and kiss then offered him her still steaming cafe mocha.

Sharon Gossip

Date: 2007-04-22 14:37 EST
Sharon isn?t a beauty queen but neither is she ugly. However when one lives in a world where Beauty is the norm, being simply attractive doesn?t really hold much weight. Sharon is mousy and meek, but with cause; she prefers to stay out of the limelight. Let?s face it, for her it is a survival instinct.

With no special skills to protect her self from the multitude of supernatural beings that populate Rhy?Din, Sharon has found other ways to keep herself alive. Primary among them is to be considered the least threatening anywhere at any given time. So far, her tactics have worked, (or so she tells herself.) She?s yet to account for the dangerous attentions of some of Rhy?Din?s most infamous, like DCH and the Lord Travanix.

Oblivious to everything save her intended target for interview, Sharon realizes others are likely to be in the Oracle offices; she just isn?t paying them any mind. Green eyes widen behind thick ugly glasses as she watches the Count take hold of her hand.

?Wait a moment, what had he said again??

Perplexed and still a bit thrown off, she thought she heard Talomar mentioning Gav. Not her most favorite person in the office. Something about a weasel... Sharon doesn?t like those critters, they are dirty and mean. But?

?What?s Gav got to do with weasels??

The thought is chased away as she suddenly realizes how amazingly quick RPS is. She?d only mailed her invite to the Count last night. RPS guys sure do take their jobs seriously!

?Wow! Gotta give them a bonus!?

Sharon?s attention snaps fully back on the Count as she hears his invitation to the cafe.

A date?! She?d never be that presumptuous; she realizes she?s the inferior species in this realm.

Still this is beyond fortuitous for our heroine; this is like getting her cake and eating it too. Although Sharon never has understood that phrase because when you buy a cake, aren?t you supposed to eat it too?

Before she could nod in agreement, he kisses her hand!

Poor Sharon, a woman of over thirty, (just turned last month), unmarried, virginal and not that attractive (by Rhy?Din standards that is), simply isn?t used to such attentions. Rather than flirting with her, most threaten to kill her. She?s gotten use to that.

But being treated like the Count is treating her right now?!

Sharon is out of her depths and unfortunately it shows. Wide eyed blink, blink, blink at the Count as cheeks flare ruby red in a blush to end all blushes. A few rushed stammered words, each tumble over the last in an awkward sound only Sharon could accomplish with such finesse.

?I, ah, I, um, er, ah, sure. That w-w, er, w-w-w-wo-would, um, ahhhh.? Embarrassed pause ?Yes!? followed by a rapid bobbing of her head in many nods of agreement.

Sharon is willing to let the Count lead her anywhere he wants. That is, as long as she gets her interview!

Sharon may be merely human but she has one mad skill; investigative reporting. She?s more than just good at it. It is her shinning ability. Mortal, clumsy and often cowardly, (you would be too if everyone you met could kill you easier than blink their eyes); Sharon is excellent at her job.

Her motto is: always be prepared. (No, she never was a Boy Scout!) It simply means Sharon has everything she needs on her to conduct her upcoming interview with the Count. No rooting around in her desk for image orbs, or scrambling for her notebook; everything is neatly tucked inside her pouch of many holdings purchased at Mad Madame Mim?s located in the Marketplace ~ (yes, shameless plug, but you?d do it too for those awesome discounts!)

A smile of pure pleasure practically shines from her face, so pleased is she to get this opportunity. There is a lot riding on this, more than Talomar may be aware of. Sharon has more deadlines than just those set by her editor, Amal. That is, if she cares to keep her head on her shoulders.

Sharon happily allows him to lead her towards the exit, while striving not to trip over her own feet. Never once does she stop to consider what kind of trouble she might be in, she has no idea about Count Longden?s true nature. Besides, what?s to cause suspicion; it?s the middle of the day.

Monsters hunt at night. Mostly.

Silly girl doesn?t bother to leave a note saying where or with whom she?s gone. Sadly, they haven?t yet replaced Bruce, the receptionist, so there is no one for Sharon to mention it to on the way out.

Yet as the exit nears, a stray thought does cross her mind about slavers and how they should not be trusted. Lord Travanix had creeped Sharon out severely, and had forced her to question the wisdom in seeking out such dangerous types. But any reservations towards Talomar are quickly dismissed because?

?The man had run for Governor, he?s got to be a good guy!?

Luckily for our intrepid heroine, Gav and Des may have witnessed their departure and should Sharon come up dead or missing, they?d have a clue as to where to begin investigating.

Sharon Gossip
Oracle Reporter

Talomar Longden

Date: 2007-04-30 03:27 EST
Count Longden gave Sharon a warm smile at her enthusiastic ?Yes? that was accompanied with the bobbing of her head. The bobbing naturally brought his attention to her features which he found to not only to be delightfully refreshing, but innocently attractive and surprisingly alluring compared to the typical Rhydinian glamor queen who carries more baggage than several ocean freighters put together.

Yes, he was actually looking forward to this interview and a peaceful lunch together.

They stepped out into the midday sunlight and he laid his hand upon hers as she held his arm. ?My dear Ms. Gossip, I?m of the inclination to have our lunch at one of those delightful caf??s upon the River Walk. There?s some shade, the food is good, and the atmosphere is very relaxing ? perfect for an interview, wouldn?t you agree??

The question, like most of Count Longden?s questions, was purely rhetorical. They immediately headed in the direction of the River Walk. Talomar could certainly be charming. He was after all a man of status and distinction, and he wore it like a perfectly fitting glove that covered the considerable power that he commanded.

They made pleasant talk on the way to the caf?, and he did his best to keep her from stumbling and/or walking into light posts, mail boxes and other firmly fixed articles along the street.

And he wondered if he should have her for dessert.