The kitsune girl works the tables 'til dawn. She caters to tourists and kings.

[thesakurasmile]

In the Carnival's gambling hall, against the back wall, is a large table, organized like a mad tea party, only for gamblers- a craps game, a roulette wheel, various card games, games from different cultures, different worlds, even. Off to the side of the table, a tall woman- seven inches over six feet, to be precise- sits with her legs crossed,

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[itchafes]

Neal doesn't so much step up to her table as slink along the wall behind it. He knows it's only a matter of time before Peter catches up to him again--hopefully he can find that white-eyed woman and get her to fix this before then.

That last thing in the world he wants is for Peter to get anywhere near her. Risking himself? Fine. Why not. Risking Peter? Hell no.

[thesakurasmile]

As quick as a flash, the woman reaches out and swipes the little fox off the ground by his scruff and drops him into her lap, without even opening her eyes or spilling her tea. "Well. What have we here? Has White Eyes been up to his tricks, already?"

She places her tea to the side and holds Neal up to scrutinize him with intense green eyes, clicking her tongue. "As much as I approve of this form, I'm sure you're much more fashionable in your proper shape."

[itchafes]

Neal gives a little yelp of surprise, instantly cowed both by the move and by what she says. He dangles obediently as she looks him over, those eyes making him intensely nervous. It's harder to hide his emotions when he can't smile to cover them up, can't charm his way into someone's good graces.

What's more, she knows that he's not what he looks like. That's either... potentially helpful or very, very bad. He's going to guess the latter until proven wrong.

[thesakurasmile]

"Mmmm. I hate to undo my esteemed partner's hard work..." she says, more to herself than him. She stands, cradling Neal in her arms for a moment before laying him down on the floor. "But this form simply won't do."

She waves a hand and Neal's suddenly enveloped in a wash of reddish light and when it subsides, he's back in his human form- in a suit much like the one he favors so much.

"Much more fashionable," she smirks.

[whateverthemess]

Murphy is in the gambling hall, prowling between the tables like a predator on the hunt, despite the fact that she's not really stopping anywhere or looking the least bit interested in the hawkers and their games.

She's scouting, kind of--taking in every available detail, just filling her mind with something so she doesn't think about strangling Harry and then dropkicking him through a plate glass window.

Oh, and shooting Gabriel again. Just to make herself feel better.

She approaches Kitsune's table with the same careless, fierce inattention, set to walk on by--the woman stands out, definitely. Which is all the more reason not to engage.

[thesakurasmile]

For a moment, Kitsune looks like she might ignore Murphy as well, preferring the company of her tea. It's only after she's gotten about three feet away from the table that she moves- although to say she moves is a gross understatement. Her feet barely hit the floor and when she next appears, she's in front of Murphy, dressed in faded, ripped jeans and a Bob Marley t-shirt with spikey red hair.

"Hey," she croons, leaning on the table, slightly. "You look like you could blow off a little steam."

[whateverthemess]

"Who do you think you're fooling? 'cause it's not me." Normally Murphy would watch her tongue--okay no, no she wouldn't, but normally she'd at least not be so quick to try and provoke someone who's clearly not human. "I'm vaguely familiar with this game and not interested in playing."

The last person she know who played got fae-fucked in so many senses. Murphy scowls.

[caterstokings]

"Whoooa," Kitsune says slowly, holding up her hands. "Simmer down, hot stuff. My comrades in arms may play those games, but I operate on a whole... other..." She circles Murphy and when she's just behind her adds, "...wavelength" right in her ear, before doing a little moonwalk right back to the spot she started.

"It's a whole new ballgame, sweetness."

[stumblednotfell]

Castiel has been wandering the carnival grounds. He observes, but doesn't participate -- it's what he's best at, what he did for ages before he descended to walk among humans. Here, surrounded by so much life, and yet not a part of it... It's familiar, but also painful.

The sound of a flute being played draws him in, and he stops to listen, head cocked slightly to the side, hands in his pockets. The music is beautiful -- one of the many amazing things created by those who came after him. Despite what popular depictions would have one believe, no angels play the harp, and those that sing only do so in praise of their Father. And this... this is not a song of praise.

The music makes him feel, in ways that are still strange to him, filling him up until he feels as though his chest will burst... And yet his heart still beats, and his lungs still draw in air. There's no reason for this building pressure, but it's there all the same.

[dontknowthetune]

"It's happy. Don'tcha know what that is?"

And suddenly, the girl is doing what he's done to so many- standing right there, despite it looking like she never moved. Her eyes are wide with surprise, like she's seeing past his vessel and right into the very heart of his fading Grace.

"Ohhhh," she gasps, clutching her flute to her chest. "My, my, my. It's so dim." She reaches out and hesitantly lays her hand over his heart.

[stumblednotfell]

Castiel spends a moment considering how best to explain his particular discomfort with emotions, but stops abruptly when she looks at him. When she sees him. And even if his Grace is barely there, she should not be able to look at him him like that. He is what he is. Her eyes should be melting in their sockets... But the eyes staring at him are anything but human.

His gaze drops to the hand on his chest, and then he looks up, meeting those somewhat disconcerting eyes.

"...You know what I am." And really, that answers both the question she asked, and the statement she made.

[dontknowthetune]

She steps closer, pressing an ear to his chest without care or consideration for his comfort. She closes her eyes and hums something soft and low, like she's humming along with whatever's inside him.

"'Course I do," she murmurs. "Without that body holding you all together, the fireflies will shine brighter." She steps back and looks up at him, big eyes flashing with that same childish mischief.

"Would you like me to fix it?"

[breakmychest]

Spike doesn't trust the carnival. It reeks of magic. Then again, so does everything about this little transdimensional jaunt. Still, he's mistrustful enough that he's not touching the food or drinks, tempting as the thought of a spot of whiskey is. And he's not gambling, though it looks like fun. Maybe if they were playing for kittens.

He can't help but notice the woman. She's utterly stunning, and though Spike's completely devoted to Buffy in every way, he does have eyes. Still, he doesn't approach, just lurks around the edge of the gambling hall, watching her.

[thesakurasmile]

Kitsune lowers her tea and without even looking up, calls out in the direction Spike's standing. "It never hurts to take a closer look," she says, her voice tinged with the sort of wicked delight that comes from a girl who is far too used to being admired.

[breakmychest]

Oh, Spike doesn't believe that for a second. But he goes over to the woman, crossing his arms warily as he looks her over.

"Do you know why we're here?" he asks.

[caterstokings]

There's a flicker of red flame and the woman shifts into a a different form- this one a short-haired woman with a long trenchcoat, a white collared shirt, and black pants. Her eyes are still the same eerie color.

"I don't answer questions for free," she says, her voice now more rough around the edges, slightly Cockney in sound.

[incaution]

Jo's not all that interested in the carnival itself. She doesn't trust it, doesn't think anything good will come from it, and so she doesn't waste much time looking around. She's wary as she walks alone, observing the people who were there with someone else, or talking in groups. She feels out of place as she moved along, until she caught sight of a teenage girl playing an instrument.

She stops and watches the girl, and gets a little caught up in the music. She doesn't realize that the girl's stopped until the others that had gathered were applauding, and Jo moves to clap her hands as well when she catches sight of the teenager's eyes in the light. For a brief second, they definitely don't look like they did before. They don't even look human.

It probably is just a trick her mind is playing on her, Jo's senses are on high alert now. As she stands there and tries to figure out what she just saw, she bites at the inside of her cheek and stares critically over at the flute player.

[dontknowthetune]

"Ain't polite to stare." Annnd suddenly the aforementioned flutist is staring and scrutinizing you, Jo. She steps off her platform and skips over. "Don't worry. I won't tell. I'm sure your mama would be awful disappointed to hear she didn't raise you up to be the kind of lady that don't stare at people for being a little different."

She extends a hand, bursting into cheerful, girlish giggles. "Welcome to my carnival."

[incaution]

Oh great, the girl sounds like someone from home. Jo doesn't mind that, and she only snorts in response to the comment about her mother. "Yeah, well my mom would be disappointed in a lot of things I do. No point in making her proud now, is there?"

She glances down at the girl's hand and then back up to the girl's face, entirely disturbed by the fit of giggles. Teenagers.

"All this is yours, huh? That's a pretty big accomplishment for someone so young."

[dontknowthetune]

"I'm older than I look," Kitsune twirls lightly. "This is the first one we've had in awhile that's this big. We ain't had anyone to impress in awhile. What d'you think?"

She gets a little closer, claiming Jo's personal space as her own and giving her the most innocent wide-eyed stare, although the effect is lost, considering her eyes are the creepiest things ever.