(Untitled)

[slayer_fray]

Mel pins the following notice to the bulletin board:

THERE IS A MERMAID IN THE LAKE.
(a new one)
She's expressed an intention to eat male swimmers. We'd like that not to happen.
Go swimming AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Then she leaves a note at the bar for the rest of Security:
What are we gonna do about this mermaid?

Then she grabs a bottle of Tequila and proceeds

Comments

[ostro_goth]

"Only go swimming while female?" Teja suggests, almost flippantly, as he gets the note after reading the notice.

Pause.

"And I was wondering only the other week, it would seem, why there are no mermaids in the lake. Perhaps I should not have."

[slayer_fray]

"We've always had 'em," Mel says idly. "You go diving deep enough. They don't like people so they kinda leave us alone.

"This one's pract'ly a lurk in gets-under-my-skin-itude."

[ostro_goth]

"Did she attack any yet?" Teja asks. "Should we arrest her?"

[slayer_fray]

"Mmmm," Mel says, "but I don't know who. Vic hasn't said anything, and only witness I've got is ruttin' Urquhart."

[not_his_pa]

William watches Mel post the note and when she sits down, tips his hat and says,

"Um, she's also got some sort of magic, ma'am, so it ain't easy to get away from her."

[slayer_fray]

Right, the cowboy.

Mel nods to him, her face neutral. "Kinda magic?"

[not_his_pa]

"I had trouble thinkin' of anythin' else while she talked to me and was willin' to do what she said,"

He knows he was a fool but maybe this will help someone else be safe.

[slayer_fray]

"Oh good," sarcestically cheerful. "Mind magic. Cause that always works out well. Thanks, I'll bear it in mind."

[cutting_edgex23]

"The other merpeople cannot be convinced to help?"

The voice is coming from Mel's left. It was presaged by footprints.

X feels it is only polite to make an effort. Just in case.

"Or to interfere? If she is problematic."

[slayer_fray]

"I don't speak their language," Mel says. "Bar's translation magic don't work underwater. Or with Merfolk. Or something."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Other people have magic. Like Tom. And Constantine."

X falls silent for a few seconds, considering the options.

"And there are angels, too. They are good at talking to people. Maybe Belar is also good at it?"

She has never thought to ask him.

[slayer_fray]

Mel taps her fingers on the bar a couple times.

"Yeah, I'll keep asking 'round. Don't know what she's capable of, anyway. Guess I won't 'til I have an excuse to fight her."

[never_b_free]

AmascSarah comes in from the outdoors after a day of fun in the more dangerous parts of the obstacle course, daydreaming of the day she would go on a fishing trip on the lake. All she needs is a harpoon. And a boat. And a willing coconspirator.

She immediately notices the new flyer on the bulletin board as she steps in. And stands there for a bit, seething.

She just had to get noticed by security. And now everyone is going to know she's here, and everyone is going to notice when she goes missinghold on... Still... stealth fishing trip. Some things just can't be done that stealthily.

Still visibly angered, she picks a table near to a wall and sits where she can keep an eye on the crowd. It would be just her luck that a cat would sneak up to taunt her. When a waitrat approaches, she barks out an order, sending the rat scurrying.

There is no pepper at her table. Why isn't there pepper at her table?

[slayer_fray]

There is an angry person with great hair looking at the notice.

Mel, from her place at the bar, watches the angry person, with one questioning eyebrow raised.

[never_b_free]

Well, this lack of pepper and other spicy condiments must be corrected.

Something must be amiss, though, as the only thing remotely spicy looking is an evil looking bottle of red stuff at a table near the bar.

She's about to get up and fetch it when she notices the slayer, well, a slayer eying her. Not the airheaded blonde one, the purple-haired one with the troublesome pet. She does a quick check of the room and rafters for the demon monkey before walking over to grab the bottle.

Well, she waves at Mel, at least, before grabbing the bottle and walking back to her seat. Fantastic. She has to look out for the demon monkey and the resident cats.

[slayer_fray]

Mel lifts a hand to wave hello, "You OK there?"

But then, she's already walking back. Well, that's not helpful. Or all that polite.

[vs_nuggan]

Shufti reads the notice, and comes over to sit nearby.

"Hi Mel."

She considers the note for a moment, then adds.

"Do we know if the mermaid's motive for eating men is violence or hunger?"

[slayer_fray]

"She says hunger," Mel says, once she's swallowed her current motuhful. "But gave the impression it's just out of being a bitch. Hey, Shufti."

She offers her plate over. Pork rind?

[vs_nuggan]

"Thanks." Shufti accepts a pork rind.

"If it's being a bitch, I'm supposing we could do the usual - threats, negotiation... getting Belar to turn her into a wombat. If she's genuinely hungry, might be worth finding out if there's anything else she can eat and a way to get her a food source, like we can with vampires and blood substitute."

She orders tea from a waitrat.

"Is she able to get out of the lake?"

[slayer_fray]

"She has a tail instead of legs," Mel points out.