OOC: @killer_squirtle: careful with the time-skips there, thats borderline bunnying. Nothing to worry about now really, just make sure not to let it get out of hand.
@everyone: Just to clarify, the Inn that Orpheus and the others will arrive at is not the same in that Avalon and the others meet with Kinpo at. They are fairly close, but not the same places.
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~ Orpheus - Somewhere in the Deku Kingdom ~
Orpheus thought over Izfit's suggestion for a moment before finally handing the gem over to the white cloaked Poe. "Alright, I'll let you hold on to it for now. Just as long as you let me trade you back later." he said. Esper could have stored it just as easily, but he seemed like the kind of guy who would charge a kings ransom to get the gem back.
Orpheus noticed that Zoe had walked off, apparently to catch some fish, and Alex had left just a moment ago. She hadn't said a word, but they were out of the marshlands now so the two of them shouldn't run into anything too dangerous. And Alex's fairy was still here with the group, so she was probably going to come back sometime soon. Orpheus had noticed that they were being shadowed a little while back, but he had no clue what it was. It had seemed to stop a little while ago anyway, so it was probably just a wild animal of some sort. It was probably nothing to worry too much about.
"Alright guys, lets get moving." Orpheus said after another five minutes. The group packed up and headed into town. Zoe and Alex knew where they were going, so they should meet back up easily enough. They probably just needed some time alone for a bit.
~ Kinpo - The Mandrake Inn and Tavern ~
As he read the little note that Avalon had handed him, Kinpo suddenly felt a little light headed. So, she was the same Avalon that he had run into a little while back. Well, things just got a lot more interesting, and probably a little more dangerous for him as well. He cast a short glare at her receding back before catching himself and looking a little alarmed instead. Trembling just a bit, he placed the note into his pocket. "Well, it appears that there is something I must attend to, if you'll excuse me..." Kinpo said to whomever was left at the table (he had lost his focus), and headed off into the back room.
A few hours later, darkness had fallen over the Deku Kingdom. Kinpo was in the back room of the Inn, along with a few shady characters...
"I told you guys, you may want to reconsider." Kinpo was saying.
One of the group, a Dinoflos, turned towards the little Deku and grinned to show off his sharp dagger-like teeth. "And I told you, we could care less for your safety. All we want is get our job done. Anyone else," he held one of claws to the Deku's face, "is just collateral."
Kinpo fought back a tremble. He couldn't let himself show any weakness. Even though this guy could breath fire and burn him alive on a whim, he still couldn't show weakness. A crack in his armor just might bring on that dreaded firestorm.
"Okay, okay." Kinpo said. "Here's the list of room numbers." he said as he handed a small paper to the Dinoflos. The six foot tall lizard man took the paper and read it before passing it to one of his subordinates.
"They had better be there, or it'll be you that burns next." the Dinoflos said to Kinpo as he shoved the Deku out of the way and headed into the tavern.
He led his subordinates over to the stairs. He assigned two to a room and let the others pass before climbing the stairs himself. He turned around and breathed a stream of fire that set the stairway ablaze. "No one gets in or out till the job gets done." he said.
~ Orpheus - The Dragonfly Inn (That night) ~
As it turned out, Zoe had apparently found a Skull Kid in the woods. She claimed that it was the same Skull Kid who had been transformed by the Crystal's energy, but Orpheus wasn't sure. It certainly wasn't the same Skull Kid who had cast them into the pitfall, that one was a boy, while this one was a girl. Nearly all Skull Kids look identical anyway, so its hard to tell them apart except for voice. It was certainly a possibility, they were dealing with the Crystal of Nature after all.
"Calm down Ridge," Orpheus said in response to his outburst. "She's not the same Skull Kid who dropped us in that pit. As for if she was the Litch Lord or not, who can say?"
Orpheus turned to Zoe, "She can come with us as long as you watch out for her alright?"
He turned to the barman to order some drinks for the group, but a Deku dressed in the Leaf Guard uniform came running in the room with a few civilians. "Mori, the Mandrake Tavern's on fire! Call the Water Squad, quick!" the Deku said. Mori, who was apparently the bartender, Pulled out a small pipe from the bottom of the bar and placed in in a notch in the wall under a pipe fitting that read "Water Squad". There were several other pipes. They must serve as communication lines for the massive city. Mori placed a small pad on the side of his head (a reciever?) and began to talk into the pipe line.
"We need a Water Unit over at the Mandrake, its caught fire. Yes. Yeah, Tarno just told me." Mori was saying. He looked back over at the Leaf Guard Deku.
"Its serious?" he asked.
"Yeah." Tarno replied. "No joke."
Mori turned back to the pipe. "Yes, it's not a prank this time. Good, get over here quickly."
Orpheus turned back to the group. "I'm going to go check it out, you guys can either come with me or stay here." Orpheus said as he headed out the door. "Show me where the Mandrake is." he asked Tarno.
"Of course, its over this way." the Deku said as he headed off into the night.
