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Why is Bella frowning again? What did I do this time? Khiari notices her gaze glancing towards Eddie. Khiari feels her shame build up. "Sorry! I was trying to prove a point and... ugh."
This time, Khiari carefully moves down the cliff, avoiding the more sensitive plants and finding a stable enough rocky outcropping to lead everyone.
Khiari stops Bella before she can chastise her. "Let's just skip that for now. Let's just look for quieter plants to move through, okay?"
Khiari does a quick stomp on some of the bushes to show it's quiet. Bella nods approvingly.
Huh, Sis isn't too bad at it. You know, for someone who walks on her ankles and toes all the time. Khiari leaps upon the cliff face, her ungiligrade legs ready to balance-
"WHOA!" She teeters back and forth, scrambling to get a grip and making lots of noise in the process. Bella's making that disappointed face, isn't she? Bella's lip quivers ever so slightly...
Khiari nudges a rotting tree over to form a bridge. "Come on, you can clean your hooves off later." She steps into the muck to adjust the tree. "It's a lot easier to wash skin compared to fur, trust me."
"Oh, it's a leshy. Hi Eddie!" A female satyr approaches Eddie and leans down to accept the handshake. "I don't get to see a lot of you around unless I'm on a mission with my sis." She adjusts her yellow scarf. "Oh! Sorry. I'm Khiari Sidare, and this is my twin sister, Bella." "Older by seven seconds." The red-headed human corrects her. She takes a curtsy and then follows through to shake Eddie's hand. "Bella Sidare. It's a pleasure to meet you, Eddie." Underneath her purple leather armor you see the pulsing outline of a green rose on her abdomen- Khiari has the same glowing outline. "Hi Vardarel! OH! Quick! Show them the painting!" Khiari interrupts Bella's polite introduction. Bella huffs, but she is also eager to draw a scroll and present a >Painting of Bella and Khiari< posing in front of a stone wall. "Holding the pose for a few hours was good endurance training. The painter had to improvise a bit for sister Khiari, as she has trouble standing still for so long." Bella holds the painting out for everyone to observe, and to hide her smirk. "That's what magic is for." Khiari sighs. "How am I supposed to sit still for that long?"
"Hi Stitch." Khiari walks by him without a second glance. "Nice hat." Bella hesitates for a bit longer before remembering her manners. "Tea?"
Khiari peers at Meat Wagon as Stitch is making repairs. "Is... uh... is... Meat Wagon dead?" Khiari juggles with the concept for a minute. Do golems die? Do automata die? Do they reincarnate? Wait, people from this Universe DO NOT reincarnate upon death. Probably. Except the Samsarans. Well, they're aware of it. Did Dad die? Is the Rose Witch helping him reincarnate? Khiari is so lost in her thoughts she fails to notice the belch of smoke from Meat Wagon blasting into her face until it's too late. "Ugh... I'm going to need a long bath to get this out. Good to see you too, Meat Wagon..."
"I'll be fine, sis. Go!" Khiari waves Bella off until she is next to Stitch.
Khiari keeps her mouth shut, but her hooves picked up in tempo. Bella smirks.
Bella tilts her head to the side to avoid the lightning blast, and can't help but smile as Tombu isn't as lucky. "All bluster, no bite. That is the folly of a fight." Khiari giggles. "Oh, I've met plenty who were big talkers but poor performers!"
Khiari tries to trip the rodent but she kicks up nothing but dust. "Oh well, I hope you like trees." She stomps her hoof, another tree rises from the ground and she kicks it over on the rat. It deals
"Haha! It's seeing stars, I bet! How does it feel? Bet you'll miss!" Bella hears Vardarel mention cold iron, and she looks to her father's dagger.
"Sis! Watch out for the smoke!" Khiari calls out.
Bella scoffs, turns up her nose and ignores it entirely. Human arrogance pays off everyone once in a while. Khiari hustles ahead, right to the limit of the smoke. "I can't see that rat, but I bet it's in the middle of this cloud!" She stamps her hoof as a decaying scorched tree erupts. "Huh, I guess the tree adjusts to the region I'm in." "Anyway, TIMBERRRRRRR!" She kicks it on top of the rat covered with Pink smoke.
"Hey Fran, can you hold onto Urwal? He's a busy body!" Khiari calls out. "Feels like I haven't done anything yet..."
"Ooh, tying the rope around his waist is a good idea. I'll hold his shoulders." Khiari grips Urwal. "Slow down, buddy."
"What about webs? Oh, I see..." Khiari bluffs. "We can cut them down. Meat Wagon, can you do the honors?"
"Oh. Um." Khiari and Bella stare at each other. "Right. We're both kind of... pampered. Usually people bring food to us..."
"I think I can eat this one?" Khiari reaches for the berry before realizing it's a thorny bush. "Nnnnnope."
"Oh no, you don't! She's trying to help us help Dad! She's trying to make amends!" Khiari shouts some more at Bella as they move past the incinerated plants. Bella shakes her head. "She's trying to manipulate us, she just wants our land!" Khiari retorts. "Oh yeah, ALL fey want to manipulate. That's all we do! Just trick people all day." She throws up her hands, grabs Jackpot and locks him in her horns as she swims ahead through the water.
"And they say fey are stubborn!"
"We drink every time? Maybe we should Jackpot flounder." Khiari grins. "Or we guide him through... I'm still drinking afterwards though." "I'm Khiari, Queen of the Jungle! Strong as she could be!"
Khiari sticks out her tongue at Bella and tries to correct herself.
"Eh, don't worry about me." Khiari huffs from a tree she's leaning against. "I'm here to keep an eye on sis." She sticks out her tongue at Bella, who remains motionless.
Sidare Manor and the New Guest:
The Rose Witch, responsible for cursing Dad. Mom would not have stuck around if the curse made him a jerk. Khiari wanted to thank her, but Bella seemed full of venom that day. Tearing her arguments apart, cutting through the wordplay, and even pulling out the dagger. Did Bella know her own rage? The Rose Witch can bring back Dad. Fey don't die, right? But dad said to let go. And so she did. But she didn't. Khiari knows Bella disagrees, but what if she's wrong? What if they are both wrong? Khiari could already feel the Rose Witch's gift. And Bella took it, too. Knowledge is fleeting but trust is eternal. Bella almost threw the dagger away, But Khiari told her to keep it. It's a motivator.
Khiari managed to stand still while Mom fixed her scarf, handed her a spare set of shirts (Khiari always gets them dirty quicker than Bella) and finally a tight hug. "I miss him as well, Khiari. Know that Our Guest may fail in her efforts. If she's genuine." Mom's face turns stern before she smiles. "Think about it, and then get back to your sister. She has more Fey blood than she will ever admit to, and it makes her stubborn." "Thanks Mom. You're the best!" Khiari hops away. "Love you!" And with those words she steps past the manor gates and into Evavescent Green. She had to cram more research before the Pathfinder Society called her sister again.
Khiari blurts it out. "The Rose Witch says she can save our dad! But we have to meet her first!" Her bunny tail wiggles with anticipation. "So we gotta go. Sorry! Bye!" She turns to Roark. "We'll be back!" She ignores Bella's sigh and leads the way. Khiari skips along towards the docks, looking for passage to Galt. It will be good to return home, see Mom. See the staff, and meet the Rose Witch. Supposedly Dad was rude to her and she cursed him to be belligerent to everyone until he found true love's kiss. If it weren't for her game, Mom and Dad never would have met and Khiari wouldn't exist. She can already see Bella's pessimism sinking in. What if this is some kind of fey trick? Bella will never say it out loud, but she's fiddling with the cold iron dagger. The same one used to kill their father. He did die, right? But how can the Rose Witch save him? Fey don't die, they reincarnate. Khiari's optimism turns to confusion as they board the ship and leave. Hopefully she will get more answers than questions...
Khiari sighs. "Okay, no holding back." She lowers her horns and prepares to headbutt the orange goblin. "Sorry, buddy."
"Sis!" Khiari yells out. "Stop playing with them and knock them out already." She sighs and bears her horns at the Green Goblin. "I'm gonna put some dirt in your eye..."
After butting and kicking the goblin, Khiari thinks about how to help. "Uh... Nicole! Have some Guidance!" Khiari blesses Nicole with a bit of insight.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" Khiari comes running in, horns first to charge into the Pink Lion and help Nicole.
"Whoops! Let me try again." She goes for a kick.
"Sis, let them come to you, alright?" She shouts to Bella, who simply taps her feet in response.
"See all of the nails and joints? That's why your treehouse didn't work." Khiari grins at Bella, who maintains a stoic face and doesn't make eye contact. Khiari just giggles. "We'll keep watch over here."
"So! Annoying!" Khiari snorts. "They were so evasive." Bella shrugs. "And these bite marks... Can anyone aid our recovery?"
"Yeah, you better run!" Khiari makes a very rude gesture that causes Bella to glare at her. "What? YOU deal with the purple one. I'll help put the fire out!" Khiari casts >Guidance< on Roark. "Not enough time for me, but I know you'll put out the flames." She smiles. Bella sighs, runs up and kicks the Purple furred feline. "My sister is sometimes... unlady-like."
Khiari climbs to her feet. "Man, this is annoying." She headbutts the feline. Oh, it's a wolf. Fine. Whatever!
Bella takes this opportunity to prance around the wagon. "Sister was never patient."
"Yuck! It's wet fur all over again. This is why I take longer to dry out after a bath." Khiari struggles against her wet fur for a bit before running around the wagon to see the felines biting at Vardarel. "Oh no you don't! Leave him alone!" She bears her horns at the Blue-furred creature before missing.
Bella strides up to the wagon with a sense of Panache. "I'll handle this wagon- stop the other one from burning down."
"I-I liked the dance, Roark!" Khiari struggles against the creature's jaws.
"I'm getting dizzy here!" Khiari blurts out as the canine bites her.
"Bad dog!" Khiari tries to escape.
Bella makes her way through the sands before rhythmically clapping to get the big Green hound's attention.
Bella quickly scoops up some sand and dashes it against the flaming wagon. Khiari shrugs and tries to headbutt the big green furred dog before it causes more damage.
"Cap-feesh? I don't think is a time for fish." Khiari mumbles as Bella gives her a quick glance at the outburst. "Oh, right! Sure, so we secure the bridge. Then you get to make the trade deal. Badabing, badaboom! Easy." "Wait, any idea on who the attackers are? Maybe it's enemies of Solku?" Khiari scratches her head a bit.
Khiari stomps on the deck to provide percussion, along with a "SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!" as harmony accompaniment. Bella can't help but slip on her taps and follow her sister's lead. ...although she does wonder who would ever wear square pants.
"Obviously!" Khiari pipes up and tugs her sister's arm. "Bella won't say this openly but she's a stickler for store etiquette. She will be silently judging each clerk that comes to help." She turns to her sister's emotionless glare. "She gets a big kick out of that."
Khiari bounces to Roark. "Wow! It's beautiful..." She looks at his scarf. "I bet it flaps in the wind, too, like a cape. I've been thinking about getting something like this, but it only really works for my sister. Maybe I just need one that looks as good as yours."
Khiari learned a few more dance moves with her hooves, and a few using her multijointed legs. She also found one of the suitors was a merchant with a beautiful dancing scarf. It was the perfect gift and he was more than willing to gift it. Which is good, because Khiari spent a lot of money on ale at the taverns and reserving dance halls for Bella. "What's happening in Katapesh?" She shrugs. "I've never been there."
Khiari quickly grabs a chicken skewer. "Ooh! Tastes like chicken-"
Khiari begins tapping her left hoof. Eyes closed, like she's focusing... but it's too much! She begins coughing, hopping one leg at a time and flapping her arms in front of her face. "Water..." She can barely speak before the goblins hand her some yogurt. Bella takes a look and wisely decides not to partake. "Do you have a jug of fond remembrance? We require it before we can actually meet the dragon."
"The hippogriff... perished?" Bella seems distraught. Khiari gives her consolatory shoulder rub. "I'm certain the hippogriff lived a full life. Besides, now it can help out again." She points at the fulu. "I know what will cheer you up. A climbing contest! First one to the top wins!" Bella takes a deep breath and rubs the >Monkey Pin< on her armor, activating it.
"Come on, sis! Just a little more!" Khiari slows her pace and waits for Bella to keep climbing.
"See?" Khiari tries to catch Lokaloka and the goblin almost topples her over. Bella is fascinated by Meat Wagon's agile maneuvers... and amused when Scratch struggles to hold on.
"Well, just group the furry ones together."
"Wait, all of them are furry. Sorry!" Khiari grows embarrassed as she realizes she screwed things up...
Khiari can't help but giggle. "Don't worry, we'll gather the goods to summon her. Be right back!"
"Beware of what?"
"Ow." Khiari rubs her nose.
"Meat Wagon, move out of the way!" Khiari begins tapdancing to hold her patience. She waits for Meat Wagon to move away from the swarm so she can kick another tree. After Stitch and Meat Wagon move, she sees if she can attack in a 15 ft diagonal line down and right without hitting them. If she can:
"TIMBER!" She stomps the ground, causing a rotting pine tree to appear as she kicks it over. The rat in the Red jar and the swarm look up briefly...
If she can't: She will headbutt the rat in the jar. Bella will Stride closer to danger before trying to match her sister's tapping. She will try to briefly mesmorize the swarm. Maybe it will give her some panache.
"Hang back sis. I got this." Khiari moves ahead, right in front of the swarm. "TIMBERRR!" She stomps the ground and a rotting pine tree appears. She kicks it over across the swarm and the rat with Yellow fur. It could deal damage.
"Hmm, not my kind of cuisine, I'm afraid." Bella notes. "Sister, you are flanking with Vardarel. I know he's tooted your horn a few times, but do work coordinate with him!" Bella makes an overexaggerated laugh, echoing through the halls as she tries to distract the rat in the Purple jar. Khiari turns red briefly. "That's not true! We're good friends now. He just... was asking about the Fey. And I had to correct him." She sighs and headbutts the Yellow rat in the jar.
Bella decides to kick the rat in the Red jar to get some space.
"I got it." Khiari stomps her hoof, creating a 15 foot tall trunk of decaying wood. ">Timbeeeeer!<" She cries out and kicks the trunk on top of the rat in the Green jar.
The tree trunk slams into the ground and then instantly decays.
"Ha! All we had to do was ask for permission!" Khiari giggles. Then she points at the scorchmarks. "And don't be like them." >Monkey Pin<
Khiari looks at the singed satchel. "They're kind of cool. Nicole, could you affix the Monkey Pin to Bella's armor? Maybe she could keep up with my climbing for a moment."
Khiari sips.
"Thanks! I'll get a cup for Bella."
"Hi Lokaloka!" Khiari munches on the pickle. "Wow, you preserved this really well. Mmm... I'm Khiari Sidare. This is my sister, Bella. Don't mind the quiet stare, she's always guarded around newcomers." She peers closely at the goblin. "Ooo, are those pan pipes? I'm not too bad of a dancer, and my sister's into song and poetry. We're uh... big fans of plays. And I know she's still think about that shark play. No wait, she's thinking about the Sharks in the Tornado series. UGH!" --- "Hello Venture-Captain Yi Da Som. Hi Waterfall! I'm Khiari Sidare. This is my sister, Bella." Both Sidares curtsy in sync. "Bella is technically the Pathfinder agent, I just follow her around." Khiari makes her way to the food table to prepare two plates. "Do you have any tea?"
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