Dragontown, a bit later

[anarchist_queen]

Leda recognized the look of a lost, and frightened runaway. "Eli;" she said gently. "You're safe here. You're in Bordertown." She went on to introduce her friends, but when she got to herself, he gasped in horror and shrank back.

"The Queen!" He said it in Elvish. "He will stop at nothing to destroy you." He hadn't anticipated running into anyone from his side of the border. This could be a problem.

Leda was no less surprised and shocked than he was. He looked human aside from his eyes, but he spoke fluent Elvish with a Highborn accent.

"Who," she swallowed, "Who hates me?"

Eli hesitated.

"Look kid," Laura sighed, "Understand one thing okay? Everyone here is a friend. Leda might be high muckety muck of Valhalla or whatever but that's not her fault. Also that means pretty much nothing to most people here."

"I know what it's like to run from people that want to hurt me." Leda told him. "One thing I learned, it's okay to let people help. Please tell me, who is it that's chasing you?"

"My father." he said finally. "Lord Corwyn of House Alton."

"Son of a bitch I knew it." Leda hissed. "If anyone was gonna start up the Wild Hunt again it'd just have to be him."

In the shocked silence, Mei decided to try to ease the tension. "So," she said, "What brings you to Bordertown?"

"I'm looking for someone." Eli said, still very weirded out by the fact that his father's bitter enemy was in the room.

"I wish I had a nickle for every time someone came to Bordertown looking for someone." Laura muttered.

The magic words had been spoken; 'I wish'. Eli's eyes frosted over and suddenly coins were falling from the ceiling, pelting everyone in the room.

Leda reacted quickly. "I wish the coins gone!" The rain of money ceased, and Leda buried her face in her hands. "He's a fucking dreamer on top of it all. Oh this just keeps getting better and better."



[For Momoko, James and Jon.]

Comments

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

REACTION

What the Smurf?

[heromaniac]

Momoko knew that name, and was frowning hard when the coins started to hit her on the head... and then suddenly stopped. "OW! ...Eh?!"

She looked over at Leda, confused. "What just happened?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Leda had to shake herself out of her own reaction. "He's a dreamer. It's a rare ability among 'highborn' elves. Anything that is wished for, they can do. Apparently it's a reflex. That must be how he turned into a fox. He wished himself into that form."

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

Magic. Of course. "Anything?" He gave Leda a look, something along the lines of 'can the kid fix everything?'.

[heromaniac]

"Ah!" Wait! "Lord Corwyn has that kind of magic on his side?" That totally didn't bode well for Leda defeating him.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

It gave Leda a chill thinking that Corwyn possibly could have killed her simply by wishing her dead.

"Not anymore." she said. "Like I said, it's incredibly rare. And it takes a lot out of them." She eyed the boy. He seemed mostly okay, but very tired. "To be honest you're the first one I've seen. Did I get that right?"

Eli hesitated and nodded. His head was starting to hurt.

[asgardcreated.livejournal.com]

Jon was suddenly glad that Daniel and Vala were no where around. One would start asking lots of questions about 'how?' and 'why?', the other would start wishing for more treasure than she could ever spend.

"So, the questions is, who and what else does he have on his side?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Good question, but I think a more immediate one would be, how far is he willing to go to get Eli back."

[heromaniac]

"Or, does Eli want to go back?" Momoko had to ask, sorry. Her last class on Friday had been all about the criminals who try to find out what the police knew by getting themselves questioned and then released.

Criminals were totally weird.

[elsewhere-books.livejournal.com]

"No!" Eli cried out, terrified. Surely they wouldn't turn him over to Corwyn would they?

[heromaniac]

Momoko took in the tone of his voice and the way he almost shook, and nodded. She totally believed him.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

EGADS! WE'RE DISCOVERED!

Mei's father, the landlord of the building poked his head in. "So you're not taken by surprise, there are several TrueBloods outside and I doubt they come in peace."

[heromaniac]

Momoko knew this was not good, but she was hopeful. She was also a government employee and knew the value of politics and royal etiquette. "Leda, you should talk to them. See if there's a problem you can help with, or if there's something wrong."

Other than turning Eli or Leda over to them. That totally wasn't happening.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

If they were working for Corwyn chances were their loyalties weren't to her, but it was worth a shot.

"Not a bad idea. But we might want to be ready with an escape route for Eli just in case." She shrugged. "Or, you know, be ready to clean up Elf blood if they're dumb enough to cause trouble." Ah bravaodo, her old friend.

Leda didn't notice, but Laura's eyes were starting to glow slightly.

[heromaniac]

"Always try talking your way out, first. But. We've totally got your back, Leda." Momoko wasn't holding her Power Compact, but her hand hovered over it. She did reach into her pocket to pull out her arm brace, though; even if Bordertown was unstable with magic, wearing something that could cut its effects was just a good idea.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Leda wasn't exactly dressed for 'court', but by B-Town standards she was looking pretty sharp. Her Dragonskin duster worked almost as well as a robe or cape as she stepped outside.

"Hello boys and girls." she said, noting the surprise on the Bloods' faces when they saw her. "You're a bit outside your usual turf aren't you? Come for the food have you?"

The group of TrueBloods were all armed. At least one had a crossbow. They glanced at each other hesitantly.

"I don't suppose that I could prevail upon your national pride and get you to put those weapons away and-"

The one with the crossbow started to raise it, but Leda was quicker on the draw. She whipped out her hand and the knife she'd drawn flew across the space between them and severed the bow string. She dashed back inside and slammed the door.

[asgardcreated.livejournal.com]

"I hate bows and arrows," Jon said as he moved to help bar the door. "And I bet a gun or zat wouldn't work here."

It would make his life so much easier if they did.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Anything's possible but it's just as likely to literally blow up in your face. Don't tell me that bangin' body of yours is just for show? Don't you know any moves?"

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"Things went well?" James asked with a hint of a smirk for Leda as he put his weight against the door. "Proper respect for one's matriarch and all?"

The rapier in his hand wasn't joking.

[heromaniac]

Well, that hadn't worked. "We can't have a fight here! People will get hurt!"

By which she meant innocent people, James.

Despite her words, though, Momoko had her power compact in hand and was soon transformed into Blossom. "And we totally need to get Eli away from here. Is there somewhere we can go?"

[b-town-girls.livejournal.com]

"There's the fire escape." Mei suggested. "We could go down to the alley and get to the next street over."

[heromaniac]

Blossom frowned slightly. "If that's all we've got..."

She looked around at the group. "Okay. Jon, do you have a gun with you? If not, do you think you could help Eli? Leda, what weapons do they have?" James had his swords and knives, which totally meant he had to be guarding Leda and the others, leaving Blossom with flying cover...

Huh, she was 'best positioning her men'! Her police academy training was useful after all! Momoko was totally getting her teachers a cupcake basket when she got home.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Swords mostly. Probably knives too but if so they aren't drawn yet. I saw two with baseball bats. The crossbow's out of commission, but the bolts could still be dangerous."

If anyone needed to borrow any weapons, the dojo had a nice array of them.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"I'd not fear crossbow bolts, as they are a poor hand to hand weapon. Swords and knives will be a bother. I can assemble my crossbow if we have time, it's in my rucksack." It might take more time than they had, but ranged weaponry could turn the advantage. "Do we have something like a sleep spell or a way to attack them at a distance?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Magic rarely actually rebounded against the user in Bordertown. "I know one, but there's no guarantee it'll work right."

[heromaniac]

"My yo-yo and my hairbows are both distance weapons," Blossom said as she nearly facepalmed. She'd totally forgotten magic!

"If there's something you can do that can hold them off while we can get away, Leda, that would totally be awesome."

She turned back to the others. "While Leda is doing that, I think James should go down the fire escape first, to make sure it's clear." The bracelet with Leda's crest on it jangled as Blossom waved at people. "And then after he gives us the signal, you guys go. Leda and I will follow as soon as we can."

Like she was going to leave Leda in danger.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"I'll stay too." Laura said, her eyes definitely glowing red now. Leda looked at her, surprised, but decided questions could wait till later.

"As will I." Master Yin said. "This is after all, my home. Mei, you accompany the boy and the others."

"I like this plan." Leda agreed. She went to the door, listened for a moment, then threw it open.

The Elf just on the other side had been preparing to smash it in. He was not prepared for Leda's right jab, which broke his nose and sent him crashing into his companions. Before she shut the door again, she hurled imprecations in Elvish at them. The usual insults about their mothers, sexual abilities and calling them traitors against Bordertown.