When evil stirs....

[Trellin]

Coop chuckled and glanced at Angus with a grin, "He has a point, Angus, besides, didn't your mother ever teach you to give up your seat to lady?" Looking down at the small young woman, he tugged the rim of his worn fedora dipping his head slightly he smiled at her and continued in a warm American drawl, "My name's Cooper, miss, but most people call me Coop", pointing to the boar beside him he said, "this here is Butcher", and pointing up to the large bull behind her, "and the ill-mannered reprobate behind you is Angus. You might find out company less sophisticated than you might be used to, you're more than welcome to stay. I'm sure Angus can find someone vacating a stool that can be pulled over here."

[Tinker]

The left corner of Mattie's mouth gently curved into the very merest suggestion of a half smile as her metallic eyes danced from each of the speaking men. The smile had teased a fraction wider with the introduction offered by the American and she nodded before replying, "Pleasure, Coop. Butcher. Angus."

With each name spoken her focus settled on the bearer of each moniker. The young simian extended a long hand of tiny proportions towards the last of the speakers in a fashion that was more expected of a fellow male, rather then of a young lady, "Mattie. Don't worry about your level of conversation, I wouldn't know sophisticated if it bit me in the arse."

[Maxx]

Butcher choked on his ale.  "Well, that was a little unexpected," he said, although the words were difficult to understand through his coughing fit.  "Still, we can't exactly expect a lady to suffer through our degenerate company.  At least not without first buying her a drink.  Rosey!  Let's have another round here and one for the lass."

[Tinker]

The shocked spluttering of the boar coaxed the slightest flash of teeth in a small grin that lasted as long was the ordering another round, "Cheers, Butcher. I appreciate it."

Mattie waited a couple of beats until she was quite secure in the knowledge that Butcher could continue breathing without the addition of gin to his oxygen, "Could I be so bold as to ask what brings you gentlemen to The Arms? This is my local and I can't recall ever seeing any of you here before."

[Maxx]

"My second home,"  Butcher said.  "These two are with the circus.  Coop is the strong man and Angus is a clown."  He winked and leaned closer.  "As you can see, it's a bloody poor excuse for a circus."

[Trellin]

Coop barely managed to swallow his drink before bursting into laugher. Looking at Angus he said, "Well, he's got the right of it there, Angus." He looked to the other two shaking his head sadly, "You know, I tried to tell him that the makeup might help but he won't even take that small but of advice. Maybe you should come back and give the strong man act another shot. I'm so feeble there are times I think I can barely get a full mug of beer to my lips but I suppose we all have our crosses to bear. I try to think of it as training and force myself to persevere", he said with a wink and a grin.

[Maxx]

"No wonder I left,"  Butcher muttered, shaking his head in mock chagrin.  "Any ideas as to who is doing what?" he asked suddenly, bringing the topic back to their original conversation.  "Have you gone to Scotland Yard?" 

[Trellin]

Coop flashed a quick galnce at Mattie before addressing Butcher and quirking an eyebrow. He shrugged and said, "Scotland Yard? You know how it works, Butcher, they'd as soon cheer the bastard on as do anything. We're all gypsies, vagabonds and thieves afer all." He snorted and looked grim, "They've given it a cursory glance but in my opinion,  we have to find this cocksucker ourselves and deal with him on our own terms." As he said this he brushed his fingers across the handle of the gun that was out of sight beneath his duster.

[Maxx]

Butcher grunted.  "As I expected.  He looked at Angus and Coop.  "So where do we start?"

[Tinker]

The change in the temperature when the conversation reverted back to the topic before the young capuchin's arrival made Mattie bow her head. The cursory glance that the weasel shot her lessened the discomfort but the mention of the local constabulary raised the dark line of fur that coursed from the nape of her neck to the tip of her tail. She shuffled slightly on the stool, her long toes grasping the worn leather as she focused on the deep, burnt caramel liquid in the bottom of the glass. The talk of the men was no business of hers and despite her curiosity being piqued, the last thing she wanted was to speak out of turn or barge in where she would not be welcome.

[CrowsEye]

The glint of a coin flashed through the air, then was snatched away by a quick paw and held up to the copper eye of the owner of that same paw. Nolan whistled some tune, one that he had heard once somewhere, the words long lost to him. Not that it mattered, though. He preferred to whistle. Having gotten lost in his thoughts, Nolan had actually ended up going past his original destination: a pub that he hadn't gotten around to visiting just yet. Instead of turning around immediately, he continued at the pace he was going, making a large u-turn through the street, ending it directly in front of the light of the open door.

Still whistling, Nolan patted himself down, taking a sort of inventory of his person.

Hair? Fluffy. Check. Ears at a jaunty angle? He patted his hair, and his ears twitched into place of their own accord.
Check. Ale money? Check. He jingled some coins in his trouser pockets and nodded in approval. "Let's have a go at it, then," he said to himself and looked down at his feet to walk into the pub when he noticed that the front of his trousers were open. Gritting his teeth in embarrassment, he quickly spun away from the door and hiked the hole closed. When looking up, he found a well-dressed couple looking at him in disapproval. He smiled awkwardly and waved quickly at the two. "Beautiful night, innit? I'll let you two back to et, then." He disappeared into the pub in a flash, rubbing the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger.

He trudged to the bar and waved and arm over his head. When the little barmaid made eye contact, he pointed down at himself and said [loudly enough to be heard, but not so loud as to seem if he was being rude],  "Oi! An ale and two shots o' whiskey, when ye've got the time, luv!"

Sitting down at a free stool by the bar, Nolan dropped a few coins onto the counter and began stacking them by holding them on their thin side while flicking them with a middle finger. A look of intense focus crossed his face, and his tongue came out and wrapped around his upper lip in concentration.

The coins started a slight rhythm as Nolan set the coins up, then proceeded to flick them onto the ever-growing stack.
Tak....tk-chink!
Tak...tk-chink!
Tak...tk-chink!

When his drinks finally arrived, he bounced the last coin of his payment off the rim of a shot glass, and right onto the stack. He leaned back from the counter at this point, his hand held open in front of him, like a jeweler who had just finished his latest masterpiece, with a small smile spread across his face. Looking up at the barmaid, Nolan slid the stack of coins over to her. "And that's f'r ye, miss. I'll wave ye down 'f I need sommat else."

With a look of pure bliss, he picked up his pint and took a deep draught, sighing only after he'd finished his first sip of the night. "Now, that's how to start an evenin'." 

[Trellin]

Coop looked at Butcher, "Well, the Law is worthless in this case. As well to ask a chicken to fly for all the good it will do us. We know nothing about the bastard other than his targets have been one of us and they were both gifted with the same ability. Say, Angus, how long had they known each other? Did they know each other before their time with us?"

[Goosekat]

Alazne sighed to herself as she was off loaded to an apprentice.  But that type of behavior was something she had learned to live with over the years.  "I am in need of a few new clothes if you would be so kind.  A half dozen skirts like this," she flared out the multicolored linen that graced her lower body, "and a half dozen white shirts should do me."  She gave Randal a pleasant smile as she finished speaking.  Alazne allowed him to lead her towards the back of the shop where he could take proper measurements.  It took nearly 30 minutes for Randal to take her measurements and find materials for the skirts but finally her order was placed and half of the payment was payed.  She headed out into the early evenings air.  Thoughts of returning to the circus ran through her head quickly and just as quickly she dismissed them.  It was not often that she did not stray far from where they set up when they made their stops, but this time she wanted to see how much London had changed over the past ten years.  As far as she could tell it had not changed that much. Alazne wandered aimlessly for a few minutes then found herself in front of a local tavern.  Without even thinking about it she entered and stopped for a minute to allow her eyes to adjust to the difference in light.  When they were adjusted she could see Angus and Coop at the bar with a man and a woman she did not recognize.  She slipped through the crowd and snuck up behind Coop.  "Telling tall tails again are we Coop?" she said with a chuckle.  She looked at the young woman sitting with them and at the tank of a man.  "My name is Alazne, it is a pleasure to met you both."  Alazne held out her hand for them to shake a smile dancing on her lips.

[Maxx]

Butcher shook Alazne's hand with a solid grip, if not a crushing one.  He didn't seem to notice her mixed breeding.   Angus shrugged.  "They were there before I arrived,"  he said.  "Butcher might know."

"They joined at different times,"  the boar answered, emptying his glass and wiping his mouth with a sleeve.  "Came from different carnivals that were failing.  Didn't like each other much as I recall.  Bit of a professional rivalry."  He sighed.  He wasn't likely to get much more ale tonight.  He'd have to make up for it later.

He belched loudly and stood up.  "Well, If we aren't going to get this solved, nobody will.  I think we need to get back to the caravan and have a look at their bunks."  He looked at the others.  "We may be the dregs of humanity but by damn, we're people and we look after our own.  I may not be one of you right now but I will never forget where I would be without you, stone cold dead and in the grave long since.  I'd be there again, if not for Caleb.  The rest of the world may turn a blind eye to their passing but I've a mind to see if I can do as good a turn as this Sherwood Holmes I've heard so much about.  What say you?  Shall we give our friends what they deserve and put them what took them from us where they belongs?"

[Tinker]

The arrival of the Gaelic fox enticed the young cappuchin to cautiously cast her gaze towards him as his nimble paws completed the intricate staking of his ale money. She watched with a vetted interest as his pale gold fingers flicked the last coin to settle perfectly atop the stack then allowed her eyes to flit up to his face. Her recall was instant as she took in the warm caramel of his large eyes.

Birdseye maple music box; outside casing denotes no clue of maker but, the mechanisim is Swiss in origin. Plays four airs, all possibly French pieces. Photograph of a particularly beautiful girl carefully hidden under the lid. Simple case of over winding.

Mattie took a slow sip of her rum and waited until the barmaid had left the fox with his multiple drinks before finding the understated song of her voice, "Mister Stoneback? Sorry to intrude on yer drinking and personal time."

She dipped her head slightly so as to look up at him through her thick eyelashes, "Mattie, from Cotterill’s Magnificent Market of Mechanised Marvels, you dropped a music box off with me for repair on Tuesday last. She's repaired and playing beautifully now, was handy you should come in here tonight."

[CrowsEye]

Nolan's eyes flitted to the side that he could have sworn he'd heard someone address him from, his head tilted towards the ceiling in the final moments of finishing his first shot. Not finding anyone there, he set down the glass and turned to the left. Nobody there, either. Finally, he spun all the way around, until his eyes finally fell on the one who'd addressed him. A bashful smile spread across his face, and he scratched his chin nervously. "Ah! S'you! Sorry about tha', miss, tho' I was hearin' voices again."

His bashful smile spread into a wide one. "Almos' forgot how small y'were, Mattie. As for me music box, what ended up being the problem?  Y'didn't find anything...too weird with et, I hope?" His right eyebrow raised. He obviously looked concerned for the state of the music box.

If this monkey lass messed up me music box, I'll...I'll ask f'r a refund, s'what I'll do.

Almost as an afterthought, "How much do I owe ye?"

[Tinker]

The very merest suggestion of a blush touched the small simian's placid features. Her diminutive stature in comparison to the fennec's form that was composed entirely of long limbs and ears that had lead to the momentary occurrence of confusion had left her with more than a touch of awkwardness. Her soft voice that was flavoured with the local dialect came with a slight stutter, "N-n-no, Mister Stoneback, nothing weird whatsoever."

Make no mention of the photograph Mattie, there's a good girl.

"Was just overwound, sir. I replaced the snapped spring and gave her a good clean and polish. She plays beautifully, all four airs and she shines as if she were new", she shrugged almost apologetically, "It was simple work that took minutes, but please. The pub is a place for drinking and not talking of business. I thought it were a personal piece, so you'd like to know she was ready for you to collect, anytimes good for you."

[CrowsEye]

Every muscle in his body seemed to relax, air rushing out of his mouth in a short, delighted sigh. "Ah, she's all right, then." His eyes snapped up ['Or would it be down?' he thought to himself] to look at Mattie again and smiled. "Well, s'a good thing I went t'you, then, innit, Mattie? What're ye drinkin'? Lemme ge ye another, right? F'r a job well done!" He lifted up his second shot glass of whiskey, and it disappeared like he was doing a magic trick. Slamming it onto the bar with a satisfied growl, he waved to the barmaid again; "Another of whatever she's havin', and another whiskey f'r me!" He slammed his palm on the empty counter, and the correct amount of payment appeared when he lifted his paw away from the counter.

When the drinks arrived, he lifted up his in a toast. "To a job well done!"

[Tinker]

Before Mattie could protest the drink it was dropped in front of her along with a quick wink from the buxom barmaid. her brilliant metallic eyes shifted from the mouse to the fox with a subtle nervous quality, "Really, Mister Stoneback, there's no need. I was jus' doin' m'job. It was nothing fancy or complicated."

Her attention dropped back to the rum and the temptation of its pungent aroma, long fingers curled around the glass but it was held firm to the bar, "Not that I don't appreciate the drink, of course, but at least let me take the cost from your bill?"

The resolve to resist the drink had been banished and  tipped the deep umber liquid down her throat in one movement that was almost too quick to be captured by the naked eye. The effects of the three drink in her system were already to manifest, her belly felt warm and cozy, and the first stirrings of a smile began to pull at her lips. She cupped her chin in one dexterous hand and leaned her elbow on the battle scarred bar to look up at the eccentric fox, "If ye like, we could nip to the shop and I could get her for you?"

[CrowsEye]

Nolan's shot, already very far gone, sat in a small pyramid with his other two shot glasses that nobody probably even saw him build. He turned to her, a knowing look on his face, and he held out his hands, preparing for his explanation. "It's no' about the difficulty o' the job, or how well y'did it, or that y'did it at all. The entire point o'that is just to make an excuse t'have another drink!" His mouth spread wide in a large grin. "That's what me pa always told me, anyway." He lifted his hand in a gesture that implied, 'no, no, it's okay', and continued his small speech. "An' I couldn' take yer money. 'Sides, this ain' part of the job, eh?" He gave her a rougish wink, and took a long drag of his pint.

At the lass' request, the fox choked a little on his ale. Coughing, he set it down and looked at her. "Well...Uh...I've still got ale in me glass."

[Tinker]

The dulling effects of the rum caused Mattie to be completely oblivious to the rather suggestive nature of her offer, until Nolan had inhaled his ale. The inappropriateness of her invitation hit her with the suddenness of a swift smack to the chops and the blush that burned brightly on her cheeks was quickly, yet inefficiently covered by her long hands. Her small shoulders hunched up to her ears as if she were expecting a blow from some unseen attacker and she shook her crested, obsidian head, "Oh forgive me! I really just meant that perhaps you would like your music box back as soon as possible"
 

[Maxx]

"'Ere!  Yoo with the ears.  I couldna help but overhear yoo say tha' yoo heard voices.  Can I be so bold as to ask what kind?"  Angus didn't have a subtle bone in his body.  He was the proverbial bull, full speed ahead and leaving those in his path to scramble as they would.  He leaned closer.  "They wouldna be the voices of the dead, would they?" he asked in a low whisper.  For such a large man he was capable of dropping his voice to surprisingly soft levels.

"Angus, leave them be,"  Butcher said.  "They have business."

"As do we, Butcher.  As do we."

[CrowsEye]

Nolan turned to the bull that approached him, his coughing fit finished, then smiled and shook his head. "Nah, not voices o' th' dead. Like ye said, 'You with th'ears!'. Tha's all tis." Nolan tugged on his tattered ear to further his point. "Wi' ears like this, 's kinda hard not ta hear things ev'ry now and again. They catch a lot more than ye'd think they would." He winked at Mattie. "They're not just f'r show, y'know."

Leaning away from the bar to glance at the boar that spoke after Angus, Nolan then made a small salute to those sitting at the table. "Ah, s'all right, sir, he ain't a trouble 'tall. 'Sides, what's a good pub if ye don't have someone drunk as you comin' an' askin' ye odd questions, right?" Nolan smiled at Butcher and his table, then at Angus, and gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder, laughing at his own little joke.

[Tinker]

The mellowing effect of the rum softened the edges of reality for the young primate and she caught herself giving the Irish fox a smile that seemed to reach all the way up into the new penny copper of her eyes, as he again casually tossed a cheeky wink in her direction. Once Nolan had turned to face the rest of the party, Mattie noticed the tell tale sensation of the pull of muscles around her mouth and eyes and quickly adjusted her expression back to her customary look of stoic placidity.

This was the second time in that evening that talk of those being able to hear the dead had arose and the general air around that topic left Mattie feeling decidedly uncomfortable. She shifted on the bar stool and her long toes curled a little tighter into the worn leather of the seat to give her just that little bit more stable security, "Mister Butcher, Mister Cooper and Mister Angus were talking about those that. . heard things having been turning up. . .well. . dead, but seeing as how you just hear the living, I don't think that would be something you had to worry yourself with."

[CrowsEye]

Nolan looked to Mattie, then to the table of gentlemen incredulously. He slid his stool over to the table, not forgetting to grab his pint, and beckoned Mattie over. "Now, not t'question ye, mates, but how can ye be certain that these blokes 'ave been hearin' th'dead when...well, they themselves are dead? Not like we can just nip over 'n ask them now, ye ken?" He scratched the side of his muzzle contemplatively. "Now, I know ye didn't really ask f'r me advice, but I still figure I c'n put in my two pence worth. And it's not just one lad, this has happened more than once, aye? So, maybe the killer's got somethin' against those that go about sayin' that kinda thing?" Nolan shrugged, his two pence concluded. "Jus' playin' Devil's Advocate, y'see."