The Dead Parrot Inn

[Rotzi]

"Well...." Jessi started. "Squee... he will bite. Just don't poke him... or insult him... or-"
"Taunt him or throw purses at him," Squee finished, giving Rotzi the "yer gonna pay for that" look.

"Try me, cat." Her eyes narrowed and said demon shrank. "Good boy."
"...can I have somethin' t' drink?"

Finally registering Leanon's question, Rotzi answered, "I never really met him. He was in a room that I was locked in and I got him out. Old storage rooms in elven schools have some rather interesting things in them." She scritched behind Squee's ears, getting a soft purr from him. They had their moments of being cute.

[Star_Traveler]

The doors to the Dead Parrot Inn open and a medium built human man, dressed in a silvery grey cloak full of pockets crammed packed with odd scientific stuff, walks into the room and spies the Innkeeper. “Good man, my name is Professor Remington and I need quiet accommodations for the night and some food.” at that moment he notices the ghostly apparition. “Mmm… intriguing. So the rumors are true, there is a ghost in the Dead Parrot Inn.” Remington scribbles some notes and then absentmindedly places them in a random pocket. “Now, where was I… Oh yeah, food. What do you recommend?”

[Rotzi]

Rotzi looked up at the newcomer from her spot at the bar, nodding a welcome to him before turning back to chat with Malachi.

Squee, however, let the curiousity get the better of him. "Hi. You look like an interesting morsel."

[Star_Traveler]

Professor Remington smiles back at Rotzi and at that moment… the sound of “WOOP! WOOP! WOOP!” fills the air as a glowing ball of light about the size of a softball pops out of a pocket in Remington’s cloak – flashing red and white.

"Danger! Professor Remington! Danger! Carnivorous Quadpedal on intercept course!"

Remington places his hands over his ears and yells, “IT! It’s just a talking cat! We’ve seen these before.”

The alarm stops but the glowing ball says, “Negative Sir! It has indication of being aerodynamic! At the very least it’s a Carnivorous Felisoptera. Preliminary scans show… show... complex chaotic RNA! “

“Did you say complex chaotic RNA? That would make it a…” Remington starts backing away from the orange furball and almost trips over a chair. Then a gleam sparkles in Remington eyes and he reaches into a pocket and pulls out a fuzzy blob. “Here you go, Squee. Go on take it. It’s a food toy. Very yummy, tastes like a cross between pigeon and goblin but be careful… it’ll run away from you.” Remington sets the fuzzy blob down on the floor and it starts to scurry away.

[Rotzi]

Squee batted the blob. "I've eaten already, and I don't trust things from strangers other than their freshly killed--"

"SQUEE!" yelled Jessi as marched over to him, grabbing the cat by the scruff of the neck.

"Don't mind him. He just has this bad habit of eating people," explained the photographer. She glared at the demon cat. "Someone's gonna be sleeping wrapped in duct tape t'night...."
Squee pouted. "You wouldn't..."
"Try me, kitten." Squee visibly shrank. "Good boy."

[Star_Traveler]

“No harm done.” IT stops flashing and floats a safe distance from the demon cat. “My name is Remington and this glowing ball is IT. So… what does one do to get services around these parts?”

[Rotzi]

"Have really good luck. The cook will take your order since the bee-girl wonders off a lot." She was now holding Squee comfortably in her arms scritching him fondly. "Other than that, just have good luck."
As an after thought Rotzi pulled out her camera and flashed the shutter. "My shop is a few blocks away from here, in case your interested." She pulled a business card from her shirt pocket.
"Jessi Rotzi, photographer extrodinaire." She winked. "Nice t' meetcha." Bowing she excused herself and took her seat again, watching the picture as it developed.

[Star_Traveler]

IT appears to be part picture ham... IT moves in front of the camera, partly covering Remington’s face and as the flash goes off Remington is caught in midair flailing his arms and hands at IT with instruments and notebook papers flying out of his pockets, in all directions.

After Remington recovers and while he's picking up all the mess, he says, “I must be lucky! I’m in need of a photographer! I’m gathering a party to search a group of ancient ruins.”

IT says, “Ancient Research Complex cica 50’s to be more specific.”

Remington continues, “I need someone to document the expedition, take images of the ruins, and any technology we might find. First we have to get permission from the owner of the Dead Parrot Inn because my research”, IT flashes, “our research shows the ancient research complex is located beneath this very inn. “

IT buzzes around camera and says to Rotzi, “Polaroid camera. Batteries are low and will need replacing; do you have more advance imaging technology at your disposal?”

[Rotzi]

"Actually the elves here supply me with it," she answered, whacking IT with the picture. "And, if you want my help, don't expect it for free. Half up front and half after the fact." Rotzi wasn't stupid. She'd been dealing with the elves ever since she had arrived and knew how they tended to weasel her into freebies. It's been happening less and less, so she was happy.

"As for other camera's, those are back at my shop. You probably passed it on your way here."

Squee wrestled away from her and sat next to Sparks. "Women.. nothing but trouble. 'specially if they're human."

[Star_Traveler]

“We got our selves a deal then, if we can convince the inn owner to let us poke around in the back.”

IT flashes and says, “It’s under the juke box.”
Remington says, “It’s in the back.”
IT flashes and says, “Under the juke box.”
Remington says, “In the back.”
IT flashes and says, “under”
Remington says, “back” and glares at IT.
IT wonders over and seems to be intent on studying the tracks of the fuzzy blob.

Remington turns back to Rotzi, “That was your shop, the one with the broken window, the gnawed goblin bones and the orange fur strewn all over the street?”

[Rotzi]

"No. It's the small Victorian looking house across from that. Squee had stopped some burglars for a late night snack the other night. Third time this week, actually."

Over by Sparks, the demon growled. "I do NOT shed!"

[Star_Traveler]

IT finally tracks down the fuzzy blob and finds it under a table. IT mumbles, “The doorway is under the juke box.” The fuzzy blob scampers across the floor and notices Squee’s moving tail. The fuzzy blob starts nibbling on it.

“Oh! I saw that house. Very nice looking. Do you know anything about the burglars, who they are or what they were looking for?”

[Rotzi]

Squee growled at the blob. "Touch me further, you gelatinous thang you.. and be eaten."

"Just the usual things the government sends after me when they found out the Squee wasn't goin' eat me. They also tend to pick up some of the stuff in the shop... or try to." Rotzi cracked her knuckles. "As to what they're really after..." she smirked, "who knows."

[Star_Traveler]

The fuzzy blob purrs and starts to orbit Squee just out of reach and then scurries under the jukebox, poking out and watching the demon cat.

“Should we pick up your equipment from your shop?” Remington asks.

[Rotzi]

"Not t'night. Stop by some time tomorrow." She turned back to the bar. "I'm off t'night. Centon'll watch the shop t'morrow when we go off."
Rotzi looked around. "But, y'know.. I never have met the owner here...." She turned to the ghost. "Oi, Malachi-san! Who owns the inn?"

Meanwhile Squee was stalking the blob. "Taunt me, will ya?" he growled. "Yer gonna regret that... PUNK!" He leaped at the blob... and forgot about the juke box. KRRRRRSH! The winged orange fuzz ball met the musical thing head on and lost... So much for him being any help with anything.