Beneath the tide, below the waves...

Frites takes over, as much as Neche tries to steer, the squirrel's long since worked with his master. He knows exactly where to go and what to do, Frites rolls over as they dive low, allowing for Merah to grab onto Vee's arm. Pulling her back from a fatal strike, yet Avra seems reluctant to let them leave.

The moment her heel hits the ground, Avra pushes off with a charged hand reaching out to grab them.

"Nice catch." Vee reaches up to grab Merah's arm, her tail wraps around the poor girl's body as she yanks herself up and around. Her hands grab the harness as she's brought to a near handstand while Frites rolls back.

She clings to the ties of the harness and swings down along Frites' side to plant two feet into Avra's body, sending her flying back to the ground.

With a heave she nudges herself back up leaving Merah between her and Neche, pulling reigns from Neche despite her battered arm. To pull off the acrobatics she did despite hearing those crushing sounds earlier, this strange woman was stronger than she seemed.

"You okay? I took some liberties, might have dislocated your arm.." She pulls Frites far up into the clouds, above the rain as sunshine pours down on the trio.

"We'll look at it when we are safe." She leans forward with the two and let's Frites glide more efficiently. "Take a nap, you too Neche. It'll be a little bit of a flight okay?"

Below them, having lost track, Avra pulls herself from the mud and dirt. Making quite the mental note of the three faces that just escaped her.

Everything's a blur as the world flies by her- she thought it'd be over once she caught her hero, but in one final spurn of fate, Merah's taken for a ride. If her arm hurt before, the explosion of pain that erupted from her shoulder easily surpassed it, and she never considered herself motion sick until now, head spinning from Vee's quick maneuver.

But she can just barely catch the sight of Avra crashing back against the ground before relief comes.

Their seating is settled, no more wild swinging or rough movements... just reprieve from the thunder and lightning, and genuine warmth washing over her. The adrenaline started to leave her system and it only dawned on her then just how bad everything felt...

But the sunshine... felt so good.

it couldn't be helped. Even if the sharp stinging or the soreness pervading her entire system made it hard to, she was... so tired... not dying. She wasn't dying, but this Neche girl was very soft, Merah couldn't help leaning back against her.

...

... her head lolls to the side, just enough that in her haze of misery and bliss, she could still see it. Still hear it. Lingering in her ears and in her mind... the flash of lightning. The roaring wind and thunder.

And those piercing eyes.

She almost, truly, died there. Being toyed with, getting into dangerous encounters, it was always present but this felt so much more... real. That woman... she wasn't playing around, there was no personality or rationality to be had with someone like that. If her saviors hadn't shown up on time, then...

... she couldn't stay awake any longer. Despite the aching, she succumbs to the sunlight and nods off. A moment of peace, at last.

"Aww... I guess that's fair. It would ruin the mystique- well, it's good you won't tell me, I might be disappointed if I knew the actual truth..."

She had a pretty active imagination it helped keep her from feeling so lonely, so to her, it could've been any number of things: a secret army of other maids like herself, a manufacturing plant hiding within this mansion, the ability to use powers only benefiting maid work, time manipulation... no, actually, that last one was a little too out there.

Suina did want to meet the mansion owner, though. A noblewoman of slight frame and sickly form, yet she clearly commanded a lot of respect by the way Sakuya spoke of her...

A sip of her tea, pausing to relish the taste- probably one of the best cups she'd ever had in her life- "Gosh... I'm sorry to hear about her condition- I have a friend who's sick herself, she has a hard time being out and about and the cold weather makes it worse..."

"I don't plan on leaving any time soon, and you've been so kind to me, so the least I could do is meet the Lady of the Estate. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to see her after all you've said about her, as well as what kind of person would own a property like this..."

She was a victim of an evil trick and she won't know until its too late. It'd already felt like home away from home from the treatment she'd been given, and this maid had done such a great job playing the role...

She had no idea.

There's so many different ways that humans react to the revelation that the manor and its staff hold some magical properties, from intrigue and fear, all the way to anger.

Many of them believe that they are dreaming, or experiencing some form of psychosis. Perhaps that's to be expected, as many of the humans that get spirited away here are at the last of their wits.

Although this woman seems to be more well off than others, and so perhaps letting a little of the magic slowly reveal itself wouldn't do too much harm. It's only inevitable as the workers of this manor are fairies.

Of course, the secret of the Mistress' true condition must be kept. At least until she's finally decided to she wishes to feed on this girl.

"As I said, the Mistress is asleep right now. Although in the meantime, I may show you around. Or, I could show you to a guest room if you would rather rest." It's the middle of the day, and while Sakuya stirred Remilia to inform her of their new arrival, the vampire lord wished to sleep further.

"Ah, well- that's a tough question..." Hmm... quite a debate. Does she want to see what lies in secret in this mansion, the hidden machinations of a great piece of architecture and its sole, dedicated maid?

Or does she want to rest? ... she hadn't had a proper sleep in a bed in a long time, which feels strange to desire. Her home was the sea, yet she'd long since adapted to sleeping in the air. Atop a warm bed, tucked under covers, cushioned by the mattress...

Without the rocking motion of the waves on her boat, though, it might feel too different. But she was tired. If this was meant to be actual rest, she would accept it.

"There'll be plenty of time to get the tour of your lady's mansion after I wake up, I'd say. For now, would you mind taking me to your guest room? I'd like to take a nap and catch some rest..."

Suina stands up now, satisfied with her care here and the maid's loyal service... speaking of- "Oh- and, Sakuya... that tea was delicious~"

The problem with riddles was that unless they asked for hints, it was sort of a long silence. Riley opted to faux-regard the cocktails list on the bar, really thinking about the Snowdrop (consisting of apricot eau de vie, gin, salers, and bay leaf -- a drink that lost appeal with every word). Thankfully, in time, the barfly puzzled out the right answer, without a single prompt. Not that she'd intended it to be unduly difficult.

"That's it. The poison was in the ice cubes, and my slow drinking gave them time to melt." She nodded, showing proper respect as was owed. But that was only half the challenge -- should the redhead want to continue her stare, she'd need to figure out this: "I'm headin' home after drinkin', walkin' down a completely deserted road. No streetlights, no moonlight, and I'm in all black. A car races down the road, no headlights on. At the last moment, the driver sees me and barely manages to swerve away. How did they see me?"

Haha, she's still got it baby! Definitely more impressive that she got the answer right which meant she had a better chance of scoring for the night with someone cute... definitely.

Gladyss has sat up in her chair now, absolutely ensconced in this little game of words. An intellectual, she was not- but she could appreciate a little fun between... friends? Were they friends now? After just one riddle- no, at least both riddles first. "Okayokayokay- hit me with your next puzzle, puzzlebabe~!"

... however, her excitement falters when she doesn't immediately guess the answer. Even moreso when it still wasn't coming, the Phoenix holding her chin in deep thought... for all of four seconds before impatience won out. "Fuck... um... gimme- gimme a hint. This one's not makin' sense..."

"It... It really is bullying, huh?..."

Even if Chloe's body is heavier than his, he still found himself being moved easily once Gladyss hugged him closer, and... well, he couldn't help but to lean closer to her.

"I... I don't know, Gladyss. I did say that I'm offering to test her potions if she likes, but... well... I can't tell if that's what I've signed up for, or taking advantage of it."

A small sigh.

"W-Well... Her shop is in a cafe called 'Fairy Tail', at the base of Youkai Mountain. She runs a side shop there for the customers while a fairy makes food, but... p-promise not to deal anything rash? She's the daughter of my alternate, a kitsune, and from what I know, he can be kind of... scary?"

Gladyss was so much stronger than she looked- her body betrayed a natural strength that made simple actions like hugging a small companion as simple as one motion. But she was also very warm and soft, comforting in the way of a blanket or the sun on your skin.

"It doesn't matter- things can go from 'doing a favor' to 'getting screwed over' like that-" She snaps her finger for punctuation, "- and it only stops when you stand your ground... but I know you. You're a nice guy, Eri, I know you wouldn't want to hurt someone in any way. Especially not a friend... so!"

She's gone from hugging him close to hefting him up, carrying him under her arm like a small dog.

"Fairy Tail... alright. Let's go, you're gonna show me the way there, and I'll do the talking, okay? You have my promise, everything I do will be carefully thought out and rational. Maybe I'll get a chance to meet this Kitsune father..."

... the way she says it gives a different implication. Best not to worry about it.

"As is how interaction, usually goes. Though it has me curious what the usual reaction goes. Fear, apprehension, attraction, or attempts to match you in your efforts? Likely the latter ends in both parties battered and bloody, as is you wont correct?"

"'Battered and bloody'? Jeez, girly, you make it sound like all I'm looking for is a good fight. Maybe sometimes, maybe if they seem like fun, but who isn't after life's greatest pleasures, right?"

"A good fight. A good fuck. A good night with good drinks. Sure, why would I say no? Except... I'm trying to be better, y'know. There's someone else in my life that deserves better and I'm trying not to be a total mess."

"The mortal mind is often quite fickle. Praising strength and beauty in one instance, yet lacking the ability to properly appreciate it the next."

"Coupled with an overwhelming, punch-drunk sense of thrill, and I could see others' apprehension towards self-involvement."

"Confidence is my sexiest quality, babe. Besides, if they don't come to me, I usually run into them~"