Tales of the Ice Harpy from Glacia

"I'm fine," Dinah said, voice clipped. Somewhere back in the fight she'd passed through anger and out the side to just get the hell out of my way. She moved closer to Max, though, not being stupid. "We need information. This is the place to get it. Then move on to wherever Karla is ASAP."

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Max looked down at 'Dite. "You want to handle this? I sort of doubt I'd ask these men anything civilly." And torture wasn't something he wanted to do in front of Dinah.

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Just then, one of them tried to tug the little serving girl into his lap. She managed to squirm out of his grasp and dodge back behind the bar. The others just laughed.

"Gonna let her go that easily, Finn?"

"I'm not letting anything that happens to her be easy," Finn replied smugly.

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Biting her lip, Aphrodite shook her head. "I don't want to ask them anything." She remembered something of her conversation with Karla. "I think I know who might be able to help us. Keep an eye on them, would you?"

Moving carefully, she stepped toward the girl who had returned to her hiding place. 'Dite leaned on the wall next to her, crouching a little to seem less frightening. "Hi. I'm 'Dite. What's your name?"

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Dinah was intensely wishing she had her mom's ability to destroy everything with a scream at the moment. That would shut those jackasses up. It would be really good if no one noticed what 'Dite was doing though, so.... diversion?

Looking back over at the pigs, she took a breath, then concentrated on their chairs. If she could make something appear in this dream, maybe she could also make it.... disappear.

Ha!

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And suddenly there were four very disgruntled males landing on their asses on the floor. "Oh, barkeep, you and your daughter are going to pay for that!" Finn said, leaping to his feet.

It was only then that he noticed Dinah and Max. "Who the fuck?" he asked.

All of which provided 'Dite with time to talk to the little girl. "You mean Lady Karla?" she whispered, clinging to her father's hand. "W-why do you want her?" She was terrified, but trying to sound defiant.

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'Dite glanced at the girl's father, offering him a smile.

"We've come to help the Lady. See those people there?" She motioned to her companions. "We're all her friends, all of us." Aphrodite noticed the males facing off against Max and Dinah. "Now, see those guys? Those are the bad guys, and my friends there are going to teach them a lesson."

For some reason she felt absolutely comfortable saying this, especially after seeing the battle in the street.

"Can you tell me where Karla is? We really need to talk to her."

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Dinah gave the guys an innocent look that was wholly unconvincing. "Whoops. Us. And in your dreams." Which was a little too close to the truth, really. "And only in your dreams."

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The barkeep did not return 'Dite's smile. In fact, he grabbed his daughter a little more tightle and stepped back a pace.

"Lady Karla's up at the estate," the girl whispered. "She gets in trouble when she comes down here, even just to Heal. Sometimes she sneaks down here anyway, but I haven't seen her around recently." The girl looked at 'Dite with wide eyes. "Is she okay?"

The rest of the males stood up, glaring, arms folded. "In my dreams? Oh no, little girl. I think you're about to find out we're your worst nightmare."

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Okay, now there was a little worry, since Dinah seemed to actually be gunning for a fight. But there was no time to think about it, and she concentrated on the girl in front of her, kneeling a little more to ease both parent and child.

"I think she's going to be fine, and I think you can help me. I need you to just close your eyes and think hard for a minute. Try and send a message to Karla for me." 'Dite held up a hand, waving away any denials. "You don't have to have any power or anything. Just think about Karla, think so hard that you can see her in front of you, and then tell her this: Help is on the way." She smiled at the girl. "Can you do that for me?"

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Max lightly placed a hand on Dinah's shoulder. "A distraction doesn't have to involve violence, you know," he said quietly. But it looked like that bit of advice was a bit late...

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"No, but it's more fun this way," Dinah muttered back. "And we can't beat down the real ones. Not yet." She smiled sunnily at the bravos moving in on them. "Someday."

And threw a lit candlestick at the one on the farthest right, before circling to split them up.

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The girl nodded. "I can try to send it on a distaff thread," she said. "She might not answer, but I can try."

Her father made a little noise of protest in his throat.

"Papa, I have to," the girl said. "If they can help Lady Karla--if she's in trouble--" The girl shook her head, far too old for her years. "If something happens to her, then I'll never be safe."

"Looks like someone wants to play," Finn said, vanishing the candle with Craft. He jerked his chin and his companions and they spread out, almost seeming to oblige her. "How nice for us. The wait won't be as long with two toys tonight."

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'Dite smiled at the girl, wishing she could do more. A thought came to her and she looked down at her hands, concentrating for a moment to make the stuffed cat she'd had earlier reappear in her hands. She offered it to the child with a wink. "Thank you. You've been a big help."

She knew the 'distraction' would soon turn into a full on fight, but she took a moment to look into the man's face. "Can you point me towards the estate? Give us a direction to go?"

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Max sighed. "This is going to make a mess." Still, he imagined his blades back into existence and stalked forward. "Let's make this quick," he suggested to Dinah. "We've got somewhere to be."

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Dinah checked on 'Dite, who was smiling, and nodded. "Okay, only so much destruction--" And turned back to throw the table directly at one guy's head. Then picked up the other guy with her telekinesis, and sent him flying back into the wall, hard enough to leave an outline around his body. "--before we leave."

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The girl reached out and snatched the stuffed kitten before 'Dite could change her mind and take it away again. Her father's expression softened and he opened his mouth to say something...

...just as the table crashed into the first guy, shattering glasses and bottles everywhere. Grabbing his daughter, he ducked and started making his way for the door. "The hill!" he hissed. "The estate on the hill!"

The two other males just stared, alternating between Dinah and the desctruction she had wrought, ~~thus provoking an attack of opportunity~~ trying to figure out what just happened. Finn, however, recovered enough to send a wave of Opal power, intending to backhand Dinah across the face.

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Having winced when the crash happened, 'Dite stayed right where she was as the father and child made their move toward the door. On last smile to the girl, and then she was turning, wondering what kind of trouble Max and Dinah had started this time.

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With a grimace Max simply strode forward and aimed a quick stroke at the hamstring of each of the men he was facing off against. Efficiency was the order of the day.

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Dinah took the slap, spun with it, and came around to lift both guys up to the ceiling. And smile.

"Night."

Thud.

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With Finn unconscious and two others hamstringed, a lot of the fight went out of the...fight. "We need a Healer," one of them whimpered. "Get us a Healer."

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