TELL ME THE ODDS

Nova

Clever as the devil

They skip into the market like a pair of thieves, their smiles too bright and their steps too light to not be suspicious. A few people glance their way, narrowing their eyes at the strange sparkles that seem to follow the girls. Nova takes it as a compliment, her colorful hair falling back as she lifts her chin, soaking in the attention.

She takes in the various stores, her eyes landing on something she likes. Her finger snaps out to point Aithne's eyes in that direction. "Look! There's a cute clothes shop over there!" 'Cute' might be an overstatement with the dingy curtains, but she can see a variety of unique items that might inspire her choice on what to make her sister.

and twice as pretty

I didn't come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends

Aithne skips alongside Nova, unbothered by the suspicious glances thrown their way. If anything, her grin widens, sharpening into something vaguely threatening. Maybe she really will steal something, just to see if she can get away with it (let's be honest, she absolutely cannot). In any case, Nova's choice of shop is quickly decided upon, and they make their way over. It's a bit dingy, a little rundown, but what in the Grounds isn't, especially at Jack Tar Landing?

Aithne peers in through the windows. There are a lot of random clothing pieces, but she can see a few that have promise (as inspiration only - gods know she would never be caught dead in that pattern or those colors). "In we go!" she crows, pushing open the door and leading the way in.

"Okay," she says as her eyes adjust to the light. "Are we thinking shirt?" And she gestures to a cute cropped halter top in a garish combination of red and blue. "Or skirt?" There's a pleated mini skirt that seems like Nova's vibe in a bright bubblegum pink. "Or, oooo, what about accessories?" Like the headbands that adorn a table nearby.

When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

Aithne

Nova

Clever as the devil

Nova follows Aithne in the door, moving with such force that the glass rattles a little. The shop owner is a cranky old woman in a myriad of prints who glares at them, eyes darting to their own clothes, paying particular attention to their hands and where they might wander. 

She couldn't care less about what suspicions the woman has about her. She could make things a thousand times cuter that these marginal attempts at 'fashion.' Instead, she peruses the options, flicking them dismissively when they don't pique her interest. Too monotonous. Too plain. Too 'standard' looking. Too boring. 

"Oooh. Definitely accessories." Nova spins at the suggestion, spotting the headband first. A sharp gasp chimes through the air. "OH! THIS WOULD BE SO CUTE!" She lifts it up, sliding the chunky white headband between her blonde and turquoise strands. "Could you imagine this in gold scales?!" The expression on her face is so bright and excited that it could undeniably rival an exploding star, brokering no argument to the contrary.

and twice as pretty

I didn't come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends

Aithne snickers at the pinched look on the cranky old shopkeeper's face, making sure to twiddle her fingers in a little wave as they pass by, deeper into the shop where things truly start to get interesting. The old woman harrumphs as she settles behind the counter, sharp eyes watching their every move. So distrustful, Aithne thinks with a grin. Smart woman.

Her suggestions are discarded one after the other until she mentions accessories. Then Nova turns, focusing in on a chunky white headband that she settles amongst her blonde-and-turquoise hair. "Oh my gods, yes," gushes Aithne, already imagining what such a thing would look like. "Oh! What about some gemstones?" she suggests. "That way it's not just solid gold. What's your sister's favorite color?"

When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

Aithne

A flicker of movement draws attention to a nearby wall or tree, where several Speaking Squirrels dart into view. They pause just long enough to wave their tails before chattering excitedly, voices overlapping.

“Follow!” one calls, bounding a short distance away, while another adds, “Come! Come!” They scamper ahead in exaggerated starts and stops, clearly attempting to lead the way, though the direction they choose loops back on itself or ends abruptly at nothing of interest.

After a few moments, they regroup, whispering among themselves before trying again, utterly undeterred by their lack of success. Whether they eventually lose interest or continue their misguided guiding is anyone’s guess.

---

Speaking Squirrels Areas Found: Hollowed Grounds, King's End, Greatwood — Common Appearing like a slightly larger version of a common ground squirrel, the speaking squirrels - as their name suggests - can speak. Or they appear to. Their vocabulary is limited to "yes", "no", and "follow me!" Though it is entirely unclear whether or not they understand actually speech and the words they are saying, they nonetheless will answer questions and will lead wayward souls further astray. Calls of "follow me!" have led a number of victims to their death, as the squirrels have absolutely no idea where they are going. Challenge Rating: Easy HP: 38 | To Hit: +30 | Dmg: 9 Movement: Scurry 30 ft.; Climb 30 ft.; Leap 15 ft. SPECIAL SKILLS Limited Speech: vocabulary is only “yes,” “no,” and “follow me!” and it’s unclear they understand the words; Misleading Guide: will confidently lead wayward souls astray without any sense of direction; Chorus Echo: nearby squirrels pick up the cry, creating a misleading chorus from multiple directions; Gap Squeeze: slips through holes and hedge tunnels too small for most pursuers

TRAITS Slightly Larger Ground Squirrel: looks like an upsized ground squirrel with bright, curious eyes; Tree & Wall Climber: agile on trunks, ruins, and hedges; Hedgerow Local: nests in the twists and hedgerows, popping in and out of tiny gaps; Fearful but Curious: skittish at noise yet drawn to travelers and their shiny gear ACTIONS Chatter Reply: answers any question with “yes” or “no,” regardless of sense; “Follow Me!”: darts a few bounds, stops to look back, then scurries on, luring travelers deeper; Tail Flag: flicks its tail to signal others or draw attention to a false turn; Dart & Vanish: bolts up a trunk or into a hedge-gap, reappearing on a different branch a moment later

Nova

Clever as the devil

She beams under Aithne's agreement, but it falls flat as the next suggestion comes. Pulling off the headband, she narrows her eyes. "Mm. No." It's an automatic response, not cruel or biting, but dismissive all the same, a designer making an executive decision on her creation, knowing the vision she has in mind. 

Angling the headband, an overlay of illusionary scales forms on top, showing the intricate layers and gleaming angles that would only be broken by gems. "The gold scales are really shiny. Gems will only make it look cheap." She scrunches her face, disliking the idea. Her sister is too pretty to wear cheap, but this is cute, and Nova smiles when she adjusts the headband to look closer at the idea she has in mind. 

Suddenly, an echo of words comes from outside, calling them to exit the store and 'Follow!' Nova peeks out the windows, eyes bright with mischief. "What's that?! Let's check it out!" Throwing aside the white headband, she makes for the door, excited to see where the squirrels would lead them.

and twice as pretty

I didn't come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends

Aithne thinks gemstones would add some sparkle, but it's not her creation or her sister, so she merely shrugs the dismissal off with a cheery wave of a hand. "Okay," she chirps. "You're the expert." Leaving Nova to continue to browse, Aithne wanders over to a new accessory that's caught her eye, when a sudden outbreak of voices outside draws her attention. Nova's already on her way out the door, so rather than roll her eyes at the speaking squirrels and dismiss them entirely, as she might have been inclined to do otherwise, Aithne skips out behind her new friend, leaving behind a relieved shopkeeper.

The squirrels chatter, their voices a crescendo urging the young women to follow them. So they do, out of the shop, onto the street, and down the way, eager to see where their next adventure will take them.

fin

When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

Aithne