Monster Wrangler

Right about free breakfast time there would be a sharp set of knocks on Calico's door. Rayfe has his phone out, double checking the room number that she had sent out to her connections the day before. After reassuring himself this is the correct room, he pockets the phone and adjusts the two shopping bags he has hanging from his arms.

Nyx stands at his side, kneeling on her front legs so she can poke her snout against the bottom of the door. It smells familiar. Smells like her!

Calico had awoken a short time before, and was barely out of the shower as a result (especially since Orlok liked sleeping in it, and she'd had to shoo him out first).

"Just a minute!"

Clothes. Clothes would be good.

Ceremony later.

Right.

The yellow shirt-dress was left set aside for later when she had to be at her most presentable, and Claico answered the door wearing an oversized "I'm With Stupid" shirt, a pair of cutoff shorts that had been full-length pants when she'd arrived in town, and a towel wrapped around her hair.

"Rayfe! hi! Uhm... oh, hey Nyx. Uhm. Come in?"

Whatever train of thought he was lingering on gets interrupted by her haphazard appearance - not like he was expecting anything this early in the morning, but it still surprises him.

"Hey," Rayfe greets with a dip of his head. "Not too early? I can come back later-"

Nyx snorts a good morning and frolics inside at the invitation, leaving her wrangler standing there awkwardly in the hallway. The Magnox begins her sniffing spree of absolutely everything in Calico's room.

"...I am. Very sorry. About her."

"No, no, you, uh... should come in. So Nyx doesn't feel out of her depth."

As if the magnox ever felt out of her depth.

"And never apologize for her, she's a sweetheart."

Orlok, perched on the ceiling, peered down at Nyx.

"So, uh, what brings you to my dorrstep? Oh, sorry, kinda had a late night, there was this funky jinglot out in the boonies the town wanted dealt with so we went out to lend a hand. Got in late, slept late... I'm rambling. Sorry. It's good to see you."

Rayfe steps inside and smiles at that. "It's good to see you, too... I hope this jinglot didn't cause you and Orlok too much trouble?"

Nyx smells Orlok before she sees him. She spends a solid three minutes pacing the room searching for him until she finally looks up. The magnox freezes, her eyes growing incredibly wide. She snorts anxiously from her nostrils before walking in tight circles directly underneath Orlok, as if she could climb to reach him with enough rotations.

Rayfe sets his bags against the wall before he turns to her. He seems a bit... embarrassed? "Sorry I couldn't make it to your err- party. Thing. I'm not much for socializing and was on a mission of my own. You have fun?"

"Oh, it was cool, I didn't really give anybody much notice, but I still got a taker, so I didn't have to scarf the whole room service snack tray myself... anyway. It was kind of a limited venue. Planning on going bigger down the line... But. Yeah. Had a good time."

She paused.

"I also got a new phone! So, uh, we can... update that."

The thought seemed to strike her at long last.

"So, uhm, to what do I owe the pleasure of the visit?"

Orlok fluttered his wings at Nyx- then dropped down from the ceiling, drifting like leaf down toward the Magnox.

"Orlok, do NOT try to have a snack!"

Chitter.

Nyx stomped her foot against the floor, hardly able to contain her excitement as Orlok flutters down. Play? She tosses her head, twirling her horn energetically in his direction.

"Yes, well... About that." Rayfe sighs. "See, I've scoured this little town and there is... Nothing. Nothing that even remotely resembles the spa I had in mind when I made that bet. I am used to large settlements with many, many options."

His expression is visibly disappointed.

"But I intend to make good on my promises... So I improvised." He kneels down to dig into the shopping bags he brought with. "Do Orlok and Blitz have a favorite spot?..."

He starts to hand her item after item - a grooming brush, monster treats, plush blankets, scented candles, monster soap, nail files, and a purple music player.

"...Think we could still give them some nice alone time?"

Calico's eyebrows went up.

"Well, they like the beach... which works out nicely, because so does everyone else, it seems..."

Orlok landed on Nyx's horn, clinging with his legs.

"Sure. Maybe we could find a quiet spot on the beach..." Rayfe rumbles thoughtfully. "With your new phone- could you contact her? Maybe Mara knows the best place..."

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I am so sorry there is not something- more exciting for those two. If you're ever coming through Frosa, I know a place that will pamper them properly."

Nyx's mane fluffs up, and she squints cross-eyed at the monster perched on her horn. She trots in a circle, and when Orlok stays on for the ride, she snorts excitedly and runs over to Calico to show her. Cool trick! Cool!

"I can try... Orlok! Well. Nyx seems happy, so... never mind."

He flapped his wings lazily, letting the patterns do their thing.

"I mean, Frosa's not out of the question, I just haven't planned ahead that far..."

She picked her new phone up off of the countertop in the kitchenette.

"Let's see here..."

She had plainly never texted much, but seemed to be picking it up pretty rapidly.

"Oh, Rayfe, man, please sit down, relax a bit, I'm a lousy hostess, not really... used to it, y'know?"

"Oh. Yeah. Thanks." He sits down as instructed, gaze following the pair of monsters as Nyx prances around with Orlok clinging to her.

"You're a fine hostess. It can be overdone, trust me. Having a casual, understanding environment is much more preferable..."

"Yeah, but a hostess who can go five words without stumbling over them and saying 'uhm' a lot has its place too... you want a juice or something? Or I could order some breakfast up..."

"That has its charm, too." Rayfe reminds her with a wink.

"Yes, breakfast would be ideal... We haven't eaten yet, in case the same went for you."

"Oh, yeah, no, Orlok's had his daily bloodpack, but in terms of food, we're... yeah."

She headed over to the room phone, then paused.

"You feeling picky, or should I just grab a modest assortment?"

Rayfe shakes his head. "Anything is fine. I've been enjoying trying whatever they have to offer in the mornings."

Nyx trots over with Orlok on her horn to observe Calico. Her ears flip forward with interest when she gets on the phone. Who talking to? Ohh! Me!?

She waves her horn about with Orlok on it to get the purple-haired wrangler's attention. Rayfe smiles a bit, watching the exchange.

"You'll never shake him that way Nyx, he's clingy. In his way."

Orlok's wings fluttered.

"Yeah, breakfast for two? Whatever's clever..."

Rayfe laughs under his breath. "Oh, a clingy friend? Sounds perfect for her."

When Orlok flutters his wings, Nyx is entranced by the display. She leaves Calico's side in favor of pacing in circles again, trying to get a better look at his wings.

"Congratulations, again, on your victory... Seen any change in Orlok, or is he the same old, and just a champion now?"

"He's still a little jerk. Oh, uh, speaking of- thanks for the medical sprays, but we ended up not needing them, so..."

Rayfe waves his hand dismissively. "You might need them in the future, mm? With all the hunting and traveling you might do, bound to run into some trouble."

"Okay, that's fair, but... come on. It's... Okay, actually, my running into trouble is practically guaranteed."

She sighed.

"So, uh, what's next for you?"