Small Town Complications [D6, LM] Calico's Room

[Rayfe Drathmire]

"You said it, not me." Rayfe says with a smirk. He reclines back in his hair, arms crossed. The man stares at the ceiling as he debates how to answer her question.

"I've been considering that. I think I'd like to keep training Nyx. I'll go home to Frosa, of course, for my partner... But maybe I can work it out."

His electric blue eyes flicker down to the young Magnox. "She used an ability I'd never seen one of our Magnox use before. Some sort of healing magic from her horn?... I didn't teach her that. I think that alone says she can potential."

[Calico Carter]

"I'd say she's got a lot going on. So... cheerful, too."

She chuckled and shook her head.

"Who knows, maybe Mara ought to meet her. She's always interested in monsters with, uhm, unusual qualities... But, uh, putting that aside, I'm... would you be interested in a business proposition?"

[Rayfe Drathmire]

His eyes level on Calico, gleaming with interest. "Yes. I would."

[Calico Carter]

"So, uh... Mara- Mara Froste- and I are looking to get into the ranch business. Gonna make the pitch to Felix later, see if he wants in as a trainer. Thing is, Mara's family's an issue, my rep's an issue, and... so forth. I was kind of wondering if you might... want in. I mean, your name's a good one, your family isn't a big pain so far as I know, and... you've got style. Presence."

She took a deep breath.

"Of course, that's all that you bring to the table. The question is, what would you want out of the arrangement?"

[Rayfe Drathmire]

Rayfe's expression is unreadable as she goes on, in an almost unsettling way. He just blinks slowly, and then asks, "So, what is your hope for this ranch full of issues? Are you looking for a sponsor of some sort?"

[Calico Carter]

"Well, the hope is we establish a business that lets anything I trap get handled properly and trained before we sell it, a place where Mara can use her breeding expertise to best advantage, and also incidentally performs well enough that we can live on it. But..."

She shrugged.

"You'd know good people to interest in exotic hybrids or rare monsters we snagged. Not just who'd express an interest, but who we could trust to come through on their promises."

She glanced over to where Orlok perched on Nyx's horn.

"And you know the value of unusual sorts who haven't been given enough credit."

[Rayfe Drathmire]

Rayfe lingers on her words, a finger tapping thoughtfully against his sleeve. His eyes follow Calico's, resting on the Magnox. At this point, Nyx is curled up on the floor, still trying to stare up at where Orlok clings to her horn.

"...Yes. I am interested in supportive your business endeavor. It sounds promising. Good people behind it." He flashes a smile at her.

"In return, I want to train. I want the very best for Nyx's tournament career. And if she's going for the next championship title, who better to practice with than the reigning king and his trainer?"

[Calico Carter]

"I- really? Wow. Uh, yeah, sure no problem. We can have her tussle with Orlok anytime it wouldn't involve totally trashing a hotel room..."

She removed the towel from her hair, almost as an afterthought.

"And depending on what hatches out of the egg I'll be getting, might be a sparring partner of an entirely different sort. Once I get it broken in, anyway."

There was a knock at the door as room service arrived, and she managed to be a bit less awkward greeting the delivery than she had greeting Rayfe.

A bit.

"So, training. I'll- we'll be hitting the road from here. If you'd like to travel with us, we could do that, or... my phone's not a sad pathetic joke anymore...."

[Rayfe Drathmire]

"All the better. And if your associates compete in battles, I wouldn't mind testing her strength against them..." He nods his head.

Rayfe partakes in breakfast. As soon as they start eating, Nyx is sitting alert at Calico's side, her pleading soft blue eyes lock onto her hand as it handles the food.

"Is the ranch going to be at a single location?" Rayfe asks. "I do have my career, home, and Magnox to attend to... More likely to visit often, if that works out." He is sure to update her phone number while they're discussing it.

[Calico Carter]

"Ideally, we'd be able to settle down, and- Nyx! It's sausage! You don't eat meat, do you?"

Orlok (now perched on Nyx's back and apparently having made himself comfortable) flapped his wings lazily.

"Haven't got a location even... brainstormed yet, it'll have to be something we can afford that also suits our purposes. Probably be a fixer-upper unless we get really lucky, but... I think we'll want to be reasonably located for the tournament circuit. I mean, not sure how much time I'll be spending there if I'm going to be competing."

[Rayfe Drathmire]

Rayfe laughs at that. "No, she doesn't. Just wants to have whatever you're having."

Nyx flattens her ears and groans. She lowers her head before flopping back gently onto her stomach, careful not to disturb Orlok.

"Location will be important, both to get interested parties out there and in case of emergencies..."

He leans forward as something comes to mind. "It would be nice for Nyx to have a safe place when I need to make my appearances and preform... Mm. When you're selecting your property, I'll certainly contribute, especially if it could be her second home of sorts?"

[Calico Carter]

"Oh, this sweetheart? Yeah, we could definitely make room for her."

Calico smiled fondly toward the Magnox, and was still smiling when she turned her attention back to Rayfe.

"Even when she grows up and isn't quite as easy to get into hotel rooms. That's a no-brainer, and as we both know, no-brainers are sort of my specialty."

[Rayfe Drathmire]

He finds himself smiling right back at her. "Excellent. Well, hopefully you won't regret it... They change when they get bigger. And she's going to get a lot bigger..."

Nyx swishes her tail innocently, looking up at Calico.

"If she says about the same... Nyx's snuggles could turn dangerous..."

[Calico Carter]

"We'll just have to teach her about boundaries. Maybe have Felix or Suramu handle that part- they're, uh... durable."

She shrugged and forked up another sausage.

"And anyway, ideally we'll have some space for all of Mara's hybrids she'll be going for..."

[Rayfe Drathmire]

"Boundaries..." Rayfe mumbles under his breath as he looks over at Nyx.

Nyx blinks back at him. Don't know word.

"Ahh yes... What is her intention with the hyrids? To sell them all? Or are you interested in training them for yourselves?"

[Calico Carter]

"I think we need to see how they turn out first, but... we'll likely keep some, sell some. Hybrids can end up with some pretty freaky blends of abilities."

[Rayfe Drathmire]

"That's true. It's an interesting process for sure-" Rayfe clears his throat a bit and waves his hand. "-I mean, the genetics and specializing of monsters..."

"There's also a market for the best of a species and also purebreds... Nyx's father is as big and strong as he is because there was a Gelidon in there somewhere, but bred through enough generations and in such a way where he just seems like a sturdy, massive Magnox. Close enough to register as a Magnox and not a mutant. Also. Not cheap to have that sort of careful breeding done."

"You don't think you'd be attached to Orlok's offspring and have to keep every single one of them?" He smirks a bit.

[Calico Carter]

"We'd definitely need to establish a pedigree. I mean, Orlok's wild-caught, so any records sort of... begin here. But yeah, we'll have to keep scrupulous records..."

At the question about Orlok's offspring she rolled her eyes.

"Wit my luck, they'll be jerks. Like him."

Chitter.

"We'll see, I dunno. I think any offspring he and Blitz have might be, kind of... special. But we've got other monsters to breed... still, pretty sure we'll be pretty picky about who we do business with."

[Rayfe Drathmire]

"He's the best kind of jerk. One with infuriating confidence and level-headedness in the eyes of his adversaries. So when he's a jerk about something, you really can't deny him, given his capabilities..." He whistles and then winks at the Saturnadus. "Isn't that right, coldsnap?"

Nyx perks up at the sound of her master's call, and looks a bit confused when it's for Orlok. She rests her head against Calico's leg instead and huffs.

[Calico Carter]

Calico reached down to scratch Nyx's ears, while Orlok.... fluttered up and approached Rayfe, his compound eyes scrutinizing the Medium Human Male.

Then he landed on the man's head.

"Orlok, you little bastard!"

Chitter.

"Sorry, I hope he doesn't... mess your hair up too badly, he's... probably gonna make more of a fuss if we try to pull him off..."