[Kodai]

It should, by all accounts, have been a dull night for working the lobby of the Oasis Inn.

Things had started out that way, at least. Some tourists and travelers had stopped by around dinnertime asking about food recommendations, and a few stragglers had made some hasty last-minute reservations, but activity around the front desk had all but ceased before midnight. Not that that was surprising; it was the off-season, and the weather was excellent besides, providing an incentive for those few that had come all the way to Wilt'no to camp out in their tents.

So, in all honesty, the stranger that showed up at about 2:45 in the morning really had no business being there. But there they were.

At first, it was easy to believe that the newcomer was a human or human-form animal. Two arms, two legs, a rounded head that sat on top of a somewhat rectangular torso, bipedal stance – that was your basic human appearance, for sure. As they stood under the gentle light of the lobby, however, smaller, stranger details began to stand out, proving once again that looks could be deceiving.

The hands that poked out from the stranger's flowing sleeves, while otherwise capable of belonging to a human with a light brown complexion, had short, pale claws. A pair of what could only be described as insect antennae poked out of their dark hair, bent forward attentively.

And then there was the mask.

Humans wearing masks was not unheard of, but even the most face-covering of human masks had eyeholes. Not so with this one. It was completely solid and flat, with the facial features – only two large circles for eyes and a small half-loop for a mouth – painted on in black. How could this person even function with such a mask...?

"Hello, person! I am looking for someone named Safi; do you know where I might find her? OuO"

...Yes, they really did just say "majuscule oh-minuscule yoo-majuscule oh" out loud. From behind a mask with no mouth opening.

What a night this would be.

[Moofius]

This was the best shift, and doubly so because nobody wanted it. The seraphim had the place to herself and it was normal and grand. It almost felt like before... That had happened. Ift was easy for people to pretend this was so, mostly because there was no pretending. Nobody knew Safi had been involved in the tear in the sky. Nobody had suspected much of anything when she had left for her vacation; she hadn't taken a break in years she had been more than due. When she returned she took a bit of time to herself and was back at work like before. Safi was the only one playing pretend, and she was pretty good at it save for the percentage of her paycheck that went to tea.

Safi was up at all hours, per her sleepless species abilities, and sucking down yet another mug of tea. She went through, on average, 0.75 mugs an hour. She liked when the next cup fell on the hour mark which is why she knew exactly when 2:45 came around.

The mug clicked against the front counter's unremarkable counter top, empty save a bit of tea dust and the last drops of tea. She had sensed a presence new to her but didn't read anything malicious in it. Besides, she spoke to Chaos regularly and so even if there was “malice” in the aura, it wouldn't do much more than make it so than bring her tea over hour intake up a little. She had not looked up from her mug just then.

She wore a pleasant smile but it was born of practice in the job she worked, rather than the ease of everyday use, head still bowed as she composed herself. Somebody asking for her by name, on the other hand, raised red flags and the moment to compose was needed.
“I would be Safi, are you looking to book a room, or-?”
It wasn't uncommon for the locals to send tourists her way, and she was well known enough in such a small town. It wasn't too weird to have a stranger ask for her by name. It was, however, a strange thing to happen at 2:45am on a weekday. It was stranger still to find a person enquiring after her wearing a mask with no means of revealing the person's face, and for a moment Safi was frozen with fear.

Dr. H's thread spinners, or whatever they were, they wore suits and their masks-
Her grip on the mug tightened, knuckles white as she forced herself to breathe out, then in.
- Those masks had holes. For thread, sure, but they needed holes for the thing that made them a threat. She continued to breathe, in and out, in and out, in and-
“Who sent you?” She asked, voice trying to be flat but wavering with nerves.

[Kodai]

"Oh! So you are Safi! Excellent! OuO"

The stranger clapped their clawed hands together cheerfully, but that was cut short as the aforementioned individual began acting strangely. Even for a person who wasn't well-versed in social cues, it was clear that something wasn't right. "Who sent you?" wasn't a typical question to be asked, after all.

"I sent myself? OuO" the stranger answered, one antennae perked up at a confused angle. "Or, if what you meant was, 'Who gave you my name,' then that would be our benefactor, the Baron! It was his suggestion that I seek you out, in the hopes that you may be able to answer my questions. OuO"

They clasped their hands together conversationally.

"You see, my friends and I are very new to this planet. In fact, we did not even know it existed until we ended up in this system! So we are all woefully uninformed when it comes to the sociopolitical and natural aspects of Evelon. OuO"

Uh. What?

"I was hoping to speak with a native of this planet in order to learn more about it. Then I would be able to bring that information back to my friends, so we may live more comfortably and peaceably on Evelon while we are here! Which, ah. May be a while. Our ship is out of fuel, and your planet does not appear to have discovered interstellar travel yet. OuO"

What.

"Though, I must be honest – I am very curious by nature, and even if it would not have been to the benefit of my friends, I would have wanted to do this anyway! Learning about new worlds and their cultures is what I was literally created for! So, I do hope you can help me by answering a few questions. OuO"

The stranger fell silent for a few moments, positively beaming from behind the mask, and then spoke up again.

"Oh! Right! The Baron also suggested I might offer some compensation for your time. Where did I put it…"

They began digging around in their pockets. Eventually they fished out a small pouch of Keystones, which they promptly placed on the counter.

"Here; would this be adequate? If not, I can return at a later date with whatever you think would be appropriate for your services. OuO"

Oh, what an awkward conversation this was shaping up to be.

[Moofius]

There was a tension in the air around Safi as she listened to the stranger talk... a lot. She honestly wanted to step in at the benefactor bit. Who was THAT? How did THEY know about her? Clearly they thought of her as some fount of knowledge which, as a seraphim that played the role of 'simple village girl working a job and living by herself at the edge of the habitable zone of the desert' didn't exactly scream 'scholar to inform you of an entire planet'.

Wait, planet? Which is where Safi's suspicion was quickly poured out with a tilt of the head to be replaced with n expression of awestruck confusion; eyes narrowing and lips parting further and further as she readied herself to say something. Was this person out of their mind?

Safi's eyes jumped around the person's form as she reassessed the person physically. Weird mask? Very strange. Skin tone? Normal. Hair? Present and nothing outside the norm. Clothing? Human-esque and nothing that did not fit the time period. Antenna? Present; Abnormal. Claws? Present; Abnormal. At least they were when reading what seemed a human, or mortal, aura. Yes? Safi was feeling frazzled and deep aura reads weren't her strongest suit.

That 'created' bit made Safi stand up a little straight and normalize her appearance. That was something she could identify with personally, though that made her wonder what this thing might be within it's own alien world. Did it function like a seraphim, then? Was it god made, or mortal made?

There was a pause and Safi opened her mouth to say something- only to be interrupted again, this time for the strange... alien? The alien person to dig in a pocket. Safi reached under the desk to grasp the hilt of her own seraphim blade, though she did not pull it out. While she was alarmed she had to remind herself that this person was not threatening her outright and showed no signs of agression.

“... You just said... a lot.” Safi said slowly, releasing the sword and placing both, empty, hands on the counter. They were quickly clasped in front of her to try and contain her own shaking; the side of her hands pressing hard against the counter to try and push her own incredibly flighty energy into something.
“You may keep your keystones for now,” She slowly pulled one hand out of the grasp of the other and slid the bag across the counter, back to the 'alien', “I am going to make myself a pot of tea, and I will join you in the lobby in about ten minutes. Alright?”

She didn't wait for an answer. If that was no good to the alien well, tough. Safi took up her mug and went through a small door that lead to an office space behind the counter. Safi started on making her tea while simultaneously tugging on threads of magic to check that her wards and alarms had not been dismantled or tampered with.

By the time she left she had a tray with all the tea fixings and a perplexed but significantly more relaxed expression on her face.

The Lobby of the inn was more of a 'lobby' in that it was a collection of mismatched comfortable chairs in the corner neat a fireplace built into the wall. There was a coffee table, which Safi set the tray down on before she took a seat in an armchair that did not invite room for another to join her.

“So, before we get too deep into this... Who are you? Who is the Baron? How, exactly, do they know of me?”

[Kodai]

The strange alien, too, was about to respond when they were interrupted by Safi leaving. Hardly seeming to react to the Seraph's odd behavior, they put the Keystones back in their pocket and cheerfully headed to the lobby, picking a seat and sinking into it.

It was strange; now that the alien was sitting down, it was easier to see how skinny they really were… A fighter, this person was not.

By the time Safi chose her own seat, the alien had already pulled out an electronic tablet and stylus, looking much like a reporter ready for an interview. These were placed down, however, when the Seraph asked her own questions, the alien's antennae perking at a curious angle.

"Me? I am K-32206. Although, you may call me Kay if you wish! I realize that K-32206 is a bit much for most other species in regular conversation. OuO"

They tapped the stylus thoughtfully against their tablet.

"The Baron… He is a very mysterious person, indeed. He calls himself the 'Permanently Temporary Master of the House', with 'the House' being a large manor on the border of the Roraldi Forests. He claims that title because the true owner is missing and does not know when she might be found – hence, permanently the master of the House until the true owner returns. OuO

"Now, I am not entirely sure what species he is… I believe the people here might call him an 'anthro'? His body is rather typical – much like yours or mine – but he has the head of a white rabbit. He also seems to dress exclusively in black tuxedos with a top hat and a red cravat. Quite the dapper gentleman, really. OuO

"As for how he knows of you… Well, I cannot answer that. I am not him, after all! But the general consensus of the people who live at the House seems to be that he is very knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics – including things that he really has no business knowing about. Some of them claim he must use some sort of magic; my friend and I might have to investigate the matter further. OuO"

The alien tilted their head to the side.

"I am afraid that is all I can tell you about him. Does that answer your questions? OuO"

[Moofius]

She watched K-32206 carefully but tried not to be too overt in her... well it wasn't hostile but she was still suspicious of this character and this... Baron person. In fact she really did hate not speaking directly to a source, ever since...

Safi cleared her throat and sipped her tea – nothing caffeinated anymore – before nodding slowly.
“It doesn't but I'll accept that it's all you can offer me on the questions I asked.” She shrugged, trying not to show the annoyance she was feeling, though there was a tension in her expression that was telling, “Before we go over what you want to ask me... If this Baron character knows so much, wouldn't it be better and easier to ask him? I mean, you wouldn't be here if that was the case but... is it because he doesn't know what I know, or that he doesn't have the time for you and yours?”

The seraphim crossed her ankles and sipped her tea, “My job, my real job, is to learn new things. I'd like to know more about you, and yours, and perhaps the Baron and this Non-Home Manor, in exchange for whatever you want to ask me. Does that seem fair?” She asked, though it was much less of a question than her tone implied. She wanted to know as much as she could about this character.
“Learning names is no trouble, K-32206, and there are some fairly complex names on Evelon, depending on the era, culture, and species.”

[Kodai]

"Oh, yes, that is more than fair, thank you! OuO" K-32206 replied, with perhaps far more enthusiasm than the situation warranted. "I will tell you whatever you wish to know, as long as I know the answer! Speaking of... OuO"

The alien leaned back in their seat, moving to rest their tablet pen thoughtfully against the chin of their mask.

"I indeed attempted to ask the Baron about this world and its inhabitants, and while he did provide a very helpful basic overview, he quite frankly refused to give any further details and insisted that I ask other people if I wished to know more. He pointed out that obtaining all of one's information from a single source provides a very narrow view... OuO"

For the first time in the conversation, K-32206 appeared less than exuberant, one of their antennae drooping at a morose angle. It didn't last very long, however.

"And so that is why I am here. To seek what information and opinions you might have on Evelon and the beings that inhabit it. OuO"

[Moofius]

“There is quite a lot that I cannot share, and more that I am unwilling to share, but that is a drop in the ocean in a sea of knowledge so, I suppose it won't be a huge hindrance to your own education.”
A drop so potent it had changed the colour of her sea; the lense that she viewed the world, but what K-32206 didn't know wouldn't hurt them. Probably.

Depended on the line of questioning.

“Would you be interested in something to drink? I have tea and water here, but if there's something else you would prefer I can see what we have.” Safi offered, even now she wasn't a miserable host.
“Perhaps you can give me a few questions to start with and I'll see what I can provide for you, information wise. If nothing else I can perhaps find you a colleague better suited to the task.”
Safi was an expert in Chaos culture and behaviour, with a particular interest in non-affiliated groups and how they survived in the world and how they modified or changed their own culture to suit their resources and needs.

She was a very specific choice in seraphim for this 'Baron' person to name... She had bee a small, disposable cog. Only a few knew that that had changed and nobody with a rabbit head made her known short list. Where had he learned about her? Yepha was a tightly sealed vault (or should be) along with the rest of the Gods. Her... comrades during that adventure did not know very much about the Red-World. Einsor and his ilk could have let the information slip, but they were a fairly secretive bunch. That left Dr. H and anyone who might have survived that night. And, perhaps, the serpent Thinktankke. It was a short list as a whole, and a shorter one where leaks could arrise. Those that could be leaks were NOT people she wanted sending strange, inquisitive off-worlders to pump her for information.

Which...

“Sorry to side track, but uh... what is the significance of saying 'majuscule oh-minuscule yoo-majuscule oh'? Is it... a word spelled out for some reason? Ou-oh? An... Honorific, perhaps?”

[Kodai]

The alien was all set to ask some questions and perhaps inquire about a glass of water (talking did have a tendency to make one thirsty, after all), but once Safi mentioned wondering about her sign-off, all that went out the window.

"I shall be very glad to explain it all to you!" they replied, quite excited. "But as that is related to quite a number of other things you wish to know about, perhaps I should hold off on answering until you have prepared yourself. Do you require a note-taking device? OuO"

Strange, yes. Excitable, yes. But also polite, so that was a plus.

[Moofius]

Oh, yes that was probably a good idea. This... well, Safi didn't even know what they were, but they had a tablet or something all ready to take down whatever Safi told them. Safi uncrossed her ankles, grabbed her tea cup (which really was more of a mug, for the sake of efficiency) and headed back to her counter.
“I have a journal back here, let me grab that and we can start.” she said, moving quickly because she did hate to waste time once a source was set.

She moved about, making sure she wasn't out of view of her tea pot for too long. She didn't read malice off this person, and her spells hadn't said anything, but she had been tricked before. Oh yes, yes she had. So she wanted to make sure nobody was going to poison her tea. Once she had her journal (She had treated herself to a double thick journal of a rather expensive brand for notations on something... new. The journal had been sitting there about a month, but it seemed the perfect choice for this. She also took her pencil case up which was full to bursting with her favourite pen times 12.

When Safi returned she sat back in her chair, opened the crisp new journal and swiftly added her name and designation, time, date, location. “K-32206 – INTRODUCTION” was set in perfect, guesstimated top center of the first page, three pages were then skipped. Safi smoothed those pages down with her index finger and sat poised, looking back up at K-32206 expectantly.
“Ready whenever you are, K-32206. I mostly enquired to avoid any awkwardness in terms of etiquette or ritual for you, since I am unfamiliar with and the culture you come from. Or... planet?”

There was enough variety on Evelon (and above Evelon, and below(???) Evelon, that interstellar travel was just another layer of complexity Safi had never really considered.