[Jedi]

The wiry man snaked his way through the streets, trailing his companions behind him. He didn't care if they fell behind a bit. So long as nothing dangerous were to happen, he would be fine. When the tall, brute  finally caught up, he grabbed him by the frail shoulder and turned him around. "Why the hell are you running ahead like that? You're the one who got us into this mess!"

"Quiet!" he hissed. "I don't want to scare off my contact. And we don't want to keep her waiting!" He pushed the thick meaty palm off his shoulder with an audible sneer of disgust, then looked past his servant. "Are they almost here? They couldn't've fallen that far behind." He just caught them both rounding the corner as he finished his statement.

[Kitsumi]

The appearance that Crux currently wore was that of a tall masculine figure, with bulging biceps and a bushy mustache. It wasn't a form they particularly enjoyed, but it was one that was necessary for the moment. They needed to be strong, strong enough to carry the celestial female who insisted that she could walk no further, her feet were too sore.

Irali would have preferred to be riding in a litter, but she didn't have enough companions for that. Besides, she doubted that any of them would have agreed to carry her, aside from the changeling who begrudgingly owed her their life. For now, she would have to be content with riding piggyback style on Crux's back.

"Sorry," the changeling panted. "This one is heavier than she looks."

"Hey!" Irali swatted their shoulder, earning her a hiss and a glare.

[Jedi]

Taszeis rolled his serpentine eyes, turning back toward his towering servant. "It probably would've been easier if you would have carried the fragile princess!" At this, Nalfros let out a growl and bore a furrowed brow. "You trapped me in this damn arrangement! I am NOT a rickshaw!" The serpentine wizard sighed and continued on. "Keep up, you three. We don't want to keep her waiting. She'll get hungry if we're late. You wouldn't want to see her hungry."

Nalfros didn't like any of them any more than the others, but Taszeis he hated the most. He went back to Crux and Irali and let out a loud sigh. "I'll carry the bitch. You keep up and make sure our slimy friend doesn't escape!"

[Kitsumi]

The changeling watched as the other two interacted. They had half a mind to simply drop Irali, but they had a feeling that she would find a way to make them pay if they did so. Luckily, it seemed like they were going to get a break as Nalfros offered to carry the woman.

"Hey! Don't call me a-"

"Thank the gods," Crux interrupted. They turned around, allowing her to slide off of their back. "Don't say I didn't warn you when you realize how heavy she is."

Irali glared at him, before turning to the male and stretching her arms out to him. "Alright, you may pick me up now."

[Jedi]

Nalfros saw how she wished that he would carry her... but didn't care. He pulled Irali off of Crux's arms and threw her roughly over his shoulder with ease. Nalfros was pretty strong, but was already in a bad mood and didn't care to expend the extra energy to make her comfortable. "You want a free ride? You gotta pay in some way. C'mon Crux, you can keep up, right?"

A few minutes passed and the three caught up with Taszeis, who stood outside a double-door. "She's inside," he stated in hushed words. "And she's hungry. Be on guard."

He pushed open the door and stepped inside. "Shahish!" he called out in a fake cheerful tone. "How long has it been? Three years, right?" The sight of a huge serpant body with a female upper body. She wore a flowing red tunic over her top and hundreds of pieces glistening jewelry. Two human legs could be seen falling down her unhinged jaws before she locked them in place and turned to the intruders with a hungry grin. "Guests, Taszeis? Or appetizers?"

[Kitsumi]

The woman had closed her eyes, waiting for the man to pick her up. But as soon as he grabbed her, she realized that something was wrong. Once he flung her over his back as if she were little more than a sack of potatoes, she began pounding against his back. "You menace! You absolute oaf! This is not the way you carry a lady, especially not a lady of my standing."

Meanwhile, Crux simply grinned. They weren't overly fond of Irali, and seeing her so flustered was quite humorous. "Without the additional weight? Oh yeah, I'll be able to keep up without problem."

Upon seeing the 'friend' that Taszeis had dragged them along to meet, the changeling found themself balking. It wasn't that they were afraid, more like disgusted. Especially with the way she was currently swallowing a human.

Meanwhile, Irali was still pounding on the elf's back. "Put me down!" she growled. "I want to see!"

[Jedi]

As soon as the woman demanded it, Nalfros sighed. Without word, he dropped her to the ground in a single motion, careless of whether she could catch herself from the fall. He simply stared ahead at the monstrous woman towering at 12 feet tall before them.

"Guests," Taszies answered the creature. "We need your help, Shahish. We ran into trouble with some powerful enemies and need to go into hiding!" The snake-woman, Shahish, analyzed the motley crew as they stared at her, her mouth visibly watering. "Are you sure I can't eat any of them?" Nalfros stepped forward. "Try to eat any of us, I'll cut your head off, serpent-woman." Taszies interjected as soon as he realized what he'd said. "So sorry for my bodyguard's words. We wouldn't wish to impose on your diet, but we need each other to survive."

[Kitsumi]

Despite her pleas, Irali hadn't expected the man to simply drop her unceremoniously. Thankfully, she had quick reflexes. What would have been a tumble was instead turned into a graceful bow, as she faced the serpentine woman. "A pleasure to meet you, Shahish, was it?" She straightened, holding her head high. "You wouldn't want to eat me, I'm sure. My celestial heritage likely makes me difficult to digest."

Behind her, Crux rolled their eyes. They really didn't care what they were doing here, as long as the creepy woman didn't eat any of them and they got paid in the end. They leaned back against the wall, arms crossed over their chest as they waited for whatever business they had here to be completed.

[Jedi]

The monstrous woman gazed at each of the newcomers, sizing them up. She first studied Irali with a gaze that said 'I've never had celestial before.' Just a single drip of venomous saliva met the ground.

She then turned her attention to the blue brute who'd threatened to behead her, a wrathful anger in her eyes and her teeth bared. She had the look that she wanted to kill him regardless of whether she'd devour him.

Then her attention turned to the burly man behind them who'd not spoken but crossed his arms. Her eyes narrowed as if trying to get a sense of him as well. And what of you? she asked. What do you have to say, quiet meal? Her lips curled in a sickening grin, as if she were testing to see if she wanted to eat him as well.

Nalfros' hand went to his greatsword and he stepped forward, but Taszies raised his hand in protest. Simultaneously, Shahish's eyes darted in fury to him, then back to the changeling. Nalfros stopped in his tracks while Shahish waited for an answer

[Kitsumi]

If the mysterious woman expected Irali to be frightened, she was greatly mistaken. The aasimar was vain, delusionally so. She assumed that Shahish was simply staring at her because of her beauty, or perhaps in awe of the power she clearly possessed.

Meanwhile, Crux hated the fact that they were being drawn into the conversation. For a moment, they had hope that the snakelike woman would be distracted by Nalfros, but her attention quickly returned to them. Rolling their eyes, the changeling sighed. "I have nothing to say," they responded simply. However, as they spoke, their form rippled and began to change. When they finished the transformation, they looked exactly like Shahish. "Surely you would not eat yourself, hm?" They even managed to mimic her voice perfectly.

[Jedi]

A flicker of surprise could be seen on her face as Shahish watched Crux take her form. In the flash it took her to compose herself, she retorted with a response of her own. "I certainly wouldn't mind. I've always been curious about the ouroboros." She flashed a wicked grin, revealing her fifty razor-sharp teeth.

Before anyone else could possibly shove themselves deeper down her throat, Taszies interjected. "Yes, I agree. I've been fascinated by that subject as well. Now, Shahish." She hissed as she turned her attention back to him, a fire burning in her eyes. "But, we'd be eternally grateful, and in your debt, if you would help us hide." Her furious eyes switched to contemplation for a few seconds,  then to a conniving grin. "I can help. And I can always use more helpers. After all, a spot just opened up." She licked her lips, hinting to the act they'd witnessed upon arrival.

[Kitsumi]

Rolling their eyes, Crux sighed and leaned back against the wall as the serpent woman returned her attention to their self-appointed leader. Dropping the false form that they had taken, they quickly shifted into a more comfortable form: a human of ambiguous gender with cropped ashen brown hair, and big green eyes. However, they were continuing to listen to the conversation despite not taking part in it. And they didn't like what was being said at all. Luckily, Irali spoke up before they could.

"Um, excuse me, I don't remember you saying anything about us being in the debt of a human-eating snake woman," the aasimar said. "I didn't agree to this. Isn't there somewhere else we can go to get the help we need?"

[Jedi]

Nalfros stepped forward, finally able to find something to agree with the aasimar woman about. He didn't say anything to the group, but merely made his position obvious with his presence. Taszies could feel himself put on the spot between the group and the serpentine woman. "I'm waiting," Shahish said, salivating at the opportunity should they decline her offer.

Taszies turned back to Shahish and petitioned with her. "Would you spare us a minute to discuss this? I merely wish to know that we are all on the same page before we are graced with your presence." Her eyes grew an odd mixture of hunger and fury as she pointed to a beaded curtain. "One minute," she hissed.

[Kitsumi]

Tension was thick in the air as the group moved to a place where they could have a bit more privacy. They were already barely able to stand each other. With this new development, was it possible that the party would simply disintegrate?

"I don't like it," Crux said simply. "I don't trust her in the slight-"

"She wants to eat us!" Irali interrupted, slightly hysterical. "You want us to get help from someone who looks at us like we're food? How do you know that she won't just swallow us whole once we're in her debt?" She shivered at the thought.

Although they agreed with her, the changeling still glared at the woman. They didn't like being interrupted, but they decided to let it slide... just this once.

[Jedi]

Nalfros waited for the other two before he gave his word. "This beast promises to devour us either way. I say we should just kill it and be done with it." Taszeis glared at the three of them, who were obviously against this whole situation. "Do none of you trust me? Don't answer that." He gave a huff and turned around, giving a waive for them to follow behind.

As he entered the serpent's chamber, he gave a bow to her and spoke. "Great and powerful Shahish. Our group seems to be at odds about this arrangement. I may have come here unprepared. I am sorry for the inconvenience."

Shahish bore her eyes into Taszies as she spoke. "No meeting is free. If you wish to pay this fee, one of you must stay behind." Her teeth curved up, anticipating who Taszies would leave for her meal. "Choose your payment!"