(no subject)

[1stwitness]

Ichabod enters, rubbing absently at his chest.

"If I never in my life see another scorpion", he announces to the room at large or just to himself, "it will be far too soon."

Comments

[mogget_cat]

What a curious pronouncement.

The very white cat on the bar tilts its head at Ichabod, considering him with bright green eyes.

Possibly considering turning into a scorpion, just to see what happens.

[1stwitness]

Sensing he's being watched, he turns and eyes the cat right back.

...is it actually a cat?

[mogget_cat]

The cat stares back for a long moment, unashamedly and unblinkingly.

"Miao," it eventually declares, before padding to the edge of the bar and dropping over the side. Landing silently on its feet, it begins slinking in Ichabod's direction.

[1stwitness]

He's never been particularly a cat person - not objecting to them, as such, but finding dogs more to his taste.

"...are you hungry?" he hazards.

[mogget_cat]

Closing his eyes sweetly, the cat rubs against the sides of Ichabod's tall boots, purring a clear affirmative. Terribly hungry, Ichabod. It's so very sad.

[1stwitness]

He laughs quietly - domestic pets are always hungry, even when they're not, he's learned that much - and orders a bowl of chopped meat.

(To Yrael's probable relief, the concept of cat food hasn't reached him yet.)

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Oh dear," says Ellen, looking up from her paperwork. "How big was it?"

[1stwitness]

"Of the normal size, I believe. But far too close to my person for my liking."

[whatisastiles]

Stiles, seated at the Bar in front of a notebook and his World History textbook, turns toward the voice.

"Oh God, there aren't any in here, are there? Dude, please say no."

Just... no.

[1stwitness]

"To the best of my knowledge, no", Ichabod assures him. "This was in my world."

[whatisastiles]

"Oh thank God," Stes blurts out, relieved. "I'm gonna need you to tell me where and when that is so I can never, ever go there."

His life has just turned exciting enough without any trips to scorpion world. Because the logical conclusion is, of course, a world filled to the brim with scorpions.

[1stwitness]

"...Sleepy Hollow, New York, 2013", he says, bemused.

Where, of course, there are no native scorpions.

[whatisastiles]

That... is not what Stiles was expecting. Aside from the Donovan siblings, Stiles has met few people at Milliways from near his own time, if they're even from similar worlds. There's definitely something off about this man, though.

"What?" he asks, directing an assessing gaze in Ichabod's direction. "If you're from the future, what's with your clothes? Are you a reenactor? Oh, wait, is this a cosplay thing?"

[1stwitness]

"Am I from the future? Well, that's new. Most people think I'm from the present or past - and as for the clothes, quite apart from liking them, I was born in 1750."

[runningred]

"Bad day?" Jay sits down next to him with a pot of tea. His forearm is heavily bandaged but he doesn't seem bothered by it.

[1stwitness]

"A ritual that - allegedly - had as a necessary component the venom of live scorpions. Personally, I am not convinced it was not petty revenge for making the shaman assist us in the first place."

[runningred]

"Yeah, sounds like bullshit hocus-pocus to me. Most magic users I know can do it with a word or whatever. No need for the hubble bubble rubbish."

[1stwitness]

"There was also a drink, but that was quite pleasant. Confined scorpions being placed on one's chest and then angered by striking their containment... less so." He eyes Jay. "What happened to your arm?"

[runningred]

"Yeah, that's not a good thing. Not even slightly. Are you okay?"

He glances down at his arm as if he'd forgotten about it. "Oh this? Nar, it's nothing. I lost a fight with a flywire, that's all. Should have been paying more attention to what I was doing."

[1stwitness]

"Fine", Ichabod assures him. "A little sore, nothing worse, and the ritual was a success. A flywire?"

[closesecond]

"I'm sure they'd just as soon not see you again, either," Kane says. "Their primary concern being survival rather than malice."

He's always been rather partial to scorpions. Small creatures, hard to see. But everyone knows to fear their sting.

[1stwitness]

"True enough", he allows. "And at least, in the region of New York, I am not likely to happen across any."

[closesecond]

"No, indeed," Kane says. "Not unless you happen to know some eccentric hobbyists."

[1stwitness]

"...which, apparently, I do. I really should have asked where he obtained them on such short notice."

[closesecond]

Kane raises an eyebrow. "Do I want to know this story?"