[Pregame Late-Evening - Fortune's Wheel] Get Wheel (Expecting))

[Naila Drooten]

"Another!" Naila drains the dark liquid in one gulp and bangs her glass down on the bar with a 'thunk' and shoots the bartender a determined look. The gnome with colourful hair nearly as tall as he is crosses his arms and gazes right back at her.

"M'am, I think you've had enough."
Replying with only the faintest slurring of her words "I'll you when I've had enough, Sir! I am perfectly in control of my motor functions and cerebral skills and am not impaired in the slightest."
"That's the fourth you've had in the last 15 minutes. I don't want to drag you out of here, this is a reputable tavern."
"It won't be a problem if you can just fill my glass again, I'm paying good jink."

The bartender looks like he's going to argue before his partner, a piebald minotaur puts a hand on his shoulder and takes over, her hands deftly selecting another dark bottle to refill Naila's glass as the gnome rolls his eyes and goes to attend to another customer.

"Another double shot of the good stuff coming right up Naila. Long day? You don't usually drink this much."
Raising her glass to salute her saviour "It was long, tiring and I made no progress whatsoever on any case of any import. So keep the apple juice coming."

The bartender shrugs and just leaves the bottle of apple juice on the bar before heading off muttering about 'sugar rushes' and 'cheap drinkers' as the elf takes another swig.

Turning to whoever was sitting next to her at the bar and addressing them out of the blue.
"You ever just have a day where your mind, your brilliant insightful mind is so lacking in stimulation that you simply must drown it to have any peace? You know what I'm saying?"

[Valeria Brightheart]

"I certainly have!" Valeria said brightly. She waved at the bartender. "I'll have what she's having." He didn't care. He was already walking away. Besides, she was already nursing a glass of some very pale gold wine. With a smile and a shrug, she turned to the elf next to her. "I'm-"

Hang on. You might be wondering how she got there...

---

You know, you don't really have to do that. Xolotloc said. Even when speaking psionically, it was a very rumbly sort of voice, just as if the Coatl had been speaking aloud. He looked down at his somewhat overly energetic devotee.

Duster in hand, Valeria looked up at him, smiling brightly, striking a pose. "Of course I do. If I don't, it'll never get done! Look how much dust there is already, and I dusted just last week!" She ran a finger along the rim of the enourmous pot, then held it up for Xolotloc's inspection. He squinted down, then rumbled (aurally, this time); as if he could see dust. After a few moments, he straightened, looking down at her again.

Actually, there is something you could do for me. He said. Valeria smiled up at him. Finally, a chance to serve!

"Of course, master! What is it?"

TAKE A BREAK! Psionic images of Fortune's Wheel filled Valeria's head. With a loud wuff, Xolotloc turned away, curling up on the stones of his bed.

---

"'-Valeria." She said, smiling at her apparent companion. She leaned on her elbow, resting against the bar. "So, what's your brilliant insightful mind doing, that you have to drown it?"

[Naila Drooten]

Snip

Naila waits for the record scratch to end, recognising a narrative flashback when she sees one (as a Signer, arguably her entire life was one long flashback).

"Valeria, It's a pleasure." She brushes some apple juice off her gloved hand before extending it. "I'm Naila, Naila Drooten, you may have heard of me. If you're a figment of my mind's imagination you probably have.

"Alas, my mind is in turmoil, it requires stimulation you see. Cases that could use, no, that demand my full intellectual might. When they fail to materialize..." She waves at the apple juice. "I seek other stimulants."

She pours herself another glass.

"And then of course by traditional necessity, there's the case I can't solve." She permits herself a long and overly dramatic sigh.

"And you're a..." Her eyes dart all over the other drinker. "...a Colourful person?" She blinks and tries to refocus her gaze."

[Valeria Brightheart]

Smiling, Valeria offered her hand. She shook like a noblewoman: palm down, and letting Naila do any shaking that happened. Noble hands weren't meant for work, not even the work of moving up and down!

Valeria listened, blue eyes bright, as Naila described herself. The question made her tilt her head, considering, even as her smile grew. "Yes." She finally said. "I am a colorful person. Ta-da!" She spread her arms, a quick rush of magic making her sparkle, just a little.

Tittering softly to herself, Valeria subsided. "I'm not entirely sure what I am, actually. Besides colorful. What a curious question." Her frown deepened as she made an honest answer. "If I had to describe myself, perhaps I'd say that I'm bright, and trying to be brighter." She made a face. "Don't tell anyone I said that."

Smiling, she turned in her stool, facing Naila. "But enough of that. Tell me about your cases! It sounds like you don't have any... except one?" Valeria's eyebrows went up, almost but not quite waggling, clear encouragement to talk.

[Naila Drooten]

Snip

"...." Naila's eyes brighten slightly at the mystery of someone who doesn't know what they are. Although she tempers that expectation given Valeria might just be trying to work out her college major...her magical college major.

"I...see. Fascinating! An intriguing goal at least, far more compelling than money or worldly power. Those tend to be at the route of most cases, that or sordid relationships."
She takes another sip of her drink, the sugar clearly helping to loosen her tongue.

"Well I of course solve all of my cases quickly and easily. That's what I do to make the world 'brighter' you could say. I enjoy the challenge. But I...lost someone special to me two years ago now and I simply haven't been able to find them. Which is both frustrating and embarrassing."
She carefully sets her cup down and removes a handkerchief to start slowly polishing her glasses.

"No matter where I look, no matter who I ask. No sign of him. And of course if I can't find him there is the reasonable chance that he is...deceased." She continues carefully cleaning before perching her spectacles back on her nose.
"It's the case that's always there when I have finished my others. Every detective has one like that."

Peering over at Valeria.
"You don't happen to have seen any old half-orcs wearing a trenchcoat I assume?"

[Valeria Brightheart]

Valeria's smile grew, just a little, but it also felt more genuine than a moment before. Not that Valeria wasn't earnest, but there were levels. "I like to think it is. Especially sordid relationships." One hand went to her lips once more, covering the tiniest of laughs.

The smile turned serious as Naila went on. "I'm sorry." Valeria said, with a hint of real feeling. She considered for a moment, tilting her head. "Sigil is a surprisingly big place. I shouldn't be surprised that it takes a while to find someone. Maybe it will just take a little more time?"

Gently, she shook her head. "Not... as I can recall." Valeria said. "Although I haven't been looking. I shall begin now, I assure you." Putting practice to words, she took a quick glance around the bar. Nope, no betrenchcoated half-orcs. She turned her full attention bacck to Naila. "Was he... a mentor?" She guessed at what she felt was the most likely connection.

[Naila Drooten]

Snip

"Thank you, I appreciate you looking. If he was actually here...well, that resolution is so anti-climactic it would have rolled all the way round to being extremely climactic."
Naila spends a couple seconds imagining the image, somewhat wistfully.

"He was my mentor and my father, for all purposes except biological. And even then we cannot completely rule that out. But to lose one parent is unfortunate, to lose two is careless. And I have lost three which is downright embarrassing. And he being an investigator you would hope he could at least find his own way back."

She starts spinning her now empty glass idly.

"But I agree with your view, it will simply just take more time. The planes of existence are near infinite, but so is my patience! Nobody can hide in my own mind forever...nobody except...the clown."

She shudders.

"But on more pleasant topics, have you heard about the planist movement to expel half of Sigil based on a strict 'dibs' policy?"

[Valeria Brightheart]

Valeria watched Naila, smiling gently. Perhaps sadly. It was hard to say, even for a master investigator. "I see." She said simply, softly. She was silent for a few moments, although it seemed that she relaxed for a few moments as Naila went on.

Until...

Valeria blinked, shaking her head, blonde hair swirling about. "Wait. I'm sorry. Back up." She paused a moment, tilting her head. "I mean, yes, I have heard about that planist movement, I think one of my relatives coauthored a piece supporting that." A quick roll of the eyes at that. "But... the clown?"

Still watching Naila, Valeria brought her wine glass closer to her lips. She had a feeling she'd be wanting a drink shortly...

[Naila Drooten]

Snip

"Yes...The Clown." Naila's brow furrows as she waits for a dramatic thunderclap which doesn't come.

"The result of a child's birthday party. But it turns out the clown we hired was a cultist of forgotten gods from the dark beyond. He...well there were lots of worm, some shrieking, I recall a couple unfortunates were turned inside out. In hindsight a creepy clown is a pretty good disguise for a creepy cultist." Naila takes a deep steadying breath.

"Could not forget that for years, even if it was the first homicide trial I ever appeared as at a witness. From that perspective at least my 8th birthday party was a great success."