#bergen_county

"Ha..yeah, that's baby pooka speak but still fun" She rises "I'm clearly a tiger with 8 eyes. I'd hug you but I might smear my face and poson you "

"Well, we can't have that. How about a nice handshake?"

She extends her hand, much larger than the girl's.

The girl offers her hand /paw

Handshake accomplished, Sylvi says, "I hope you have a wonderful day at Pennons, Kay."

"Thank you" She says then adds "I mean NO Thanks!" Then she breaks into a run calling "mom mom, I'm a pooka too"

Sylvi smiles, watching her go, then tends to her brushes and gets set for the next.

Ylva walks up "Hi, Sylvi! Remember me?" she's made herself useful and glad she hasn't been kicked out yet

Of course that's Chief Kerri's choice

"Hello, Ylva, and yes, of course I do! Okay, let's see...what would you like to be painted as for Pennons?"

"I was hoping for something Rivervale related? I want to show my patriotism" SHe declares

That gets a grin. "Absolutely. I think I might know that banner pretty well..." A wink, and she gets to work. Many of the same instructions she gave Kay as her brush flies.

Ylva holds sstill with discipline and honor

It takes a few minutes, but soon the lower half of Ylva's face is a green valley split by a blue river that rushes from her brow ridge down her nose and to her chin. On her brow there's a bright-blue sky and a stylized lodge. It's the first time Sylvi's done that, and she hopes it appeals. "Okay, all done...here you are." She offers over the mirror.

She looks "You're really GOOD! Thank you, Sylvi. Do I have to give you a ticket or something?"

A broad smile. Oh thank goodness, she likes it.

"Yup, put the ticket right in there..." she gestures to a wooden box with a slot in the lid.

"How's everything going for you at the Lodge?"

She gets that stubborn look of troll cause no trouble "The new Chief has everything under control" She puts the ticket in

Sylvi knows that look. Uh oh. "That's, uh, not too surprising. Mom's handled the Hearth job for a long time. But everybody might need help when starting out with something new. I really hope that, if somebody sees something that needs improvement, they let her know."

"Well, don't you have your own hold to tend to? I mean, you don't talk to your mom or dad much" A bit bluntly curious.

A blink. "Well, yes. And I'm not there to see what's going on. Which is why somebody who is there..." a pointed nod towards Ylva "...might want to tell Mom if something's wrong."

"I'm not sure it is my place" She inserts "I just got accepted"

"Sounds like you're asking me to do a job for you " She adds "which is nice, you love your folks I guess but I'm not going to spy, no offense"

Another blink, and Sylvi shakes her head to clear it. "I'm not asking you to tell me anything, so how am I asking you to spy? You're the one who thinks something's wrong, but you're asking me to tell her, when I don't even know what it is?"

Ylva insisists "I never said anything is wrong. I said she had everything under control"

"Ohhhhkayyyyy." Sylvi's absolutely baffled.

At this point, Sylvi might wish she had a pooka's gift to get someone talking "Anyway," Ylva says "Thank you for the face paint" She heads off

Sylvi gets back to painting other faces, and sees Gerd approach

"Hey, Gerd!" she says as she finishes one boy who wanted to be a forest. It mostly comes out looking like some kind of camo with leaf marks, but the kid's happy!

"Hey, need me to take over?" Gerd says "Saw Ylva's face paint, looked good"

"Thanks! Um...yeah, maybe for a bit? Ylva said something weird, and I'm wondering if I need to find my mom and ask about it."

"Oh yeah?" She takes a seat and the next kid comes up "What did she say?"

"Something like....'Everything's fine, the new Chief has everything under control.'...but it's more about the WAY she said it, y'know?"

"Mmm" Gerd ponders "HOw did she say it ?"

"Like...like she was lying to avoid causing trouble? And then I suggested somebody could talk to Mom about it, and then she accused me of trying to get her to do my work?" A baffled shrug.

Gerd smirks "Well, You do have a mom daughter pipeline , but I hear you" She puts a face on one kid, a clown

"But...what am I even supposed to ask her about? I don't know what Ylva's talking about!"

"I'll look around" She assures

(MEANWHILE) Connor is with Kerri...

Kerri has turned in her choices for first, second, and third -- though actually, first and second are a tie between SilverWolf and Rivervale, for her.

She's not in the position of announcing the winners, so she turns to Connor and says, "Now, then...what is it you need me to do?"

He scuffs a toe. "Dunno."

"I just thought... you would know."

He looks up at her, hopeful, trusting.

"Okay...so...let's go see Dagmar."

He nods reluctantly, dragging his feet.

"Unless...you want me to go speak to the Count directly?"

Dagmar is ensconced in the jouster's area, waiting on a bench with her hands clasped and head drooped. It's a rest.

"I... flipped a coin." He raises his shoulders in a shrug. "I don't know."