#elsewhere

Welcome to Omaha, the sign says

"Here we are.... time to call a knight's heart cab , I've never been to this small hold so can't get us closer" Bachdion says

"You've been here, though?" She sounds dubious as she looks around.

"To Omaha? yes, but didn't stay long. Sorry, this is where the Seer said to go." He calls the cab.

"It's flatter than St. Louis," she observes.

"OH yes" he nods

The cab pulls up and an eshu grins "Knight's Heart .... oh we got a fancy lady here, and sir. " He grins "hope in. Where to?"

"Diamond in the jungle" Bachdion says

A gracious nod to the cabbie, but she lets Bachdion do the talking as she gets in.

"Infield at the zoo it is" The Eshu grins as both get in

A curious look. "Is that the name of a freehold?" she murmurs to Bachdion.

"Diamond in the jungle is the name of the hold, mortals know it at Infield in the Zoo" Bachdion says back

Her brow furrows. "How does a Zoo have an infield?"

He grins and explains "The parking lot for Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium commemorates an important part of baseball history. The former Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium once stood at this location from 1948-2012 and hosted the College World Series from 1950-2010. Local organizers reclaimed seats, benches, bricks, and even part of the scoreboard from “The Blatt” to construct a miniature ballpark to memorialize the stadium— a stadium where many professional baseball legends played on their way to the major leagues.
The ballpark is gone, but fans of all ages bring whiffle bats and balls to this shrine, pretending to hit game-winning home runs and pitching from an actual mound. Rosenblatt Stadium’s foul poles remain in place in the zoo’s parking lot."

Her expression brightens with delight, and she hugs his arm as she leans her head on his shoulder. "Teacher Mine," she says fondly, having enjoyed the lesson.

The Driver says "that's right... it's got enough glamour for a small little hold, but .." sadder "It aint' got much else. Mortal dreamers fewer than they were in the area, and most kithain going to the local nobles"

"Hm. If they have so little," Coradel whispers to Bachdion, hopefully low enough for the cabbie not to hear, "it seems unlikely that they'd have the resources to pay for and support a new chrysalid."

Bachdion shrugs

One can see the Diamond in the Jungle hold is almost embarrasingly 'out there'... mortals could almost walk into it.

"Oh, my. Very exposed," she observes.

And she feels the glamour, minor aversion cantrips to redirect unenchanted. There's an after image of a jungle around a diamond... but it's weak. Bachdion makes payment, opens the door, and the two step out

Coradel pauses as they step out of the cab, looking back in the window to talk to the cabbie. "Have you brought any other kithain here recently?" she asks with a beaming smile.

"Oh sure, a few.. there's something big coming on today" He assures

"Really? It's a special occasion?" She looks excited.

"I guess so. See you later" the Cabbie peels off

Bachdion points to a carriage nearby "I think she's already here"

Coradel's smile vanishes as the eshu burns rubber. "Hmph." But then she looks towards the carriage and nods. "Fine. Let's proceed."

They go on in, and hear a voice "This is Fandango, he's a giraffe pooka..."

Coradel follows the sound of the voice.

"Hallo" the guy in the suit grins "I am totally sure about what's going on and know exactly what I' mdoing" A bi9g grin from the long necked guy.

A nervous grin.

"We'd be happy to give him a home" A lady boggan says... and there is a lovely eshu who once worked with her husband it seems.

Ruzgalla nods "I thought you'd be a good match" She smiles "I'll was happy to find him, and I'm sure he'll be happier here than some noble's overly stuffed manor."

"Which was not, truly, your decision to make," Coradel points out as she approaches.

"Oh?" She turns "Baroness Coradel, what would be? Dictuming? I had that done to me... by your husband"

"A useful tool, often helpful in protecting people from their own poor choices." She stops to nod to both the boggan and the pooka. "Are you freeholder here?" she asks the boggan.

"I share the fire, yes" She says "I'm Lucky Louise, and can I help you? This is a commoner mews"

Ruzgala snorts "My crime was asking if he was sure. He broke the trust first."

Bachdion says " I know August... if he used it, it was because he felt it was needful. He is not casual in his works"

"Lot of nobles here suddenly" A troll woman says on guard

"Coradel, baroness of EarthRunes," she introduces herself. "And I have no intent of disrupting your mews. However, this chrysalid should rightfully have been delivered to the hold closest to his dream dance. That seems not to have happened. Please tell me, if you would...how does he come to you?"

She pays almost no attention to the troll, other than to be aware of her as a potential combatant.

"Well, you're disrupting it now," Lucky Louise says, not snidely, "Miss, Ruzgala rescued this fellow from Canada, which was already far from his home. We need his help, and we need mentors. No harm in us getting a chance to grow our Mews rather than him being seen once and forgotten by some fancy hold elsewhere, is there?"

Ruzgala looks at Bachdion, "It was not his right. And... to be lectured about MY work? Laughable."

Coradel turns to the pooka. "Fandango, is it? Where is your home?"

"The clouds" He explains, then blinks "Sorry, apparently I'm Jim Carry in Liar Liar"

"It's natural for pooka, dear" Lucky says kindly "You'll find your stride "

Coradel smiles and waves a hand at the apology. "I'm quite used to pooka-speak," she says with some fondness. "Please try again? I should be able to catch on sooner or later."

"The South side of Chicago, near where the Simpsons live" he tries