Circe's Manor

[AmbushCat]

*Frowning, the doppleganger decides to travel deeper into the Manor. As long as he continues to explore, he's confident that he can find something.*

----

*Elsewhere in the building, Zapana is relaxing in one of the tubs with a half-full can of Red Dog beer. She is humming Journey's "Wheel In The Sky" to herself. Nothing unusual to see here.*

[Circe]

*Frowning, the doppleganger decides to travel deeper into the Manor. As long as he continues to explore, he's confident that he can find something.*

----

*Elsewhere in the building, Zapana is relaxing in one of the tubs with a half-full can of Red Dog beer. She is humming Journey's "Wheel In The Sky" to herself. Nothing unusual to see here.*

*Some more searching, and... still nothing. If CIrce has any Color sources around, she's apparently keeping them hidden.*

---

*Soon, Zapana hears a knock on the door.* Hey, uh... Wolf lady? I brought that towel you wanted...

[AmbushCat]

Doppleganger: *mutters to himself as he travels* I'll say this for her: she's properly paranoid. Going to have to find some way to expedite my investigation...

*Coming to a stop at a fork in the hallway, he sits on his haunches and goes through his options (limited as they are at 5% strength). Getting an idea, he quietly chants something in Latin and holds out his front paws. A pair of will-o-wisps materialze before him.*

Doppleganger: Find me the energies that I seek.

*The little floating lights bob up and down, as if confirming his order, then go down opposite ends of the hallway.*

-----

Go on in; door's open. You have the hair dryer already, too?

[Circe]

*Time passes, and the will-o-wisps find nothing of interest. On the other hand, the do manage to frighten at least three maids each.*

---

Yeah, it's right outside here... *May comes into the bathroom, having changed back into her maid outfit.*

[AmbushCat]

*The copy, seeing through the little lights, sniggers at this before becoming serious.*

Doppleganger: Probably nowhere on this floor, then. That still leaves the second floor to check... *ponders* And does the place have a basement? I dunno, I can't recall. Second floor first, basement---if any---later.

*After directing the wisps to make one more pass around the first floor before they disappear, the doppleganger starts running down the halls at full tilt. Maybe there's a way upstairs somewhere.*

-----

Thanks. Just set it on that bench over there so that I don't have to go too far.

*looks a bit disappointed for a moment* If you don't mind a comment out of the blue, I think you'd make a decent cosplayer.

[Circe]

*The doppleganger does find a set of stairs going up, but there's a maid vacuuming right in front of them. He better watch out if he doesn't want to crash!*

---

*May carefully lays the towel on teh indicated bench.* Eh? Really?

[AmbushCat]

*The copy sees the maid, of course, but is going too fast to dodge completely. He tries to reach the stairs... by running right across the top of the vacuum cleaner!*

----

Yeh. *takes a sip of beer* That costume looked good on ya. You can trust me when I say that, too; I have a friend who specializes in that sort of thing.

*Zapana uses a bit of fire manipulation to reheat the water to her liking.*

[Circe]

*Success! The maid squeals as the cat copy darts past her.*

---

Oh, well... Thanks?

[AmbushCat]

*Up the stairs he goes! What awaits him next? Another endless hallway, no doubt!*

----

You're welcome, May-san. *toothed smile* And call me Zapana. I fit the Wolf part more than the Lady part.

[Circe]

*Indeed, at the top of the stairs the clone finds yet mroe logn hallways with nigh-identical doors.*

---

Oh, right. Sure thing, Zapana.

[AmbushCat]

Doppleganger: *looks around* Remilia Scarlet, eat your heart out. *trots a short ways down the hall, then stops* ...Aaaand that gives me an idea.

*The copy chants something, TFing himself into a maid. ...A four-foot-tall, blue-haired maid, rendered as such by his (or her) reduced power.*

Doppleganger: ...Well, crud. I was hoping for Sakuya. *shrugs* Anyway, let's get looking. *continues her walk, scanning as she goes*

--------

*nods* Hm. Anyway, could you do me one more favor? *points at her discarded jacket* In one of the pockets there is about 600 yen in loose change. I'd like ya to go ahead and take it.

[Circe]

*And the maid doppleganger goes along. Still no sign of free-flowing Colors, but she ddoes here a familiar voice at the end of the hall... Is that Circe?*

---

*May looks over the jacket.* Really? You sure?

[AmbushCat]

*The doppleganger moves close enough to hear her voice, but not so close that Circe might think that the 'maid' was intruding. Just to be sure, she takes out a dust rag and dabs at the frame of a wall painting as if she'd intended to do so all along (although granted, it had to have been pretty big for her to be able to reach it)*

------

Yeh. Go ahead. My boss's orders are that anyone who gets looked after by the staff here has to give a tip.

[Circe]

*Yes, that's definitely Circe... Is that a maid she's talking to?* ...So, everything's in order, then?

Yes, I suppose. Though, I'm still not sure what problem there would have been...

---

OK, then... *May walks over to Zapan's jacket and looks through the pockets.*

[AmbushCat]

*Maid Doppleganger continues to clean the picture frame, listening to them speak.*

-----

*Aside from several old ticket vouchers, a card depicting another member of Circe's pack of maids, and yet another can of beer, the maid does indeed find about 600 yen (give or take).*