Creole in the Hole

[Etienne Mbane]

"So, I've been feeding your rat twice a day, just like you do. I even started letting him out so he can play. Truth be told, Etienne, I didn't think I would ever like having a rat for a pet, but now, I'm thinking of getting one for myself. I mean, they're way cleaner than I expected to be. And they're smart and fun. They even grow to be cute after you get used to them. I... don't really know what to do about your snake."

Etienne smiled, his teeth gleaming white against his cappuccino skin. It made him happy that his roommate, with whom he had gotten off to a bad start, was one of his first visitors. "Don't worry 'bout de snake, mon ami. I feeded it day before I got in here. Should be good for another week. Den, I should be able to roam wit supervision, and I'll feed her again."

Simon clearly showed relief on his face. "Oh, good. Hey, I told Herrera that you were totally not in control that night. I mean, I've seen you... you know... go all... creepy before. But this was different. I mean, even though your eyes change, you're still in there, you know? But that night... I thought you were going to kill -me-, man. Whatever was inside you, it wasn't you."

Etienne nodded. "Tanks, mon ami. I good to know dat I got friends out dere."

Simon checked his watch. "Aw, crap. I'm late for class. I'll swing by tomorrow morning before class. Save you breakfast 'til I get here. It sucks eating along."

"Tanks for swinging by, mon ami. Say hi to everyone. Let dem know I sorry."

Simon nodded and headed out.

[Plague of Wasps]

It'd been a day or so before she made up her mind to go see him. The insect girl couldn't say she knew anyone here very well (though she was warming to Cadence, for various reasons) but that last conversation she'd had with Etienne... how different he was to the people in this school... and Gwen was starting to feel she had a kinship with people who were unusual. So the guy seemed to have some odd spiritual beliefs that she didn't feel she could quite understand, or accept at face value - so what? He was locked up for some reason and probably didn't have too many people coming to visit.

So after she'd sorted out her notes from her private intro classes, she came over to see him, her entrance heralded by the noise of her wings. Feet touching to the ground near the entrance, she carefully peeked in to see Etienne, waving a little when she caught his eye. "Uh. Hey man," she greeted him, smiling a little awkwardly. "Heard that you were down here. Don't know WHY you're down here, 'cause people up there like to make up things. But... thought I'd say hi and see how you're doing?" She glanced away from him, her courage failing a little. Gwen was never very good at taking the initiative, when it came to conversation - the first volley of dialogue always felt a little uncomfortable for her. So she took a breath, waiting for Etienne to speak, whether it was to welcome or to see her off.

[Etienne Mbane]

Etienne raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You ain' de first person I'd guess'd come by to visit, but dat don't make it unwelcome."

His face split in a grin. "It's been good, actually, to be here. I'm getting caught up in matematic. Only subject de Jesuit ain' know well. Get me teached one on one here."

He took a breath, then let it out slowly. "As to why I'm here... I ain' safe right now, 'least not 'til I figure out how I going to keep dem Loa out. I mean, I knows how, but partly I ain' 'llowed, and partly it ain' good to have dose kind of tings." He shrugged, not wanting to make Gwen uncomfortable.

"Anyways, how is tings? I'm guessing not much has changed, right? Probably tings run a bit smooder wit me in here, anyways. You ain' loose noting wit all de water, I hope."

[Plague of Wasps]

Gwen couldn't help but grin a little at that, feeling more comfortable after Etienne welcomed her in. She went to stand near the panel so she could see him, leaning on her right arm against the wall and then groaning a little as he mentioned her least favourite subject. "Math, huh... God, that's one thing I haven't missed from school..."

But the girl clamped up once more as she listened to the explanation of why Etienne was in there. She nodded to him, looking a little somber as he spoke in length about the "Loa". She didn't know what they were - but he had to keep them out. So they were the source of his powers? Spirits of some kind? She wasn't sure, but she had an inkling.

"You, um, you're a kind of spirit medium, right?" she asked, looking at him with some trepidation. "And you got possessed by a bad one?" Fluttering her wings a bit as if to dispel some tension, the wasp girl looked away from him for a short moment... and then relaxed her shoulders, as if giving up some kind of burden. "I kind of know what it's like. I--I mean, not consorting with--um--spirits, or anything, but like... being possessed by something. It's horrible; you don't know what you're going to do--when you're like that. You must've scared yourself pretty bad, huh?" She looked at him with a small, sympathetic smile.

But the conversation changed to events upstairs, and Gwen brightened up at that. "Oh, it's not been too bad! You're missing a lot... I mean, not like any of it's real important, or anything. But... me and some of the others have been snooping around Crey's labs. Uh, gathering evidence against them, 'cause, y'know, they're really dirty. And then Cadence and I went out clubbing! For a bit. Only we didn't do much dancing, but the music was okay, and we helped out another girl, I think... so I guess there's next time, right? Maybe you can come with us, too, when you're out of here." The wasp girl looked hopeful at that, showing her fanged teeth in a huge smile.