By the shores of Gitchee Gumee (Rifts)

[CaptainShar]

Alejandra rolls her eyes at the bat. She paddles on a bit in silence.

"There aren't a lot of lakes and rivers down there," she says after a minute.

[CCC]

"You'd just need to get all the drinking water. If enough people drink enough holy water, wouldn't that make the vampires run out of food? Well, blood?" Acorn thinks about the request for a moment. "How many vampires are there in Mexico in this world, anyway?"

[CaptainShar]

"There are millions," says Alejandra.

"Those are good ideas. Perhaps we could have used a creative one like you back in Mexico," she says.

"So how long are you sticking around these parts?"

[CCC]

Acorn looks rather shocked. His wings unfurl and flap for a moment (not enough to actually make him take off), his eyes open wide - "Millions?" he squeaks. "I thought you were maybe talking about a dozen or so!" He re-furls his wings and takes a deep breath. "I suppose that explains why so many people are so interested in attacking me with wooden stakes. What stops them from leaving Mexico?"

"I'm not currently planning on staying here long - Geegaw would be a rarity in this world, and invite comment. I'd like to keep moving in order to pick up as many rumours as possible, see if I can find one that mentions him."

[CaptainShar]

"The militant kingdoms and powers further north keep them down. Picking off a lone vampire - I won't say it's exactly easy, but it's doable. A raiding party gives a nasty fight. But an empire? They're unstoppable," she says, in a defeated voice.

"I don't know where I'm going after this jetski sport tour ends. Somewhere away."

[CCC]

"Back where I come from, vampires aren't any more than a story, and even then they're usually described as lone terrors, preying perhaps on some small village." says Acorn, still somewhat stunned at the enormity of it all. "An empire full of then is another matter entirely. What do they all eat?"

"If you don't know where you're going, and I just want to keep moving and hunting down rumours, then shall we travel together for a while? I'd seriously welcome the help of someone who can talk to people without it being a major incident for them."

[CaptainShar]

"They send raiding parties to the north and south, and they keep live humans living with them - look, I don't want to talk about it, okay? To you it's just some anomaly in the multiverse. This is my life we're talking about."

Alejandra paddles along.

"Yeah, I'll stick with you. Just don't wake me up suddenly, okay? I might try to kill you before remembering you're not one of them."

[CCC]

"I'm sorry. I - hadn't really thought about that." Acorn pauses for a moment, before continuing. "If you really just want to get as far away as possible - I have a device -" he pats his belt with one wing - "that'll open a portal to the world I came from. Well. That should. The leylines in this world interfere with it somewhat; I'd need to find somewhere far enough from them to escape their interference first. And it's kind of a small portal - my size - you'd need to find some way to shrink down to fit through it. And - once I go back - there might be no way to return here. But, if there's some way to get past those obstacles, and if you really want to never return, I can offer you a way out."

[CaptainShar]

"So where are you going next? Following the ley lines until you need to use your transporter?"

[CCC]

"Oh, no. My first priority is finding Geegaw. There is one place I would like to go; at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, there's a mage who doesn't understand how to talk to elementals, and I'd like to explain to her how they tend to take what one says rather literally. If I can find her." Acorn pauses. "Well, I think she's a her. All I actually got to work on was humanoid, long hair, and light armour."

[CaptainShar]

Alejandra flicks her black hair back.

"It's early in the day yet," she says. "Shall we go find her?"

[CCC]

Acorn raises his wings, and then pauses. "Is this a hired boat?" he asks. "I mean, will you be needing to take it back? And is there anything back on shore you'd like to fetch first?"

[CaptainShar]

"Yeah, this a canoe from the sport lodge. Why? Is it dangerous where we're going? I'd be more maneuverable on my board, then. And I've got a few things in my hotel room, not too much."

[CCC]

"Not any more dangerous than anywhere else in this world, as far as I know. Just a bit of a distance; and if you take the canoe and leave your stuff, then we'd have to come back here afterwards, as opposed to taking any other direction."

[CaptainShar]

"All right. I'm getting a little bored of the peace and quiet up here anyway."

Alejandra executes a neat turn in the canoe and starts heading back to town.

When they get back she'll keep an eye out for anyone else from the ruckus the day before as she gets her things from the inn, including her magic surfboard.