Why are you here?

He had not been idle while his feathered friends gathered intel. His first week had been eventful. He had gotten caught up in the middle of an attempted robbery. A local cult had their eyes set on some old artifacts and Lavada happened to be in the wrong place at the time. There was always a way to make the best of a bad situation, however. The small ensemble of heroes who were hot on the cultist's heels were happy for the additional manpower. By the end of the raid, he pulled the leader aside for a quick chat.

He would do away with his heroic guise, revealing to leader his true face. A young man with pale blue skin, an angular face with pointed ears. His hair was worn long and offered a silvery shimmer in the light. There were markings, faint, a shade darker than his skintone among his features. They seemed to move on their own. Whether they truly did was anyone's guess. Most peculiar might be his eyes. Solid sclera of a foggy white hue.

"My apologies for the deception, friend. I' have never been one to easily trust. If you and yours can forgive that, I have an ordeal that could use your expertise."

The man before him had all the markings of a Spider soldier. From the way he carried himself, disciplined and structured, to the familiar comforts that a career military man couldn't do without. Good boots, a trust knife, pants that offered decent protection from the elements and freedom of movement. The massive, metallic backpack was the obvious symbol. Though the sigil of his former employer had been sanded off, the design was unmistakable. It was fashioned after the real thing, thus why Arachnos called these soldiers Crab Spiders. A large metal abdomen conjoined with the spine while four articulated legs shot up over the shoulders. It offered firepower and protection at the cost of being nigh-irreversible. Defectors would scarce dream to escape their past once they underwent to surgery to join those elite ranks. This one was questioning if his past had come to haunt him again. All extra limbs kept their points fixed on the changeling.

"That's really going to depend on you, stranger. We're a small group and already have quite enough on our plate as is." A stern voice, one hinting of reason and well-formed suspicion. "So, let's start with who you really are."

"Of course. You may call me Lavada. I am something of a supernatural investigator hailing from Ireland originally. From ghosts to goblins to demons and everything in between I dedicate myself to studying them. My primary focus, however, is of all things Fae."

"Fae? You mean fairies? Little sprites with dragonfly wings? What's a investigator like that moonlighting as a hero?"

"There is much more to Fae than pixies. Long has Rhode Island had an issue with various factions waging old wars long forgotten. Stranger still, those factions of Fae originated in my home country. Why they have chosen to carry on such feuds in your backyard is part of why I am here."

The former Spider studies the man before him for a moment. Brow furrowed. Eyes narrowing. He had an inkling of what the changeling spoke of. "So you're a recruiter looking for more foot soldiers?"

"Nay," The changeling objects, "While I suspect there is more to those old battles than just long held grudges dug up from the past, I have a more immediate issue that I would seek your council on."

Lavada would go on to explain about his lost brother. The dubious trip he took from Ireland to his washing ashore on the beaches of the Isles and how Lavada was able to ascertain who found him. "That is all I was able to see, sadly. Where they have him is a mystery still."

By now the soldier had eased up a little, choosing to pace back and forth while puffing down a cigarette as he listened. Still on edge but, not menacing his metallic limbs his way. "Arachnos typically isn't kind to their prisoners. There are few dozen places in the Isles he could be kept at.

The soldier rummaged through his pockets until he found a notepad and a pen. "Take my number and give me a week. I'll call you when I have something to go on."

"You are most generous, my friend. Until then, feel free to ask my aid where you might need it." He slipped in to a formal bow, leaving the former Spider a bit perplexed by the changeling's mannerisms.

"Sure. Your magics are strange but useful. I don't believe my team has come out of a scrap less injured. So long as there isn't any funny business with all those illusions and songs." A hint of apprehension still. Not unfounded. The soldier wasn't quite sure of who he was dealing with. By the wide grin on Lavada's face, it seemed the changeling took joy in that.

"All consequences are reserved for the enemy, I assure you. I look forward to a mutually beneficial arrangement." He held out a hand. The gesture lingered for a moment before the soldier agreed to the shake. Ever fiber of his being screamed he was making a mistake. This entity was better kept at arm's length and under close watch. At least with the argeement, he could do just that.

The spider left the alley well before the changeling did, choosing to trust his paranoia and escape. What had he done? What had he agreed to? Was there some underlying motive he just had not picked up on? Questions that would haunt him through the night.