The building was dingy but once you entered the appearance didn’t match the smell. I hate this place, Nikita whined softly. I had to agree, each time I came to this place it always smelled the same. Overly sterilized, with a hint of a copper smell. Turning I looked at Erik briefly, “listen Jupiter is a bit odd so no sudden movements. He gets very skittish, especially with new people.” Erik squeezed my hand and stepped back, nodding slowly.

“I think I can handle that.” His voice was soft, steady.

“Okay good,” I took my hand and wrapped it around his and guided him through the maze. The rooms were small and connected by a series of doors, some actual wood others just cheap fabric curtains. After the fifth room I stopped abruptly, Erik almost running into the back of me. “Shh,” I tilted my head back slightly inhaling the air.

“Jupiter come out, it’s just me.” I sighed with frustration.

“You aren’t alone,” cried out a mumbled response.

“He is with me Jupiter, he means no harm,” at first the silence was deafening but then the sound of scurrying behind them, a round, stout man in front of him. He shared many features of a mole and a man, his giant overbite, sharp pointed nose. His movements were jittery as he eyed Erik up and down. “Jupiter, I need to know some information on any creatures that have been causing trouble around here. I plan to go hunting, we plan to go hunting. This is Erik.” I slowly gestured towards the man behind me.

Erik was staring his head tilted to one idea. When I gestured to him he blinked and nodded his once, softly. “The Rat King’s Kin live here, too? Seems this place is not so different from home after all.” His voice was soft, as if he didn't really know he was talking. He cleared his throat. “Indeed Goodman Jupiter. I intend no harm to you.”

Jupiter stuck his nose towards the foreigner and sniffed slightly before I swatted him away. “Listen, I need information, lets go.” I snapped my fingers in front of him to get his attention. He squeaked slightly and scurried to another room shuffling through stuff. He mumbled as he went, “sand serpents, harpies, no no something bigger, gnomes.” He chuckled to himself in amusement with his own mad mutterings.

“Ah hah, what about this,” he stumbled back into the room thrusting a scroll towards me. I unrolled the scroll and looked back at him confused. “Skin snatchers? Are you serious?” The mole-man was practically beaming with happiness at what he had managed to find. Erik coughed and leaned over me, his eyes scanning the page.

“What are these beasts? I'm not familiar with them.” His voice was a soft murmur in my ear - there was a guarded edge to his tone. Hard eyes flicked to Jupiter. “The Kin isn't intending to send us to our deaths, is it?”

“Jupiter is harmless, skin snatchers are something that I thought extinct. They are like demons they prey on humans and consume their flesh and can take the form of their prey. They were really bad a couple years ago but I thought they had been hunted down and extinguished.” I grinned at Jupiter and held out my hand.

“Deal’s a deal, give me the scissors.” I sighed softly. Erik hummed in thought.

“My Lightning is divine in origin, at least from my world. This will be a chance to see if that holds true here - but, deal?” He tilted his head to the side, watching.

“I get a lock of her hair each time I give her good information,” the round man was bouncing with excitement as he passed me the shears.

“If I find out that you try and cloan me again I will gut you like a fish,” I growled with annoyance.

“I can’t help it, you are unique and a dying breed.” Jupiter chittered, undeterred.

“Little Rat-kin. You know what she'll do to you. You've no idea what I will do, and I have had centuries to learn. Be on good behavior, and we will have no issues.” Erik’s voice was low growl. “Do something she dislikes, and I will experiment to see what your body can withstand. And I can heal you to keep going.”

The mole squealed like a small pig, I quickly cut a small piece of my honey brown locks and handed it to him as he hurried away.

“What, exactly, is ‘cloning?’” Erik looked to me with a frown after Jupiter was gone.

“He tries to take my hair and replicate the strands of DNA, he says that I am special yet can never prove it.” I shrugged sighing softly, “shall we go?”

“Hmm. So he wishes to make a copy? Strange little man. One of you is grand, I don't know if the world could handle two. Let us go.” He grinned and headed back out of the building.