The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5

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>Alice: Begin your dark ascension.

While everyone was distracted by PieFight ValKon, a shadowy figure crept through the Hall of Ancestors...

>Adler: You know what, 10 points would be enough to win you the tournament. Put the invasion on hold for a moment. Studying the Dinner from female perspective will strengthen your use of Wiles!
Relda, win first prize! As a reward, be taken to Vulpitania, where you soon forget your true identity as Adler and live for the rest of your life as Relda Fauxfox, legendary Lengra-Cha pie fighting champion. Even get your own picture scroll to compete with SALV Krakenhoefer's.

As I stood on stage in front of the contest judges, I started to feel giddy at the prospect of winning. Attending a fancy dinner in disguise as the beautiful Relda Fauxfox would give me a perfect chance to study Wiles from a female perspective! This might be my key to fame and fortune! Maybe they would take me back to Vulpitania and make me a star, with my own scrycast show and series of illuminated adventure scrolls!

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Glenholm Webb, suspect one of the vixens is not quite who she appears to be.

"I suspect one of those vixens is not quite who she appears to be," Detective Glenholm Webb mused aloud.

"Ooh, ooh!" Lemmy blurted, unable to contain his excitement. "Ooh, Detective Webb! I've been tailing her from the Gladsome Antglade, and I know exactly who she really is!"

>Giraffebabe contestant: Attract Estmere's interest.

"Oh, hey there long, tall, and beautiful," Estmere schmoozed as he turned to look at the con-goers subduing Avogadro, and suddenly noticed a giraffe femme standing nearby. "How come you weren't in the pie dodging contest? I bet you'd do great. I would totally give you bonus points for form, no question."

"Oh, Your Majesty," the giraffe giggled bashfully.

"Are you here alone? You wanna get together later?"

>Adler: Rememberyou weren't here for pie avoiding contest but for a /secret/mission so y'know, stop atractng attention to yourself and get the heck away.
>Adler: Wait, what's you're brother doing at a convention? The city's right in the middle of a potential siege. He should be in a secure location. There's something sinister going on here and you need to find out what
Adler's army, fall into starvation as you wait for your leader to return.

As I watched my half-brother's sleazy yet effortless approach, I was suddenly reminded of my duty. What was I thinking earlier?? Was I seriously considering running off to Vulpitania to become a pie fighter? I was starting to get too comfortable with this disguise. I needed to get out of it and back to my normal self soon! Furthermore, I needed to find out why Estmere was out here judging a contest at a blatantly Vulpitanian convention while the city faced an impending siege. Shouldn't he be in a secure location? Something strange, perhaps even Unseelie, was going on!

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A few blocks away:

(Jimmy the Bard) Gobsmack your audience by singing ballads of battle, lust and liptauer.

"The streets will run red with the blood of my enemies!" Jimmy shrieked furiously. "I'll eat their gizzards smeared with spicy cream cheese! Any unaccompanied femme I'll claim for my own! This Empire will be firmly and properly re-established before I'm done! Bow before your Emperor, peasants!"