Cold this wind, cold this rain,/Cold these outstretched hands

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

[Midday on Sunday, August 30 (day 91)]
[Miskatonic Café]

The rain's held steady, grey sky and wet earth and the air between running for the horizon. I've my own jacket now, but I borrow Iago's regardless; it's morning when I leave, and he'll not be going out afore I'm back. And if he's going to be abed--and I'll not begrudge him that--I can at least have the smell of him and his jacket 'round me.

Headed up through the park to the Abbey to catch service, and my jeans were soaked from midcalf down from the slow grasp of wet grass. Stayed for a little afterwards to pass time and words with Oya. Nothing of detail or import--I've no mind for where to begin on those--more a chance to greet her again. Interesting times, indeed. Head out into the rain again, and the wind's catching loose strands of hair across my face and the rain's soaking them down and I catch myself laughing a little trekking through the park to Main Street, light and passing delight. Love this weather, the wet bite of wind and the stroking patter of the rain and the light as grey as rock-dove feathers.

See the Miskatonic up ahead as I come out of the park, and wander across the slick cobbles of Main, long slow lope down the center of it and no worry for traffic, not on a Sunday midday of this weather. Music sounds low and clear as I open the door, get myself a coffee and take a seat in the window to watch the street--easy enough to do, the weather's kept the usual crowd rather down and I've my pick of tables. Drape Iago's jacket 'cross the back of an empty chair and take my hair down, start untangling it as best I can. Coffee here, I think, and maybe a sandwich, and then I'll bring something back for Iago, get home, sink into a hot bath... Going to be a fine day.

[Open first to Lucien, later to others]

Comments

[docconstantine.livejournal.com]

"Hm, has anyone heard anything regarding Edith? There must be a fair few people in town who would be keen to... have a talk with her."
"Haven't heard a blessed thing, and since I offered to help Jamie move the body, I'll assume they've been left alone." As I figured would happen, Valmont raises an eyebrow and hold his cigarette case to me. Take it with an easy grin, inhale, and hand it back.

"That... is deeply strange. Although it does make sense of why you have all been here so long. Though the question now is: who, or what, wishes you to remain?"
Oh, not as clued in as some huh? My eyes slide to Glass, and let her tackle the explanations first.

"Thing in the tower, or something made a deal with it? Tez, may be?" Shake my head in the negative, setting down my coffee cup, having chose this moment to take a sip of course. "Not Tez, he was the first to try and get the hell out of Dodge, back in late June. He was relieved as all get out to find that I couldn't, then the others.... not so personal then."

"May try t'see if Iago'd care to spend a few days out of town, if only to see if we can."
"Hey, if you want to try.... Wanda did, but that was a few weeks ago. If you like, you can take the scooter."

Look back out at the rain, coming down the window smooth and steady, thinking of Wanda quietly going mad here in her self imposed exile with me. Shake those thoughts off quickly, lest I seem anti-social.
"So how's business been lately, Valmont? More traffic with the market? And has Hermia been getting herself in any trouble?" I grin a bit at that, since Hermia is one of the last people I would ever imagine getting into trouble.

[valmont-vicomte.livejournal.com]

"Ah. The Tower. It always comes back to that." I sigh and push my hand through my hair. "I wish someone had pulled down that wretched water tower before we all started giving the thing a capital letter."

Glass and Lucien start talking about whether Glass can leave town, and I feel slightly alarmed. It has been quite a while since I left Excolo... But Lucien's words about Wanda are soothing enough.

"Why does the Tower want you here, though?" I ask. "Does anyone have any idea? Because that, to my mind, is a more pertinent question than how you are stuck here."

"So how's business been lately, Valmont? More traffic with the market? And has Hermia been getting herself in any trouble?"

"It's been very good," I say. "Lots of people have been passing through, and some of my clientele has actually been respectable." I raise my eyebrows and smile. "I have actually done some renovations so that I have two perfectly proper rooms to let out. Of course I still have cheap rooms for those who need them, but it is good to be able to have more respectable guests... Or, at least, those who dress respectably." I grin. "Hermia is a model of good behaviour," I say, my mouth quirking. I am hardly going to mention that she is being schooled in the dark arts by a cat. That cat, though... I can enquire after it. Glass and Lucien are unlikely to be surprised. "By the way, have either of you happened upon a talking cat lately?"

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"Why does the Tower want you here, though? Does anyone have any idea? Because that, to my mind, is a more pertinent question than how you are stuck here."

Glance at Lucien as I think. "If it's not someone begging or trading for a favour from the tower, and it's not Iblis personally wanting Tez to keep around... red cities and blue, again? A part to play, or a tool to use?"

"It's been very good. Lots of people have been passing through, and some of my clientele has actually been respectable." Smile a little at that, and think Silk Road really is dressing itself up rather better these days. Glad to hear Hermia's doing well, as well. "By the way, have either of you happened upon a talking cat lately?"

"White fluffy thing, one blue eye and one green?" Valmont nods, and I smile. "Chester. Talks a bit much, likes his Baileys with cream." Teaching someone magic, by his own lights, but he said it was a her... though I suppose I could see Valmont conducting spells quite well. There's a certain precision to him, under all the graces. "Ran into him in the Tavern a while back and talked for a bit. Have you met him or only heard after him?"

[docconstantine.livejournal.com]

"Why does the Tower want you here, though? Does anyone have any idea? Because that, to my mind, is a more pertinent question than how you are stuck here." Valmont asks, and it's a damn good question.
"A part to play, or a tool to use?" Twirl a fork around my fingers as I consider everything.
"I think...." I say slowly, choosing my words carefully. "that the Management of the Carnival Diabolique is connected to the Tower. I have no proof of that, mind you. But too many of the show folk would be considered and "oddity" by Excolo standards.... all in one show. There are many good, normal people with the show." I said quickly, thinking of Verite, of Zann and her family, and Will and Boden and Lou.... "But a lot of people with a lot of special talents not normally found. I'd lay money that the Tower thinks it's a tool.... that and keeping them here's causing chaos and tension. And thats always fun." Make a face and put the fork down before it twirls out of my hand and into someone's eye. And I am NOT taking on an eye would today, thank you very much.

"By the way, have either of you happened upon a talking cat lately?" The image of a cat sitting around and talking to Valmont of anyone is enough to send me laughing again. "White fluffy thing, one blue eye and one green? Chester. Talks a bit much, likes his Baileys with cream."
"Okay, I have to find this cat now." I chuckle, shaking my head. "Wanda says his voice and appearance do not maych whatsoever. And I've never actually talked to a cat before, so there's an oddity worth looking foward to."

[valmont-vicomte.livejournal.com]

I turn over what Glass and Lucien say about the Tower.

"So your former employer is in league with darkness? Splendid," I say drily. "I'm sure this will all end marvellously well." I sigh. "At least that fire you had at the carnival didn't turn into something worse - after Kaeli was attacked I was surprised there wasn't more uproar in town. I was rather piqued myself." I think of how I went out with a pistol to find Tez, but I do not think I should mention that.

"White fluffy thing, one blue eye and one green? Chester. Talks a bit much, likes his Baileys with cream."
"Wanda says his voice and appearance do not maych whatsoever. And I've never actually talked to a cat before, so there's an oddity worth looking foward to."

I laugh.

"That's the one. He showed up at the Whitechapel one day." I have decided to leave Hermia's involvement out of it. "I don't think he cared for me overmuch. He talks like one of those old hardboiled detectives whilst being one of the fluffiest cats imaginable. It is quite peculiar." I sip my coffee. "But I'm guessing from your reactions that you don't think the creature's not to be trusted. Though I can't imagine myself ever confiding in a cat." I wonder what Hermia talks to Chester about. I do hope she does not really mention me. I hardly want a cat knowing my business.

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"I think..." Lucien says, setting his words out careful, "that the Management of the Carnival Diabolique is connected to the Tower," and that's about when I settle for myself that no, much as I love Tulzcha's coffee I can't breathe the stuff. Set my cup down coughing a bit as Valmont says "Splendid. I'm sure this will all end marvellously well."

"Remember May?" I say to him. "April? When the worst Excolo'd get was bad weather and brawls?"

"I'd lay money that the Tower thinks it's a tool.... that and keeping them here's causing chaos and tension. And thats always fun." Lucien grimaces and I sniff disdainfully. Messes. I hate messes.

"At least that fire you had at the carnival didn't turn into something worse - after Kaeli was attacked I was surprised there wasn't more uproar in town. I was rather piqued myself."

"I near to missed the whole of it," I confess. "Heard she hadn't seen Mab to set charges against them?"

"That's the one. He showed up at the Whitechapel one day. I don't think he cared for me overmuch. He talks like one of those old hardboiled detectives whilst being one of the fluffiest cats imaginable. It is quite peculiar. But I'm guessing from your reactions that you don't think the creature's not to be trusted. Though I can't imagine myself ever confiding in a cat."

"I wouldn't do that, no," I say drily. "He talks a little much, and lets things slip sometimes. If you can set store by what he says, he's not a cat; he's a spirit of air that contracted with a mortal soul, and that contract left him shaped as he is. Came to Excolo for... well." Smile a little and shrug. "We all come to Excolo, don't we?"

[docconstantine.livejournal.com]

"So your former employer is in league with darkness? Splendid, I'm sure this will all end marvellously well. At least that fire you had at the carnival didn't turn into something worse - after Kaeli was attacked I was surprised there wasn't more uproar in town. I was rather piqued myself."

The problem when you have a sentient being sharing mind space with you? Once he decides to start talking, it gets really hard to keep up with the conversation. We need to go see Kaeli soon Lucien, she has much to learn yet. Marbas rumbles through my mind. I nod an assent, both mental at him and outwardly towards my companions.
"You're right, the retaliation could have been much worse. Thats why I think it wasn't townies.." Smile apologetically at my use of the term, guess I've been with the whow long enough to still consider myself family. "...who set the fire. It was little, non life threating, and deliberate. Someone was sending a message. To who or for what....?" Shrug and drain another cup of coffee. Coffee and cigarettes, a doctor's diet, truly.

I get lost in my thoughts again as they talk of the gruff voiced, fluffy, white Chester. "If you can set store by what he says, he's not a cat; he's a spirit of air that contracted with a mortal soul, and that contract left him shaped as he is." Now that catches my attention. "Because a talking cat isn't strange enough. An air elemental..." Memory hits me, and I shudder a bit. "I'm trusting he's nothing like the other elemental we ran into at the Tavern, 'fiery death come to play'...."
Something about that also perks up Marbas too. "Fiery Elemental? Here in town? Oh, does my Lilith have her pet Djinn here as well?"
Wunderbar. Another thing I'll be linked with somehow. When did my life get so complicated? Oh, yeah... right.
"Yep, we all come to Excolo. Pardon me if I'd really like to leave it some days."

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"Because a talking cat isn't strange enough. An air elemental... I'm trusting he's nothing like the other elemental we ran into at the Tavern, 'fiery death come to play'...."

Laugh a little at that. "The worst I've seen him do is get a touch rude when troubling Thomas for service. If he could do more, he's at least got sense and perspective to keep it to himself on light matters."

"Yep, we all come to Excolo. Pardon me if I'd really like to leave it some days."

Pick up my cup and discover it's empty, and think I ought to be heading back rather than getting another refill. "Wonder if you could leave when you were dead?" I muse, catching Tulzcha's eye and mouthing special? to go? Grin at his expression. "'s purely academic, I trust," I add cheerfully. "In any case, I ought really be heading back," I add when Tulz brings my order over. "I'll catch you both later? My best to Wanda, Miao, and Hermia."

[valmont-vicomte.livejournal.com]

Lucien looks a little distracted as we speak, although he manages to keep up with the conversation.

"I'm trusting he's nothing like the other elemental we ran into at the Tavern, 'fiery death come to play'...."

"Chester like that?" I laugh. "I sincerely hope not." My eyes narrow. I may have to question the cat further about his origins. If there is anything dangerous in his elemental state, I should know about it. Hermia's safety is at stake.

Glass finishes her coffee and stands.

"I'll catch you both later? My best to Wanda, Miao, and Hermia."

"And my best to your husband," I smile. "Enjoy your Sunday."

I look back at Lucien, who still seems preoccupied, almost as if he were listening to someone else's conversation.

"I should probably head off too, Lucien," I say. "But it has been good to see you. Perhaps you and Wanda should come over to dinner some evening? It's pleasant to have good company," I say, "and I'm sure Hermia would be glad to see you both."

[docconstantine.livejournal.com]

"Wonder if you could leave when you were dead?" Startle a bit at that and blink a few times to clear my head. "Why Glass, so sick of me already that you're suggest I try that?" I say rather dryly, but in good humor and she humors me back, before excusing herself.
"Later Glass." I wave at her with a smile. still a little lost in my thoughts.

"I should probably head off too, Lucien, But it has been good to see you. Perhaps you and Wanda should come over to dinner some evening?" Valmont suggests and I nod in agreement. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I need to get out more and socialize with people who are not sick." I say with a laugh, and throw enough money down to cover both our orders. Atcually, I'm thinking it would be good to get Wanda out to interact with more.... well... normal people than gods, monsters and immortal fops.
Bid goodbye to Valmont with a smile and with a long sigh, dash back into the rain towards the Dormouse. Hopefully I won't be called out again today.