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scratchy pencil note, dated 20/10/2008
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I came in on a conversation in tha Library. Spirit Gal was givin tha Maker a dressin down. "She was in a horrible accident . . . age 9. Who knows what it did ta her mind. She was a lab rat, Severus. In a coma fer years . . . her father managed ta save her life, rebuild her body . . . but was captured. She's got the mind of a child, in a woman's bod. And an innocent tomboy at that. She doesn't even know what sex is. No sex drive really. She just glares at tha Maker.
He just glower and muttered "i didnt do anythin to her. i'll stay away from her as well if thats what you're afraid of" he was pissed, as usual.
Spirit Gal is matchin him but. "No. That's exactly what I don't want you to do. As your Praetor, you *will* excercise control around her. Not only that . . . you *will* be her friend. Watch over her. And protect her. Am I clear?"
Tha Maker had one of his faces on, all clenched pearly whites and lightning eyes "of course i will...but i will NOT be subjected to being forced into some rediculous 'friendship'...she dosnt need something like me around and is better off without". That's when I padded back in, payin my respects to tha Library. I had beat a retreat ta lick my wounds and get some food. Frish supplies were thin on tha ground at tha Diner, so I made do with Chum and kibble. No heart fer more excitin grub.
Spirit Gal is still strikin when tha target is painted "Obligations to fulfill.
You have a duty to this Institute, Severus." he comes back "yes and its not to play nursemaid to some overgrown kindergartener" but she wont have a bar of it. "You *will* be her friend. If she wants to color . . . or make paper airplanes or skip rope, I expect you to do so." I ask if they talkin about Strong Gal, but tha Maker answers indirectly. "i dont care to do such things...she can do them well enough on her own or with someone ...better suited...like brit or some such" Del had made a comment about Tha Maker but Spirit Gal came ta his back with "Surely someone with Severus' vast experience can perofrm such a simple task, Del. After all, at one time . . . he had a family of his own." I did tha maths. Adult Fleshie who had a pups brain, not Strong Gal "ahh, FiFi . . ." Spirit Gal nodded to me, got it. Tha Maker flinched slighly he got slapped before fixin Spirit Gal with a scathin glare "my child, never made it ta his first year, i am not suited ta this..."
Dev turned ta Spirit Gal "but are you a fiendish being yourself? id like to think you are not Joah..." she answered him "ya have no idea, Del." then turned again ta Tha Maker "Then you'll get some practice, won't you?"
After getting my crazy vision from Coyote, and a lesson I fell I gotta try a different tactic on tha Maker. "we all learn ta be new things, Maker, each in our own way." Del has a go too, poor bastard must not know how much a hard ass tha Maker can be "Joah.. . perhaps i could help him in that concern" she just tilted her head considerin Del fer a moment. "Perhaps . . . but for now, Severus should be handle one young woman alone, I think." then, almost as if ta make a point, she put one hand on his arm. "I'm sure you'll do your best."
Big move from Spirit Gal, I guess Lornes gift does work "Maker, ya keep tellin us yer not appreciated, i think this is somethin that would be appreciated." he just gritted his teeth, a muscle goin mental and he made fists gougin himself. I could smell tha blood before I saw it. "i dont want nor need practice, i'd rather remain alone and tending to the cotracts which are STILL in place, or shall i simply take the punishment for those as well" he growled and jerked his bleedin arm away from Spirit Gal. She don't get cowed though "We will see to those contracts, Severus. Your preferences aside . . . surely this is, as you say, a minor thing . . . like drying my clothes . . . no contract needed. And from this point forward, it is your job. Your . . . responsibility.”
Tha Makers' eyes kinda glowed fer a minute then he actually agreed “very well then...as you wish, but i wouldn't expect too much” Tha Messenger and me just watched em fer a bit. “I expect that she will become the young woman she is meant to be under your tutelege.”
Spirit Gal stepped back, smilin. "As I said, I'm sure you'll do your best." THa Maker aint happy at all, not that he ever is, but this seems ta tick him off a fair bit. More than mopin. “some how...i think not” he mutterd darkly My turn. “we can only expect anyone ta try and if i'm not wrong, she will come ta like ya fer who ya are, Maker, not what ya are. tha two are NOT tha same. Look at me fer instance. Tha gap between who i am and what i am can be pretty wide at times, all ya need do is look at my Kin on the street ta see that. there's a reason i came to tha Institute, and left tha Den, Maker, just like you left tha Pit and came to tha Library. yer an incubus. we all know that. and we know ya suffer what ya are harsh like. its plain and evident ta all of us. we KNOW you know.” Tha Maker made a face at me. “then you know im unsuited for this task” but I had more ta say before I took his line.
I'm a Lycan, big surprise. and ya know what that means? i'm a killer. i devourer of flesh. a baby eater. i am tha thing that made tha first Men build fires in tha night. i'm tha monster that walks in their shape until tha time of tha Hunt is on. I'm a Dog of War. taken and MADE inta a weapon, beyond even my nature. i'm a tool. i'm tha blade on tha end of tha pole that others use ta bring down tha food-beast. there's not a race in Toxia that i haven't killed and feasted on, with my Pack, with tha Snarl's. I've eaten my own kind. i've put whole provinces ta tha claw. and you look at me and tell me that that is WHO i am. it is what i am. that and more. i'm a shaman, i'm tha Guide of tha Dead. I'm tha Trickster Teacher. Tha Crop Dancer, Tha Corn Bringer and tha giver of tha Last Smile. I caught Spirit Gal lookin at me, I guess some of this was fer her too. I cuts me up inside when I see tha way she looks at me when she realizes what I am, time ta time, tha far-away look, tha fear, shame. I don't know what more ta expect though. Its what I am.
Cookie came squeekin in, she got sneakers too big, baggy clothes on, fer a fella bigger than she is. She's also got stuff on her face. Lika someone's drawn Fleshie face fur on her. She's been cryin too. She dragged her bag behind her and let it thump on tha stairs behind her. Spirit Gal waved her over and I just pointed at her with a claw. “if i were only what i am. THAT would have never made it onto tha steps outta tha flood, except under my nails and stuck in my back teeth” i shut up fer a sec, calmin myself, and looked right at Cookie, tryin ta catch her eye and show her I weren't mad at her. "but that's not how we met, was it Fi?" she looked up at me and tried ta give a smile but couldn't. "Nuus... Grr was nice to Fifi... took care of her burns.." something was off with her, but I was too pissed at tha Maker, to pissed at Spirit Gal, and I needed ta get it out.
Tha Maker shruged slightly “ya are still half human and even an animal is equipped with tha instinctual knowledge of how ta take care of its own young...i was never given such...i wasn't even meant to have young as you well know...and especially not now...who in their right mind would give a child over to something like me” Spirit Gal smiles at me, maybe she finally got it, maybe, I sure hope so. I want so bad ta walk by her side. On tha Path. Then she turned ta Cookie. "Yes, Fifi. . . I want to introduce you to someone. You got off to a rather bad start, but he's had a . . . . change of heart. Fifi . . . meet Severus. He*wants* to be your friend. He'll show you the ropes. Watch out for you. And teach you *everything* you need to know. He can hardly wait to begin.”
Cookie slowly looked around as like Spirit Gal was gunna introduce her ta someone else. Her eyes go wide when tha penny drops. She dropped her bag ta tha ground completely and squeeks "REALLY! " lookin up at Tha Maker with glowin excited eyes. She didn't even seem ta care about tha look in his. She started clappin as she bounced up and down in her baggy hoody." yay!"
I talked over Cookie ta Tha Maker, tryin ta get my point across ta his thick horny head "yer a Fallen. ya got all eternity ta lean how. and see, thing is? we trust ya. because of WHO, ya are, not WHAT ya are. Thats what bein part of this IS. Grow, Maker, grow beyond what ya were given"
Tha Maker's large clawed fists clenched so tight his hefty arms bulged and he started leakin more blood from his hands. That's one pissed off incubus. But he agreed. "Perhaps, Severus, Fifi would enjoy a picnic? Ya could take her by the shore and explain ta her tha benefits and dangers of tha Toxian sea?" Spirit Gal turned her head slightly along with me as we heard tha Messenger speak.
Cookie's smile faded as she saw the Makers blood on tha ground. She crouched down near her bag and dug through it. Chuckin random stuff out of it till she got to a bandanna. Goin back over ta him she held it out."you.. hurt yourself.... " blinks looking up at him and then the others lookin lost. I didn't have tha heart ta say why. He glared down at joah, then flicks his gaze over ta Cookie ignorin tha bandanna, then back to Spirit Gal and me "if i didnt think you despised me before...my doubts have been erased, you'd best hope she can keep up."
I watched them go and Spirit Gal sighed. Tha new guy looked thoughtful fer a minute then quoted "When to eat draws near, truth is not truth. A boundary mark of the world of fire is noticed." I wondered what he was talkin about I was thinkin about tha Maker's last stab. "if this is me dispisin, i wonder what he thought it'd be like if i really hated him?" that’s when tha Messenger hit tha deck.
Tha Spirit Gal got there first, runnin over to kneel by Faye on the floor and took her hand. tha Messenger's voice cracked, whispering, "I'm.. scared..." Spirit Gal glanced over ta me, then back to Faye and I was there. We , workig in synergy with her, a synergy obvious to practiced eyes "What happened?" she asks her. I chip in "and yer safe, Messenger. protected by walls of stone and spirit and flesh and fur" tha Messenger is shakin, but doin a bit better "Ah.. so many.. voices I can't make out.. so much.. movement.. like static.. its all around.". Spirit Gal offers AC some answes. "She means something is coming, the devourer. The boundaries preventing it . . . will not hold." Spirit Gal leans over to stroke him. "take care of Faye'Li"
tha Messenger blinked a few times, somewhat regaining her senses from her dreamlike state, "I..I'm sorry.. she says softly." I give AC a bit more intel, "tha Messenger is a Seer . . .thats why i call her that. She brings Messages from Raven . . .." she rubbed her cheek where she'd hit the floor and I helped AC move her to tha couch as she smiles looking down a little embarassed, "Not da most graceful messenger.." she says softly.
, "Merci. I'm sorry.." she bit her lip lookin emrarassed. AC reached out ta comfort her as I said "there ya go, couch time fer little Fleshie people..."
Tha Messenger glanced up at AC and smiled shyly. I like tha way they get on. Good fer tha Family. "You have a gift. No need to be embarrassed. Without you the message would go undelivered."
I wonder where Captain Featherpants has gotten to?
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