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Delight & Friends
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| We disguised Arcsy as Monsieur Le'Bronde, the Critic of La'Quinitria. The rest of us were his retinue. Arcsy -- or rather, Monsieur Le'Bronde -- went to the Will Call window for his tickets which (of course) weren't there (because he didn't have any).
"What is zees outrage?" Monsieur Le'Bronde cried. "How? How can zees be? I haf come all ze way from La'Qiunitria only for zees day!"
"Evening, sir," Studies-Too-Much amended.
"Evening! For zees evening ven I hear at last ze orchestrations of ze renowed Orchestra of Occlu-ze-on! Vere are my tickets, young prime? VERE?" Monsieur Le'Bronde cried to the boy at the Will Call window.
The Cani checked his book again. "I'm so sorry, sir! I don't have anything under Le'Bronde or Bronde or Monsieur! Is there any other name it might be under?"
"Non! Zere can be no ozer! Oh cruel fate! Oh unkind Accanax that has destroyed mine only chance to complete mine opus, Renowned Orchestras of Inner Ketheria. Is zere nothing anyprime can do?" Le'Bronde wailed.
"Master, master, do not deestress yourself zo!" I cried. "For of a zertainty, ze Orchestra of Occlu-zee-on is no doubt vastly inferior to ze Obses-zee-on Orchestra of Daukhrame, of whoze music you haf already partaken! You may zimply and surely tell all thoz readers and listeners who hang upon your good advize that zey need not vaste zeir time vit ze Orchestra of Occlu-zee-on. As ve travel homewards ve can just tell everyone on the way that they should see the Obses-zee-on Orchestra."
"Indeed!" Outcast backed me up. "In fact, you must tell zem not to vaste zeir time on Vhezrame at all! It iss a city of catastrozes and vailures, vere even ze simplest uff tasks are ill-done."
"Wait here," the Will Call boy begged us. "I'll get the manager."
While we waited in the lobby, I complained, "Ze Obses-zee-on Orchestra had a far more beautiful lobby zen zis ugly place." (Which they do, actually).
"And their arias! So lovely," Paraffa added. "Their arpeggios! Perfecsíon! Why wait we here, in this place so overrated?"
"Because ve must gif zem ze chance to make ze amends! And you, do not mock me vit zat accent! Ve know full vell you are from Daukhrame," Arcsy snapped at her, because her genuine La'Quinitrian accent was making the rest of us look even worse. Paraffa almost lost it there. She had to cover her mouth with both hands and pretend to cry to disguise her choked laughter.
When the manager came, he fretted and frewed and checked his reservation book three times while Arcsy looked aloof and above it all. The manager apologized profusely, but there was nothing he could do.
Arcsy waved his hands magnanimously. "Ah, iff it eez not meant to be, it eez not meant to be. It vill be a great shame, no doubt, to exclude ze Orchestra of Occlu-zee-on from my travel guide to Renowned Orchestras of Inner Ketheria, but zo be it."
The manager blanched. "No, no, that can't be the only solution. Look ... ah ... there are certain unoccupied seats left." He cringed, and finished, "... in the Ducal box. We'll seat you there."
It turns out the Duke has a private box at the theater but he doesn't usually go to see the Orchestra of Occlusion and a lot of the time he doesn't give his box to anyone else, either. The manager warned us that we'd have to be moved (and FAST!) if the Duke showed up unexpectedly, but otherwise it was ours for the evening. I skipped out to escort Fressis inside, since it wouldn't do to have our famed critic running his own errands.
We told Fressis that we got the Ducal Box as an apology because they couldn't find our tickets, which wasn't entirely false. Fressis smiled indulgently at Archonandi and settled in to enjoy the performance.
The Ducal box was posh! It's even more posh than the airship I took to Daukhrame. EVERYTHING has enchantments. Little lights come on along the walkway if you stand up to show you the way out, and go out when you sit down. The chairs conform to your body to be more comfortable. The ducal box has its own watercloset! It even has its own preserving cabinet, stocked with wine and little snack trays of candied beetles and dried chissowary fish and kathia-swirled milk pastries and stuff. Which Archonandi didn't let us eat because (a) we were supposed to be his retinue and (b) he felt guilty about tricking the manager into letting us in at all, and didn't want the orchestra to get in trouble over missing snacks. If anyone even noticed.
Just before the intermission, Arcsy had me sneak into the lobby and teleport lozens into their cashbox for the regular tickets we hadn't been able to buy. Since the plan had been 'convince them to sell us empty seats' not 'convince them to give us the Ducal Box'.
Any road, it turns out the Orchestra of Occlusion actually is excellent! I was impressed. Archonandi made sure to tell the manager how much he'd enjoyed it and that he'd be sure to commend them in his travels.
I didn't like them as much as Don't Go in It's a Tarp! But a quartet's not the same as an orchestra so it's not a fair comparison.
Archonandi told me later that when he took Fressis home, she made him describe the whole escapade to her and laughed herself sick. She said, "I always knew I couldn't get the adventurer all the way out of you." Maybe they're a good match after all. | comments: 4 comments or Leave a comment   |
| After hot hot hot Surprise it's hard to get used to Second Fall! It's been cooler than usual for Consimbs in Vheshrame. I've hardly been swimming AT ALL if you can imagine that. Like only ONCE this whole last week! I have to take long hot baths just to keep from drying out and blowing away. (To all my extradimensional friends: no not really).
Instead I've been going out on escapades with friends. (Escapades are like adventures but without the dangerous-getting-mutilated-by-monsters part). Some of the escapades have been not very escapade-y, like the one where we went hunting all over Vheshrame for a place that served milk o'quits and never even found one. Studies-Too-Much ended up buying snails and making his own, but now he's not sure he got the right type of snails. Another couple were watching performances -- a puppet show and the Orchestra of Occlusion -- and the puppet show shouldn't count as any kind of escapade if you ask me.
Oh but the orchestra does, because they were sold out and none of us had tickets and Archonandi had PROMISED his fiancée Fressis they'd go. So we HAD to get at least the two of them in.
Archonandi, Fressis, Studies-Too-Much, Paraffa, me, and Outcast that were supposed to go. Don't ask me why Outcast was there. Oh nevermind I'll explain anyway: see, Mirhandrax and Outcast have kept on adventuring together because they're trying to raise lozens for an expedition to find Outcast's lost mewellicapfriend. For reasons I don't begin to understand Outcast refuses to give up on the relationship despite it being GROSS and WRONG and bad for everyone including Elisia. And instead of trying to talk him out of it like any sensible prime, Mirhandrax is helping him. So they're still best buddies. Archonandi is also friends with Mirhandrax and so when Mirhandrax is in town Arcsy invites him to stuff. And since Outcast is Mirhandrax's friend and Arcsy doesn't want to be rude he always invites Outcast too.Then Mirhandrax doesn't want to come anyway because he doesn't go to puppet shows or musical performances or anything that anyprime might consider fun unless you count pit fighting which I DON'T. But of course OUTCAST is happy to come and so we're stuck with him.
I bet you wish I'd stuck with 'Don't ask'.
Fressis had to work until just before the performance started, so the four of us went on ahead to get tickets.
Except, like I said, the show was sold out. Paraffa said, "We go to different show, maybe?"
"No, I swore to Fressis we'd see the Orchestra of Occlusion!" Archonandi protested. "She's been wanting to see them since Lage. I've already had to back out three times for one reason or another. I can't disappoint her again."
"Perhaps we can buy tickets at a markup from someone who already has them?" Outcast suggested. "For the two of you, at least."
But it turned out that the Orchestra of Occlusion has a really strict policy against reselling -- they put the names of the ticket holders on the tickets at purchase, and if they find out you resold they'll never let you buy again. Which isn't exactly a foolproof prevention tactic, but it was good enough that we couldn't find any resellers.
"There are always empty seats at this sort of thing," Studies-Too-Much said. "They're bound to have some people who don't show up. We just need to find a way to get them to sell us those seats."
Outcast crinkled his muzzle in thought. "Well ... I have one idea."
While he explained, I surreptitiously cast The Raven's Beak because this sounded like it had a good chance of being an Adventure. | | comments: 7 comments or Leave a comment |
| I just realized that I got so wrapped up telling you last time about the Inquisitorial Inquisition of Inquisitors that I didn't even tell you: I gave Dad-Dad and Dadsy your present!
About halfway through the evening, I signalled Waterfall and the musicians. Waterfall had hired them and so they knew their cue. Waterfall and I got up on top of the center table, and I yelled, "HOY EVERYBODY! I've got a little SURPRISE here!"
Then I dodged all the things primes pelted in my direction, as they shouted back in ragged chorus, "NO! NO SURPRISES!"
"I know!" I yelled back. Do you know I've gotten better at dodging with the last series of adventures? I could tell. "And I'm Delight-in-No-More-Surprises now so it's extra surprising coming from me!"
Everybody laughed and grinned and threw more stuff at me. "NO! This is a NO SURPRISE party!" They were better at getting it in unison.
"I know! But there's always at least one surprise at every No Surprise party, so it's not REALLY a surprise, right?" I yelled.
Waterfall jerked a thumb at me. "She's got a point, y'know."
Everybody looked to their tables and conversational partners and exchanged feigned grumblings and mumblings, until they finally turned back to me. When everyone was looking at me, I motioned my hand downwards once, twice and then a third time.
On cue, they shouted, "FINE. WHAT SURPRISE?"
"I'm so glad you asked! This is from BOOMSTARTER SEVENDRUMS, for DAD-DAD and QUICKSPLASH!" I used Dadsy's real name since most of the people there weren't his kids. (Dad-Dad goes by Dad-Dad to everyone.) Then I hopped down and Waterfall hopped up, and the performers struck up the instrumentals for the love song you wrote. And Waterfall sang it! I don't know if she's as good a singer as Song-for-Always technically but she was perfect for "No Truer Love". Everybody laughed at the funny bits and sniffled at the sad bits and Dad-Dad and Dadsy held hands for the whole song. I think Dadsy cried through the whole thing.
The crowd made Waterfall sing it a second time ostensibly so that Dadsy could listen to the parts he cried through the first time, although he pretty much cried through the second time too.
He wasn't ACTUALLY sad in case you offworld nonprimes have any funny ideas. Dadsy's very sentimental. He loved the song lots, maybe even better than Dad-Dad.
Everybody else liked it too! I had at least two-thirds fewer Inquistorial Inquisitions afterwards, and a bunch of 'that was a great surprise' instead.
Probably I should have done it earlier in the evening.
You should definitely have Don't Go in It's a Tarp! perform it, Boomsy! | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| Hiiii Boomsy-kaboomsy-make-me-a-loomsy! I'm really glad your hearing went well and not just because it means I'll get the lozens I lent you back! Well lent Pinsitter after she lent you you know what I mean.
Any road 50 lozens is a nice windfall for you! What are you going to do with it?
We had the annual No Surprise Party five days ago and I just realized I completely forgot to tell you about it. It was wonderful! Everyone was there! All my local sisters and brothers (except Void-Dancer, unfortunately) and uncles and aunts and nieces and nephews and cousins and friends of all of the above plus lots of ones that weren't local like Dadsy's parents and Dad-Dad's grandparents on his father's side. The best part was seeing all the people from out of Vheshrame who'd come just for the No Surprise party. That's why it was so late this year: Dadsy wanted to give everyone more time to travel into the city after Surprise was over.
It was also the worst part in a way, because the first thing EVERYONE wanted to catch up on was relationship status. Who's gotten married, divorced, had kids, adopted kids, gave up kids for adoption, added spouses to their family, etc., etc. And I wanted to know all that stuff too! But then eventually everyone's looking at me and asking who I'm dating.
The Conversation, Version One
Vingi (my brother Branspash's mother-in-law): "And who's your sweetie now, Joy-of-Sunout?"
ME: "I'm Delight-in-No-More Surprises now, and I don't have one."
Vingi: "Right, of course not! Who are they, then?"
ME: "I don't have any,"
Vingi: "I'm so sorry! I hope the break up wasn't bad."
ME: "... what break up?"
Vingi: "With your sweeties."
ME: "I didn't break up with anyone."
Vingi: "So you're still seeing them, then?"
ME: "No, I've never had a sweetie."
Vingi: "Reeeeeally? Do you know my friend Splashall? She's single too."
ME: "... can we talk about something else now?"
Vingi: "Sure! Perhaps you'd like to meet Ripple? He's also single, and such a cutie! Just about your age ...."
ME: "That's nice oh look my drink I need to go get another one."
Vingi: "... but your glass is full."
ME: "Just the time to get a new backup drink byeeee!"
The Conversation, Version Two
Bubbles (my sister Waterfall's brother-in-law): "So who are you seeing lately, Dee?"
ME: "I just came back from a nice trip visiting Boomstarter and I saw Void-Dancer a couple of days ago and I'm thinking about going to see Mirhandrax and Trust because I haven't seen much of them since we got back from our last adventure."
Bubbles : "No, no, I meant 'who are you dating'?"
ME: "I'm not."
Bubbles: "Really? A pretty, outgoing, friendly Orren like you? Whyever not?"
ME: "I don't know?"
Bubbles : "Surely someone must be interested! Is there a special someone you have your eye on?"
ME: "No?"
Bubbles: "Oh, come on! You know everyone, Dee. There must be somebody ... are you worried because you don't think you'll fit in with their existing family?"
ME: "No."
Bubbles: "Then why? Don't tell me you've found someone you're actually shy around?"
ME: "No I haven't found anyone. I'm not looking for a relationship."
Bubbles: "Oh, had a rough time with your last one, did you?"
ME: "No."
Bubbles: "Just petered out, did it?"
Me: "No, it didn't exist."
Bubbles: "What, you had a crush and never even approached them?"
ME: "... can we talk about something else now?"
Bubbles: (talks about something else for one minutes and thirteen seconds before): "So who was this crush on? You shouldn't let yourself get discouraged too easily, Delight?"
Me: "... kind of like you and this topic?"
Bubbles: "Exactly!"
The Conversation, Version Three
Eelflutter (Dadsy's mom): "How's things with you and Glorious Blue these days, Delight?"
ME: "She's Glorious Cool now and fine we got a new place last year with a front room although it's a bit more expensive."
Eelflutter : "Ah, getting some space to expand your family?"
ME: "... No? We're just roommates. We're not in a relationship."
Eelflutter : "You're not? Really?"
ME: "Really."
Eelflutter : "What's the matter? Her family wouldn't approve?"
ME: "... umm we're not romantically attracted to each other at all?"
Eelflutter : "Why not?"
ME: "I don't know? Just not."
Eelflutter : "Are you sure?"
ME: "I think so?"
Eelflutter : "Maybe you should give it a try."
ME: "Thanks! I don't think I will though."
The Conversation, Version Four
Behind-the-Falls (cousin on Dad-Dad's side): "So I hear you're telling everyone you're single, Dee?"
ME: "Yep! I am."
Behind-the-Falls: (in an undertone) "You know, in modern Vheshrame, especially given your family history, I really don't think you have anything to be ashamed of."
ME: "Me neither!"
Behind-the-Falls: "I'm glad you feel that way! Personally, I think Boomstarter's a splendid fellow."
ME: "Me too he's like my best friend I made an enchanted scroll so we could write to each other all the time! I just came back from visiting him in Daukhrame and we had LOTS of fun."
Behind-the-Falls: "How lovely! You two make such a cute couple."
ME: "... couple?"
Behind-the-Falls: "You see, don't you think it would save time if you just told everyone you and Boomstarter are involved? Keep them from fixing you up with stray friends?"
ME: "... it would? Except that Boomsy and I aren't dating and I try not to lie to my friends and relations?"
Behind-the-Falls: "Oh, come on, Dee. It's a little obvious, don't you think?"
ME: "No? I'm not traff and Boomsy's not traff and also he's practically my BROTHER EWW."
Behind-the-Falls: "Your parents would understand, is all I'm saying."
ME: "I don't think I understand."
Behind-the-Falls: "You just have to accept who you are."
ME: "... I don't mind traff people at all and I'm sure if I were traff and seeing someone I would tell everybody because I am just not that good with secrets. But I am not so I'm not so I can't."
Behind-the-Falls: (sigh of long-suffering)
The Conversation, Version Five
Rankscraffle (family friend): "Hey baby! Heard ya broke up ... with Boomstarter."
ME: "Noooo I was never dating Boomstarter at all."
Rankscraffle: "Ohhhh. But ya do like Khtsoyis, don't ya?"
ME: "Sure doesn't everyone -- wait. You're talking about sex, aren't you."
Rankscraffle: (waggles tentacles suggestively) "'Course, moll-doll. Everyone likes the ol' rope-a-dope under the earth 'n dirt, eh?"
ME: "I don't know what that meant but I'm going to have to go with 'no'."
Rankscraffle: "Aww, c'mon, Dee. All that time ya spent with yer shoggy-coz didn't whet the ol' curiosity? Mebbe wet the kina-finer too?"
ME: "Still going with 'no'."
Rankscraffle: "Awww, don't tell me some Orren-boy scared ya cis?"
ME: "Nooooo I'm just not traff."
Rankscraffle: "How'd'ya know? You ever tried a little spent-pent with a foggy-bog?"
ME: "... no?"
Rankscraffle: (waggles tentacle tips again.) "Tellin' ya, 'til ya've tried seven ya don't know Heaven."
ME: "Can we talk about something else now?"
Rankscraffle: "Sure. How was Daukhrame, anyway? See Whackasmack while ya were there?"
ME: (talks about Daukhrame and other stuff for a while.)
The Conversation, Version Six
Youngwave (Dadsy's grandfather): "So who have you been romancing since I last saw you three years ago?"
ME: "Oh, no one."
Youngwave: "You can tell us!"
ME: "I know! I just did."
Youngwave: "Ohhh you're dating an Orren named No One?"
ME: "Noooo. I'm not dating anyone."
Bubbles: "Whew, that's a relief. I dated her last year and ... trust me, you want to steer clear."
ME: "What?"
Bubbles: "No, Anyone. What's very nice -- do you know him?"
Youngwave: "So how's things going with No One?"
Bubbles: "If you're not satisfied with No One, you should think about asking What out."
ME: "Oops I seem to have accidentally triggered my bound Hiding in Nowhere." (disappears to a pocket universe for several minutes)
*
All right I didn't actually spend the whole party drifting from one group to the next and getting interrogated about my lack-of-love-life. It didn't even really seem like I did at the time. There was an AWFUL LOT of this sort of thing, though. | | comments: 10 comments or Leave a comment |
| I freely confess that I am more than a trifle nervous at the moment, dear coz.
In accordance with the terms by which I was released from custody, I am now at the hearing to determine my guilt or innocence in the matter for which I was arrested.
But I misspeak. I am not at the hearing itself, for that is not scheduled to begin for another third of an hour. My solicitor Esclegerio -- I should say, Pinsitter's solictor -- assured me that there's little chance it will begin on time, but that I must be scrupulously punctual nonetheless. Esclegerio had asked the Crown to drop the charges prior to the hearing, but apparently the Crown's representative was too busy in the post-Oix rush to respond to his request. So. Here I am.
Aggravated Public Indecency is an Offense Against the Crown, and as such the hearing is to be held in one of Daukhrame's Dangerous Courts. As it is not a very serious Offence Against the Crown, it is at the Slunder Court, which I suppose is not very dangerous as such things go. When Esclegerio informed me of the locale, he also told me that if I even considered bringing red and blue bangles to the court, much less endeavored to jiggle them, he would abandon my defense forthwith. I am not entirely sure how this enters into it or indeed anything. Except that not a ninth of an hour ago one of the personages called to his own defense produced a twirling stick adorned with red and blue ribbons and began waving it about; he was instantly declared in contempt of court and hauled off in bonds.
So. Good advice, I am sure.
The Slunder Court is a round courtroom laid out in two parallel spirals of benches winding towards open space at the centre. Either spiral may be entered from the door. One spiral is painted red, for the defendants to queue within. The other spiral is painted blue and for witnesses and others to enter, and by which anyone may depart, or sit to watch the proceedings, I suppose. I am drifting in my place over the defendant's bench, with my scroll open on the seat itself for me to write this upon. At the centre of the courtroom is the judge's podium. The judge is Justice Casamint, a Herethroy in an imposing toga of indigo cloth trimmed in gold thread, with a stole of slunder scales draped 'round his neck. Beside the judge's podium is a pedestal with a great carved crown-and-scepter mounted upon it. The Representive of the Crown, a slight and aged Cani woman, stands before the crown's pedestal. Defendants are called in turn to stand before them. The Representative calls upon the arresting guard to describe the crime and accusation, and the defendent makes his plea. Either or both sides call upon witnesses to attest to the truth, if there's a factual dispute.
Thus far, there's been one factual dispute, in another Naked-Parade related incident. The defendant said he wasn't naked and had two Orren witnesses attest that he was clothed. The arresting Cani guard said that the defendent was nude at the time of the arrest. The Justice ruled for the Crown on the grounds that the defense witnesses were unreliable.
It's not been very promising, to be truthful. Esclegerio arrived some minutes ago, and greeted me briefly but has otherwise been occupied in discourse with various primes in the blue arm of the spiral. It is some comfort to have a solicitor, at the least. None of the other defendents I've seen have had one.
Ah, one unlucky Orren just delivered her defense in the form of an impassioned screed against the abusive power of unjustified authority. The justice convicted her as not merely guilty of the original crime but Egregiously Guilty as well as guilty of Wasting the Court's Time. The latter offense carried its own stiff fine.
It's now nearly a third of an hour past the time my hearing was set for, and only one person left ahead of me. I shall put this aside for the moment; I do not wish to Waste the Court's Time by missing the moment when I am called.
*
Esclegerio went up with me when I was called. The Representative of the Crown summoned one of the guards who'd arrested me. He attested that I had been found unclad at a public assembly and that he had subsequently arrested me for Aggravated Public Indecency. The justice then asked me, "How do you plea?"
Esclegerio cleared his throat. "Pursuant to the Doctrine of Inquisition, my client wishes me to make certain inquiries of Guard Aroway. With your honor's permission?"
The justice waved a midhand. "Granted."
Esclegerio turned to face the guard. "Guard Aroway, did you witness my client disrobe?"
"What?"
"Did you see him remove his clothing?"
"Nope. Was naked when I got there. I tell you, I'd give a lot to un-see that!" There was a ripple of laughter from the watchers at that. Even the justice cracked a smile.
"No doubt. Other than being naked, can you describe his activities at your arrival?"
"Aye! He was chasing a little Orren lady, poor girl."
"And was this little Orren lady carrying anything?"
"Oh, I guess."
"What was it?"
"A big hat-thing."
"Indeed. And did my client explain the reason for his nudity upon his arrest?"
"Sure, he had a crappy excuse. Don't they all?"
"And what was it?"
"Said someone had taken his hat," the guard said. The Justice raised and spread his antenna. The Representative of the Crown lowered her head and pinched the bridge of her muzzle. The guard looked around. "What? 'e was still naked! Doesn't change the facts!"
"No, it does not," Esclegerio said agreeably. He turned back to the justice. "Your honor, precedent in Greensward v The Crown of Daukhrame 3382 and referenced in Mockingbird v the Crown of Daukhrame 3391, Thesory oa Visgalia v the Crown of Daukhrame 3408, etc, etc, establishes that a prime is innocent of wrongdoing if the commission of a crime was involuntary and due to the criminal acts of a third party -- such as having Mentador used to control his mind and force him to steal, or Corpador used to control his body and force him to assault, or -- as in my client's case, his clothing stolen and forcing him to be naked. Accordingly, my client pleads innocent."
The justice glanced at the Representative of the Crown. "Is there any dispute on the facts?"
The Cani sighed, shuffling her papers. She glowered at the guard and then Esclegerio. Esclegerio's expression was largely controlled, but he allowed himself the smallest of smirks. "We have none," the Cani said, resigned.
"Nor do we," said Esclegerio.
"The Court finds the defendant innocent. The Crown is fined 50 lz. for Waste of the Court's Time, payable to the defendant. Next case," the Justice pronounced.
And that was it! I did not so much as utter a word in my own defense, coz. Now I perceive why solicitors are so costly. | | comments: 8 comments or Leave a comment |
| I had made arrangements that Pinsitter and I might dine at Worth Your While. You shall recall it, cuz: the riverfood restaurant with the rubinesque Orren proprietor, Mosplash, and the pink-and-white Rassimel waiter, Vasory, who kept asking about the furstyling trade. It is not precisely upscale, of course, but one may dine there without risk of a brawl erupting, and it is the most fashionable place I know that will serve Khtsoyis. Pinsitter and I floated through their double doors together, tentacle-in-tentacle. Vasory has switched his furstyle to white and white, with white highlights. No, truly -- he was three different shades of white, in an elaborate twining pattern with dots. He looked a bit out of sorts when he caught sight of us, but he rushed to attend us. Their lower floor was roped off when we arrived, but he took up the rope and showed us to a table downstairs -- rather to my surprise, as the main floor was not crowded. But I do not complain! We had the lower floor all to ourselves, and it made the restaurant a charmingly intimate locale. It put me in mind of Gran-Gran's tales of Darraden's, and I mentioned as much to Pinsitter. Naturally, not being of Vheshrame, Pinsitter had not heard of the establishment, so I had to explain about it being Vheshrame's most exclusive eatery, replete with private dining rooms suitable for visiting nobles. "It's famed for its protections against scrying, and as such, host to many secretive conspiracies and assignations."
"Oh? And what sort of secrets d'ya think we're hiding, here?" Pinsitter asked me teasingly. "Ahhh ... no doubt some clever plot to get away with criminal mischief," I said. "Such as being caught nude at a Naked Parade." She giggled, flicking a tentacle at the brim of my chapeau "That seems a little ... normal, to be a clever plot. Can't we have a stranger one?" I thought hard. "Perhaps ... we are spies of the Duke, working in deep cover to ferret out treachery. Skulking amongst the underclass -- how better to go unnoticed?" "Ah! You, maybe, are the loyal Duke's spy," Pinsitter said, snaking one of her tentacles about one of mine. "I am the leader of the rebellion! And you have caught me out. Now ... " Another of her tentacles looped around mine, the two curling around my limbs to draw me closer to her. "The only hope for my rebels is for me ... " She pulled me near enough for me to feel the breath of her words against my skin "... to seduce you to our side." "I daresay ... the Duke is doomed," I murmured. Our waiter, who had thus far shown a much appreciated indifference to our existance, chose that moment to reappear. Pinsitter and I sprang apart while I selected dishes more or less from memory in placing our order. I might never have forgiven Vasory his unwanted diligence had Pinsitter not been quite interested in resuming the little charade as soon as he'd vanished upstairs again. * And no, we did not spend the entire evening pretending to be spies. I am also compelled to note that much of this pretense did, in fact, consist of inventing details of our respective plots -- Pinsitter's rebellion is the Movement to Mandate Nudity, which seeks to make clothing illegal everywhere within the city walls. ("What, even armor?" "Especially armor! What do we have city walls for, anyway?") Naturally, I had infilitrated the movement by being captured as one of their own ("Not so much an "undercover" agent as an "uncovered" one.") Thereby were they tricked into revealing their leader and their plot when they opted to 'rescue' me. As Pinsitter is far more attractive ("Your cause, of course, I mean your cause -- did I leave that word out?") than the Duke's cause, I am now a double-agent in her service. Wait, I already was a double-agent, wasn't I? Triple-agent? Is that a phrase? It was all extremely silly and we spent an inordinate amount of time giggling even before the first glass of wine arrived. The service was shockingly slow, for which I gave Vasory an inordinate tip in thanks. The food was splendid, albeit not so splendid as the company. Pinsitter gave indication that it was entirely Worth Her While, and furthermore consented to repeat the experience in a week's time. Needless to say, I floated all the way home in more than just the literal sense. | | comments: 6 comments or Leave a comment |
| I am pleased to hear you and your brother are doing well, my dear Delight. Do give Void-Dancer my regards when next you see him.
My resumption of duties at the docks has gone well enough, although I'll confess I miss having you around, and miss having abundant time upon my tentacles. Ah, if only I could use Sustenoc Tenpador to make the time fly past whilst I labor at the docks, and Creoc Tempador to make extra time to spend in my off hours! I fear my employer would be less enamored with the prospect than I, however. Also, if I possessed that much skill at magery, I could most likely find employment as a mage and not need the docks at all.
But in this world-tree and not the one of my fantasies, I do find getting paid terribly convenient, and I should be most embarrassed to live always dependent upon the largesse of my friends. The work is simple and easy enough for my tentacles to execute; on balance, it's worth it.
Alas, I'm afraid I've made no progress on the song I was working on when you left. I daresay I spent nearly as many hours being entertained by you whilst you were here as I typically spend at my job. Yet somehow, when I was spending days with you, I was able to complete two songs in twelve days, whilst when my daylit hours are spent in heavy labor, I find myself unable to compose a single note in the evenings. It feels like all I can do just to bang on my drums for a couple of hours. Perhaps my muse simply misses having an appreciative audience close at tentacle-tip.
Nonetheless, I did find time to break out of my routine of work and practice with the quartet to honor my appointment with the lovely Miss Pinsitter. For reasons unfathomable to -- but no less appreciated for that! -- Miss Pinsitter did not send a card to cancel, nor moved without forwarding address, nor put the lights out and instructed her servants not to answer the door when I came to call at the appointed hour.
As I know you will never let me escape without divulging all salient details of the evening, allow me to do so now, lest you be forced to return to Daukhrame and expend the remainder of your fortune beating it from my hide.
Miss Pinsitter has quite a nice home for her neighborhood, which is the Slippery Quarter - but of course you know this, you've visited her yourself. I forget myself! I floated to the second-floor entrance, as requested. Her butler permitted me inside and instructed me to wait a ninth of an hour in the parlor until the lady of the household arrived. Curious decorative wood posts -- not unlike those one might find holding ropes to demarcate a puppet-show line, but sans the rope -- lined a path through the hall and into each room. Did you note those on your visit, Delight?
I don't know if you saw the second-floor parlor. It's rather martial in inclination. I counted three wooden clubs, two steel maces, three steel bucklers, two stone axes, two steel axes, one steel greataxe, and a warharness of finely-tooled leather suitable for carrying at least six or seven of the aforementioned weapons. All of the above looked thoroughly practical, although the metal ones were embossed with a variety of intricate and generally warlike designs. In addition to the array of weapons and armor were a number of trophies: the still-burning tail of a remorshka coiled in the hearth, a half-invisible kathia-table covered by the hide of a perdithorne, the head of a river-gunch, endtables that looked to be made of the chitin of some monster with which I am unfamiliar. There was but a single couch -- in concession to the other prime races, I imagine -- with the rest of the space left open to float through.
I did not have time to finish cataloging the contents of the chamber before my hostess joined me and took my mind quite off her abode. M'lady wore a wide-brimmed chapeau trimmed in gold and white ribbons, and tentacle-bands of gold set with pearlescent glirries. They set off fetchingly the delicate sky-blue hue she had chosen for her skin. I was wearing my best hat for the occasion, of course, and a ribbon 'round my mantle, but I felt quite squalid and grubby by comparison.
Then Pinsitter bestowed a radiant smile upon me, and I forgot any thoughts of myself entirely. I gave her a bow and made an attempt to compliment her. I have no recollection whatsoever of what I said -- indeed, I cannot vouch for certain that the noises I made were actual speech. We engaged in small talk for a ninth of an hour, about something or other which my brain could not be bothered to process properly at the time much less remember now. I am reasonably assured that Miss Pinsitter was speaking normally. Whatever noises my speaking mouth was making without consultation with my mind did not appear to distress her. Instead, she looked rather amused.
I offered her a tentacle. She looped one of hers around mine, and permitted me to float her to the door. | | comments: 6 comments or Leave a comment |
| Voidsy never sleeps when I furstyle him, so we talked while I worked. A lot of Temple stuff, the rites he'd been doing and the kinds of things "Here" like and dislikes and the conversation Voidsy had with a Locador angel last month. I told him what I'd been up to, like visiting Boomsy and rescuing Boomsy and the furstylist's guild going mad and asking me to stand for master.
Void-Dancer laughed so hard at this that I had to stop styling him. "I can't paint you if you curl up like that!"
"S ... sorry," he gasped, schooling his features and straightening out on the bed. "What did Violetbloom say after 'dedi ... dedicate ' -- " Void-Dancer lost it again, doubling up in paroxysms of laughter.
I gave up on furstyling for the moment and got out my scroll to read it aloud in my best crazy-prime-fanatic voice.
When he finally stopped laughing, he insisted on seeing the invitation. So I spent fifteen minutes hunting it down (it was on a shelf in our closet under a clean towel) and let him read it while I tried to finish blackening him.
Void-Dancer flipped it over twice. "Not much for details, are they? So you're not going to stand the test?"
"I don't know. Probably not. I'm rich and retired now and tired of furstyling."
He glanced over his shoulder, watching my fingers work matte black color down to the roots of his fur and stain his skin. "... Sister, if you're tired of furstyling, why did you offer to do my fur?"
I rolled my eyes. "You're my BROTHER, you don't count. And I'm more sick of it as a job than as a hobby."
"Ah." He turned back to the invitation, smirking.
I sighed. "I suppose you think I should do it, too?"
"'Should'?" He chuckled, then laughed. "Absolutely not. The guild has clearly gone mad and has no idea of your typical proclivities. Presuming master furstylists have duties beyond styling, you are wholly unsuited for them and would indubitably make a hash of whatever responsibilities they gave you. They'd probably increase your guild dues and hinge your status as master contingent on continued payment, making it awkward and expensive to go on your random month-long jaunts with no notice. It's a terrible idea for both you and them."
"FINALLY!" I threw up my hands. "SOMEONE understands!"
Void-Dancer snickered. "It would be enormously funny, though."
So I was about two-thirds through with Void-Dancer and working on his chest fur when Glorious Cool walked in.
"Delight! I didn't think -- oops, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt -- " Her ears were flat with embarrasment and she started to back out of the room, then she stopped. "Oh, it's just Void-Dancer." She padded into the room and flopped onto her bed. "How's things, Void?"
"Well enough," my brother answered.
"You know, you've got nice fur," Glorious Cool remarked. "When you're not covering it all up with blacker-than-black-blackening."
"Uh-huh," I said. Void-Dancer didn't dignify it with a response.
Glorious Cool watched me work for a few moments. "I don't get it, Dee. If giving Lady Vina a bad furstyle was so awful that you'd rather get fired than do it, why are you willing to do that to your own brother? Seriously. I've never seen you do a more boring furstyle. Is it revenge for some slight when you were growing up? That time he abandoned you at the market?"
Void-Dancer snorted. "I did not abandon her."
"Noooooo Lady Vina wanted a bad look that didn't suit her at ALL and this style suits Voidsy fine," I told her.
"So you're saying he's boring and black-hearted?"
Void-Dancer rolled his eyes.
"I'm saying -- " I twisted my head to look over my shoulder at her " -- that he dances with Locador angels and serves the god of infinite space, and that if he wants to look like it then that's a pretty fair call."
"Hmph. He still looks better au naturel."
"Stop ogling my brother, Glory."
Glorious Cool flattened her ears and rolled over to face the wall. "As IF." Void-Dancer snickered. | | comments: 4 comments or Leave a comment |
| I was in my room, reading one of Glory's Stone Tree novels, when I heard the knock. I answered the door, and Void-Dancer was standing in the hallway.
"Voidsy!" I yelped, and gave him a big hug. "How are you it's so good to see you again is everything going well at the temple Masksy says it's been busy?"
He patted my back awkwardly. "I am fine, sister. Mersillia said you'd called?"
"I did but I didn't think you'd call back I was going to try again tomorrow or the next day why don't you come on in?" I stood aside to let him into my room, then scurried ahead to dump the pile of dirty laundry off one of the chairs and onto Glory's bed, and moved the pile of clean laundry off the other chair and onto my bed. "Sorry it's a mess we don't usually have people in if it's nice outside."
Void-Dancer watched me with one of his faintly amused smirks. He was wearing everyday robes, not his formal ones from the temple. They had a plain cut and no embroidery but were otherwise black just like his temple ones. Voidsy really likes black. But his fur was faded back to its natural brown with a dusting of tiny beige spots. "How old are you, Delight-in-Justice?"
"I'm Delight-in-No-More-Surprises now and 27*? Eleven years younger than you you know that. "
[[ * About 21 Earth years. ]]
"Sometimes I find it hard to credit that you are grown up now."
I giggled. "I guess I'll always be the baby sister to you just like I'm still Dad-Dad's fiddle-of-pearl."
He shook his head, dusting off the chair with one hand before he took a seat. "No, I don't think that's it. What did you wish to see me regarding, Delight-in-No-More-Surprises?"
"I wanted to say hi to you and see how you were doing because I haven't seen you in months and months since I've been out of town?"
He gave me a suspicious look. "Is that all?"
"Yes?" I tried to think if there was anything else. "Oh!"
Void-Dancer leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest, eyebrow whiskers raised. "Yes?"
"Did you want me to do your fur in black again or are you going back to natural?"
He looked at me for a moment, blinking, then smiled wryly. "Yes, thank you. I'd appreciate that."
So he took off his robes and lay down on my bed with a blanket over the parts of him I wasn't furstyling at the present time. I started with his right arm. "Do you want just plain black again?" I always ask.
"Yes. Matte, please." And he always wants just plain black.
"Are you sure? I could do your chest in silver for contrast."
"I'm sure."
"Or stars! I could put stars in with the black."
"No. Thank you."
"Teeny tiny stars? All in one color? Like your natural spots?"
"Just black will do, Delight." He thinks his natural spots are undignified. I like them! Maybe next time I re-do my fur I'll add spots like his.
"Oh all right."
Void-Dancer's fur is kind of challenging to do even though he does want BLACK JUST BLACK every time. Because he wants a flat black and fur is usually glossy. And nobody wants fur that isn't glossy -- usually everyone's asking how to make it shine MORE, not LESS. So I don't get much chance to do matte colors. If you do matte black right, it looks like you're a piece of night itself, like the eye can't even find your features and just slides to the edges to see your outline. It's a pretty cool effect! But if you do matte black wrong, it just looks like you're really sick and have been subsisting on magic-created food. The first time Void-Dancer had it done was like that. Our parents pitched a fit! If he'd still been living at home I think they would've dragged him back to a furstylist for a new style on the spot. I wasn't a licensed furstylist back then but I'd always liked to style my friends' fur for fun and I had a basic fur-styling spell grafted. I'd noticed over the next few months that he kept letting it grow out then getting it done again by some different stylist and finally I had asked, "Why do you keep doing that to your fur is it an acolyte thing you're supposed to look sickly because "Here" is torturing you?"
He had growled at me. "Perhaps."
"You know black fur is supposed to have highlights right?"
"I don't want highlights. I want the black of the void."
"..." I'd studied him. "You know you're getting the black of I-need-to-eat-more-fish-and-nuts, right?"
Void-Dancer had glowered at me.
"I'm just saying that if you want the black of the void you can do better. Here, I'll show you."
"I am not letting you experiment on me."
So I'd painted one of my hands very carefully, until it was so perfectly black you couldn't see the knuckles or pads or even claws except for their edges. "See? Like that."
Ever since then Voidsy's been letting me do his fur. | | comments: 5 comments or Leave a comment |
| Since Void-Dancer won't be at the No Surprise party, I decided to go see him today. I checked at his house but the only one home was his maid so I told her to tell him I'd called and that I'd stop by another day. If I waited for Void-Dancer to call me back every time he wasn't home I'd NEVER see him again. He's not very good at social stuff like that.
I went to the Temple of Reflections in the Void next and as usual stopped in the entranceway to spend some time staring at the windows to other places and worlds. I was especially looking for worlds with a lot of Durudor so I could spot ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1) gavinfox's and vik_thor's world maybe. I found one that might have been it! The window showed what looked kind of like a city intersection but instead of buildings made of wood they were made of MIRRORS. And not LITTLE buildings either! They were all jammed next to one another with no space in between, and they stretched so high that the window didn't show their tops. I counted at least eight levels of mirrors on one and each mirror was half again as tall as the people swingng around. The mirrors weren't perfectly reflective so it wasn't a blinding hall-of-Illusidor effect. On the streets were metal carriages that rolled along by magic without anything pulling them. And the people looked like they were made of Durudor too! They had eight legs ending in hand-feet and many of them moved around by swinging on thick ropes that spun out from their abdomens. It looked like a lot of fun swinging around among the tall buildings! So is that like your world Gavsy?
Visiting "Here" reminded me that I STILL haven't gotten a present for Kvarse ARGH and I have no idea what to get her. I haven't seen any interesting animals on my journeys! I might have to go on an Adventure just to find something. I looked in the mirrors for cute animals she might like and saw some pretty ones with heads like a taptet but slender and delicate four-legged bodies with no arms. They had short brown fur and white spots on their flanks. They were in a section of a forest where everything was in shades of brown or grey or green. All the grass and moss and leaves were green and all the wood and earth was brown or grey. Do you know a place like that, Boomsy? One of them would make a good gift if I had any idea where to actually find them.
Or I could just donate a bunch of lozens to the Nastrothon Memorial Sanctuary. Kvarse'd like that.
I was still looking at windows in the entrance hall when Mask of Infinity came out. He was escorting an unhappy-looking Sleeth. "The Temple appreciates your donation," Mask was saying. "I know it can be unsettling, but the ceremony went quite well. "Here" looks with favor upon your endeavor. That's just ... one of the ways he shows it."
The Sleeth lashed her tail. "Knowing this and being pleased by it are not being the same thing. I get what I come for. I go now." She slunk off.
I waited until she was out the door and then waved. "Hiiiii Mask-max!"
Mask of Inifinty sighed as he watched the patron depart and then turned to me with a smile. "Hello, Delight. Good to see you again, it's been quite a while."
"Soooorry I've been out of town mostly! I was gone all Chirreb on a stupid adventure and then most of Oix visiting Boomer-rooners but I'm back now. How have you been?"
"Busy. We're a bit short-handed at present. I don't suppose you've ever considered a calling with the Lord of Space?" Mask of Infinity grinned and winked at me to show he wasn't very serious.
"I did remember I worked at the Temple for um three weeks in 4378?"
"So you did. Whyever did we let you go? Your parents talk you out of it?"
"Noooo they usually wait a couple of months before trying to talk any of us out of things because we'll probably stop on our own," I said. "Velabble fired me because I forgot to show up for three ceremonies in a row where I was supposed to be assisting. She said 'I don't care how fond of you 'Here' is, if you're not present you're no use to us!'" I shrugged helplessly.
"Ah. I suppose she had a point. Not interested in giving it another go, then?" Mask walked with me back in to the main sanctuary.
"Noooo I'm rich and retired now are you reeeeeeally this desperate? Why don't you just hire Nightbloom back?"
Mask of Infinity's smile faded, and he just shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not an option."
"Why not could she really have done something worse than not showing up three times in a row with no notice?" I asked, as we knelt together towards the altar.
He shook his head again as we rose. "I can't discuss that, Delight. And it's been seven years for you. I'm sure you've matured since then."
Now I really wanted to know how Nightbloom managed to get fired, but I let the topic go as we walked the straight line crooked to the altar. "Not really I got fired in Lage for kinda the same thing."
Mask of Infinity tried to stifle a smile and failed. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's all right being rich is better. Is Void-Dancer around I was looking for him?"
"Alas, he's scheduled for an off-site rite all day today."
"Awww all right I'll just say hi to "Here" and all the angels while I'm here." I gave the Temple a donation since I'm rich and paid my respects and one of the angels impaled me a little in greeting which was unexpected. But that's why I have Remedy for Locador and it was nothing serious.
I went home afterwards and figured I'd try again tomorrow. But then Void-Dancer surprised me by returning my call that evening. | | comments: 13 comments or Leave a comment |
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