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It's late enough in Nevermore's shift at Book's that it is, in fact, morning. The sun has only just started peaking over the horizon, birds are chirping, and Nevy is nodding along to the CD player beside them as as a soulful woman entreats the listener to hold her hand, as it's a long way down to the bottom of the river.
The chime rings above the door, and in walks an older woman with her greying hair worn loose, dressed in a cobalt blue dress. "Nevermore Usher, are you in here?" There's a warmth in her voice as she calls over the sound of the music.
The smile appearing on Nevy's face is like a rose blooming on a moonlit midnight. They nearly knock the CD player over in their haste to pause the music. "Auntie!" They squeeze out from behind the desk, and seem about to pounce on Dandelion with a hug before they pause themself. "How are you feeling? Are you... did you get injured?"
"I did, but I'm better now." She opens her arms in a way that is clearly an invitation. "I'm so much better now."
The invitation is all Nevy needed. They half-jump into Dandy's arms, clinging tightly. "I was so worried!"
And Dandelion, in the manner of any grandmother you please, kisses their forehead a few times. "I'm okay. I promise, I'm okay now. I'm home, and I'm well, and everyone got out safely. Everyone made it safely. And I got to cut a Beshilu in half, so I triumphed in the end."
Nevy sniffles, but chuckles. "That's the important part, then. As long as you had an opportunity to properly bisect something."
The chime above the door rings again, and a small figure slides into the place, hood up over their head and hands shoved into their sweatshirt pocket. They seem to be going for the unobtrusive look, at the moment, especially given the happy reunion going on, but there's a flash of familiarity in their eyes as they see Dandy. Their face is half hidden in the shadow of their hood, but their eyes have dark smudges underneath them.
Nevy clears their throat as they see the door open. "Sorry," They say in a slightly hoarse voice. "Yes, we're open, but... um... I'll be with you in just a moment?"
Dandy looks over her shoulder. "Calamity. Would you like to join the hug? Nevermore, Calamity was with me down below. They're one of the bravest people I've ever met, and helped face the Beshilu that blocked our way out."
"'S fine." They say to Nevy with a small wave of their hand. And then they dip their head still more. "I...'m not a big hugger, really...?" You know. Besides that hug they gave Finley as soon as they saw zhem.
Nevy blinks at Calamity. "You... oh. Um... hi!" They hug Dandy tighter for a second, then loosen the hug enough to try to get a bit more of a look at the younger psychic. "I'm glad you guys got out." They shake themselves and give a proper overly-elaborate bow. "Nevermore Usher, at your service."
Dandelion gives Calamity a knowing look, but doesn't call bullshit aloud, her smile crooked. "It's good to see you again. Recovering from everything alright?"
Nevermore does look like they'd give really good hugs, though. If Calamity was the sort. Just sayin'. :wink:
"...Yeah. You know." A shrug, and they actually wrap their arms around their own self. "You got hurt worse'n I did, your friends fix your shit up?" A beat. "Nevermore, 's like that raven shit, right?" They give Nevermore an appraising look as well, their pale eyes a little glazed over.
Nevy nods, but frowns. "Are... you okay?" They glance at Dandelion, then back to Calamity. "Did the, um..." They hesitate. "If we're going to talk too much, maybe we should head in back? I've got a room set up for privacy."
"Yes, they took very good care of me. My sort-of boss, the one who sent the swords, took care of it, while lecturing me about not letting him know before infilt...." There's a pause, as Dandelion's attention focuses on Calamity. And then she nods slightly, tracking what happened that night. "We can quibble the definition of 'hurt' later. I just have one immediate question: did they have your permission?"
Calamity frowns right back at Nevy and scoffs. "Yeah, 'm fine." It's defensive. Their frown deepens at Dandy's question, but they slowly bring their arms down, tugging at their cuffs rather than hugging themself.
"Yeah. They...were so bad off, kinda had to convince 'em to let me help." They scuff their boot across the floor.
"You're up and standing, and after the fight we had, it's no wonder they were in such bad shape." She nods her understanding. "Just make sure you eat well for the next week, red meats if you can manage it. McDonalds, Burger King. I'd say spinach, too, for the iron, but you don't strike me as the sort of kid to eat their vegetables."
Nevy frowns thoughtfully. "Do you need some coffee or something? I've got a pot I've been keeping warm." They glance at the clock. "I mean... since midnight, but still."
"Even if they won't have coffee, I will. If you have non-sugar sweeteners on hand, that is."
"'F you got sugar. Or those hot chocolate packets? Fuck I could go for a burger right now though..." Calamity scratches their cheek. "No spinach though - but tomato'n lettuce on a burger's fine." They wrinkle their nose, but flash Dandy a smile.
Nevy nods. "Here, gimme a sec." They head to the door, scribble "Back in 5 minutes" on the "Closed" sign in dry-erase marker, stick it in the doorway, lock it, and gesture for the other two to follow. "All right. C'mon."
Dandelion nods, following Nevermore to the back room. "Thank you for your hospitality."
Calamity follows too, their hands in their pockets again, eyeing the books around them as they go.
Much books! many page! wow!
Nevy leads them through a bookshop that's not actually an eldritch maze which twists time and space inside itself, just a used bookstore (meaning the next best thing). They open a doorway into the back, and step into a small storage room - maybe 10 by 10. The walls are undecorated but covered in chicken wire, and there's a shelf near the door, on which is a radio (which Nevy turns on, then points to the wall). They point to the desk that's about a foot from the back wall. "Coffee and fixings are over there." They head to the card table in the middle of the room and unfold an extra chair so that all 3 can sit.
What I'm saying is that this is clearly the swankiest Safe Place ever.
"Nevermore was one of the people I reached out to in the Astral while we were below. They share some talents with me." This is said to Calamity, as she moves to Do The Coffee Thing, sweetening heavily with Equal or Splenda, if either is on hand.
"...Cool." Calamity eyes Nevy with something bordering on interest, now that their not-mundane status has been confirmed. "I can't do any of that...mind shit. I just play with fire." Even weak and tired as they are, the grin they flash at Nevy is bright and wicked.
Nevy chuckles. "Most of my stuff isn't super-mindey either." They pitch their voice low and spooky. "I see dead people." They chuckle. "Well. Hear, mostly." They gesture. "Oh - in the drawer of the desk are some all-night takeout menus, if you're hungry."
"Excellent. Calamity, I'm buying you a proper dinner, don't argue." Dandelion starts to look through the menus.
"Oh fuck yes," they say to Nevy, and they make a beeline for the menus as Dandy starts to speak. "You - you don't gotta?" Their stomach grumbles. "I don't gotta problem spending money on this kinda shit."
"I said 'don't argue'. Believe it or not, I've been chewed on like you were. Someone else bought dinner for me afterward. I'm paying it forward."
She considers the menus, and looks up at Nevermore. "You too, this one's on me."
Nevy blinks. "Are you sure? I mean..."
"...Thanks. 'S not so bad really, feels good at least. While it's happening." Calamity looks over the coffee station for any sign of swiss miss.
"Pizza? No, too greasy, I think. Ooh, sports bar that delivers. How do you feel about ribs and wings? That or the Thai place." She grins, completely ignoring Nevermore's question.
There's a couple packets. They might have been manufactured after the end of the cold war. Maybe.
Nevy makes an "Ah," expression and nods understanding. They look at Dandelion. "The sports bar has decent burgers."
"I'd kill for some ribs right now." Calamity's stomach rumbles again. "Even better than a burger. Or both...?" They look at Dandy hopefully.
"Both. Though I'm getting a full rack of ribs and will take a couple for myself. They're a personal weakness of mine."
She pulls out her phone and places the order, also adding on an order of the deep-fried bacon appetizer and the chocolate and caramel sauces served with the donut dessert plate, in a way that implies that those two are meant to go together.
Nevy side-eyes her. "Ummmm..." They glance at the Equal packets on the table as they try to find the right way to say this.
"I won't be eating that all myself. I'm certain Calamity will assist--and I know you have a sweet tooth, Nevermore." She winks. "That and I've been back on my meds and doing much better since getting home. I can indulge in moderation."
Calamity is busy making a cheap imitation of a mocha, mixing the ancient hot chocolate with a cup of coffee, and misses some of the subtext. But only some of it. "I'll totally help with all of it. Are the donuts happening too, or just the sauces...?" They take a small sip from their mug, and shrug before taking another one.
"...and an order of donuts." She tells the man on the phone, before offering her credit card number for the order.
Nevy nods. "Donuts are happening." They look at Dandy. "And I'm getting the next one, all right?"
"Deal. Also, if you speak to Heather before I do? Remind her she owes me a strawberry cake. She knows Ancient Jedi Secrets to making one that's completely carb-neutral." Food order done, Dandelion moves to sit down at the card table, arraying herself on the folding chair like a queen on a throne.
"Sweet..." Calamity's smiling now, the coffee and the promise of an actual meal perking them right up.
"Strawberry cake?" They lean against the coffee station and cock their head at Dandy, looking very interested.
Nevy smirks, then glances at Calamity and nods a little. "I will - but I'd be surprised if you don't see her first?"
"Strawberry cake. When I went into her dreams, I made her promise me one, when we made it out. After I fed her the layout of the room and the cages and the altar. She's such a smart girl, I'm glad the information was useful to her. Calamity, do you want me to call you when I have the cake? I'm not against sharing."
"I mean." Calamity shrugs, affecting that air of teen apathy. Badly. "If you want."
"I'd need your number, in order to do that, though." She pulls her phone back out.
Nevy hides a smile by going over to make themselves a cup of coffee, with just one cream and as much sugar as will dissolve.
Calamity tugs their phone out of their back pocket - a battered smartphone more than a few generations out of date - and hunts through the thing until they have their number in front of them to recite. "Strawberries are my fuckin' favorite, t'be honest."
She saves the number, nodding. "Mine too. That's why I asked for that, specifically. And they're in season--I need to check if Maddy's been growing any in her garden this year."
Nevy nods, taking a seat and looking to Calamity. "So you're a firestarter? That's pretty cool."
"Yeah. I don't get a lotta chance to practice, people get pissy about settin' fires..." Calamity rolls their eyes and takes a sip of mocha, but they look kinda pleased that Nevy thinks their power is cool. "An' I don't know shit about ghosts, I got a friend who can like, talk to spirits but I got no clue about any'a that."
"I can hear spirits and ghosts, though I've honed my talents to a very different end than Nevermore--as I think you had opportunity to see, that night. I see myself as more 'exorcist' than 'medium'. Though, I respect the fuck out of Nevermore's work as well."
Nevy nods. "I can speak with them, let them write with my hands... even channel them directly..." They look uncomfortable at that, briefly touching their necklace. Then they blink. "Oh!" They start rummaging in their satchel. "I've got one of these for you, Auntie."
"Couple months ago, I didn't even know ghosts exist. Dandelion was badass, everything she did." There's something of a glowing look there as they explain to Nevy.
"That's very kind of you, Nevermore. Thank you." A nod, then she looks at Calamity. "There's actually one part of it that I can teach you. The part where I ended the Ban against leaving by making that big speech? That's not actually wholly a function of my powers, that's something just about any person could learn."
Nevy pulls out a tangle of threads, sorts out one ceramic disk with a rose symbol drawn on it like their own, and proffers it to Dandelion. Then they look to Calamity. "I... no, I can't say I'm sad I missed it, but I absolutely believe you." They give Dandy a fond look. "Auntie's one in a million."
"Yeah you missed a lot, but it ain't anything that's worth bein' a part of," Calamity agrees. "That's - you can teach that?" Their eyes go a little wide. "I dunno if I could make a speech like that, 'm better at runnin' away than talkin' to people like that."
"The speech isn't something I wrote. It's part of a speech by Teddy Roosevelt. But the process of what I was doing? Was the same internally that priests do, when they perform real exorcisms. The speech is a focus, almost a meditative exercise. It keys me into the mindset I need to be in, to do an abjuration. You could, quite frankly, do the same with the lyrics to a punk song. Or recite an occult formula. A piece of poetry. The words weren't the point, in themselves. The quality of my soul was."
Nevy ponders this. "Does it have to be something someone else wrote?"
"Not at all. It just needs to resonate with your soul. Of course, if you can...manipulate the context of an abjuration to resonate with the highest qualities in yourself, it does help. As does ensuring that it isn't a function of your personal vices, if you can avoid it."
Nevy considers this. "It's a good thing I've no vices at all, then," They say. They strike a pose. "No, my soul is completely pure, as unstained as the soothing darkness of a pristine cavern."
"Dunno 'f I'm ever gonna be around ghosts and shit enough to need to do an exorcism like that....but 's pretty cool." They snort at Nevy's antics and finish their mocha. "Fuck...I know they got a lotta food to make but I'm hungry."
"Of course you are, your body is trying to keep up with the trauma it's been under." She chuckles. "But I'm glad you're okay."
Calamity wrinkles their nose. "'Course I'm okay. Just lost a little blood, I've been worse..."
Nevy eyes them. "It... uh, kind of looks like you lost more than a little."
Dandy's phone pings, and she grins. "I'll go bring the food in. Excuse me a moment."
"Been worse off," Calamity says with a shrug. "'M just tired, not beat to shit. You know?" They say it casually, like Nevy's gonna totally get what they're talking about.
Nevy blinks. "Um... I'm... really not much for a fight, to be honest." They give a lopsided smile. "I'd rather talk my way out of them, when I can."
"I'm not sayin' I'm any good in a fight - better at runnin' away. Sometimes I ain't fast enough." A shrug. "So I'm used to takin' a couple hits. This's real different."
Nevy tilts their head. "If you say so."
Dandy returns, laying the food out over the desk. "Alright. Burger for Calamity, and here's the ribs. Nevermore, here's yours. Here's my salad..."
"Gods This looks good," Nevy says. They attack their burger with a vengeance.
"Fuck yes. Thanks." And Calamity proceeds to attack the burger, curling around it slightly as they eat, their entire field of view narrowed to the food they've got in front of them.
There is a smug look on Dandy's face as she watches the pair of youngsters dig in, before she starts on her Caesar salad.
For a few minutes, the only sound coming from Nevermore is Munch munch munch
"I do need to get myself a better shiny sword, if I'm going to be getting into fights like that again. It was nice to borrow Yoshitsune's daisho, but katanas are very not my aesthetic." Musing thoughtfully over her meal.
Calamity practically inhales their food, starting on the ribs after their burger is gone. They do save some for Dandy, of course, and starts eyeing the donuts. Dessert time yet?
Nevy tilts their head. "I mean... don't count your old one out. It was fond enough of you to give us a few tips about how to get you out."
"Oh! Was it really? I do love that blade. No one uses khopeshes these days...they're seen as almost primative." She tuts, before nodding at Calamity. "Go on, go on."
Calamity's just polite enough to finish eating before they start talking. "...You talked to a sword?"
Nevy nods. "I assume so. At least, the cryptic messages its spirit chose to write were helpful, so." They shrug one shoulder. "I don't know enough about spirits to really interpret their moods." They glance at Calamity. "Not... exactly. I called upon its spirit to give us guidance helping get Auntie out of the rat den, using automatic writing."
"I've had that sword for twenty years now, since a spirit melted my broadsword with some sort of power that called up acid." She grins. "I'm too old to be walking around with a broadsword anyway. It looks like I'm compensating, if I do."
"...Swords have spirits?" Calamity drenches a donut in caramel and shoves it in their mouth.
Nevy blinks. "If you ever feel like writing out your memoires, I will gladly ghostwrite them for you. We could probably sell them as an urban fantasy series and make millions." They grin. "Plus I want to hear more of these stories!" They look at Cal. "From what I hear, almost everything has spirits. From trees to telephones."
"And even things that aren't physical. There are spirits for emotions. Or times of day. I wouldn't be surprised if you're considered something of a celebrity by spirits of fire."
"...Huh." Calamity blinks, and grins. "I mean that's pretty cool. Like to meet a fire spirit one day maybe."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." She smirks.
Nevy chuckles. "I'd be interested in seeing that, but only if one of you knows how to add an asbestos lining to my coat."
"That'd probably be something for me to ask Liezel with help with. She's the crafter among my kids." Dandelion snatches one donut, dipping it into the caramel sauce and savoring it slowly, very slowly. They're yeast doughnuts, small and plain, but for the lightest dusting of sugar--which makes them pair perfectly with the sauces.
Calamity grabs another to try the chocolate sauce this time. "I could prob'ly make the fire go away if anything really bad happened. Prob'ly." They look maybe less confident in that than would make anyone comfortable.
"It might be best to practice, until you're sure." She nods sagely.
Nevy nods. "Please. I'd love to see what you can do sometime, but I'm not up for the Freddy Kreuger look."
"Fair 'nuff." They shrug, and finish off the donut in their hands. "I'll make sure I'm extra good an' rested, too, 'cause I'm always better at it when I am."
"That tends to be the case, with psychic powers. There's...a sort of internal energy that is possible to tap into, that we often use. It's actually not entirely unlike the reserve of strength that people find they have when desperate. We just have pathways wired to it, I think."
Nevy nods. "I know that trying to figure out how to let the unseen move my hands was draining. As bad as trying to put together my final portfolio back in college."
"Makes sense though, for it to take energy like that. 'Cause the ability's gotta come from somewhere."
"It's definitely not something defined by virtue, where 'good people get powers', nor is it a divine blessing, as far as I've been able to tell. But beyond that, I don't want to dig too deep for fear of running into centipede's dilemma."
Nevy raises an eyebrow. "Have any of your friends in the, uh... Star Wars fandom offered to run tests on you?"
"...." Calamity looks between the two of them, clearly not understanding.
"Oh, of course. But I don't want to end up feeling like a specimen, and they can have a horrible habit of making one's lived experiences feel like their mystery to unravel. And my first teacher among them was...well, I'll be frank, he was an asshole who liked to fuck with my mind and my memories. I don't trust most people in there now."
A pause, she looks at Calamity. "Centipede's dilemma is based on a story of an ant who asked a centipede how it managed to coordinate all its legs. It lifted one foot and looked at it. Lifted another. Tried to come up with an answer, and never was able to walk again because it was thinking too hard about how to do so."
Nevy looks horrified. "That's... ugh, I don't blame you. That kind of thing - messing with peoples' minds like that? It's dreadful."
They wrinkle their nose. "He sounds like a fuckin' asshole, shit. Wouldn't trust anyone in my brain after that either."
"And so it is. Unless I can meet someone in the middle--within dreams--I don't play with the idea of people prodding at my mind."
Nevy nods. "I really don't like the idea either. My mind... it's... it's my mind. It's me. Someone else changing that..." They struggle for words for a moment before shrugging expressively.
"Exactly." Calamity nods emphatically. "Even dream shit makes me a little..." they shudder for dramatic effect.
"I won't visit you in your dreams unless it's truly necessary, then. Nevermore, would you like me to avoid yours in the future as well? I won't apologize for visiting without asking while I was in the Lair, but I can avoid it in the future."
Nevy shakes their head. "As long as you don't try to... change me or control me or anything like that, I don't mind."
"I would not do that to you, Nevermore. I like who you are and how you are, far too much." She grins, beginning to clean up the garbage from their meal. Somehow, she ordered just enough to feed all of them, even taking Calamity's state into effect.
"Thanks for the food. I should...head out." Calamity helps with the cleaning, though, and even makes sure their mug is rinsed out.
She texts before Calamity goes, so they have her number. "Be safe, Calamity."
Nevy takes a moment to wipe down the table once dinner's done - they apparently don't want any vermin in here. "It was nice to meet you. Did you want my number, too? I figure we small fries ought to stick together, with so many whoppers around."
"...Sure, yeah, if you wanna." They dig their phone back out and recite their number. "See yinz around." As they head off, they pull a battered pack of cigarettes from their pocket and stick one in their mouth, lighting up the second they're out the door.
She watches them go with a crooked smile. "That kid is trouble. Even if I'd rather have done it in different circumstances? I'm glad I met them."
Nevy nods. "What do they do for a living, do you know?"
"I'm not sure they have what you or I would look at and call a living, honestly. And for someone else to come in and try to fix that would almost certainly be met with opposition. They're fiercely independent, and have been hurt before, and cling desperately to what they've been able to build for themself, in terms of relationships and a life."
Nevy considers that, then nods and sighs. "I can understand that, I guess. I mean, it's not like there's much I could do other than try to get them a job here, anyway - and I'm... not sure if a pyrokinetic in a bookstore is a great idea."
"Their control is, generally, on point. I've seen them light up and use their power to fight--against the Beshilu. Which would normally be a very silly thing to do when there's a vampire involved with the fight, but they were good about keeping it out of line-of-sight."
Their eyebrows shoot up. "That's... pretty cool." They consider Dandy. "Do you think you're going to try to get them added to the Jedi Auxiliaries?" They gesture to themself.
She considers that question for a moment, her smile dimming. "I'm not certain, yet. I mentioned them in abstract to Yoshitsune, when I returned the swords. But...I have trouble imagining them dealing well with Awakened Society. But. But. They know more about mages than they ought to, strictly speaking. And that may become a problem at some point."
Nevy frowns. "I really don't like the whole 'join us or we'll dot dot dot intimidating pause' part of that culture. Calamity and I... we're not Mages, but we're part of this world, just the same as the vampires or the Lost. Like... Take Maddy's. Any vampire could walk in off the street, but I wasn't allowed until Charleville gave his okay?"
"I know what you mean." She sighs heavily. "Trust me, I know exactly what you mean."
"They don't realize how condescending they are, do they?"
"Would you believe they're more self-aware here than in most cities?" She laughs aloud. "There is a reason the Hierarch in this city always changes their shadow name to Penance, when they accept the position. As an acknowledgement of the hubris of the founding Hierarch of the Consilium. But. Knowing that doesn't always mean that every mage recognizes it in themselves on a moment-to-moment basis."
Nevermore nods. "If I'm going to be honest? That's what's holding me back from accepting Charleville's offer to join the assembly. He seemed to think it was about being afraid." They shake their head. "I've been living with this world since I was three, and I did it alone. I just... I won't be a second-class citizen. I won't."
"The Children of the Tree and the Free Council are going to tend to be better about it than the Consilium. And I say this as someone who has spent forty-odd years working with the Consilium. But, lesser of two evils, of course." She looks thoughtfully at the ceiling a moment. "I'm tempted to send you to meet with one of the leaders among the Children of the Tree. Their philosophy regarding everything is a very different one. They really will treat you like one of the family, from the beginning."
Nevy nods slowly. "I wouldn't mind it. Charleville... I could tell he honestly believed in what he was saying. But he also made things sound... uncomfortably like a gear-up to active war. Which... really isn't me."
"That's a Charleville thing, not a Free Council thing, if it helps any." She doesn't bother to suppress her smirk.
Nevy nods. "He's invited me to visit the Assembly to see what it's like, the next time they meet."
"Which is coming up not this weekend, but next. If you get a chance, talk to Baldur, Balm, Weaver or Peacekeeper about the Children of the Tree."
Nevy nods slowly. “Do they wear name tags, or...?” They smirk a bit.
"Big question up front: do you suffer from arachnophobia?"
Nevy raises their eyebrows. "No, I love spiders. They're either adorable, cool, or both."
"Weaver's the person who's part jumping spider. Balm will be the oldest person in the room. Peacekeeper has traditional Maori facial tattoos--she'll be one of two Maori women in the room, tell the other one that her Whaea says hello. And Baldur's a young androgynous native American." She counts them off thoughtfully.
Nevy nods, then blinks. "Part jumping spider?" They say. "Are we talking 'Peter parker' or 'Seth Brundle with two more legs?"
"Would having that answer before you meet them remove the delight and wonder of that first meeting?"
Nevy considers that. “You show great wisdom, Auntie.”
"I would not deprive you of that experience." She grins. "It would be cruel, quite frankly."
“Well, thank you. I look forward to meeting them.” They glance at the clock and jump guiltily. “I need to reopen the store!”
"And I need to get home and get to bed. But one more hug before I do?"
Nevy hugs as requested. “I’m glad you got...what’s the word? ‘Extracted?’ Safe.”
"Escaped with the aid of a secondary infiltration team." She laughs, and squeezes tightly. "I am too. Thank you, dear."
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