Midsummer 10, 6107 RTR (Apr 27, 2007) Amy drags Zahn to see Madame Natasha far too early in the morning, and arrangements are made to deal with Clover's condition.
(Amelia) (Blood From A Stone) (Madame Natasha) (Stonebarrow) (Sylvania) (Zahnrad)
---

    Gypsy Camp
    Just across the Milk Run Bridge from Stonebarrow, this flat, clear area has been set aside for travelers and merchants. Two freshwater wells are on site, along with a large map of the area and some bathroom facilities next to the swamp (where nobody will notice the smell). Currently, the area is temporary home to the Shadows Walk gypsy tribe. There colorful wagons are more or less centered on a central bonfire pit, and various lines run between the tops of the wagons to dry clothes or hang blankets to create larger private areas. The smell of various types of cooking keeps the odor of the swamp at bay.

It's early. In fact, it's early enough that Zahn complained, protested, and practically had to be dragged out of bed. Daylight is just starting to creep through the overcast sky as Amelia and Zahn finally make their way into the gypsy camp. "Did we have to get up this early?" Zahn complains yet again as he stifles a yawn. "And how do you know if she'll even be awake yet? The camp looks dead." And boy is that true, too. All around them everything is dark and motionless. Even the air is still cold and still from the night.

"She seems like an early riser to me," Amy replies. "Besides, I want to get to her before someone else comes and asks her for something." The Kadie goes up to Natasha's wagon, and knocks lightly on the door.

"I've always heard felines are lazy," Zahnrad mutters from behind Amelia. It isn't more than a few seconds before Amelia heard Natasha call out, "The door is open, Miss Blacktail and Mr. Kettenrad. Vou are velcome to enter."

"See?" Amy says to Zahn, and opens the door. "Good morning, Madame Natasha," she says as she steps into the wagon. "I hope you're doing well today?"

    Madame Natasha's Wagon
    Dark. Very, very dark. The Khatta seems to prefer to keep the lights low in her somber wagon. The walls are draped in black fabric with arcane silvery symbols. In the center of the wagon sits a round table that's about enough to seat three people around it. In the center of the table rests a crystal ball. A few feet behind the table hangs another sheet of dark fabric, presumably for keeping her bedding and personal items away from prying eyes.

"Yeah, but how did she know who was knocking?" Zahnrad points out. Inside the wagon Natasha is lounging in a chair near the curtain covering her sleeping area. She's dressed in a light robe that's loosely tied shut. Upon the tip of her nose rests a small pair of glasses, presumably for reading given there is a book open in her lap. Of course, most of that is overshadowed by the fast there is a serpentine shape (lizard?) curled around her shoulders and peering down at the book as well. With the way the creature glows (the only real light in the room light now) and is slightly translucent, it's obvious that it's some sort of magical construct.

"Vou are up rather early," Natasha notes as she closes her book and slips her reading glasses off. Her serpent peers intently at the two Kadies. Its forked tongue flicks at them.

"Well, it was important that we see you… uh, it's just you right?" Amy asks, peering at the lizard. "That's not Mage Qing's familiar is it?"

"It is my familiar," Natasha says, "First time in many years since I invoked it. Do not mind him; he only speaks if it is important." The lizard perks up a bit and adds to that, "Or very bored. I am still not sure I forgive her for neglecting me this long."

Natasha reaches back and 'pats' the construct which seems to placate it slightly. "Viktor is asleep behind the curtain. But he sleeps like the dead most nights, so ve have privacy. If it concerns vou too much, ve can go elsevhere," she offers.

As much as Amy would like to ask more about the familiar, she sticks to her original intent. "Umm, I was hoping you might be able to do us a little, teensy favor, Natasha?" she asks, making a 'teensy' gesture by holding her thumb and forefinger close together. "If you have the time, that is. Wait… Viktor?" She glances at the curtain. "I… uh… didn't think he'd be sleeping for awhile, after having slept so much recently."

"It vas a busy night," Natasha remarks. The lizard somehow manages a smirk, but before it can say anything, Natasha continues, "Coming here this early implies it isn't so small, but it is of no real matter. Vhat is it vou vish of me?"

"Well… did Bra-… did Viktor mention the Lapi girl we brought to the castle right after he woke up?" Amy asks. "We think she was kidnapped by the trolls, and they did something to her head. She says they filled her up with stuff she doesn't understand and it's driving her bonkers. So… we thought maybe you could do that dream-spirit thingy like you did with Viktor, and Zahn can go in and straighten it all out."

"Hm. He mentioned it, ves. But it really isn't my place to get involved with someone outside my tribe," Natasha says. The lizard perks up, noting, "Not that it ever stops her." After poking the reptile, she says, "Vhat vou ask isn't entirely easy to do. It is a bit of a misuse of the spirit link spell to accomplish. How close is Zahn to this Lapi? Does he love her or has he mated vith her?"

Amelia looks to Zahn to answer that.

That gets a cough out of Zahn. "No, I don't love her! I've never slept with her either!" he blurts out quickly. "I mean, yuck. Besides, she wouldn't touch me even if I did like her."

"Pity. It would have made things simpler," the familiar hisses and uncurls itself from Natasha's shoulders.

"He promised to help her. To protect her," Amy notes. "She says the information in her head is really meant for Zahn – she even came to his workshop and tried to copy it out onto paper. How important is the closeness thing? Clover has a twin sister after all."

"Closeness to the target assists greatly. It allows for a link to be formed vithout resistance from the target," Natasha explains as she lifts the familiar off her shoulders and sets it on the table. It saunters over to peer up at Amelia. "Vhat is your relationship with her sister, Zahn?" Natasha asks next.

Amelia eyes the spectral reptile, hoping it isn't anything like Gaspode the Creen.

"Parsley? She's a friend. She's always been nice to me, but then she's nice to everyone," Zahn explains and shrugs slightly. "She once offered to give me intimacy lessons to help me with Am … ahem, that isn't important."

It's rather creepy how the reptile peers at Amelia. "Mmm, pity," it murmurs after a bit of inspection of the Kadie.

"Parsley is a very nice girl, when she's not around Clover," Amelia adds. "She's even nice to the otters."

"That reminds me, I owe Emmett Oggton some gratitude," Natasha muses for a moment, then gets back to the matter at hand. "Vell, if vou could get Parsley to go vith you into her sister's mind, it should be a relatively simple spell to accomplish. Being identical twins helps even further; they should have nearly identical signatures. I should be able to bind Zahn to Parsley, then Parsley to her sister."

"Oh, great! When can you do it?" Amy asks, swishing her tail. "Zahn doesn't have to kiss her or anything right? He's already snogged a vampire over this."

"You had potential, Bloodfur," the lizard on the table remarks, then curls itself up and rests its head on its small forepaws. Apparently the reptile is bored with the main topic.

Amy nearly makes a grab for the lizard, but pulls back and just glares at it.

"Vhenever is convenient for all of vou to get together," Natasha notes, "I have nothing specific planned for today if that helps." She then has to pause and think a bit on Zahn kissing a vampire, then notes, "And kissing the undead is dangerous. Vhy did vou risk such? Is this the same vampire that Liliana is so enamored of?"

"Yeah, we've only got the one," Amy notes.

"Well, I wanted her to see what happened with Clover," Zahn explains, "I offered for her to bite me, but she thought the kiss was safer."

"She bites on the butt after all," Amy explains.

"Vait, she vanted to take a safe approach vith vou? That is … unlike any undead I have ever heard of," Natasha muses. "I really must meet this one. It sounds like she cares for the living."

"She's very lively, but her sense of humor can be hard to take sometimes," Amy mutters.

"That was a compliment," the reptile notes to Amelia. "With the proper exposures, you might yet develop it."

"Like what, living underground for a year?" Amy asks the familiar.

"Yeah. I think she must be really bored. She tends to be rather elaborate and strange about everything," Zahn adds, "I feel a bit sorry for her. I wish she could see the sky again or something. It has to be lonely down there."

"No. That would not be sufficient. You would need a massive exposure to the raw nature of magic itself. A visit to Bosch, for example. Or a trip into another forbidden zone," the lizard says. It yawns and with the way its jaw distends and stretches … well, it's disturbing.

"That sounds like a lot to risk," Amelia tells the reptile. Slipping into the other conversation, she notes, "Buffy won't leave the chalk mines. Morgan said she was… spread through them, or something. But you could probably talk to her in that spirit-world spell you have." She turns to Zahn next, and says, "We should go find Parsley and let her know what's going on."

"And do realize that it is dangerous to link to someone. Vou may find vourself attracted to, or in love vith, dat person later. It is sometimes a result of sharing such an intimate bond for a time. Such would be extremely rare, but just be aware of it," Natasha says. "And ve vill need the use of the ritual room again. It is quiet and a good nexus for work."

"It's sure getting a lot of use lately," Amy notes. "I'll take care of arranging that. Is there anything special you'll need?"

"Alternatively, you could find a spirit to bond with," the reptile notes as it closes its eyes. "That is enough," Natasha tells her familiar. To Amelia, she says, "Forgive my familiar. It feels that it should seek out potential students for me. Special arrangements? No, nothing special this time. Just tell me when you need me there when vou know."

"Alright. I'll see if I can get things ready by tomorrow, so you'll have a chance to catch up on your rest," Amelia says, then gestures to Zahn with her thumb. "I know we get up to all sorts of stuff when we should be sleeping. But it seems to wear out Zahn here more than me."

Natasha looks between the two Kadies for a bit, then says, "Vell, I hope vou are using the proper precautions, then. Vou are the same species, afterall."

"What does she … " Zahn starts to say, then goes wide-eyed. "Oh, nothing like that!"

Amelia just blinks. "What? He's just not used to having long conversations still. I mean, he's a guy and an engineer," she explains.

"Time to go," Zahn says to Amelia in apparent agreement that they need to go find Parsley … and quit examining his personal life!

"I will see vou later," Natasha says to the two and fits her glasses back onto her nose. "Xen," she says, "Return." Muttering to itself, the lizard pushes back to its feet and practically slithers back to the Khatta. Up it goes and curls around her shoulders again.

Outside, Amy asks Zahn, "Did that lizard thing creep you out any?"

"A little," Zahn admits, "I was trying to ignore it. Was it creeping you out?"

"Yeah, having ghost-things talk to you when they're animals is a bit unnerving," Amelia notes.

"Why?" Zahn has to ask, "That part of it doesn't really bother me. And where do you think we can find Parsley?"

"This early, she's probably doing milking stuff," Amy figures. "We can go to the Frog-and-Peach and wait for her to show up with the morning's milk."

"Right," Zahn says with a nod and starts towards the town. After a bit of walking, he asks, "So … would you want one of those magic critter things?"

"What for?" Amelia asks, looking thoughtful. "I mean… what can they do that I couldn't do myself. Or ask you to do for me?"

Zahn glances sidelong at Amelia, asking, "You see me as a ghost-pet thing?"

"Of course not," Amelia says. "But if there's something I need to do but can't do myself, chances are good that it'll be something you can do."

"I mean… there must be lots of things I can do for you that you can't do yourself," Amelia adds.

"Well, maybe she thinks it's cute," Zahnrad offers. And at the other comment, Zahn starts to say something, then thinks better of it and says instead, "Oh, right, true."

Rather than go into the Inn once they arrive, Amy chooses to sit on the bench outside. "The town is pretty different at this hour of the day. Quiet," she notes.

Zahnrad settles down on the bench next to Amelia and absently pulls her against his side. "Very quiet," he agrees, "I guess no one else really gets up early either. Well, except for an otter, maybe." He points off and wandering up through the street is, well, an otter. It's no one either of them recognize, though. He looks rather tired, too.

"If you'd rather go back to bed for a bit, I can wait for Parsley on my own," Amy offers. "I know I kept you up late last night with exploring that old lab."

"No. This is my problem as much as it is yours," Zahn answers and reaches over to tap her nose. "Besides, if I'm going to go insane by going into a Lapi's mind, I'd rather spend my last few minutes with you anyway."

"That's sweet," Amy says, resting her head against Zahn's shoulder. "But why would you go insane?"

Muttering and looking tired, the otter slowly drags itself past Amelia and Zahn. "… hope Aiken had a better night … " he says.

"This is Clover. Who knows what is really in her head outside of just the machines? What if I get stuck in there? What if I get stuck in her and she takes my body?" Zahnrad says worriedly. "I don't even know how she sees me."

"I don't think the spell works in both directions," Amy says. "Besides, you'll have Parsley with you, and she's probably got a clearer head than Clover does. It should balance out."

"Well, I hope so," Zahnrad admits. "And I do want to know what she got herself into. Maybe the trolls are looking for a new leader."

A familiar figure enters the square, carrying two buckets of fresh milk on a pole set across her shoulders. If one needed an iconic image of a milkmaid, it would be Parsley Chalk.

"Clover as Queen of the Trolls?" Amy asks in amusement, and then spots Parsley.

Spotting Parsley, Zahn notes, "Ah, there she is. Hard to believe those two are related. And no, maybe they want me as King of the Trolls or something."

"That's unlikely. I mean the last they saw of you was hiding up in a tree," Amy notes, and gets up to go intercept the Lapi.

"Not true. They saw me in the lab too," Zahn points out and goes to follow Amelia, "With Axel, remember."

"Well, we didn't see them though," Amy notes, then she's off whispering to Parsley. The doe's ears semaphore surprise and worry from the looks of it.

Zahn looks as if he's about to explain things to Parsley … but Amelia beats him to it. So, he just waits with his hands behind his back. "'Morning, Parsley," he says in at least an attempt at pleasantries.

Parsley Chalk carefully sets down her buckets and pole, and then rushes over to give Zahn a powerful hug. "Oh Zahnrad, thank you for rescuing poor Clover!" she gushes. "I don't know how much longer I could go on without her. When do you need my help and what do I have to do to fix her head?"

"Gneh!" goes Zahnrad when he's hugged unexpectedly, his tail puffing out in a huge ball. "Well, it was Amelia as much as me," he wheezes under the tight hug. "And I think we need you tomorrow morning for the spell thing Amelia arranged with the gypsy leader. We, uh, kinda have to link together somehow and go into her head. Not sure how that is supposed to work, but then I don't do magic. So … would you want to see Clover beforehand?"

"Oh, of course I want to see her… " Parsley starts to say, until Amelia interrupts with: "She's sedated and the trolls shaved her head." The doe blinks at this, and goes on to say, "… right after I make my morning deliveries. She's at the castle, right?"

"Right. You should go with us, though. I don't think it's a good idea that you see her alone," Zahnrad warns. He pauses, then has to say, "Uhm, Parsley … your sister was never very nice. You would have done fine without her. I mean, I'm glad we found her … but you would have been fine."

The Lapi's ears droop down, and she looks absolutely shocked at Zahn's comment. "That… that's an awful thing to say, Zahnrad. Clover is my identical twin! You can't understand what that means." Parsley even sniffles a little.

Zahn rubs the back of his neck and sighs. "Not identical," he says, pointing out, "I mean, she hated me and you didn't. What I'm trying to say is; you would have survived fine. You're a great person and lots of people would have helped you through it."

Parsley still stares at Zahn. "I don't think you quite understand, Zahn. Clover and I agreed at an early age that I would be the nice one, so that she could be the ambitious one," she explains. "Our personalities are not really different at all, they just lean in different directions."

Zahn stares right back. "That's … weird," he admits, "No, I don't understand."

"Well, try to… that is… " the doe fumbles for a proper metaphor. "I mean, it's not like you and Gunther are all that different, deep down, you just… express yourselves differently."

"I am nothing like Gunther," Zahnrad asserts, "He's plain crazy."

"See!" Parsley says, smiling. "You're so much alike you can't stand one another!"

"I never said I can't stand him. I sponsored the loon, afterall," Zahnrad points out, looking exasperated. To Amelia, he asks, "Gunther and I are nothing alike, are we?"

"Ummm," Amy says, swishing her tail. "That depends on what you're comparing, I suppose."

"Everything!" Zahn says, "Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"

"What, against your brother?" Amelia asks. "I'm on both of your sides."

"Of course against my brother," Zahn notes and crosses his arms. "He's trouble."

"You crash airships into the swamp, he chases people with a spear," Amelia says. "He's just more… people-oriented… than you are."

"I give up," Zahnrad grumbles and covers his eyes.

Parsley pats Zahn's shoulder, and says, "Don't worry about it, Zahn, you really aren't expected to see things the same way girls would."

"And I hope it stays that way after I get stuck in one's head," Zahnrad mutters.

"I'll be there to protect you, don't worry," Parsley promises.

"Er, how would you protect me? I mean … you're a Lapi," Zahnrad has to say. "What do you think is in there?"

"Girl stuff," Parsley says, making it sound… mysterious.

"I better not appear in a dress or something," Zahnrad mutters and rubs his temples. Thinking for a bit, he asks, "Given that Clover seems to think kindly of me now, uh … has she ever said anything nice about me before at all?"

"I think she mentioned being glad that you had distracted Amelia," Parsley notes. This makes Amelia's tail puff out a bit, however.

"Er, what does that mean?" Zahn asks as he looks between Amelia and Parsley. "That I saved her form getting her face beat in?"

"Nothing like that," Parsley says, waving a hand. "I'm sure Amelia knows, though. Anyway, this milk won't deliver itself! We haven't been able to train the Rughrats to do that yet… " She retrieves her buckets, nods to the Kadies, and heads into the Inn.

"What did she mean, then?" Zahn asks Amelia after Parsley leaves. "I don't understand."

"It's social gamesmanship stuff, Zahn," Amelia notes. "You're better off not thinking about it, because it's nearly as complicated as your machines, but only women really understand it."

Zahnrad sighs and rubs his temples again, muttering, "I should have just stayed in my workshop and never gotten involved with any of this mess."

Amy leans up against Zahn and bats her eyelashes at him. "Reaaally?" she asks coyly.

"Geh, don't do that. It makes me woozy," Zahnrad complains, "And twitchy, like I should grab you."

"What, right here in public?" Amy teases, since the streets are still empty. Although the first scents of fresh bread are starting to leak out of the bakery, so the quiet time probably won't last much longer now.

"Do it enough and I might grab you in public," Zahnrad admits and looks everywhere but Amelia. "It's like my brain wants to shut down and just go after you. It must be some sort of spell; it has to be. I didn't use to have these problems."

"Did you ever have a girlfriend before?" Amy asks, and then in a bit more serious tone, adds, "And do you think I'm causing you problems?"

"Well, no, I've never had a girlfriend before," Zahnrad answers truthfully as he rubs the back of his neck again. "You cause me confusion," he admits, "But … it's okay, really. I mean, I wouldn't have talked to your father about, well. You know. About us, well … ending up like the Briars are now." Boy do men hate saying that word.

"Married?" Amy asks, blinking. "Are you going to propose to me, Zahn?" she asks in surprise.

Zahnrad looks at the ground. "Well, not now, no. But maybe someday," he admits in a very, very, quiet voice.

"Well, okay then," Amy says, all smiles again. "After you build your airship. Or at least after breakfast. I'm starving!"

Thankful for the subject change, Zahn nods vehemently! "Yes, food would be good. Let's just get something in the inn. I don't want to wait all the way back to the territory. Loser pays!" he says and makes a dash for the inn!


---

GMed by Jared

Previous Log: Alptraum, you Look a Little Pale...Next Log: Jack and Emmett
Thread Links
(Amelia)
(Blood From A Stone)
(Madame Natasha)
(Stonebarrow)
(Sylvania)
(Zahnrad)

Back to list of Logs 2176-2200


Log listings page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96
Recent Logs - Thread Listing

Home Page
Player Guide
Log Library
Recent Logs
Encyclopedia
Dramatis Personae
Art Gallery
Moz Ezley Asylum

Today is 15 days after Candlemass, Year 29 of the Reign of Archelaus the First (6128)