thirty-eighth labyrinth

Sep 02, 2011 18:37

[The bed in which Felix wakes is not the one he’s grown used to sleeping in. It’s smaller, for one. It eases his mind a little that Ashura is still next to him, though the two are curled up a little closer than normal in order to accommodate them both.

He sits up and tries to get a look around. The room, too, is different, though he cannot quite put ( Read more... )

felix harrowgate

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Pharoahlight/The Arcane lord_wizard September 3 2011, 01:45:50 UTC
[Farther on, another turn in the streets, and the city changes again. The skyline is gone, as is the sky itself. The buildings continue here, crowded against the stone ceiling of this underground city. If possible, this part seems even seedier, and business continues on here without regard for the lack of sunlight. Everything is on sale here. Prostitutes linger in doorways here and there, giving little waves to whoever passes them, stone-faced men standing vigil by the doorways, peddlers and pushers moving on their way down the street with barely a glance. The soft crimson light that seems to glow from the windows of the brothels seems oddly brighter than it should be. It might even be possible to step inside and find out what they have to offer, if you wanted to.

The river seems closer here. The smell is stronger, as if soaked into the very stone around you.[

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hulloeverything September 30 2011, 04:03:34 UTC
[Eleven whistles softly as he looks around. He peeks in a window or two but makes no move to enter any of the buildings]

Somehow I don't think we'll find a good place to leave them in this neighborhood.

[He almost walks into one of the peddlers and stops, grinning at the man] Oh! Excuse me, hullo!

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cloakand_danger September 30 2011, 04:14:26 UTC
[Yuan looks down at his arms, surprised to find his load lighter.] ...Just him, now. [It's not entirely alarming - with the dream logic of this place, Yuan's surprised he was able to bring either of them.

At least having only the live one will make travel easier.]

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lord_wizard September 30 2011, 04:20:14 UTC
[The boy hangs limply in Yuan's arms, sobbing into his shoulder, his small hands somehow leaving no marks on the half-elf's clothing despite the grime that covers them

The peddler staggers back a step, smoothing a crooked-toothed sneer into a smile at the prospect of a potential buyer]

'Lo there, sir. How can I help ya?

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hulloeverything September 30 2011, 04:28:44 UTC
[He shoots a concerned look back at Yuan and the boy, about to open his mouth when the peddler speaks. Oh, look, someone who'll talk to them! He grins ever so cheerfully at the man.]

Yes. Perhaps you could answer a few questions. For starters: Where are we?

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cloakand_danger September 30 2011, 04:36:03 UTC
[Yuan...rests a hand on the boy's back in an effort at comforting him, painfully reminded of the children the castle keeps giving him to take care of, and all too aware that this one, too, will be temporary.

To distract himself from that thought, he keeps an eye on the nearby alleyways while the Doctor gathers information. It would suck to get snuck up on in a place like this.]

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lord_wizard September 30 2011, 05:26:21 UTC
[The peddler's eyes seem to unfocus a moment, as if even he isn't entirely unsure of the answer to the question]

Yer in the Arcane, nearabouts of Pharoahlight. Most folks come down here with a reason in mind, though. What's yours?

[The locals, though more real here, still seem mostly unconcerned by this exchange. One bouncer glares at Yuan from across the alley, his huge arms crossed in front of him.

Across the street, a few of the whores are lingering on a stoop, watching the newcomers with undisguised interest.

Strangely, the boy stops crying as he takes notice of them, picking his head up from Yuan's shoulder to stare back at them. Or one of them in particular, if the rarity of redheads in this city isn't obvious by now]

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hulloeverything September 30 2011, 05:48:57 UTC
Reason? Ooooh we're just passing through. Haven't really got much of a...

[lightbulb] Yes! We've actually got a reason. Just came from a fire over [he gestures vaguely] that way and found this boy. Do you happen to know anywhere we could bring him? A hospital or something like that?

[When he glances back at the boy he notices that look, casually looking around to see the person who had attracted the boy's interest before turning his gaze back at the peddler.]

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cloakand_danger September 30 2011, 06:08:30 UTC
[The Doctor seems to have things well enough in hand for now. Yuan watches the boy's gaze curiously, and turns to face the same direction that he's looking.]

Do you know her, child? [His tone is hushed to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to their conversation.]

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lord_wizard September 30 2011, 06:22:29 UTC
[The peddler frowns a little]

Fire's a nasty business in the Lower City. Ain't got, whatsit, a hospital around here, but if ya need a healer, there's them nature witches up in Scafflegreen can help.

[He gazes a little more intently than is likely kosher at the boy in Yuan's arms]

If you got yourself an orphan there, though, I bet you could find someone around here willing to take him off your hands. I know a few people that'd pay a hefty sum for a child with such unusual features. I could direct you to 'em...for a portion of th'price.

[The boy doesn't answer Yuan with words, though he reaches a hand out for the red-haired woman - a woman whose yellow eyes are a match for one of the boys'. She seems to notice this in turn and smiles, beckoning]

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hulloeverything September 30 2011, 06:54:05 UTC
[Stepping closet to the man, Eleven blocks his view of Yuan and the boy. He narrows his eyes at the man.]

If that's the case then I think he'll stay with us for a while longer. We'll not be selling anyone today. Or any other day for that matter.

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cloakand_danger September 30 2011, 07:09:08 UTC
[Sparing a glance for the Doctor and his confrontation, Yuan steps toward the woman.] ...Is he yours, ma'am? [He's not sure, under the circumstances, that he wants to give the boy up, but...he also doesn't have any right to keep the child away from his mother, if that's truly who this is.

And they still have to find the adult Felix. Yuan forces himself to remember that this child version - there's no doubt about who it is, especially with those eyes - is almost certainly a part of the setting, and not a lost soul to be saved. Whatever this boy's fate is, he's already suffered it in reality.]

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lord_wizard September 30 2011, 23:23:10 UTC
[The peddler frowns, then shrugs]

Yer loss, then. Can I interest you in buying anything, if selling ain't yer pleasure? I have a few trinkets to please any lady...[He flashes a jumble of rings strung on a cord on the inside of his coat, then lowers his voice a bit as he fishes out a vial of clear liquid]...or perhaps some phoenix?

[The woman, as if lacking any voice, or any memory of one, does not answer Yuan directly, though she smiles brightly at the question.

The boy, in turn, start to wriggle, reaching out for the woman who so resembles him]

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hulloeverything October 5 2011, 04:23:42 UTC
[Eleven shakes his head, about to turn back to Yuan when the peddler pulls out the vial. He frowns and leans forward, getting in the man's personal space so he can get a better look]

Now then, what is that?

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cloakand_danger October 5 2011, 19:30:04 UTC
[Well, that's a pretty clear sign. He hands the boy over to her carefully, frowning with his best stern face.]

He was nearly killed in a fire down the way - you should keep track of him better, especially in a place like this.

[With that bit of business taken care of, he steps back and returns to the Doctor's side.] ...We shouldn't linger too long.

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lord_wizard October 7 2011, 07:21:45 UTC
You must be new to Mélusine. Phoenix is a wonderful little elixir. Makes you forget all your troubles in a hurry.

[The woman takes the child carefully, who clings to her neck and buries his tear-stained face against her shoulder.]

What fire?

[She says this brightly, but for a brief moment her face seems to take on a twisted mask of burned flesh, though the dream woman takes no notice]

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