The rest of the meeting with the Contessa is almost perfunctory; signing and stamping of documents, a polite request to stay in the city for the night with all of the force of law, a promise of work if you send her mail or a courier saying where you're staying. She stamps the final passport with her signet ring, inscribing the wax with solar imagery and a crossed spear and olive branch.
You are immensely glad she had the good sense to pick up the latter when offered, and politely accept the carriage ride back to the center of town. All of you watch, in silence, as you and your escort ride down the hill, stopping briefly in the shadow of a headless and armless marble statue to show your papers to a priest, so he can ritually welcome you to the city.
No. Not headless. You look up and see a lantern, unlit, where the head should be; and other statues of hands pointing the way to other districts. Io, then. It's a startling piece of sculpture, and the sight makes you uneasy.
"Very well then. All is in order," the priest says. "Go with the Gods."
And from there, marble and bronze give way to red brick and tile, and the statue of Flamma in Cauldron Square. You and your friends step off the cart, and stretch, and salute Ser Tomas; he returns the gesture and starts speaking with a local merchant, a Pixie, to fill the cart on the return trip to the Contessa.
Once he's out of earshot, you sigh, and turn to the others.
"So," you say.
"So," Alesha responds, looking away, hand on the back of her head, thoroughly embarrassed.
"That could have gone better," you say.
Ace scoffs. "Yeah, no shit," she says. Then: "So was I the only one who didn't, uh, actually eat much?"
Sekhmet's stomach answers Ace before she does, startling them both. You have to laugh.
"Okay," they say, sighing, reaching into their purse. Sekhmet counts out 4 gold Crowns and 10 silver Ravens, each, and hands them to everyone. "Don't spend this all in one place. Let's find
food."
Ace nods, and then sniffs the air - and turns. "Wait. Do I smell - holy shit, I do," she says, pointing to one stall in particular.
"Holy shit," they repeat.
The stall, and the building along Peppercorn Lane next to it, smells very strongly of both chili and vinegar, and has poles hung up over it with noodles draped over them to dry. Ace is pointing in particular to the bowl a very annoyed merchant has just grabbed and pulled over to him chest in a '
get your own' gesture, half-full of a brilliant red sauce pockmarked with minced meat over -
"Okay, you know what, it's been days and I miss home," Ace says.
"Please let me get the mapo tofu. I can't believe there's mapo tofu here in Fantasy Fucking Spain but let me get some."
"Well... yes, they would after the last expansion," Hikaru mumbles, hand to his chin. "...Actually mapo tofu sounds excellent right now, or some dandan."
Sekhmet sighs. "Sure, whatever, let's - noodles should be cheap enough. You joining us?"
You look at an Alesha you've never seen this shaken before and shake your head. "I should probably find somewhere else so Alesha and I can talk. I'll join you for dinner, promise." Alesha looks up at you, surprised, but nods.
"Super. Been meaning to talk to Ace and Hikaru about some stuff anyway and we can like... break off and do our errands now. I'll rent us the inn rooms."
You sigh. "If it comes down to it I'm fine rooming with you - any of you - to save money. Just like con season back home. Or with, like, Hikaru if you want to... separate things that way."
You can't help but wince at the thought, and what does
that say about Ace's theories? Hikaru has the good grace to mirror it, even as he agrees with a nod.
Alesha doesn't seem sure what to think, but settles on gesturing down a different street.
"...as long as we're here," she murmurs, "that lamb and chickpea stew we saw, I think it was called Puchero, always looked amazing... and a lot cheaper than a paella."
Hikaru nods and smiles. "That would be the lack of saffron in Savory Chickpea Puchero, I think," he says. "We'll keep in touch. Be safe."
"Of course," you respond, reaching out for Alesha before you realize you have. Blinking, she hugs you, pulling you shoulder to shoulder with her for a moment before slipping past you, and you feel your cheeks burn.
"This way," she says, and you're glad her composure is returning.
The Puchero was definitely cheaper: 1 gold for a pot to split, bread and cheese, olives, pickles, a tea and fruit punch, and even a bit of pudding. More than you should have paid, though not much more; you're both extremely hungry, as you've been since arriving - both of you putting away amounts that you're
shocked you can get away with.
You're pretty sure you got fat on less back home and make a note to
practice later tonight, do some shadowboxing and exercise - then realize this is the first time in years you've
wanted to exercise, and think about Ace's theories about you
again.
With just the pudding left - a flan-like thing, with orange caramel syrup - you dig your spoon into the cup and look up at Alesha, who has been eating as quickly but somehow far more daintily.
Like a princess, the thought intrudes.
"So... what happened?" you ask. "I'm not, uh, not used to taking the lead in negotiations."
"You're a very capable leader and shouldn't sell yourself short," Alesha said, not looking at you, getting her own spoonful of pudding. "You
are our main healer, and Sylphanites make good diplomats."
As much as the flattery makes you blush, you know it's a deflection. "Thanks, Leesh. But that didn't answer my question."
You eat a spoonful of the pudding, wonderfully tart and sweet. She sighs, a hand over her mouth, and looks more embarrassed than anything.
"I panicked, that's all. Meeting her as a questgiver for a game is one thing. Meeting her in person was... well..."
"Look," you say, "I know. Getting called up on the carpet by someone who sends
knights to fetch you was terrifying for all of us, and -"
"No, no, no... Deedee, she was
so gorgeous."
You blink.
You stare at her for a moment, incredulous, and she can't meet your gaze; she's looking away, and looking at her face you see a very subtle tinge of rose under that deep dark skin.
"Alesha."
"Christ Almighty, it's like I'm a 16 year old again, I must have looked so stupid," she says.
You have never related more to the stoic, cool, Fearless Leader of your guild raids before in your life, and feel like you've just seen past a giant flaming wizard head, behind the curtain.
"Might as well be," you mutter to yourself, "we are super not in Kansas anymore."
"Hmn?" she looks up at you, looking more trepidatious than you've ever seen her before.
You don't laugh, much as you want to, because that would be mean to her. "Just thinking that I've never seen you twitterpated before. But this has been a
whole lot of new experiences."
"Never had to fight for my life before," she agrees, sighing. "A long time since I've felt this young, and never this
fit before. Never been in the presence of royalty before. And never been so far from home, and my family, before."
"We'll find her," you say softly, taking her hand, transmitting comfort by touch. "Jasmine's character is what, a bright pink eithyr in teal and gold who gets around by floating, right? That's got to be distinctive, even among our motley band of weirdoes."
Alesha laughs, wiping at her eye with the hand not holding mind. "The closest she could get to making Princess Peach Fizz the Third," she confirms. "She wasn't even interested in raids as much as she was the ingame cooking and clothes and just handing out cupcakes and peach soda before fights."
Princess Peach Fizz? "Wait," you say, frowning at her. "Are you telling me she still watches
All The Pretty Little Horses at 16?"
Alesha rested her chin on her hand, leaned just a little and smiled at you. "Just like you immediately recognized her from the same?"
You acknowledge that you have completely and totally owned yourself by nodding into your facepalm.
It's nice to see the ponyfan to trans girl pipeline is still pumping, your brain suggests, and you shake your head and only laugh once.
"But no, you're right," she says. "And that does actually suggest where to go asking for her. As an Auroran Psychic, if she's here she might have checked in at the Cathedral of the Sunchasers."
"Or the other temples," you say, nodding. "Because those are also the schools here, and the doctors, and they have food if you're desperate, and she's smart. She'll figure that's where you're looking."
She lets her shoulders drop, just a fraction, and digs in to her pudding. "Jazz is a smart girl," she says. "She will. I do have to say that I'm... not going to be happy until we both wake up at home, so we can call Madison to say her daughter's safe."
You put your hand over your fist, over your face, not trusting your expression, and nod. Ears flattening. And wonder who would be that relieved to hear that you're home and safe.
It's a short list. Your mom, and... maybe your stepdad. Everyone else is already in Viacruz.
There's a clatter of wood on crockery, and Alesha wipes her mouth with a napkin. "Thank you, Deedee. This is exactly what I needed, and... you didn't have to do this with me."
"Yes I did," you say, pushing away from the table and rising. "Head for the cathedral. I'll check the other temples."
Alesha hugs you, for the second time today, this one a full hug. Her metal breastplate presses against silk and your chest, and you're pulled in tight, fiercely. In the game, you recall a Paladin's Vigor lags behind yours by only two points, and you can definitely feel it as you return the hug.
You pull apart, looking her in the eye, and she claps your back.
"Get to it," she says.
"Yes ma'am," you reply.
You have some leads almost immediately. Tipping and thanking the cook and the servers loosens shoulder muscles and tongues like magic, and saying you're looking for a friend's lost child and - you suppose - squire elicits immediate sympathy. You're expeditiously directed to the nearby Temple of Flamma, and told it's a also good place to get potions and potables as long as you're throwing money around; and that, besides, as a child of greater gods, Flamma, much like Sylphan, is a protector of children.
It shouldn't surprise you much that the temple is a brewery, given the whole witches and brewing thing. It
does throw you for a second that so many of the priests go shirtless and the priestesses
damn near it.
Because she's a love goddess, of course, and they offer love advice and
services you don't need thanks.
They do indicate the bowl you stole, or stole back, from Strawberry Shortcake's goons and ask if you're here to offer a libation to the goddess, and it occurs to you that this is a very good idea - buying some wine and oil from the temple, even, to do it properly.
You head towards the back and the altar proper when you hear her.
"Why won't you just fucking
answer me?!"
Whoever they are, they sound like they're close to sobbing.
"I know you're here. We'd be dead twice-over if you weren't. So why don't you answer me? I can't believe-- God, I'm so tired of this shit."
There's a sound that might actually
be a sob.
"God. I still have to tell my parents. What the fuck am I supposed to tell them? If I can even find them! Are they even still in their house or were they nerfed and stranded too? Are they in that fucking proto-shantytown? Do you know how long I looked for them last night?"
Your first thought is
ah, the Jewish approach to prayer, and you shake your head and clear your throat. Make your presence known. The libation bowl taps against your hip like a sheathed pistol.
"Oh fuck—" they swear, whirling around and you know that tiger catte. They came into the city with you.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to eavesdrop, but, uh, your voice carries."
"Deedee," Frankie Bacon says, in a much smaller voice than before. "I can explain."
You're not sure what they need to explain, frankly, but you nod and reach for the bowl. You've got the wine, that'll work for an offering, just dump it from the bowl into the cauldron on the altar, right?
"I'll listen. Maybe I can even help."
For... a vow? This is a vow, right?
"You're... I was here for someone worried about family too."
They run a hand over their head-fur, like a human might shove theirs through their hair. "Yeah," Frankie says softly. "I guess you could call it that. It'll do for now."
It'll do for now?
They look at you like they're not sure how to start, though. Finally they say, "My parents... there was an accident... they're never not playing AWOo now."
You... really aren't sure what to say to that. What to think. Except for...
"I'm sorry," you say, bringing the bowl to the cauldron.
The words come to you:
"Should this please you, Flamma, Black Cat of the Cauldron, keep our families warm at night and light for them the way back to us, and home. Do this for us and we will make a bonfire for you of woods with sweet smoke, to brew our tea and give to you our first cup. So I vow." You have heard similar prayers, similar promises, similar covenants spoken by a thousand Mundane priests.
And then it occurs to you where you've heard such frustrations at not being listened to before.
"We are experiencing an unusually high number of prayers right now," you singsong. "Your vow is very important to us..."
That startles a catte-laugh out of Frankie - a weary, slightly bitter, but amused purr.
"Fuck," they say. "You're right. That's exactly what this feels like and I'm the entitled shithead that thinks I should be jumped ahead in the queue anyway." They breathe out slowly. "It's not personal, it's just they're all busy."
"I mean, with everything being on fire, I imagine Flamma has a lot to do."
You realize the pun you made one second after you made it.
"Look... are you going to be okay? Have you got, like, food and shelter lined up? Contacted your FC? Cause like. Hikaru made it clear we do not want to see what life is like without the Well Fed and Well Rested bonuses."
"I... yeah," Frankie says. "I'm with the Rainbow Connection? I, uh, managed to check in at the guild house. The Happiness Hotel is going to be full to bursting when they let more players into the city, but they've got a bed for me now. And... I thought maybe tomorrow I could check on the little flat my parents had here. It's on the other side of town, but..."
They shrug. "I mean, most of our equipment vanished, but it's pretty hard to disappear part of a building. So I'm hoping... maybe if I'm really lucky, I'll find them there."
They try to smile. It doesn't last more than a second or so.
"I probably won't be that lucky."
"It's still a lead. Did you Sendjewel them?"
"Tried to," Frankie says, with a rueful expression. "But the Sendjewels are fucked up right now. You noticed, right? When I woke up on the Shores, the only people I could get ahold of were my usual party—well, most of them—and Emma, Dorothy, and Alora all woke up within a square mile of me. Everyone else on the list was inaccessible."
That's definitely something to bring up to Hikaru. Maybe there's some Forbidden Knowledge reason why that would help him figure this out...
"I'm going to have to check the rest of my friendslist now that we're in Viacruz," you say.
Then you take a deep breath. The flames at the bottom of the altar flicker.
Bacon just has...
"...a talent for finding the worst possible explanation..."
The air smells like incense and hops and malt, and you blink.
You do it too. Catastrophize. Beat yourself up over the smallest mistakes and imagine the worst possible consequence. But how often does the worst happen, really?
"Uh... you're an alchy of - an Alchemist, right? And Flammite proper, I guess, instead of just boon shopping?"
"Yeah," Frankie says, with a twist of their mouth. "What do fundies say about Jesus? I've got a close, personal relationship with her."
"Great," you say, an exhalation. "Cause there are a lot of folks who'll need potions and pills. I can't be the only gu- girl here whose brain refuses to give us the Juice That Makes You Do Things."
Is that still true here, actually? Or is it true until -
You cut that thought off. A bridge to burn after you cross it.
Frankie Bacon looks stricken. "Oh fuck," they say. "How many days has it been since I... Shit. Shit. God, fuck, and with how our minds from home imprint the same familiar pathways for us in order to pilot properly as ourselves—"
They shake their head, briskly. "Sorry, never mind, you don't need me getting technical on you, just. You're right."
"You and Heeks should definitely talk about the Forbidden Knowledge," you say, smiling despite yourself. "But yeah. Brain's still... twisting into the same knots. And if any place would have the right medicine it's a Cathaus."
Probably less expensive getting it prescribed here, too. You frown.
"Yeah," they say. "I'm pretty sure there's a recipe for medieval medicinal speed in the archives. Not to mention what everyone else is going to need. God, I hope I can get the things I need for it in the city—even if it's too late to take any tonight, I could try to make it so I'll have it for the morning."
After a moment they add, "And I'll make yours too, whatever it is. For free. Honestly, it's the least I owe you."
"Uh -" You've made due without for. How long? "- I'll think about it. I have your..." You tap your sendjewel. "Yeah."
It's about then that you get the call.
Alesha.
"A very minor lead. Come to the Cathedral, I can't explain here."
You keep your finger on the jewel as you answer. "Right, Leesh. I'll meet up with you soon."
And you shrug in Bacon's direction. Time's up, unfortunately.
They shake their head. "It's fine. Just— thanks. Talking to you was just what I needed."
"I get that a lot," you realize out loud, before you leave.
