Arts Courteous and Culinary
6th of July 2006 A.D.
Understanding surges though you, more than the words whispered in your mind, the patterns of the world made clear as living flame. Looking past Harry you bow slowly palms extended to show you are not armed, then briefly you stick out your tongue apparently to show that it is not black.
"Usum so help me if you are making any of this stuff up I will find a way to strangle you..."
"I would deserve no less Merciful Herald of Righteous Violence," he replies serenely as Mouse, you think his name is, abruptly stops barking, though he does not stop glowing.
So under the tutelage of a devil and the increasingly alarmed eyes of Harry Dresden you recount:"Good fortune to you scion of the Auspicious Lions, guardian of the high door and keeper of the Fifth House. Know that I mean you no evil and no evil to those whom you guard. I will not drink their breath waking or sleeping, nor crush their bones with ice. I shall not set the flaying wind upon them nor..."
Nope, not saying the part about the maggots, that's gross. "Nor shall I give ill counsel but only good. I seek enlightenment in the ways of the world and the ways of spirit and shall freely give such understanding of both as I am asked for in fair exchange. "
By the end of your proclamation the spirit dog looks really confused with all the hair on his body sort of puffing out as the spectral fire dims and he tips his head to the side. That had apparently been 'very generous terns' according to Usum.
Lost 1 Essence
"You know, people usually just bring a treat or a toy," Harry jokes, sounding a little forced.
Stealing a glance at him you see that he looks worried, but like worried about you not if you are planning something worse than the flaying wind for him thankfully.
"Well I hope they ask him what kind of treat he would like and don't just assume, he's like really smart. It's one of the gifts of the heavenly blood and if he has enough of them to glow like a bonfire and bark like the drums of the Twelve Heavenly Generals he certainly has enough to be as smart as you and me."
Mouse barks an affirmative then kind of shakes himself and snaps his jaw like he's surprised to be agreeing with you.
Taking that as a good sign you slowly approach, never breaking eye contact and and hold out a gloved hand to sniff. He sort of hits his nose on it and sneezes though he does not move away so you finally sink your hand into the fur behind his head for a good scratch. He just wanted to protect Harry, you can't blame him for that.
"Reel it back a bit. I feel like I might be missing something here," Harry finally says.
"Something..." you cut yourself off. Saying that precise ritual formulas just popped into your head might actually be worse than a voice since it just sounds more sneaky. "My power comes with its own spirit guide that is now also part of my soul." Anticipating the next question you explain. "Usum, that's his name, hasn't asked me to do anything nor align with any outside power in fact near as I can tell he thinks I should be in charge."
"In charge of what?" Harry asks carefully. It's all you can do not to wince at all the stuff you are dropping in his lap.
"Uh... whatever I want to be I think. I'm getting ancient despot vibes from the whole thing, and I do mean
really ancient. Rakshas of the Demon city dug it up in one of the deepest parts of Yomi Wan, but they could not really use all its power properly because it was meant to empower a mortal soul..."
And so you give an accounting of what Usum had told you, with more detail this time in case it would help, the battles of the all-consuming flame and endless night upon the battlefield of abstract vice made manifest in blood and jagged stone. About halfway though you wander over to the kitchenette and ask: '"Want me to make dinner? it's getting pretty late."
"No, you don't have to..." Another affirmative woof cuts him off. "Traitor," Harry mutters before shaking his head. "Looks like there's been distension in the ranks, but this isn't a democracy so like I said you don't have to."
"I want to I'm hungry too you know and I don't talk with my hands." That one doughnut you had for lunch is a
long time gone by now. No matter your changes the cafeteria food at Lakeview still tastes terrible
That is how you find that Harry has a surprisingly well stocked cupboard and spice-rack, though you do not have the time to do anything more complicated than some lasagna. It feels a little silly to be leaning into your power to cook but it has no more trouble granting understanding of that than it does the right words to smooth over an argument.
Hmm... maybe you could layer it like...
Lost 1 Essence
"What on earth is that?" Harry asks when you come into the main room plate in hand in the middle of explaining who Emma-O was and who he had been.
"Hey!" you glare at him a little. Maybe you had gone a bit overboard, but that is no reason to take
that tone. "It's a model based on a reconstruction of the Zigurat in Ur I saw on TV a few months ago. Some people think the Tower of Babel might have been a Zigurat so it felt like thematically appropriate for all this knowledge sharing."
"That looks very nice Molly." He sounds a little faint, but much more appreciative. The two of you put out plates for Mouse and even for his cat Mister though Harry says he's not sure where he's gone off to. Mouse seems to like it though.
It is really,
really good if you do say so yourself, like
I-will-have-three-servings good.
As for Harry he looks like he is in carb induced heaven when he takes the fist bite. "What did you make this with?" he asks when he finds his voice again.
"The stuff in your pantry," you answer innocently.
He opens his mouth to speak sort of looks to the side at someone only he can see.
Without missing a beat you wave at the patch of air. "Hello Lasciel, how're you doing?"
"Don't do that," Harry frowns and looks sort of guilty at the same time maybe for exposing you to bad influences. That train has left the station and reached all the way to LA by now.
"Why?" you counter. "I know she's there to tell the truth the creepy part is not being able to hear her."
"Trust me you are not missing much," he sort of half-grumbles then quickly changes the subject. "So what do you want to know about?"
Plan voting, each topic costs half an hour. It is 5:30 PM
[] Magic... his kind you mean and how it works
[] The Winter Court and Queen Mab, you think you have made an enemy
[] The local supernatural scene
[] The broader supernatural scene and how diplomacy between the factions works
[] The Denarians, you know a bit, but something tells you you are going to need a lot more understanding of them soon
[] Write in
OOC: Well that went about as well as it could have for you guys. The only thing I regret is that this was not a Harry interlude so you could hear his thoughts and Lash's comments.
