Good Works
9th of August 2006 A.D.
'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. ' One of the most straightforward acts the Bible asks of those who would follow in the footsteps of Christ and live by his example. Some people make it complicated and some people make it stupid, you'll never forget that time mom
blew up at the asshole complaining that the soup kitchen she was fundraising for didn't only serve the 'virtuous poor'. Eight year old you had learned three whole
bad words from the stuff mom had been muttering afterwards.
So really you are just taking her own advice when you head out to the local supermarket in search of ingredients to make a proper feast for the accursed of Undertown. Vampires, ghouls they are all people under it all, you had seen it in the dirty faces and terrified gazes of the ghouls you had scared off, you had seen it in the desperate hope in Thomas' eyes when he had spoken of Justine...
At least that is what you tell yourself when you hear mom's voice from behind you as you heft the large sack of potatoes into the garage besides the onions and carrots, not far from all the cans of meat pork and tuna, the bags of pasta and the large boxes of bulk seasonings.
"Molly, what's all this?"
"I'm going to help some people get on their feet," you reply, not looking up from your sorting. Black Rider was not really designed for bulk cargo transportation and even with Lydia in the driver's seat pretending to drive while all the other seats were filled with bags of groceries it would take multiple trips to get everything to Undertown.
"Hello Mrs Carpenter," Lydia pipes up in a brave attempt at a distraction.
Alas it is doomed. "What people?"
You could lie, you have always been good at lying, but since last month you have been
great at it, supernaturally so, but you don't want to. There is nothing to be ashamed of in what you are planning, those people are in need and you can help them.
To her credit mom listens to your full account of what your power can do for those cursed with otherworldly hungers patiently, though her expression darkens like the sky before a storm with each word you say.
"If I don't do this no one will and I promised Porter that I would help him, so what's the alternative, drive them all out? Kill them? For the crime of being in the way? Of being born the way they were?" Your voice rises with measured cadence on each and every word. "I have the means, I have the time, I have the skills, I'm
going to help."
Lost 1 Essence -> now at 11/12
"And what happens if this 'mental link' starts influencing you, what happens when you link your mind to every murderer and monster hiding away from the light of day...?" Your mother brings up every argument you had thought of against what you had planned and a few you had not thought of like the fact that some at least of the ghouls and vampires down there might enjoy feeding and simply use your protection to prey more effectively on the mortals around them, she even brings up that you are putting Lydia in danger which... low blow mom, really.
"I want to help," Lydia cuts off that line of questioning, the good natured grumbling she had done on the way from the supermarket nowhere in evidence.
"So are we, we desire to lessen flesh-pain," the auto-tuned voices of the Beige Wagon and Black Rider sound out in sync from their speakers.
Mom's head snaps towards the cars, the spirits inside them which had never known hunger or any of the wants of material existence. "I..." for the first time in the last twenty minutes mom seems at a loss for words.
Even though you are not sure if they are being honest or just trying to help out of loyalty you feel a sudden surge of warmth towards the two spirits which had not so long ago been mere sparks of electronic spite in a sea of data.
"Alright... alright I can see there is no persuading you, I'll get my armor."
Part of you really wants to refuse her, especially as the safest way into Undertown you know of is through Marcone's warehouse, but that would make you the
biggest hypocrite to refuse help after you had just gone on about helping people. Not to mention Mouse gave his bark of approval to the notion as soon as your mom gets into the Beige Wagon's back seat next to him.
"Dresden knows about this?"
You wince inwardly at the implication in those words. As a matter of fact Harry did not know, you did not want to ruin his weekend with another unpaid adventure. Mouse taps that in to Burny who dutifully recounts that his punitive 'owner' not know the details and it had been his idea to come along.
In another first for the day mom opens her mouth, closes it and shakes her head, whether in bemusement or some kind of denial you are not sure and you do not plan on asking.
***
Much to your relief Marcone's people are quick and professional to let you into the old elevator down to Undertown, the only sign that they are anything more than ordinary hardworking folk is the odd flash of a half-concealed gun. Once you get into the tunnels Lydia raises up a wave of moving earth and you create your own transportation, something that looks like a cross between an old-timey mine cart and a giant mental beetle with six wheels in place of its legs. After cramming all the food and water into it you race down the track to the Last Station.
Lost 1 Essence -> now at 10/12
Though mom keeps a firm hand on her hammer the journey is peaceful and quiet other than the clank of black steel treads on the old rails and the talk of what you are going to
do with all this food. If mom is surprised by your newfound culinary skill she does not show it, then again it does not register besides all the other ones you had thrown at her today.
Then, as the cart screeches to a halt a rough draconic stone head emerges from the wall two of the faded light fixtures rearranging themselves into Porter's curious gaze under brow-ridges painted in the off red and green of faded gag markings. "Greetingsss " he hisses as mom starts, knuckles turning white on the haft of the hammer. You had tried to prepare her on the way but maybe you should have just refused her help somehow
"Good day," she manages to force out. "We are here to help Molly with her promised task."
"Molly," the Earth Wyrm turns the name around in his hissing voice. "A ssshort name for one growing larger ssso sswiftly."
"Uhm... thanks." You are pretty sure than is a compliment not the dragon calling you fat, but you are not sure how to reply.
"Do you dessire my assssistence with the sspices, meatss and other thingsss?" The ancient dragon sounds for all the world like a little kid scoffing at vegetables.
"No, that's OK," you answer with a smile. "We'll get this place fixed right up, you'll see."
Mouse adds his own voice in greeting and assurance that you would take good care of Porter's sanctum, his barking somehow a lot more weighty in among the echoing tunnels than it had been at Harry's place. Almost you feel as if you can tease out the full meaning of it like a song you used to know well, but had not heard for years, then it is gone and all that remains is the soft thunk of Porter returning to his slumber.
Not half an hour later those sounds are replaced by others, the likes of which had likely never echoed in these tunnels even when they had been full of life, among the whisk of fans the clanking of pots and the gurgling of water running clean through the filters. Soon enough the air if filled with the mingled smells of familiar food, nothing fancy of course, pot turkey chili and spinach lasagna, dumplings bobbing a around the pot.
Lost 2 Essence -> now at 8/12 (Excellency and TTC)
They come slowly, furtively, steps lost in the sounds of your work, though not near so careful as to escape Mouse's ear. He barks once sharply as a pale gaunt face, hair much to dirty to tell the color plastered around it appears around the corner and then snaps back as they notice that they had been seen.
"Are there more of them out there?" you ask Mouse
He taps a single number into Burny's keypad:
"Nine"
How do you greet the ghouls you had drawn?
[] Offer them a meal, you can make your offer while they are eating, the hunger at least a little dulled by the act
[] Call out the offer from the start, better to be up front
[] Write in
OOC: Rolls will be up in a bit, I have to run. 
