The Elmwood
General Category => Elmwood Archives => When evil stirs.... => Topic started by: Maxx on
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Welcome to Victorian London, in a world where the works of Jules Verne and Edgar Rice Burroughs are fact, not fiction. The Nautilus prowls the seas, preying on the ships of 'that hated nation'. Phineas Bogg has managed to circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days. Steam powered airships are just beginning to challenge the skies and secret cabals of wizard practice forbidden art that most think are the stuff of fairie tales.
Darkness lurks in the shadows that the gaslight just can't seem to dispel. Desperate poverty exists only an arms length from lavish opulence. And somewhere, evil stirs....
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The locomotive let out a burst of steam and came to a shuddering, screeching halt. Butcher set the brake and let out a contented sigh. He had a week off coming to him and he intended to enjoy it. He jumped down off the locomotive and nodded to the new crew that was climbing aboard. "Treat her like a lady," he said. "It's the engine they have running east that needs to be treated like a whore."
The new engineer nodded. "Will do, Butcher," he said, pronouncing it 'Butchah'. "I'll give a blast on the whistle when I'm passing the pub. If you hear it, raise a glass for me."
Butcher chuckled, a deep rumbling sound. "Will do."
The barrel chested boar made his way to the office of the station master, to draw his pay for the upcoming week. He had no trouble making his way through the crowd. Years of practice and a face that most people wanted to avoid made it easier. He slipped through the small door and nodded to the pinched faced stork behind the desk.
The stork opened his watch, then looked at the clock on the wall. "You're two minutes late, Mr Butcher."
"Your watch is fast, Mr Addison," Butcher replied.
"The clock on my wall says my watch is correct."
"Big Ben says I'm right on time."
"Big Ben is slow."
Butcher chuckled again. "Bite your tongue."
"I'd have to catch it first," the station master replied, pulling a key out of his vest. "A whole week off? You're going to go starkers, Butcher. No throttle to grip and no whistle to pull."
"There and handles to grip and pints to pull," Butcher replied. "I'm going on an engine driver's holiday."
"Staying in London? Well, that means you won't have far to stumble when you come back to work." There was no malice in the stork's tone. In fact there was nothing but warm affection. He spun a ledger around and offered Butcher a quill. "Sign here and I'll get you your pay."
Less than an hour later, his pockets heavy and his stomach empty, Butcher walked through the door of the Admiral Nelson Arms. ""Here, landlord! I'll have a tot of gin, a pint of bitters and slice to hot kidney pie!"
"Git 'im a sweet as well, since 'e's like to drrrink like a child. Might as well trrreat him like one." The voice sounded like it came from near someone's toes as it rang through the pub and silence rose in its wake. Butcher turned, his eyes probing the darkness for the source of the voice.
It wasn't hard to find the speaker. He was moving forward already. It was clear that the kilted red haired Scottish bull had managed to cow everyone else in the room. Butcher, it seemed, was about to receive the same treatment.
Butcher stood measuring his opponent, just as his opponent stop measuring him. The entire room was still, except for the landlord serrupticiously moving breakables under cover. Then Butcher and the bull moved at virtually the same time, their right hands coming together with a loud slap as each tried to force the other to his knees. The tavern erupted into a chaos of shouts.
The struggle was long and fiercely fought but the outcome was a forgone conclusion. The bull had Butcher by almost two feet and over a hundred and fifty pounds of solid muscle. Despite the strain and bulge of the boar's muscles, he found himself forced to bend his knee to the floor. It wasn't an easy win for bull. His face was flushed a deep crimson and sweat was running down into his eyes. The grin of triumph was growing but he wasn't so confident that he would give Butcher a second's rest.
"Mercy!" the boar finally growled, his knee a fraction of an inch from the floor.
"Aye, I'll give ye that," the bull said, relaxing his grin and grinning. "Hallo, Butcher." He threw his arms around the boar.
Butcher returned the embrace flexing his fingers and trying to get some feeling back in his hand. "Hello, Angus. What brings you to London?"
The Scot grinned, trying to hide the fact that he too was flexing his fingers. He guided Butcher to his table. "Circus is in toon. You should come by. There are a fair few that would be glad to see you."
"Sarah still there?" Butcher asked. Sarah was a redskin fox who claimed to be Sitting Bull's daughter. It was more truthful to have said the she was a distant cousin but the claim brought in customers, especially when she also claimed to be able to speak with the spirits of the dead.
Angus's face fell. "She's dead, Butcher," he said in a low voice. "Murdered."
Butcher's jaw fell open. "No." Sarah had been so full of life. She couldn't have been more than thirty. She'd joined the circus while Butcher had been the strong man and had developed a bad case of puppy love.
"Aye. They say Jack the Ripper is back but she's the only one that died that way." Angus leaned closer. "Caleb is dead too. They found him drowned in the Thames, his rings still on and his purse still full. As if anyone is fool enough to fall in there, drunk or sober. And you know he didn't drink and he swam like a fish."
"Pulled me out of the river once," Butcher said, nodding slowly. Caleb had been albino badger and another one who had claimed the ability to speak with the dead. It was too much of a coincidence for Butcher. "Let me get a bite to eat and we'll go have a visit. I'll get to the bottom of this, Angus, before anyone else gets hurt."
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Coop leaned comfortably against the doorframe of the hallway that lead from the barroom to the loo and folded his arms to watch the show play out in front of him. He had returned from the loo just in time to see Angus stand up and start striding forward and was now watching Angus and the newcomer square off and take each others measure. The new arrival was hugely overmatched in size and weight but that did mean that the newcomer was a slouch by any means. He was short but stout would have been an unerstatement. An older gentleman, he was still clearly accustomed to hard work and it showed. It also didn't look like he was remotely interested in backing down. At least he didn't seem upset or angry about the confrontation, which was good.
When the two took three booming strides forward and their hands came together with a loud meaty smack, Coop grinned wide, and started cheering with the rest of the crowd. He was cheering for the boar, of course. He was impressed with the fight the boar put up but when it became clear that Angus was about to win the contest, he began making his way back to the table that the two of them had been sharing to make sure their drinks hadn't walked away in the excitement. What did surprise him was the way the boar and Angus threw greeted each other like long lost friends. He decided to go ahead and relax at the table and wait. If Angus wanted to catch up with his old buddy, that was fine, and if they wanted to join him back at the table, he would be interested to meet the man. In the meantime, Coop tilted the worn leather fedora back on his head so his face was clearly visible, stretched his arm up as high as it would go to catch the serving girls attention and signaled for another round of drinks giving her a wink and a smile. Then he leaned back in his chair to finish his ale and wait.
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"So who is this long tall fellow who's holding down your table?" Butcher asked, nodding towards the weasel. He'd learned long ago not to judge by appearances. The weasel was with Angus, which meant he was likely worth getting to know.
"Butcher, meet Stretch Cooper," Angus said, waving a hand towards the weasel. "Coop, this is Butcher. Used to have my job until a better man came along. Now he runs trains up and down the track."
Butcher held out a hand. "Pleasure," he said.
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Coop broke into a big grin, stood and shook Butchers hand. "The infamous Butcher in the flesh! It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Your name is tossed around quite a bit when the old hands get to reminiscing on the good 'ol days, especially when they start in on nippin at the old orchard, and it's a rare pleasure to see someone give Angus here a few moment's sweat." Glancing at Angus, Coop spoke in a mock whisper, "Sometimes thinks he's Hercules reborn", he laughed. "Have a seat Butcher and let me put up your first round of drinks. We'll all have a toast to old friends."
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Angus rolled his eyes. "Lay it on a little thicker, Coop."
Butcher chuckled. "I just want to hear some of the stories that are still going around. Do they still tell the one about you and the Vicar's daughter?"
Angus looked shocked. "Butcher!"
"Or the one about the canal horse?"
Now Angus looked embarrassed. "Butcher!"
The boar gave an evil chuckle. "You let the boy bask in the glory of history and I'll get too drunk to remember any of the really juicy tales." He winked at Coop. "Unless I get too drunk to remember that I'm supposed to forget."
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Cooper threw his head back and laughed, "Maybe you're right, Angus, I should sit back and let you handle the stories. I'd be interested in hearing the one about you and the canal horse, myself, but if you'd prefer to start with the one about the vicar's daughter, I'm good with that as well", he said, grinning from ear to ear. He sat up to get a good look around the room and saw that the drinks would be at the table any second. "So, Butcher, lets see how many drinks it takes to get to pass through the misty layers of memory loss", he said, giving a little chuckle.
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Alazne was not all that comfortable being back in London. She had no idea if the police were still looking for her or not but she couldn't stay hidden within the circus forever. Pulling a light traveling cloak around her shoulders she headed into the city. Alazne had kept in touch with a few people from when she had been in London ten years before but decided against trying to see any of them, at least not right away. What she really needed was a few new clothes so she headed for a tailor shop that she knew from the past. It was located not far from the docks not the best neighborhood for a women to be walking around all alone but Alazne could take care of herself if the need arose. The shop was easy enough to find. It was on the corner, right next to a dark alley that was strewn with garbage. The smell from the alley was almost unbearable to her but she took a deep breath and entered the small rather dark shop.
The shop keep took look at her and grimaced, it was a look that she was used to getting. "I am need of a few new clothes if you would be so kind Sir." Alazne said in her best servant voice. She kept her eyes down, not quite to the floor but close.
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Butcher chuckled. "Well, the story about the vicar's daughter is a four pinter but if you want the one about the canal horse, that one calls for twelve." He winked at Cooper. "After twelve, it won't matter how hard he hits me. I won't feel it until tomorrow."
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It was with obvious reluctance that the shop keeper pulled out his measuring tape. He was about to take Alazne's measure when he thought better of it. "Randal!" he bellowed. "Customer!"
Randal was obviously an ill favoured apprentice tailor. He was thin, painfully so and seemed to be made up of awkward joints and angles. Adding to his infamy was a lazy eye and a strawberry mark that covered a significant portion of his face. He smiled shyly, showing the traditional bucked teeth of a young lamb although he was well out of his childhood. "How can I serve you, Miss?" he asked in a voice that was surprisingly deep and filled with far more than his exterior betrayed.
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Coop gave a wide grin, "Well, since you put it that way, lets get started on those first four.", He winked at Butcher and smiled pleasantly up at the waitress that was arriving, "Thank ya, ma'am, yer just in time ta assist we two ne'er-do-wells in starting the party. Ah'm just here to make shure they have someone to drag them home when they can't see straight. If you'd be so kind as to make sure no one here gets gits it in his head to stand up and move by keepin' these glasses here from running dry, I'd shurly be in yer debt." He timed it so that he finished as she placed the first drink down, breifly took her empty hand in both of his and kissed it while placing a half sovereign into her palm and closing it her hand over it with the crowd none the wiser.
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The half crown went into the mouse maid's ample cleavage. she gave Coop a saucy wink. "If you're trying to get old Butcher drunk, you've got a long way to go," she said with a throaty chuckle. "He's got a gullet the size of the Channel. Many a night he's been sitting here when the landlord calls time, having gotten here at noon and still not even slurring his order."
"Now who's telling tales, Sally?" Butcher asked. "Seems to me if there is anyone who shouldn't be telling tales, it's you because turnabout is fair play."
The barmaid laughed. "If i didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to make me blush. There isn't a man alive that can, especially not you." She waved her little finger at him before swirling into the crowd to fetch more drinks.
"Special girl, our Sally," Butcher said, watching her leave. "Special girl." There might have been a note of regret in his voice but then again perhaps not. "So, Cooper, what's this I hear about you being some American bank robber, hiding out in merry old England until the wanted posters fall off the walls?"
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"Well, now, what's the point of aquirin' all that money if not to enjoy the occasional notorious sabbatical? The presence of my tail at the scene of the crime was purely circumstantial and I still maintain that someone removed it while I was asleep", Coopers neck seemed to stretch a few inches and he somehow managed to actually turn his head far enough to look at the place where his tail should be and looked at the spot longingly before heaved a heavy sigh and then continued, "Besides, given that my mother was born someplace in Europe I consider it more of a personal pilgrimage than a actual flight from the law. And please, call me Coop." Coop chuckled and shook his head at one of the locals who was trying hard to appear like he wasn't listening before continuing.
"You know how it is, you're either adopted into the life or born into it. In my case I was born into it. My ma crossed the pond when I was too young to remember much. We got adopted into the life pretty quick once we got over there", He lowed his voice slightly knowing the attitude regarding the people that he had inherited his swarthy complexion from, "she was a gypsy. Anyway, growing up in the life, you've seen it before, I'm sure. What about you? How did you come to leave the life of a traveling entertainer to become a hogshead?"
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Butcher took a large mouthful of ale. "Well, I was instructed by a county magistrate that it might be advisable for me to seek gainful employment, rather than continuing on my course as a ne'er do well," he said. "Railroading was the first thing that turned up. How did you lose the tail? Door slam on your way out, Coop?" Butcher burped slightly the end of the question, so there might have been an 'of the' between 'out' and 'coop'.
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Coop grimaced and then chuckled slightly, "Honesty Butcher, I haven't a clue. It's been that way as far back as I can recall. The only person I've known so far that could have told me about it was my ma and she passed before tellin' me. Speakin o' which, there's one more mystery my ma never answered; you wouldn't have happened to have seen anything like these before, would you?" Coop pulled the sleeves up and turned his forearms so the insides were facing up and showed him the odd and complex brands that had been there his entire life.
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Butcher had seem many burns in his career as an engine driver but he had never seen anything like the ones decorating Coop's arms. He shook his head. "They're old," he said. "You can tell by the way the skin around them is stretched. You've grown since you got those and they don't look accidental. Hell of a thing to do to a kid. You've had them since you were a kid, right?"
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Coop nodded, "Never known a time when I didn't have em, like the tail. My mother went to America because she was fleeing something, of that much I'm certain. Other than that certainty, it's my scars, a missing tail and a few things I heard her mention when I was growing up that comprise my full knowledge on the subject of my blood relations. I crossed the pond to see if I could find out anything more than that."
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Butcher shrugged, rather than cross himself, which had been his first instinct. "Likely some bloody Gypsy thing," he said. "Crop your tail, jam some red hot iron against you, to protect you from some damned thing or other. Worse than the bloody Masons for keeping secrets."
He sat back as the waitress delivered his dinner, along with a pitcher of foaming ale. "Dig in there, Butcher," she said. "You'll feel better after you get some food in your gullet."
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Coop glanced at Butcher then closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, "I don't know what happened or why but I do know from my mothers example that no matter what people say about them the Romani are no better or worse than any other people. Besides, if that were something that gypsies did to their children occasionally, I figure I'd have heard about it by now." He forced a smile onto his face and visibly relaxed. "Anyway, I appreciate what you told me. It didn't give my new information but I appreciate your being honest about it. I reckon there are few enough honest answers being given on this planet without my opinion inclining others to fail in that regard." He took a long swallow of ale and shook his head with a grin, "At least you didn't tell me another damned chicken joke. I am well and truly sick of hearing those. So if the local constabulary inspired you to give up the life of a carnie. what inspired you to become one?"
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Butcher shrugged. "I was a drifter, you might say. I hitched a ride with a circus wagon and when they stopped for the night to set up, one of the roustabouts and I got into a fight. He hurt his hand. I offered to do his work for him until he could do the work himself. By the time he was healed up, I'd joined the circus. Every kid's dream, right?"
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Coop grinned, "Thats what they say but most kids I've seen join up don't last long. On the other hand, most of those that do make it certainly seem to love it. I've never known anything other than that so I took the contrary road. I too leave of the show, a couple of times, and found that although I could leave the road, the road wouldn't leave me. I always wound up back in the show. I didn't really have a talent that I was willing to use outside of it. It does seem to have done you a world of good though. A way out of your former troubles and a way into something you enjoy doing that lets you be part of the rest of the world. I have to say, having tried to do that myself it's an impressive accomplishment." He raised his glass and gave Butcher a nod, "To your accomplishments", and downed his drink.
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Butcher tossed back his drink as well. He had barely set his glass down when it was being refilled. "To those who spend their lives bringing joy to others," he said, raising his glass. "To old friends, both here and far away, both living and lost along the way." He tossed back the second glass as well. "So what do you know about what has happened?" he asked Cooper. "Any more lost along the way?"
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Coop's face closed off for a moment and then he looked somberly at Butcher. Taking his refilled glass, he raised it, "To those who spend their lives entertaining other and those lost along the way", and downed it. He glanced at the big bull and then back at Butcher. He was distracted enough to let his slight American southwest American drawl and speech patterns come out as he said, "Too many lost along the way but if you're referring to the strange deaths of late...probably just the ones that you'd have already and not a one of them that sits right with me. Nothing to prove there was foul play but they smell strongly of mischief to me. It doesn't help that my mother, rest her soul, died in mysterious circumstances either, although I warrant that I might be somewhat prejudiced in that regard. For my money there's at least one if not several involved that would be deserving of posing as a target for practicing my trick shots and the topic itself is worthy of a few drinks in memoriam of those passed as well as celebration for those of us with a determination to look into the issue. What have you heard so far?"
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The ruckus of the out of towners in her local pub almost put off the young monkey from passing through the free house's doors, but the luring amber glow that spilled out into the street and the promise of the satisfying belly burn of a glass or two of rum after a long day was too much for her to even consider resisting. Mattie strolled into the establishment, her keen copper eyes taking in the sight of all the new faces, her dark head slightly cocking as she picked up odd fragments of conversations in a cacophony of different accents.
It must have been busy the whole day through, for the floor seemed to want to keep her bare feet stuck fast to its surface and it wasn't like the delectable staff of the "The Arms" to let the place get into such a state. She quickly assessed that her usual seat was currently inhabited by a somewhat leery goat that was making lewd jokes concerning the ample assets of the fox that was laughing heartily with his every obscenity. Mattie was relieved to see that a stool at the bar next to a weasel and boar was still free and quickly laid claim to it before any other could.
The mouse barmaid smiled as the capuchin perched on the stool, her long black tail curling over her shoulder like a sentient scarf, "Y'alright, Mattie luv? The usual?'
Mattie nodded and begun to dig in one of the pouches on her belt for payment as the barmaid bustled herself with a small nip of rum, "You looked knackered, love. The Professor needs to lay off you once and a while, let you enjoy your youth."
Mattie shook her head as a quiet voice rich with the flourish of someone born within earshot of the Bow Bells softly sounded, "Yer alright, the professor only works me hard as I need it, asides, there's too much trouble to get in 'round here."
The barmaid chuckled and settle the glass in front of Mattie, "There you are, luv."
Mattie handed the mouse a penny, "One for yourself too."
"Bless your heart, Mattie", the barmaid cooed, "If only all my customers were as thoughtful."
Mattie blushed softly and her long hand self consciously fiddled with the lenses of the goggles that sat perched atop her head as the barmaid went off to serve some other patron. The rum was good and sparked that warm fire in her belly, the conversations around her were as colourful as the tents from which they had came, but she kept her small head down so as not to seem as if she were listening in.
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"A fellow takes a minute to head oot to the loo and when he comes back he finds a monkey's stolen his seat." The voice was deep and decidedly Scottish. It belonged to an enormous kilted red bull who bulged with enough muscle to make his shirt seem fit to burst. "What d'you say, Lass? Can I have my stool back?"
The boar turned. "You broke the seal, Angus. You pay the price. If you want to sit, Miss, feel free." He had the look of a railway man and given the amount of soot and sweat still on him, he hadn't finished work too long ago.
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Coop chuckled and glanced at Angus with a grin, "He has a point, Angus, besides, didn't your mother ever teach you to give up your seat to lady?" Looking down at the small young woman, he tugged the rim of his worn fedora dipping his head slightly he smiled at her and continued in a warm American drawl, "My name's Cooper, miss, but most people call me Coop", pointing to the boar beside him he said, "this here is Butcher", and pointing up to the large bull behind her, "and the ill-mannered reprobate behind you is Angus. You might find out company less sophisticated than you might be used to, you're more than welcome to stay. I'm sure Angus can find someone vacating a stool that can be pulled over here."
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The left corner of Mattie's mouth gently curved into the very merest suggestion of a half smile as her metallic eyes danced from each of the speaking men. The smile had teased a fraction wider with the introduction offered by the American and she nodded before replying, "Pleasure, Coop. Butcher. Angus."
With each name spoken her focus settled on the bearer of each moniker. The young simian extended a long hand of tiny proportions towards the last of the speakers in a fashion that was more expected of a fellow male, rather then of a young lady, "Mattie. Don't worry about your level of conversation, I wouldn't know sophisticated if it bit me in the arse."
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Butcher choked on his ale. "Well, that was a little unexpected," he said, although the words were difficult to understand through his coughing fit. "Still, we can't exactly expect a lady to suffer through our degenerate company. At least not without first buying her a drink. Rosey! Let's have another round here and one for the lass."
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The shocked spluttering of the boar coaxed the slightest flash of teeth in a small grin that lasted as long was the ordering another round, "Cheers, Butcher. I appreciate it."
Mattie waited a couple of beats until she was quite secure in the knowledge that Butcher could continue breathing without the addition of gin to his oxygen, "Could I be so bold as to ask what brings you gentlemen to The Arms? This is my local and I can't recall ever seeing any of you here before."
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"My second home," Butcher said. "These two are with the circus. Coop is the strong man and Angus is a clown." He winked and leaned closer. "As you can see, it's a bloody poor excuse for a circus."
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Coop barely managed to swallow his drink before bursting into laugher. Looking at Angus he said, "Well, he's got the right of it there, Angus." He looked to the other two shaking his head sadly, "You know, I tried to tell him that the makeup might help but he won't even take that small but of advice. Maybe you should come back and give the strong man act another shot. I'm so feeble there are times I think I can barely get a full mug of beer to my lips but I suppose we all have our crosses to bear. I try to think of it as training and force myself to persevere", he said with a wink and a grin.
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"No wonder I left," Butcher muttered, shaking his head in mock chagrin. "Any ideas as to who is doing what?" he asked suddenly, bringing the topic back to their original conversation. "Have you gone to Scotland Yard?"
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Coop flashed a quick galnce at Mattie before addressing Butcher and quirking an eyebrow. He shrugged and said, "Scotland Yard? You know how it works, Butcher, they'd as soon cheer the bastard on as do anything. We're all gypsies, vagabonds and thieves afer all." He snorted and looked grim, "They've given it a cursory glance but in my opinion, we have to find this cocksucker ourselves and deal with him on our own terms." As he said this he brushed his fingers across the handle of the gun that was out of sight beneath his duster.
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Butcher grunted. "As I expected. He looked at Angus and Coop. "So where do we start?"
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The change in the temperature when the conversation reverted back to the topic before the young capuchin's arrival made Mattie bow her head. The cursory glance that the weasel shot her lessened the discomfort but the mention of the local constabulary raised the dark line of fur that coursed from the nape of her neck to the tip of her tail. She shuffled slightly on the stool, her long toes grasping the worn leather as she focused on the deep, burnt caramel liquid in the bottom of the glass. The talk of the men was no business of hers and despite her curiosity being piqued, the last thing she wanted was to speak out of turn or barge in where she would not be welcome.
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The glint of a coin flashed through the air, then was snatched away by a quick paw and held up to the copper eye of the owner of that same paw. Nolan whistled some tune, one that he had heard once somewhere, the words long lost to him. Not that it mattered, though. He preferred to whistle. Having gotten lost in his thoughts, Nolan had actually ended up going past his original destination: a pub that he hadn't gotten around to visiting just yet. Instead of turning around immediately, he continued at the pace he was going, making a large u-turn through the street, ending it directly in front of the light of the open door.
Still whistling, Nolan patted himself down, taking a sort of inventory of his person.
Hair? Fluffy. Check. Ears at a jaunty angle? He patted his hair, and his ears twitched into place of their own accord.
Check. Ale money? Check. He jingled some coins in his trouser pockets and nodded in approval. "Let's have a go at it, then," he said to himself and looked down at his feet to walk into the pub when he noticed that the front of his trousers were open. Gritting his teeth in embarrassment, he quickly spun away from the door and hiked the hole closed. When looking up, he found a well-dressed couple looking at him in disapproval. He smiled awkwardly and waved quickly at the two. "Beautiful night, innit? I'll let you two back to et, then." He disappeared into the pub in a flash, rubbing the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger.
He trudged to the bar and waved and arm over his head. When the little barmaid made eye contact, he pointed down at himself and said [loudly enough to be heard, but not so loud as to seem if he was being rude], "Oi! An ale and two shots o' whiskey, when ye've got the time, luv!"
Sitting down at a free stool by the bar, Nolan dropped a few coins onto the counter and began stacking them by holding them on their thin side while flicking them with a middle finger. A look of intense focus crossed his face, and his tongue came out and wrapped around his upper lip in concentration.
The coins started a slight rhythm as Nolan set the coins up, then proceeded to flick them onto the ever-growing stack.
Tak....tk-chink!
Tak...tk-chink!
Tak...tk-chink!
When his drinks finally arrived, he bounced the last coin of his payment off the rim of a shot glass, and right onto the stack. He leaned back from the counter at this point, his hand held open in front of him, like a jeweler who had just finished his latest masterpiece, with a small smile spread across his face. Looking up at the barmaid, Nolan slid the stack of coins over to her. "And that's f'r ye, miss. I'll wave ye down 'f I need sommat else."
With a look of pure bliss, he picked up his pint and took a deep draught, sighing only after he'd finished his first sip of the night. "Now, that's how to start an evenin'."
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Coop looked at Butcher, "Well, the Law is worthless in this case. As well to ask a chicken to fly for all the good it will do us. We know nothing about the bastard other than his targets have been one of us and they were both gifted with the same ability. Say, Angus, how long had they known each other? Did they know each other before their time with us?"
-
Alazne sighed to herself as she was off loaded to an apprentice. But that type of behavior was something she had learned to live with over the years. "I am in need of a few new clothes if you would be so kind. A half dozen skirts like this," she flared out the multicolored linen that graced her lower body, "and a half dozen white shirts should do me." She gave Randal a pleasant smile as she finished speaking. Alazne allowed him to lead her towards the back of the shop where he could take proper measurements. It took nearly 30 minutes for Randal to take her measurements and find materials for the skirts but finally her order was placed and half of the payment was payed. She headed out into the early evenings air. Thoughts of returning to the circus ran through her head quickly and just as quickly she dismissed them. It was not often that she did not stray far from where they set up when they made their stops, but this time she wanted to see how much London had changed over the past ten years. As far as she could tell it had not changed that much. Alazne wandered aimlessly for a few minutes then found herself in front of a local tavern. Without even thinking about it she entered and stopped for a minute to allow her eyes to adjust to the difference in light. When they were adjusted she could see Angus and Coop at the bar with a man and a woman she did not recognize. She slipped through the crowd and snuck up behind Coop. "Telling tall tails again are we Coop?" she said with a chuckle. She looked at the young woman sitting with them and at the tank of a man. "My name is Alazne, it is a pleasure to met you both." Alazne held out her hand for them to shake a smile dancing on her lips.
-
Butcher shook Alazne's hand with a solid grip, if not a crushing one. He didn't seem to notice her mixed breeding. Angus shrugged. "They were there before I arrived," he said. "Butcher might know."
"They joined at different times," the boar answered, emptying his glass and wiping his mouth with a sleeve. "Came from different carnivals that were failing. Didn't like each other much as I recall. Bit of a professional rivalry." He sighed. He wasn't likely to get much more ale tonight. He'd have to make up for it later.
He belched loudly and stood up. "Well, If we aren't going to get this solved, nobody will. I think we need to get back to the caravan and have a look at their bunks." He looked at the others. "We may be the dregs of humanity but by damn, we're people and we look after our own. I may not be one of you right now but I will never forget where I would be without you, stone cold dead and in the grave long since. I'd be there again, if not for Caleb. The rest of the world may turn a blind eye to their passing but I've a mind to see if I can do as good a turn as this Sherwood Holmes I've heard so much about. What say you? Shall we give our friends what they deserve and put them what took them from us where they belongs?"
-
The arrival of the Gaelic fox enticed the young cappuchin to cautiously cast her gaze towards him as his nimble paws completed the intricate staking of his ale money. She watched with a vetted interest as his pale gold fingers flicked the last coin to settle perfectly atop the stack then allowed her eyes to flit up to his face. Her recall was instant as she took in the warm caramel of his large eyes.
Birdseye maple music box; outside casing denotes no clue of maker but, the mechanisim is Swiss in origin. Plays four airs, all possibly French pieces. Photograph of a particularly beautiful girl carefully hidden under the lid. Simple case of over winding.
Mattie took a slow sip of her rum and waited until the barmaid had left the fox with his multiple drinks before finding the understated song of her voice, "Mister Stoneback? Sorry to intrude on yer drinking and personal time."
She dipped her head slightly so as to look up at him through her thick eyelashes, "Mattie, from Cotterill’s Magnificent Market of Mechanised Marvels, you dropped a music box off with me for repair on Tuesday last. She's repaired and playing beautifully now, was handy you should come in here tonight."
-
Nolan's eyes flitted to the side that he could have sworn he'd heard someone address him from, his head tilted towards the ceiling in the final moments of finishing his first shot. Not finding anyone there, he set down the glass and turned to the left. Nobody there, either. Finally, he spun all the way around, until his eyes finally fell on the one who'd addressed him. A bashful smile spread across his face, and he scratched his chin nervously. "Ah! S'you! Sorry about tha', miss, tho' I was hearin' voices again."
His bashful smile spread into a wide one. "Almos' forgot how small y'were, Mattie. As for me music box, what ended up being the problem? Y'didn't find anything...too weird with et, I hope?" His right eyebrow raised. He obviously looked concerned for the state of the music box.
If this monkey lass messed up me music box, I'll...I'll ask f'r a refund, s'what I'll do.
Almost as an afterthought, "How much do I owe ye?"
-
The very merest suggestion of a blush touched the small simian's placid features. Her diminutive stature in comparison to the fennec's form that was composed entirely of long limbs and ears that had lead to the momentary occurrence of confusion had left her with more than a touch of awkwardness. Her soft voice that was flavoured with the local dialect came with a slight stutter, "N-n-no, Mister Stoneback, nothing weird whatsoever."
Make no mention of the photograph Mattie, there's a good girl.
"Was just overwound, sir. I replaced the snapped spring and gave her a good clean and polish. She plays beautifully, all four airs and she shines as if she were new", she shrugged almost apologetically, "It was simple work that took minutes, but please. The pub is a place for drinking and not talking of business. I thought it were a personal piece, so you'd like to know she was ready for you to collect, anytimes good for you."
-
Every muscle in his body seemed to relax, air rushing out of his mouth in a short, delighted sigh. "Ah, she's all right, then." His eyes snapped up ['Or would it be down?' he thought to himself] to look at Mattie again and smiled. "Well, s'a good thing I went t'you, then, innit, Mattie? What're ye drinkin'? Lemme ge ye another, right? F'r a job well done!" He lifted up his second shot glass of whiskey, and it disappeared like he was doing a magic trick. Slamming it onto the bar with a satisfied growl, he waved to the barmaid again; "Another of whatever she's havin', and another whiskey f'r me!" He slammed his palm on the empty counter, and the correct amount of payment appeared when he lifted his paw away from the counter.
When the drinks arrived, he lifted up his in a toast. "To a job well done!"
-
Before Mattie could protest the drink it was dropped in front of her along with a quick wink from the buxom barmaid. her brilliant metallic eyes shifted from the mouse to the fox with a subtle nervous quality, "Really, Mister Stoneback, there's no need. I was jus' doin' m'job. It was nothing fancy or complicated."
Her attention dropped back to the rum and the temptation of its pungent aroma, long fingers curled around the glass but it was held firm to the bar, "Not that I don't appreciate the drink, of course, but at least let me take the cost from your bill?"
The resolve to resist the drink had been banished and tipped the deep umber liquid down her throat in one movement that was almost too quick to be captured by the naked eye. The effects of the three drink in her system were already to manifest, her belly felt warm and cozy, and the first stirrings of a smile began to pull at her lips. She cupped her chin in one dexterous hand and leaned her elbow on the battle scarred bar to look up at the eccentric fox, "If ye like, we could nip to the shop and I could get her for you?"
-
Nolan's shot, already very far gone, sat in a small pyramid with his other two shot glasses that nobody probably even saw him build. He turned to her, a knowing look on his face, and he held out his hands, preparing for his explanation. "It's no' about the difficulty o' the job, or how well y'did it, or that y'did it at all. The entire point o'that is just to make an excuse t'have another drink!" His mouth spread wide in a large grin. "That's what me pa always told me, anyway." He lifted his hand in a gesture that implied, 'no, no, it's okay', and continued his small speech. "An' I couldn' take yer money. 'Sides, this ain' part of the job, eh?" He gave her a rougish wink, and took a long drag of his pint.
At the lass' request, the fox choked a little on his ale. Coughing, he set it down and looked at her. "Well...Uh...I've still got ale in me glass."
-
The dulling effects of the rum caused Mattie to be completely oblivious to the rather suggestive nature of her offer, until Nolan had inhaled his ale. The inappropriateness of her invitation hit her with the suddenness of a swift smack to the chops and the blush that burned brightly on her cheeks was quickly, yet inefficiently covered by her long hands. Her small shoulders hunched up to her ears as if she were expecting a blow from some unseen attacker and she shook her crested, obsidian head, "Oh forgive me! I really just meant that perhaps you would like your music box back as soon as possible"
-
"'Ere! Yoo with the ears. I couldna help but overhear yoo say tha' yoo heard voices. Can I be so bold as to ask what kind?" Angus didn't have a subtle bone in his body. He was the proverbial bull, full speed ahead and leaving those in his path to scramble as they would. He leaned closer. "They wouldna be the voices of the dead, would they?" he asked in a low whisper. For such a large man he was capable of dropping his voice to surprisingly soft levels.
"Angus, leave them be," Butcher said. "They have business."
"As do we, Butcher. As do we."
-
Nolan turned to the bull that approached him, his coughing fit finished, then smiled and shook his head. "Nah, not voices o' th' dead. Like ye said, 'You with th'ears!'. Tha's all tis." Nolan tugged on his tattered ear to further his point. "Wi' ears like this, 's kinda hard not ta hear things ev'ry now and again. They catch a lot more than ye'd think they would." He winked at Mattie. "They're not just f'r show, y'know."
Leaning away from the bar to glance at the boar that spoke after Angus, Nolan then made a small salute to those sitting at the table. "Ah, s'all right, sir, he ain't a trouble 'tall. 'Sides, what's a good pub if ye don't have someone drunk as you comin' an' askin' ye odd questions, right?" Nolan smiled at Butcher and his table, then at Angus, and gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder, laughing at his own little joke.
-
The mellowing effect of the rum softened the edges of reality for the young primate and she caught herself giving the Irish fox a smile that seemed to reach all the way up into the new penny copper of her eyes, as he again casually tossed a cheeky wink in her direction. Once Nolan had turned to face the rest of the party, Mattie noticed the tell tale sensation of the pull of muscles around her mouth and eyes and quickly adjusted her expression back to her customary look of stoic placidity.
This was the second time in that evening that talk of those being able to hear the dead had arose and the general air around that topic left Mattie feeling decidedly uncomfortable. She shifted on the bar stool and her long toes curled a little tighter into the worn leather of the seat to give her just that little bit more stable security, "Mister Butcher, Mister Cooper and Mister Angus were talking about those that. . heard things having been turning up. . .well. . dead, but seeing as how you just hear the living, I don't think that would be something you had to worry yourself with."
-
Nolan looked to Mattie, then to the table of gentlemen incredulously. He slid his stool over to the table, not forgetting to grab his pint, and beckoned Mattie over. "Now, not t'question ye, mates, but how can ye be certain that these blokes 'ave been hearin' th'dead when...well, they themselves are dead? Not like we can just nip over 'n ask them now, ye ken?" He scratched the side of his muzzle contemplatively. "Now, I know ye didn't really ask f'r me advice, but I still figure I c'n put in my two pence worth. And it's not just one lad, this has happened more than once, aye? So, maybe the killer's got somethin' against those that go about sayin' that kinda thing?" Nolan shrugged, his two pence concluded. "Jus' playin' Devil's Advocate, y'see."
-
Alazne gave the fox a simple look of disbelief. "How can we be sur tha they actually could hear the dead? Ti's a well known fact wit' in the carny community tha' they did." She turned to Butcher, "You are right tha ti's not the place ti be spakin of such things. If we wan' ta continue this line o spaking I suggest tha' we head back to the carny. This type o talk won raise no spicions there. For ti's a sur thang te coppers ain't goin' o break a sweat ore the death of a couple of carny folk." Her whiskers twitched as if she was nervous about something, as they always seemed to do.
-
Nolan raised his eyebrows in an interested, surprised sort of way. "Hm. Didn't realize bein' a carny was such an exclusive group," he said, sincerely and matter-of-factly. Picking up his pint, he unbended his long legs to stand. "Ah, ain't none of me bizness anyway, I'm jus' one who can't say no t'a good mystery, is all." He began to turn to walk to the bar, but then stopped as a thought struck him, and he turned back to Butcher with a concerned look on his face, a soft step in his voice "Uh...not t'be rude, mate but uh..." Nolan thought better of his question, and waved a hand as if to swat away the thought. "Never mind, like I said, ain't me bizness. Pleasure talkin' wiv ye, mates," he nodded to Alazne, "miss."
Me and me big mouth. Shouldn't poke me big ears where they don't belong, almos' asking why they're so concerned. Still, though, one can't help but wonder if one of theirs hears th'dead, as well.
-
"We lost two," Butcher said softly. He had his hand on Angus's back because he knew the temper that the Scot had. If he saw any of the fox's words as insulting to the memory of the departed, there would likely be, at the very least, heated words. "Angus was asking on the off chance that you might have been able to hear them so we could learn a little more about why they died."
Angus shook his head and in doing so shook off Butcher's hand. "That wasn't it Butcher. I was warning the lad, just in case he could hear the dead. He might be next on the list. And yes, circus folk are a tight knit bunch. We're seen as oddballs and freaks by everyone around us and we only have each other so we tend to be protective of our own. Butcher used to be one of us until he left to work the railroad but, as they say, once you're in, you're in for life. Nobody cares about what happens to us except other circus folk and there are two dead who need to have their killer found and brought to justice." The circus strongman cracked his knuckles. "Our kind of justice."
-
Alazne gave the fox what could only be described as an apologetic look. " "M sorry if I seemed a little dismissive of ya. I's jus tha no one gives us carnies a second thought when one goes missing or ti's killed. Ti's as if we don really exist o'side of the rings and tents. Sometimes ya ge' a little tired o' being treated like a freak or as if ya are no' e'en worthy o' walking on the same ground as the rest of folks." She held out her hand, her head tilted just a little to one side. "Me name is Alazne and we could us all the help we can git wit this if ye still be willing."
-
A sorry look spread cross Nolan's face. You could just tell that if he'd had a hat, he'd take it off to respect those lost. Instead, his free hand went to the back of his neck. "I'm truly sorry, mate. It's never easy, I c'n say that much. I'm sorry I wasn't able to give ye anything to go on." Nolan then turned to Angus and gave him a respectful nod. "I truly appreciate tha', mate, and it's a right relief t'know that I ain't in any danger. Though, that worry comes right back t'hear that ye're bein' cut off, and wi' no rhyme nor reason to it, and no one' - if ye'll excuse me language," he turned to Alazne and Mattie in turn, giving them an apologetic salute, then back to Angus and Butcher, "no one t'give a fuck."
After giving Angus another friendly pat on the shoulder, he turned to Alazne. "It's all right, miss. Just a simple misunderstanding. I really didn't knwo me place, really. And ye exist outside the tents f'r me. Far as I'm concerned (and believe me, I'm no expert), as long as ye're in a pub, drinkin' with folks and not havin' to smash a barstool over anyone's head, you're a friend in my book." Nolan shook her hand, and gave a winning smile. "I'm Nolan Stoneback. Pleasure t'meet ye all. Not sure how much I'll actually be able t'contribute, but ye can be sure I'll do what I can."
He looked over to Mattie quickly, "I do have some other bizness I need t'take care of though, quickly, if we don't have t'leave right at this instant."
-
The thought of being a part of a band of renegade murderer hunters that would administer their own brand of justice on said culprit, did not fill the young cappuchin with the joys of spring. True, the thought of there being someone on the loose extinguishing those with a special talent and of course Scotland Yard being far from concerned did tug at one or two heart strings, but still did not entice her to rally to arms with the uttmost of confidence.
The quick aside from Nolan snatched her from her thoughts and again enticed something of a drunken smile in his direction. She caught herself as soon as she recognised the sensation of the expression and blinked hard, thrice, "Oh, absolutely, Mister Stoneback, Sir. Though, if you prefer to just pop into the shop at your own convenience, I'll keep her safe for you."
-
Nolan shook his head, almost a little too emphatically.
Reign it in, lad, don't seem too excited about it. Just be glad everything's safe. The lanky fox had a reason to be concerned, and in all honesty, it was something of a keepsake for him. He'd gotten it a few years ago, when he was just becoming a teen. If anything had happened to it, the normally jovial and upbeat fox's attitude would take a darker turn for the worst.
Aside from that, however, Nolan also had other thoughts.I'd like ta take a pleasant, boozy walk before I go about gettin' sober talkin' about dead voices 'n murder 'n th'like.
"Nah, nah, it's all right! I'd rather get 'er back now before I go about and forgettin 'er, y'see. Wi' ears this big, there ain't a lot of room to hold a brain, aye?"
-
"Right then," Butcher said. "Let's go. We have to figure out if anyone saw anything. Somebody has to have seen what happened. Anybody know how to deal with the street kids? They're out at all hours, they see everything and nobody ever sees them."
-
Coop had been still and silent throughout the exchange, making himself as invisible as possible listening to the newcomers and gauging Angus' reaction. Once he knew that Angus wasn't going to take offense and Butcher was keeping an eye on him as well he let out a mental sigh of relief and focused on the two rubes. They could definitely use all the help they could get if these two were willing to contribute. He gave a barely perceptible grunt at Angus' mention of justice as he agreed completely that it should be served after finding why the bastard did it in the first place. He let a small grin creep onto his face and leaned forward as Butcher asked about the kids. "Well, Butcher, I can usually make the kids smile given a little time but I don't think I'm the one for this job. I'm a bit out of my element in this country. My tail can be very intimidating to small people", he said as he raise a hand to point at the empty air above his head. He reached across the table and placed his hand within easy distance of the two small newcomers, flexing it at the wrist, inviting them to take it. "Ahm Morgan Cooper, mah friends call me Coop", he said with a grin and a wink.
-
Alazne looked at Butcher. "I kin get a message to the street urchins bu' t'will need so'one to watch me back. The places I wou' need go ain't the most pleasant places to be e'en in the light o'day." She put it out to all of them to offer their aid but was really hoping either Butcher or Angus would be the one to volunteer. It was not she was opposed to any of the others helping, it was just that non of the others were really as imposing as either Angus or Butcher looked to be.
-
Angus nodded. "I'll go. Coop too, for all that. If I can't scare them off, he'll make 'em laugh so hard they'll fall over. Butcher, we'll see you at Piccadilly. Maybe you, the fox and the monkey can learn something for somewhere else. you seem to have more of a head for this than I do." He wrapped his arm around the weasel. "That's why I'm taking this thundering loony."
-
Coop quirked an eyebrow and grinned down at Angus as he pulled himself up to his full height feigning shock. "Why, Angus, if ah didn't know better, ah might have thought you were accusing me of having a redeeming quality." He nodded and tipped his hat at Alazne, "Don't worry miss, you'll be safe as houses. Ah can point out the direction troubles coming from and critique his martial skills while he displays his prodigious strength and if that fails by some miracle ah think the great equalizer can give us a hand", he said, giving her a wink. "Butcher, it may take us some time to find out anything, if there's anything to be found out. We will see you as soon as we can. Keep an eye out for yourselves."
-
An odd look flickered across the young capuchin's face, her copper eyes narrowing slightly as the talk of those obviously with little experience of interaction with the children that thrived on the streets of London. She knew only too well that the means by which the others had spoke of "dealing" with them would only end up with their pockets lighter and a good dozen or so words of a more colourful nature to be carelessly thrown in their direction.
Her soft voice that was flavoured with the local accent quietly sounded after the general chorus from the circus folk, "You lot of all people should know that looks can be deceptive. I grew up on these streets and was once what you call a 'street urchin'. Unless you know the code of this lot, you'll get bugger all from them accept lip and empty pockets."
She dropped from her stool, remarkably sturdy on her feet considering the amount of rum that she had poured down her throat and look up at the group, her eyes falling on the tall, slender fox, "I'd be more than happy to lend a hand, but I do believe that Mister Stoneback wanted his item back before we ran off."
-
At the words from the small simian Coops head swung rapidly around to look at her with furrowed brows for a moment before his eyes bugged wide and he let out a laugh. How bowed so low in her direction that his snout almost brushed the floor. "Am sorry, Ah must have misunderstood, miss. When Alzane asked asked for someone to watch her back, I assumed that, given we're askin after one or more murderers who seem to have a penchant for targeting people that we're close to, she wanted someone to keep an eye out for such easily dealt with dangers as the aforementioned murderers or possibly even the local constabulary. I had sort of expected her gentle touch to deal with the children, barring a possible magic trick or two. And not to sound cowardly but if I realized that we were going to have to watch her back against the children, I would have asked for a larger posse in the first place. Any help you might be willing to offer would be appreciated." His face grew sad for a moment and as he looked at her. "I hate to think how poorly she must have had it in life that she would sincerely think we were speaking of turning our fists and weapons on children." He shook off the thought like water from his fur and turned back to Butcher. "Well, Butcher, looks like we might as well take the entire flock at once unless you can think of a better notion?"
-
Nolan winced as his fingers ground into one of his oversized ears. When he pulled it away, a coin appeared in between the two fingers. He looked at it thoughtfully and then showed it to the party gathered. "Honest t'say, mate, but magick ain't exactly going to impress these little buggers. They know it's a load of shite, what with livin' on the street and all." He stuffed the coin back into his pocket. "Tryin' to impress 'em with tricks and toys ain't gonna work here. Ye gotta talk to 'em like they're a person 'n not just another little lad or lass. Bribery ain't ever a bad idea at all, either." He shrugged almost dismissively, his big hands splayed in an almost 'what-are-you-gonna-do' fashion. "Every lad's gotta eat."
He placed a hand on Mattie's shoulder. "This li'l one is right, though, I would much like to get my things back before anything else...if that's all right of course. I'll keep a good eye out for the lass, in case anyone is worried."
-
Mattie looked up at the weasel with her small, round head cocked and her brand new penny eyes wide, "I'm thinking you got the wrong end of the stick, Mister Coop. Sure I can hold me own in a fight if it came to it and certainly it has been known for me to get a little crafty with a blade, but that wasn't the point I was trying to make."
Her gaze flitted momentarily to the lanky Fennec Fox in a gesture of acknowledgment and agreeing, "Its like Mister Stoneback said, those of us who were raised on the streets aren't the type to be cajoled into sharing with a few parlor tricks, amusing anecdotes or a soft voice full of compassion. Matter of fact, that kind of approach would just end up with them taking the piss then mobbing you for all your valuables, I know, its what I would've done."
The young simian's shrugged as if her last statement were as simple as stating that the night was dark and the day was less so, "What I was offering was to be your interrupter of sorts, I know the lingo and I also know what you need to supply to get the information you're seeking. .and how to cut past all the shite they will throw your way before giving you that information. Anyway, the Professor's shop is on the way, if you don;t mind us ducking in so as I can return Mister Stoneback's possessions to him."
-
Angus snorted. "I told you he was a thundering loony," the Scottish bull said, his brogue thick enough to walk on. "Lead on, MacDuff. I'll be damned if I'll say 'hold, enough'." He caught the look Butcher gave him. "What, you never heard of Shakespeare? Would I be a Scot I couldna quote from the one they call the Scottish play?"
In the dark pub it was hard to see Butcher's cheeks redden. "I'm not one to waste my time sitting in a theatre when there is pie and ale waiting," he growled.
-
Coop gave a heartfelt laugh out loud, "Well, Ah never denied that ah wasn't a thundering loon but Am'm not crazy enough to say I should be the one to talk to the indigent children. Butcher, I had no idea you were so passionate about your meat pies and beer", he said with a big grin. "Its settled then, we'll take the gentleman by to get his heirloom and then go forth to meet our destiny", he looked a bit more grim, "And hopefully it will lead us to at least a clue to where we can find the culprit."
-
Alazne gave the other girl a smile. " 'M sorry if ya took me comment to mean tha' t'was the young uns tha' I t'would need protection from. I mean' tha' I t'would need someone to watch out for the ruffians and scallywags that are prevalent in the same areas I t'would need to visit. Those scoundrels would jus' as soon put a knife in ya ribs as look at ya. As fer how to approach the little ones themselves, t'is not my first time dealing wit' them. I seem to have a way with children no matter what their circumstances in life. They seem to instantly trust me for some reason." She turned he gaze back to Butcher. "Perhaps we shoul' split in two. You go wit' Mattie and Nolan and I will go wit' Angus and Coop. We kin get more ground covered tha' way 'n' and talk wit' more people. The more information we can git' and the more who know we are willing to pay for it the better off we will be in t'e end."
-
Nolan bit down on his lower lip, a huge smile splayed across his face, stifling a laugh. When Alazne turned to look at him, he waved the laugh away, but the smile still remained. "Sorry, miss, I've just always found it funny when people say 'scallywag'. Just tickles me t'no end, it does." He cleared his throat, and continued to speak, his tone more serious. "Well, seems like everythin's in order, so, that bein' th'case..." At this point, Nolan lifted the last of his ale and poured it down his gullet, finishing it off with a satisfied sigh. "Let's get to work then, mates!" He pounded the mug onto the table, as if he were a judge calling a courtroom ceremony adjourned, and the mug was his gavel.
-
"Sounds like a plan to me," Butcher said, moving towards the door. "Let's get a move on you two. Angus, stay safe. Coop, try to keep him out of trouble."
"Keep yourself oot of trouble," the Scottish bull snorted. "I can handle myself. It's short uns like yoo that need help."
-
The tiny simian watched each speaker with an intense light flickering in her deep, metallic eyes. Her cunning hands rose to the brass goggles that were perched amongst the obsidian tufts of her cropped hair to readjust them just so. As the last speaker drew to the end of his sentence, those same hands dusted away unseen dirt with a few swift pats on the thighs of her tweed knickers. Her placid features seemed to set in a determined rigidity as her voice steeped in the tones of the locale picked up, "Right you are then. Mister Butcher and Mister Stoneback, if you care to follow me, I'll get us directly to the Professor's."
Her head bowed slightly as if she were tipping some invisible hat, "And to you others, the best of luck with your endeavours. I'm sure we'll catch up with you to compare information."
With that she strode with only the slightest of a rum induced sway through the pub and out of its heavy doors.
-
Wiping his snout, and with everything being said by Mattie, Nolan bounced on his toes out the door of the pub with surprising grace, despite all he'd had to drink only minutes ago, giving a quick salute to those still waiting around the table. "We'll see ye all in a bit, mates! Meet back here in 'n hour or two? Good! See you then!"
Not waiting for an answer, he caught up with the miniscule primate, and shoved his hands into his pockets and kept up a solid pace.
-
Mattie heard the distinct beat of a single set of footsteps and abruptly halted, realising that they were short of one member of their newly formed band. Her head turned without the rest of her body moving and her copper eyes settled on the statuesque fox that was trundling towards her with the furious pace that she had set. She stuffed her long hands into the pockets of her knickerbockers and gently rocked back and forth on her heels as he approached, the finger like digits on her feet gently taping the pavement in a song that was only heard in her head. The soft caress of the rum coaxed the merest suggestion of a smile open her lips as she found an odd comfort in her surroundings and she lifted her chin to look Nolan in the eye as best she could given their opposing heights, "Looks as if we're a man down, Mister Stoneback, guess it'd be polite if we stopped and waited for him to catch up."
She nodded as if agreeing with her own statement before returning her metallic gaze to the desert fox, "I have no doubt you will be more than thrilled with the work I did on your musicbox, Mister Stoneback. She plays like a dream as if there were miniature performers living right inside of her."
-
The Fox trotted to a stop in front of the simian in response to her words, his own paws falling into his pockets as was natural to him. He smiled widely in excitement, partially in his excitement as to how his night was going, and partially as to his excitement to getting his box back. "Did ye manage to get it to sound more beautiful than it did before, then? Ye seem pretty confident with th'work ye did, so I can only assume it came with an upgrade then, no?"
The big-eared fox smiled even wider. "We should probably wait for th'Butcher then, yeh? I imagine 's'rude to leave a man behind, far as I understand."
-
Mattie nodded with almost a little bit too much enthusiasm with the mention of the work she had performed on Nolan's most precious of belongings, "I should imagine the airs were quite beautiful to begin with, but nothing makes a music box sound better than not hearing it for an age. . .well that, a new spring and of course a ruddy good cleaning. A couple of the teeth seemed a tad on the worn side too, so I look the liberty of fixing them too, no extra cost, but honest Mister Stoneback, its as if the angels themselves are singing to you. And, why if you don't agree that she sounds better than you remembered than consider no payment for the work done."
The smile that had been nothing more than a glimmer on her dark lips now blossomed upwards to twinkle in her eyes. Her confidence in her work, added with the knowledge of the coming approval of the gentleman before her and of course that rosy glow she always got from rum, "I guarantee you will be best pleased, Sir."
-
Nolan smiled widely. "I don't think I could poss'bly thank ye enough f'r fixin' my Sharon f'r me, love." Nolan's eyes grew wide, but only for a moment, after which he quickly composed himself.
No need t'bother this lass with your woes, Nolan, just let it be.
Nolan smiled, almost weakly this time, but still nodded his approval. "Yeh. I appreciate th'work ye've done. If nothin' else, the least I c'n do is keep comin' back to ye if anything else I own goes bunk."
His fingers fidgeted a bit, where they finally rested on his tattered ear, feeling the curves of the bit that had been cut out.
-
The shift in demeanor of the usually gregarious fox did not go unnoticed, no matter how touched by the booze Mattie was. An onyx hand appeared from her pocket and extended towards Nolan in a consolatory fashion, but before it made the full voyage to rest on his arm it was casually redirected up to the shiny goggles that perched in her tufted hair, "You gave your musicbox a name? I do that too, with every project that comes into the shop or the professor gives me. People might think I'm a bit on the daft side for doing such a thing, but I think machines carry their own souls or even part of our own or even of the person that gifted you the item. Its like even if those people are no longer in our lives, there will always be a part of them in the springs and gears."
Thoughts of the picture she had found in the lid of the music box came back to the pocket sized monkey and she only hoped that the words she had spoken could offer Nolan some sort of solace.
-
Nolan made a long pause. Not because the monkey had noticed he'd named his music box, nor because of the fact that what the little monkey had said was all sorts of kind of ridiculous...
Does she know?
"I...I name everything I own...makes it...more special." The fox's stuttering was obvious now. Nolan had no idea what to do with himself, so he busied himself with other business. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the money that was required for the payment he thought was needed for the repair of his music box, and handed it to Mattie.
"F'r the repairs, miss. The change'll cover anythin' else that I might have to buy to replace it meself later."
-
Matties eyes grew to epic proportions as Nolan dug into his pocket and produced cash, quickly she pushed the hand with the money back towards him and shook her head, "Crikey, Mister Stoneback, not on the streets! Anyone could be watching and every single alley along here has someone on the lookout for an opportunity, if you get what I mean? Please, put your money away and we'll settle our business once we're back in the safety of the shop."
Her long fingers lingered on the fox's large paws just a fraction too long and her gaze swiveled up to the great heights to meet his, a soft guilt swam in the copper depth as her voice softened, "If I said anything in my ridiculous babbling that. . . .perhaps. . . caused you discomfort, I apologise. I mean no harm, sometimes I forget my manners, the professor is always telling me off for speaking my mind when I should be observing."
-
He shook his head. "No, miss, ye've not stepped out of line. 'S'just that...Well, I'm grateful, y'see."
After a short pause, Nolan continued. "Ye've been nothing but polite t'me. This is just me thanks."
Nolan forced the hand with his money back to the capuchin, a serious look on his face.
"F'r what ye did, ye deserve it."
-
Mattie's glittering eyes darted around them, seeking out the possiblity of anyone else viewing the exchange, they then dropped to the money that was being forced into her hand her mouth formed a small letter "O" as she quickly stuffed the coins into one of the many leather pouches that adorned her bet, "Mister Stoneback that is far more than my work and the parts are worth. When we get to the professor's, I will be giving you your change. The professor make sure I want for nothing and though it is appreciated, all I require is the payment for time and parts."
Her eyes rose the heights to reach Nolan's, "But thank you, the gesture is noted and appreciated."
-
Glaring at Mattie, his tip refused, he clamped his fist around her hand with a stern look. "Look, miss, this means that much to me. I'm wealthy, and this is worth what I gave you."
He pulled his hands away. "it's so worth it. Don't ask questions, don't argue. Jest...consider't a tip. Now...ye've got what you want. Let's get me what I want, yeh?"
Nolan continued walking down the street, saying what he needed to say, towards what he needed to get.
-
The small simian stood in shock for a brief few moments as she swithered as to what to do, her head swayed from the sight of the door then to the departing fox and carried out that motion a couple of times before finding her feet and chasing after Nolan
"Mister Stoneback!" She called out as she closed the gap between them, a single long fingered caught his wrist and beckoned him to stop, "Please, I'm sorry. I meant no offence."
Her large eyes pleaded silently, "I'll take the tip and be grateful, but if you ever need more work or get the urge for any of the trinkets we have, will you allow me to offer you a discount?"
Her lips moved wordlessly as her mind played catch up with her mouth, "On account of you being such a valued and loyal customer of course. . ."
The first spring of a blush found its way to the young monkeys cheek as she realised she was still grasping the fox's wrist and she immediately relinquished it along with his gaze, "If that would fare well with yourself, of course."
-
"Loyal customer me arse. I ain't nothin' of th' sort, dear. This is the first time I ever went t'yer shop." Nolan paused, seeing the insult in his words.
"...I'm sorry if I offended yeh. I didn't mean anything of th'sort."
He politely pushed his hand into his pocket, out of the monkey's grasp, without being rude. "I'll pay what I owe ye, and I'll tip as I like, luv. Ye didn't offend me, so there's no need t'feel bad, miss."
The fox stood thoughtful for a bit. "I'll pay what ye need, dear, no matter what I bring into th'shop. I don't need any discounts or deals, seein' as how I'm well off. Ye're just as high as I am, in my opinion, so don't ye fret, yeh? Let's just get me what ye fixed."
-
Without further hesitation and a small a amount of fear that she would again find herself touching him without invitation, Mattie hastily shoved her hands in her pockets, "No offence taken, Mister Stoneback. Its just that I am far from used to having money thrown in my direction, makes me feel a tad on the odd side. 'Specially when I did so little to deserve it."
She tried to give Nolan something of a smile as she shrugged, "But if it pleases you, I'll accept whatever you give without another word."
Her eyes flitted again to the direction of the pub, "And I know you're awful keen to get your Sharon back, but we really best wait for Mister Butcher first, we don't want to seem rude now."
-
Nodding knowingly, Nolan chuckled. "Yeh, I know." He stood a little awkwardly and anxiously, his hands flitting to his ears again. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he waited a bit before finally asking the small capuchin lass in front of him, "D'ye think we could meet him later? Sharon's..."
The fox paused.
"She...er - I'm just anxious t'get her back. Can we meet him there? Just a second."
Nolan trotted back to the pub's door and shouted into it, "We'll meet ye there, mate! Ye know what we mean." Prancing back to Mattie, the fox spoke.
"Now then...what say ye meet me there? First one there has to unlock the door,, yeh?" He grinned jokingly.
-
OOC: That's what you get for racing ahead. I would have assumed that Butcher had followed along.....
BIC: "Passing cash around on the street like that makes the young Miss look like a streetwalker as well," Butcher said. "This area isn't too thick with pickpockets, so it's the constables you need to worry about. Half would arrest you, the other half would demand the cash and give you a good solid whack upside your ear with their billy." He snorted. "I'm sure they do a decent job for some but they've done little good by me."
Their journey to the shop was uneventful. Butcher's size kept the bully boys at bay, while Mattie's keen eyes and streetwise ways steered them clear of the more light fingered members of society.
-
OOC: Its no biggie, Mister Anal Thread Nazi, Sir. You know me, I never assume or move folks' characters without full consent, besides we got to do a little character development which is always good!
The unlikely trio halted at the storefront of a most curious shop. The windows were crammed full of glittering items in various shades of metallic and each and every one of those items whirred and ticked in perpetual motion. In almost obnoxiously large, golden letters that loomed above them in embellished italics were the words: Cotterill's Magnificent Market of Mechanised Marvels.
The smallest of the gang by a good foot or so, dipped her long hand past the collar of her shirt and pulled out an odd skeleton key of the brightest brass and slid it into the cunningly concealed keyhole. In a series of movements of her wrist that resembled more like that of changing the gears of an automobile than the usual simple twisting one would usually perform, a series of clicks and the sound of sliding metal chattered from the door. Mattie turned and smiled a little bashfully up at her cohorts, "Professor's a right one for the security of his premises, please do come in."
Once both men were inside, she slipped the key into a lock on the inside of the door and the symphony of locking was played again. The monkey stretched to turn a winding key that was situated at her eye level and suddenly, the entire shopped was bathed in a rich, honey toned light. The large room was filled with what seemed like millions of clock work oddities, some in the great glass cabinets, some high out of reach and some that looked a little to perilous to even consider touching. Countless clocks lined the walls and all kept perfect syncopated time with all of their pendulums swaying in unison. Mattie trundled with a suprising speed and grace and hoisted herself over the dark wooden counter in one fluid motion all with one small hand. As she disappeared into the unknown darkness of the back shop her voice came floating through, "Just a tick, fellows."
And before that tick had even passed she had reappeared cradling Nolan's music box as if it were a newborn. Her gentle mouth sat in its odd natural semi-smile as her eyes scaled the heights to meet with his as she gingerly offered the item that now glowed with a deeply polished and warm shine, back to its rightful owner, "There you are Mister Stoneback, I hope my work meets your approval, you certainly paid enough for it."
-
As he stepped into the shop, he said to nobody in particular, "Seems the professor has a penchant f'r flair..."
After Mattie threw the switch, Nolan blinked rapidly, his eyes surprised at the sudden shift in light. After, his eyes widened in fascination with the array of machines and things clocking and tocking and chiming away around him. Before he could even begin to explore, though, the little simian had already returned with his belonging. He smiled at her widely before taking it gingerly from her long fingers. He turned the box around, his own fingers caressing the box lovingly. "She's beautiful, Miss. Thank ye."
He opened the lid, and gave the key on the side a couple of twists, and the box began to play. A look of pure bliss fell over the fox's face as a beautiful sonata came from the little wood toy. His eyes closed as he listened, falling away from the world, if only for a little bit.
The tinkling of tiny bells faded away, but the music didn't stop...it was actually Nolan himself humming the continuation of the song. He realized he was still going, while the music itself was not, and he snapped out of his reverie. His eyes were wet, and he closed the box with a loud clack.
"Thank ye. I can't say it enough."
Sniffing once, the fox seemed more himself once again, stuffing the artifact into one of the larger pockets on his jacket. "Well! Now that that's taken care of, here's what ye're owed." He held out a hand with far too much money in it, then shook his head if she made a move to refuse. "Ye did more than I intended, so the rest o' that's f'r you."
-
The display of gratitude that was more than tinged with a soft melancholy caught Mattie slightly unawares and she felt herself almost gawp at the towering fox as his brilliant eyes were left gently clouded with unshed tears. She was quickly shaken from the embarrassment of becoming slack jawed when for a third time that night, a fistful of cash was thrust in her direction with an unwavering conviction. The pint sized primate knew better than to quibble with Nolan this time so simple nodded graciously and accepted the gratuitous tip, stuffing it in a safebox that was situated under the counter. She half shrugged with the obvious blossom of a blush flushing across her cheeks, "Wasn't all that much of a bother, Mister Stoneback. She was a joy to work with and I can promise you will find all is very much in order."
Her eyes dipped slightly, the knowledge of the photograph slipping through if one knew it was there. She splayed her hands on the counter looking expectantly between the two men, "We have a plan then or are we just going to wander the street collaring any youth we happen to cross paths with?"
-
He held his hand to his mouth in thought, his index finger playing along the tip of his snout. "Well, is there a particular bit o' town that has more ruffians about than here? That's all I could really think of...that or find kids in th'area of one of the deaths, then go where our info takes us."
-
Butcher eyed the door with interest. He tried to imagine what the inner workings might look like. The rest of the shop was equally interesting. The odd mechanism caught his attention for a moment or two but there was far to much to focus on any one item for very long. An unfamiliar, almost forgotten itch began in his fingers and it took a moment for him to recognize it.
"I'll wait outside," he suddenly announced in a gruff voice and without waiting for a response left the shop the way he had entered.
You didn't take anything, Butcher. You're an honest man now. You haven't done any of that in twenty years. Just stay outside, out of temptation's way. They'll be long soon enough....
-
Mattie watched with her mouth slightly agape as Butcher hastily retreated outside with barely a grumble of a pardon. Her glittering copper eyes blinked hard a good three times before returning up to the heights to Nolan's and her brows dropped to knit together, "Was it something I said?"
Her head cocked slightly as she brought a single long hand up to her mouth and breathed forcefully into it, then almost theatrically sniffed her exhale into flared nostrils, "Is m'breath really that bad, Mister Stoneback?"
-
Nolan shrugged. "I can't be too sure, luv, but I can say our business here's done...What say ye close down shop 'n we see to our other business, yeh?"
Nolan tossed a thumb over his shoulder towards the door. "Butcher's sudden exit included, yeh?"
-
Mattie's onyx head bobbed up and down in quick succession as she agreed with the fox towering over her, "I'm thinking you're right, Mister Stoneback."
With an effortless and almost acrobatic grace she vaulted over the counter on one hand, her long tail curled tightly into a spiral and landed soundlessly on the dark wood floors, next to Nolan. She cocked her head to direct her copper eyes up to his and said in a hushed voice as if she feared she could be heard over the whirring of the clockwork curiosities and the closed door, "What do you reckon about what they all said? About this whole killer that marks those that can talk to the dead? Do you reckon those folks really could speak to those that had passed on?"
The complicated key again emerged from the crisp cotton confines of her button down shirt but was held mere millimeters from the lock as her eyes held the fennec fox's gaze that almost perfectly mirrored her own, "Or do you thing its a total load of rubbish and this bloke got ticked off because these folks told him a load of rubbish when he was looking for real answers?"
-
The lanky fox shrugged.
"Well, dear, I have t'say that the man would have to be crazy in any sort of sense t'go about killin' folks, be they..." Nolan thought for a bit, then put up air quotes, "Normal 'r not... Only things I c'n think of is that he wants t'be th'only one that wants to hear the voices, or he feels that people what can hear th'dead are daemons, n'feels he has t'go about killin' those that can hear..."
The fox held his hands up in a sort of 'who could say' way. "Either way, lass, people're dyin' that don't haveta, so that bein' th'case, it's gotta stop."
-
The simian's brows fell in a look of deep thought before her head bobbed once more in agreement, "You're more than right there Mister Stoneback, there's no exception for killing folks. I guess that's why I said I would lend a hand."
She shrugged so slightly the gesture could almost be missed as her long, scar decorated palm took the brass handle, "Besides, I don't really sleep all that good anyway and this at least will be more interesting that studying the cracks on my bedroom ceiling until its time to rise."
-
Butcher was unconsciously wringing his hands when the pair let the shop. "Right then," he said. "One of the bodies was dumped in the Thames. He was a good swimmer, so I doubt he drowned. Not one that you'd miss remembering either. Not many albino badgers."
-
Nolan prods the hole in his ear in thought, without really thinking about what he was doing. "So, obviously foul-type play goin' on there. Why don't we head over that way 'n check in on things, yeh?"
-
Mattie was setting about the complicated lock system of the shop's door as Butcher's voice sounded in the thick London night. She cocked her small, dark head in the direction of his voice, taking in the details he was sharing and noting the sadness badly concealed in his tone as he did so. The lanky fennec spoke as she turned towards both of her new sleuthing team mates, she tried to focus on the words that were coming from his mouth but her eyes were stolen away to his ear where he subconsciously fiddled with the solo perforation. She realised she was still staring a good few moments too long after he had finished speaking and cleared her throat nervously as she redirected her gaze to some point between the mens shoulders, a single long fingered hand pointing down the cobbled street at their backs, "If we nip down there and along the way there's a couple of short cuts that would take us to the Thames. Might be able to catch a few of the locals that might have caught a peep or two of what happened that night, as well. I've got plenty of shiny things that should help in loosening their tongues if needs be."
-
"And I've got a pocket full of shillings that will carry us a little farther than something shiny might," Butcher said. "Don't worry. I'll be keeping my hand on my purse. Of that you may have no doubt." The boar turned in the direction Mattie had indicated and started off in that direction. At that moment he seemed like one of the locomotives he controlled; slow to start but damned nigh impossible to stop once he'd build up a head of steam.
-
"Extra pennies is exactly what I. . ." Mattie trailed off as the boar trundled off into the direction she he had pointed towards, her mouth hung loose for a few moments before she continued the sentence in a more deflated tone, "Meant by shiny things."
Her gleaming copper eyes flitted between the fast descending figure of Butcher and the fox that stood there with her, still quite taken aback by his sudden departure, "Bloody hell, he's in a hurry. We best go after him, I suppose."
There was no way her shortened stride could even begin to catch up with the quickened pace of the engineer, so she dropped forward on to her knuckles and turned her head once more towards Nolan, as if asking his permission before rocketing off at a break neck speed in a gallop on all fours.
-
It didn't take long for the trio to find the area where the badger had met his end. It looked like so many areas of London. Under the grime there were signs of the grand old lady's former glory but one needed to look closely and it was glory long faded. Still there was a faint hope lingering that the grandeur of the past might one day revisit.
Here too lurked the denizens of the shadows, cast offs and left behinds, small fish that banded together in the hopes that the larger predators would be deterred by force of numbers. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it took more force. It was why smart people never came here alone or unawares.
Eyes watched them from the shadows, trying to determine if they were predator or prey or if they belonged to that nebulous category that were to be left alone.
-
Nolan tried not to swallow audibly as he took in his surroundings. The bleak look of the buildings and alleyways in the waning light drained the color out of the world and made everything look like a gritty version of a nickelodeon that the now intensely uncomfortable fox had once seen. He fumbled though his pockets quietly until he found the rosary he kept on his person for emergencies of the supernatural variety. He weaved it through his fingers and he began to fervently pray a verse that his grandmother had taught him when he was just a kit. Having finally finished, he was able to speak and found his voice.
It broke at the beginning of his sentence, belying his discomfort. "So, what exactly should we be lookin' for then? He hadta have been dead when 'e was dropped in th'river, so that means that 'e was killed before bein' dumped. Did 'e have any strange wounds or anythin'?" The nervous fox was only making speculations that made sense from one of the many mystery novels that he was so fond of. Not knowing a lot about crime or the inner workings of a madman, he could only assume or conjecture. Anything else was simply not his area of expertise.
-
The pint-sized primate came to a complete and perfect halt, her small, lithe body still canter-levered forward on her knuckles and her long tail curled into a tight spiral that was held high at her shoulders. Her metallic eyes seemed to glitter with an other-world quality in the pea soup gloom that clung about the gaslight street lamps that were dotted along the bank that dropped straight down to the Thames. She seemed impervious to the sinister atmosphere that was created by those which had chosen to stay under the cover of the deep shadows and observe. She sauntered to the very edge of the pavement, a single long hand rested on the wrought iron railing as she precariously jutted a good quarter of her body into the air above the murky depth of the Thames. The free hand slid the goggles that had sat perched on the top of her coal dark head and adjusted them over her eyes, flicking between various lenses until the required filter was found.
Mattie turned her head slightly, her eyes still shielded with deep green lenses and brilliant brass, as the first stuttered and strained tones of the lanky fox sounded into the still London air, "If there were anything or real curiosity or value left behind from the event, it would be long gone by now, and so much gets dumped in the river that she's thick with murk and muck."
The Capuchin cocked her head slightly as some of those that were cloaked in the darkness were now slightly more visible with the aid of her goggles, "I would put a pretty penny or two on at least a pair of eyes or two having seen exactly what happened that night and that even those that did it weren't aware of them."
Her long tail slowly unfurled and took the place of the hand that was acting as her safety line as she utilised both hands to lift the goggles and return them to perch on the top of her head, "Just means we got our work cut out for us, Sirs. Not everyone round here has a tongue so loose as to gab for coppers...not when you could lose that tongue for doing such a thing."
-
The bar was smoky dim and Minnie was finishing helping her mother with the last of the dinner rush. The Spotted Dog was slowing down only those getting down to serious drinking there now. The young magpie threw off her apron and pulled on a greatcoat and wrapped a muted muffler about her neck.
"I be going now Ma," she told her mother and headed out the kitchen door into the foggy night. Her eyes darted checking the shadows to make sure she was alone before started a route that was as twisted as the alley ways and the houses that leaned over looking overly tired and in danger of collapse.
The truth Minnie had not been heading in this direction on her nightly forging trips not since the night she had inadvertently witnessed the disposal of a body. The hackney cab had pulled up the horses shod hooves echoing in an area at an hour when all should of been quiet but the lap lap of water at the moorings of the pier. That in truth was what had made Minnie scuttle for cover and peer cautiously over the eaves of the warehouse she had been sneaking around . A shrouded figure had thrown the white badger into the cold, dark, swirling water not that he felt the cold.
Minnie was young but growing up near and around the docks made one grow up fast and it was not like she hadn't seen bodies before. Why just a month ago she and her family had attended the wake for Granny Murphy even if they were not Catholic like the whole Murphy clan. They had propped the old lady in her rocker and put a pint in her hand as her well-wishers saw her off to the great beyond but that was the way of the Irish or so Ma had told her.
She scuttled along a gutter and made her way to the river muttering to herself about the fact there just wasn't anything like a ghost. Then why did she see that old badger when she got close to the river those vacant eyes staring up at her accusingly.
"I dids whats I could fer ye," she said "Didn't I hooks ye and drags ye where the bobbies would finds ye so yer kin didn't has to worry and ye would gets a good decent burial?" she whispered into the fog finally arriving at her destination, the old deserted warehouse that overlooked those inky cold waters of the Thames.
-
The fox's ear [the one without the hole in it] twitched and turned like a satellite, homing in on the speech that was steadily getting closer. His ears then pressed against his skull, and in a flash, he had pressed Mattie against a wall and unceremoniously grabbed Butcher by the collar of his shirt, pulling them all into the shadows. He whispered, quickly and breathlessly. "Sorry about tha', mates, but I hear someone headed this way, and I think they seem t'know somethin' about our pale-furred friend..." His speech ran hot and smelled of warm whiskey, but didn't reek of it. A long finger pressed against the tip of his snout, and he winked, letting his friends know he needed them to be quiet. One ear pulled away from his mat of hair and turned towards the footsteps.
When the little bird came around the corner, one of Nolan's lanky hands burst out of the shadows and forcefully [yet gently at the same time] clamped her beak shut and pulled her into the shadow with the rest of his friends. He quickly began to explain himself, his voice soft. "Now, I ain't goin' t'hurt ye, and I ain't a robber, so ye don't have to worry about that. Now, I heard you mutterin' t'yerself somethin' about movin' a body." His head cocked to one side, and his eyebrows raised up and out of sight into his mop of hair. "Care t'share a little more, luv?"
-
Being snatched from the riverside and gracelessly thrown to a wall then only to be pinned by someone who was easily twice her height would have normally thrown Mattie into her signature simian rage, but this was different. This was done with thoughts for her safety and her preservation. One hand spider-walked up the roughly hewn stone of the building until it touched the cold brass of her goggles, her dexterous fingers skimming across the treasured, functional accoutrement. Once she was satisfied that no harm had come to the goggles, her hand dropped to hang limply to her side, her tail shifted slightly to allow some degree of comfort as the lanky fox held her tightly to the stone, her eyes closing in hopes that she could catch a whisper of what his tall ears had caught. It was futile, with one ear pressed to the building and the other to Nolan's chest, all she could really hear was the thundering boom of his panicked heartbeat. When he whispered his apology and explanation, she didn't so much hear it was feel the vibration through his chest.
A soft sigh of a portion of the air that was still in her lungs slipped past her lips as the Fennec grabbed the passing bird from the alley, smushing her face further into his chest as he did so. She had no idea what he was doing and her curiosity was soon sated as she felt his voice address someone new to the group.Her brow furrowed with tale of what the stranger had been saying to provoke Nolan's sudden apprehending and she squirmed slightly to get a better look, but she was stuck fast. Satisfied the stranger wasn't a threat, along hand reached awkwardly until it connected with the cloth of the fox's jacket and she tugged at his elbow a little lazily as her muffled voice was almost lost in the layers of his clothing, "Uh, Mister Stoneback? Who've you got there and uh. . I am having a bit of difficulty breathing."
-
Looking down into his chest at the uncomfortable Mattie, he made an apologetic face and pulled away from the wall, giving her space to breathe. His face was practically glowing, his embarassment shining that much on his face. "Sorry, lass. I was just worried about ye. Might have been a bit of an overreaction..." At that, he looked over to the girl who's beak he had clamped in his fist. Letting go and blushing harder, his face now practically giving off its own heat, he apologized quietly and quickly stepped back from her, stuffing his hands in his pockets and avoiding eye contact with her. He probably would have started whistling 'inconspicuously' if he wasn't trying to keep quiet, despite his discomfort. "Everyone's all right, yeh?" Nolan finally spoke, but apparently to his shoes.
-
As soon as Nolan took the tentative step backwards to release Mattie, she dropped back, soundlessly on to her bare feet. She self consciously dusted herself down, even though not a speck of dirt was on her small form. The blush that sat on her cheeks paled in comparison to the inferno that was blazing across Nolan's muzzle. Her copper eyes swiveled up to meet his and she gently shook her head, "Yes, its quite alright, Mister Stoneback, no harm done."
Her metallic gaze shifted to the young bird and she cocked her head ever so slightly, "You mind telling us why you snatched this young lady from the alley?"
-
Not many could say they had caught Minnie so off guard. the squawk she gave when her beak was grabbed and held tight . She narrowed her eyes as the fox holds her and she aims a few punches his way struggling with him to break away. if she gets free she will run..what with the small monkey and another in the shadows big fellow break away and run is her best choice and nothing cowardly at all in the act.
"Care to share wot? How could he know, he couldn't have her heard her talking to her unseen companion after all he was but an uncomfortable memory and yes she was speaking out loud but whispering no more mumbling to herself then speaking clearly and loudly. She tried to place a well placed toe of her boot to the foxes shin next, glaring the whole time.
-
"Ease up," Butcher said. "Grabbing somebody like that isn't going to win you any friends. Let her go now and maybe we can talk with her like civilized folk. Sorry Miss," he said to Minnie, touching his cap. "We're here looking for some help finding out what happened to a friend of mine. He was a white badger and somebody dumped him in the river not far from here."
-
[[OCC: Actually guys, in my last post, Nolan had already let go and stepped back. Just to let you know.]]
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OOC: Nods. Butcher is just repeating the point.
BIC: "Good lad. Now give the little Miss some space to breath. You're not a prisoner and you're free to go if you like." The big boar knew better than to try and smile at the magpie. His smiles were hideous things to behold. "The badger was a friend of mine and I want to see justice done and the law doesn't seem too willing to do much."
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Nolan elaborated on Butcher's explanation. "Sorry about th'sudden...uh...jostlin' I gave ye, miss. I didn't mean to frighten ye, I thought ye might have been someone...bigger."
He realized what he'd said and pulled his hands out of his pockets and waved them in front of him frantically, a sorry look on his face. "Not that I'm sayin' that's bad, not at all! I've just always been a big fellow, so anybody not as tall as me just seems...well, ye get the idea. I'm sorry. I'm Nolan, and I was helpin' me friend here find out about his friend, the one he mentioned. I heard ye mutterin' somethin' about yer dead friend, and thought that ye might have had something to do with it. Once again, miss, my apologies, and if there's anythin' I can do t'make things right, I'll do it without a second thought." He fidgeted awkwardly his eyes hardly meeting hers, but his voice filled with a bashful honesty.
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The hand leaving her beak seemed to calm down the rather flustered Minnie and she took a few minutes to straighten her coat and muffler. She nodded to Butcher and raised a skeptical eye to the fox Nolan. She quickly sized the trio up and came to the conclusion they were out of their usual haunts. hell if it weren't for the fact she had grown up in these streets and alleyways she too would be out of her depths here.
"Perhaps I do perhaps I don't know sumpin' " she answered "but you don't gets nuttin' for nuttin' " she said with a sniff and crossed her arms over her thin chest looking from one to another of the trio feet shuffling a little from side to side as if she was not use to staying still for any great period of time.
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"We might be convinced to provide you with something by way of a trade," Butcher said. He was a long way from his circus days but some things you never forgot. The coin danced slowly but steadily across knuckles that looked too thick to perform such a delicate feat. "We'll see how much what you tell us is worth."
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Oh sparkly! Minnie's dark eyes fastened onto the coin and she gave a soft intake of her breath a very soft whistling noise being made and then she gave her head a shake. "Might? but what you may think insignificant coulds be wot's gets me killed" the little magpie stated firmly. She shuffled restlessly again and then sighed as if she was hearing someone or something no one else could.
"I tells ye what I saw then ..." the tiny magpie shook her head again "I has a right to the coin I do!" the tone was aggrieved almost angry but then she nodded. "I will tell you but not here where any wharf rat can hear us."
She looked towards Butcher again and the coin "Keep your quid gov I think I do not have a choice here" but the regret was evident in her eyes and her voice.
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"You tell us where you think you can tell us away from prying ears and we'll go there, if we think it's a safe enough place," Butcher said. "Nolan here has a keen ear, as you might expect, so he'll let us know if we're being followed. Or overheard. At least he might if he ever cleaned his ears."
Butcher reached up and pulled a coin out of there foxes ear. He offered it to Minnie. It wasn't the quid he'd been spinning but it was a thrup'ny bit.
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The coin was taken flipped into the air caught and vanishes in a pocket of the coat . She nodded and turned back from the direction she had been coming from. She looked about and then up.
"We be fine..I will takes you to The Spotted Dog" she stopped checking the side alleys before leading the three friends to the tavern. She signaled for them to follow and she slipped behind the pub and entered the kitchen rather then the public entrance. She waved to the cook, a chubby older magpie, who nodded to Minnie a raised eyebrow when the youngster looked at her companions.
"We have some business to conduct Ma" explains Minnie quickly and pulls out a chair at the table the staff eat at. 'have a seat and I will tells ye whats I can'
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Butcher tipped his hat at the old magpie. "Evening, Mum," he said in a voice that was deep but still low enough to be considered quiet.
Minnie's mother gave the group half a curtsy and left them alone. They looked honest enough, if a little rough around the edges, except for the simian. She'd have to keep an eye on the little monkey, lest there be less silverware in the house than there had been in the morning. Shiny objects attracted many eyes and not a few of those eyes were attached to hands with a more than normal affinity for finding things that didn't belong to them.
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Nolan beamed winningly at the young magpie's mother, along with a small wave, finally quietly turning his attention to the task at hand and waited patiently.
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Minnie looked at the three a bit uncomfortably knowing her ma would have no problem keeping an eye on the simian as she was use to making sure wandering desires for the bright and shiny did not lead one to far astray. A deep breath and then she started.
"I has this talent for finding things others are looking for" she says softly "I can hear..it is hard to explain...here voices telling me where this and that is hidden" Minnie looked towards where her mother was serving up several bowls of the stew they were serving that day and slicing thick slabs of bread and then back at the table.
"I goes out to find these things for clients which is wots I was doing that night. I was about where we meet up when I heard hoof beats...which in that neighbourhood is well unusual. it was enough to send me to find cover but I also watched." She looked at her mother then and stood up heading to the hearth and filled a large Brown Betty teapot. "Anyone else feel like a cuppa besides me."
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Nolan's fuzzy brow furrowed in thought, waving away the offer of tea politely. "Ain't even been a fan of the stuff after one of me sisters gave me hot water with a 'tea' made up of dandelions and dirt...for 'robustness'. Thanks, though. Now, you say you watched...can I ask what ye might have seen while ye were hidin'?"
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Mattie felt the coldness of having a pair of eyes constantly kept on her as she entered the common entrance of the pub. She was far from happy with the scrutiny behind the accusing onyx and made sure the thumbs on her long hands were tucked into the sides of her waistcoat, keeping them well within sight at all times. Her heavy brow knitted slightly as she could sense the almost prejudiced nature of their host, but took her seat with an almost huffy silence, her long tail draping over her shoulder to also stay within plain view.
The offer of tea perked the small monkey's head up and she nodded, "Tea would be lovely, ta and here", she dug into one of the many leather pouches that sat held at her waist by the thick belt and produced a pair shiny, silver shillings, upping the coinage that Butcher had already given by eight times, "And for your troubles and the tea."
Her soft voice had taken something of a harder edge and her hands returned to her waistcoat as the coins spun on the rough table like a pair of gilt tops, "Like Mister Stoneback said, what exactly did you see after these voices lead you Thames side?"
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Minnie looked at the simian and how she kept her hands in view which made her smile for her mother had a way of looking at you as if she knew what you were thinking even if you were not aware of those covetous thoughts yourself. '
"Nuttin better then a nice cuppa " she said as she brought the big teapot to the table and put out the hipped china cups her mother prized so dearly. She poured and thought how best to word what she saw.
"Well as i said it was the hackney cab wots got me attention at first. Not many to be found in this area after the sun sets and to get a cabbie to come down to the docks well you pay wit gold. The cab stopped and this person got out, a man be me guess y size alone big fellow bundled so you couldn't get a good look at his face. He dragged this badger out of the cab and dragged him to the edge of the dock. The badger was pale white like and well he were as dead as a doornail." She gave her head a shake.
"Once that bloke was in the drink that person gets back in the cab and they heads out at a right quick trot the cabbie cracking the whip over the poor horse's head. I was thinking Not any of your business when I hears this voice tell me to helps the poor old codger fish him out. I wasn't strong enough to do that by meself but I did what I could. I hooked him and stopped him from drifting out with the tide. I dragged him to where the Bobbies be sure to finds him and that should of bin that but its like I see him when I close me eyes to rest and he wants me to do something else...just can't figure out what that be..."
She looked at the coins and wished she dare refuse but well there was more then her to think of Ma, Pa her siblings and every coin helped make life easier for her family. "Thank ye" she nodded to the simian and smiled then looked at Butcher.
"If that badger be a friend of yours maybe you know what he expects of one little magpie?" she said softly "Because i keeps telling him i did what i could and he does not seem to believe me"
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"Caleb had a gift," Butcher said. "He could speak with the dead or so he claimed. Small wonder he could talk from the other side not just to the other side. I wouldn't say he wanted revenge. He wasn't the type. Soft as pudding. Likely he just wants to have somebody remember him."
Butcher's hands were beneath the table because he doubted the sight of his clenched fist would do much to keep the two magpies calm. "Did you notice anything about the horse or the cab? Was it the cabbie who got out to dump Caleb in the river or was there a passenger in the cab who did the deed himself?"
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Quite simply, Matilda had had enough. First the accusatory glances, then the smug little smile as if she had been caught doing something she had no notion for doing, but it was the lack of any real information that had pushed her over into the realms of being quite thoroughly cheesed off. It was if the shadow of her former life had followed her, a life she had left well behind her with no desire or inkling to ever return to now that she was set for life with great thanks to the professor and his world of mechanized marvels.
A long fingered hand dipped into the hip pocket and produced a brass pocket watch that shone as brightly as the sun. Mattie thumbed the partially concealed button and the watch unfolded to reveal a face of a delicious cream, patterned with gilt stars and a mother of pearl moon behind the ebony dark hands. A soft "Tcht", sounded from her dark lips and she shook her crested head, "Well this ain't much cop. No offence, its not that I don't appreciate your warm and welcoming hospitality and all, but sitting around here and talking about what you haven't seen and don't know isn't helping much."
She dropped from the seat and the pocket watch vanished back into the waistcoat, "Asides, the professor will be wanting his accounts done before morning and I wouldn't want to make him cross seeing as I only did half of them before sauntering off to the pub."
She casually strolled to the door, her metallic gaze shifting to the maternal bird, "I'm going out back for some air, its gotten stuffy in here with all the silent accusations. So I'll take my leave so you don't have to worry about your precious items going missing by leave of a monkey's light fingers. . . .tis a shame that some folk are stuck with their prejudices for a certain kind of folk, seeing as that's what happened to Mister Butcher and his folk with all these horrid killings in the first place."
She tipped her head as if doffing an unseen cap, "Good night to you, mam", and with that she had left the building and climbed to the top of the lamppost around the corner to perch and mutter, with a great deal of being mightily unimpressed under her breath.
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The fox blinked at the miniscule simian's departure, noting the tenseness in her voice, and looked over to Butcher, his eyebrows raised, then looked to the door , then back to Butcher. "I'll...keep an eye out on her for now. You find out what ye can, and fill us in later, yeh?" He excused himself from the table, nodding his thanks to the young bird sitting across from his friend the boar, and calmly walked out the door, stopping on the stoop to look around for Mattie's slight frame. Upon discovering her, he walked over and leaned on the lamppost she'd perched herself on, cleaning the dirt out from under his nails for a bit, not saying anything.
His right hand cleaned, he began on his left, breaking the silence. "That was a bit of a scene ye made leavin' th'pub there, luv. Somethin' th'matter?"
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The silence that loomed above the fennec sat thickly for several long seconds that crept towards minutes. The young primate sat atop the lamppost with her long arms folded across her chest, her lithe toes grasped firmly to the wrought iron and her tail hanging as a perfect counter weight. She didn't look down at him, instead she peered through the gloom and smog, focusing on the way it swirled about them like spectral lovers desperate for their living caress. Eventually she relinquished her vow of silence with a long and soft sigh, after all it wasn't the fault of the fox that she had been made to feel the way she had within the walls of The Spotted Dog.
Mattie watched Nolan's hands as they gouged unseen dirt from beneath his fingernails, his ears would occasionally twitch in the direction of the source of sound and she marveled at how mobile the large pinna appeared to be. Eventually he soft voice sounded as she continued to watch him from her escalated vantage point, "She was watching me like I was going to nick something. The old woman, she kept peering at me like I was some sort of common thief, then that other. . bird, the one you grabbed, when she saw how her Mum was making me feel, she was all smug smiles. All smiles like I had been caught red handed with their silver in my pockets. I've not thieved anything for m'self ever. . never. The professor looks after me, Mister Stoneback, right good and I never want for anything and having the, birds gawping at me like they knew I was going to off with their shiny things just. . ."
She let out a long sigh and began nibbling on one pitch fingernail, "People are always thinking things like that about monkeys, we're not all like that. Like I said that's just prejudice and I'm a good kid, Mister Stoneback, I ain't never thieved since I have been with the professor, I don't need to. . that's been almost ten years and now. . sorry, Sir, I'm going on like a right baby. S'none of your business."
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Nolan stood plaintively under the little capuchin, letting her speak her mind, nodding at bits, never connecting eyes with her until she finished. His nails now clean, he linked his hands behind his head, using them as padding for the back of his skull as he finally looked up at Mattie. "Ye felt looked down upon. Ye've got all the right to be annoyed. Now I'm sorry t'say this, but th'likes of your kind are rather well-known for having that reputation. Not that I think that o'you, just sayin' from what I know." One hand slid out from behind his head and an index finger bobbed, emphasizing his point. "I also know that folks of the avian sort aren't exactly the most trusting of folks either, especially when it comes to their shiny bits. I mean, I'm sure ye saw the way the little bird's eyes lit up when Butcher was fiddlin' with that coin."
Having made that point, the fox went quiet, for a shorter time than before. He donned a storyteller's voice as he began to reminisce. "I remember one time, durin' me youth, where my brother and I were rough-housin'. Now, me Ma didn't mind if we roughed each other up a little from time t'time, long as it was in good fun, and as long as we didn't break anythin'. Well, that one day, we did. And we thought we were goners, aye? But nothin' ever came of it. Weeks passed where me Ma never said a thing, never acted like anythin' was wrong." Nolan laughed, a quick snort coming out of his nose, a small smile of an exhalation. "There wasn't a day that went by where we just knew we were gonna have our father put th'belt to us...but it never came. So finally, not bein' able to take it anymore, we went t'our mother and told her what we'd done. And ye know what she did, li'l Mattie?" He looked up at her at this point, a soft but serious look on his face.
"She smiled, ruffled our hair and said, 'It's a lot worse bein' persecuted for somethin' ye know ye did and bein' suspected for it than it is knowin' that you're not at fault at all.'"
He looked back down to the street, his whiskers lightly fluttering around in the night breeze, his soliloquy finished, his thoughts on the table.
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"That's exactly the point, Mister Stoneback. I did used to thieve when I was a nipper, not because I was greedy or because I wanted the pretty things all to m'self. I had to, it was how I survived. I didn't have a nice house in the country with brothers and sisters nor did I have a cosy pub with a meddlesome Mum. I had to thieve for m'keep. If I weren't bringing in pocketbooks and watches, I would have been out on m'ear, on the streets to fend for m'self and I don't know if you've been on the streets of London for long, Mister Stoneback, but she ain't no nurturing Mother that feeds you sweet cream from her tit."
An other long sigh was sounded as her hands dropped to grasp the cold iron at either side of her feet, "And like I said, since the professor took me in, I've never looked back. I'm not one of those that wants it, Mister Stoneback. If it ain't mine or I can;t pay for it m'self, I have no business with it. It just. . it made me mad and sad all in one go, I'm not that kind of folk. I likes shiny things, Sir, I really do, but only the shiny things what are rightfully mine. Nevermind, right?"
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The fox's face shone brighter than the lamppost he was standing under. "That's exactly what I wanted ye t'get dear. Ye haven't broken any of your mum's things, nor her mum's so there's nothing to feel guilty about, Mattie." He stepped away from the post and stretched his arms high above his head, coming close to grazing the digits of the miss sitting above him. "Ye're right about the city, though. Ain't a very forgivin' land, so at the very least ye could understand where her thoughts might be comin' from, aye?" He looked up at the monkey, his hands falling to his side and still slightly moving with the momentum, still beaming.
"Aye, Mattie, nevermind."
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"That's the thing, Mister Stoneback I didn't and I don't feel guilty, just right bloody pissed off, is all", her long tail dropped from the lamppost and swung with a certain indignant grace, swiping through Nolan's hair and ruffling as it went.
This seemed to amuse the small simian and on the back stroke she did it again, messing his hair up further. The twitch of a smile curled at the very corner of her lips as the starting of a blush sat on her cheeks, "Oh, 'scuse me , Mister Stoneback, ever so sorry, I totally didn't mean. . "
Her tail swung out a second time and clipped him in the unperforated ear , Mattie's half-hearted apology cut short by the escape of a soft chuckle, "Oh 'eck, there I go again, with m'clumsy old tail, so sorry, Mister Stoneback," the back swing caught his forehead in a playful smack before quickly recoiling back up towards her feet, her laughter soft but musical like a thousand tinkling bells, "Oh dear, really. .I am most sorry, sometimes it seems like it just has a life all of its own. Honest, guv. . ."
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His hair batted into his eyes by the first of buffets from Mattie's long tail, he chuckled. "It's all right, lass, ye didn't mean to-" Nolan was cut off by his ear being prodded then, the ear responding by twitching animatedly and fluttering around like a dog trying to shake it's fur dry. His laughter was robust as she finally tapped him across the forehead, and he waved his arms sightlessly, then one hand finally snapping up and catching the tip of Mattie's tail between his thumb, index, and middle fingers. Still smiling, he brushed the hair out of his eyes, and looked up at his captive, a silly look on his face.
"Ye might want to lay off the drink, lass, if this is how your tail gets when ye've had a few, aye?" He tugged on her tail twice, like a train conductor blaring the whistle. "Let's go then, miss. I'm sure we're probably missed. 'Sides, ye did manage to run off a good distance. At least let's get t'somewhere where it's warm?"
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Butcher watched the pair depart. Odd,he thought. "As you were saying Miss. Was it the passenger that rolled poor Caleb into the Thames or was it the coachman?"
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Okay, I'm calling for a vote. Who wants to continue this thread and who wants to just let it fade away?
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CLOSED