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 Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 7:01 pm
Toby opened a window. The smoke seemed real, so it was a good idea to keep it vented. There wasn't much else to smoke while they were here, at least. He reached back behind it and disconnected it from the wall.
"She's loud, I'll give her that," Toby said.
His hand raised as if Maia had taken it, but the offending digits didn't feel right. They weren't the right size or shape. They weren't warm. He turned to see his hand drop, and that nobody had been holding it. He reflexively shook his hand like he might clear the cold away, though he wasn't consciously upset. What was that about?
"We can't leave," Toby said. "We just want to talk to you."
Dari appeared and leaned on the doorframe. "I already told her that."
Toby nodded. "Well, I can't blame her for being upset." Whatever she was.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 7:46 pm
The interpreter had arrived nearly three hours later, not on time but not particularly late either. She had stuck around and gotten the down-low on what was happening, and then was released as the sun was nearly set. She had been clearly nervous, and if there was demonic chatter going on in the dark she would surely not be able to help much. They swore to record whatever Welsh was spoken and call her, and that she only needed to be available for a couple of hours during daylight should they need to meet with someone or go over recordings. That was that.
Camp had been struck in the main hall. If it was a ghost, they didn't often take well to people going in their bedrooms. There were inflatable mattresses they knew they were biding their time with, blankets and pillows. Shifts had to be taken in twos for the safety of the group. One set of hands could only do so much, and if one person was targeted it was best to have another around to help. This time, Michael counted as someone who could be left in charge, but just because he didn't have to sleep didn't mean he should be stuck on-shift at all times. It was he who sat up with Maia, though. He had left her at the bank of computers to make some tea for her. His own would be conjured, something he learned would enable him to eat and taste without food falling through him. It was easy to conjure an exact replica of something actually sitting in front of you.
The ghost returned and placed a rather undignified mug before Maia, the tea done up light and sweet. He conjured a fancier cup for himself, though not of the same fine china he grew up with. His own tea was less pale and much less sweet, but not black either. being able to taste again was wonderful.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, taking a sip.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 8:13 pm
Maia took a sip of tea. "I'm worried about Toby," she admitted. She didn't know when the sickness would strike, and wasn't looking forward to it. "I was hoping this would be a quick mission like the others," she added.
Michael was so good at his job. Toby went on ghost missions and was back in a few days, if not the next day. She took another sip, and gave the ghost a nervous smile.
"At least it seems whoever she is, needs to sleep too."
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 8:22 pm
"Maybe she's fae," Michael said, offering a little smile. Hopefully the living were less frightening, though Toby getting sick seemed to be the most of Maia's worries.
"It's not always a good idea to hope for something fast, though. Sometimes things are fast only because they're brutal. You can never know how long you'll be in the field, either. I've seen some very long missions. This one might not be so bad. If we can't reason with her, I'm sure they'll take over here and we can go home." His eyes drifted out to the stairs, to the doors, to the windows. He sipped his tea again. He wasn't sure he wanted this to be too quick, but he did understand why the others might wish it was.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 8:40 pm
"Maybe." Maia agreed, and took another sip of tea. "Whatever she is, she's unhappy about us being here." She took another sip of tea. "I don't like not knowing," she said.
"I'm glad you're here," she added. And with her, during her shift. "The garden is dead, in the back. It was all gray and sad. Whatever it is, it's house based." And it wasn't an especially rabid brownie, either.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 8:57 pm
"I was the same way, when people started moving in to my mentor's house. It wasn't even mine, and I didn't want people there. That's why Tobias and Dari met me. It was something like this." He had been making people sick less than psychologically torturing them and threatening them bodily, but the agents had been sent to deal with him. He was glad they had. It made Michael realize how strange this case was, though. How were they supposed to know for sure whether this woman was fae or ghost when she showed signs of both?
He nodded softly then. "I saw when I was exploring before. It's a shame. It looks like it would have been beautiful once. Someone definitely cared for it, but not for a long time." Flowers had been more important in his lifetime. There had been little else to amuse yourself with, except from maybe paintings. Nature was important now too, but not because it was enjoyable so much as it was dying out from under humanity. Gardens weren't a big deal any more. "My mother had a garden. It wasn't quite like this one, but she had some rose bushes and some flower beds." He smiled, remembering the look of her at the top of that familiar glowing staircase.
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 10:05 pm
Maia reached for Michael's hand and she gave him a smile. "I'm glad they found you," she said. Maybe whatever was here would be like Michael, once it calmed down.
"We should plant some flowers together," she said. "Toby and I have a garden. It's pretty big. We could plant roses. Maybe some lilacs. Something nice. The tea roses have pretty colors." They'd plant daffodil bulbs later in Fall, then they'd come out in the spring. "We could plant bulbs when we get home," she offered.
There was a noise behind them, like a door was opening.
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 8:44 am
Michael shook his head. "Don't worry about me. If you want help to plant, I will help you. My home is at headquarters." Unfortunately.
He turned his head toward the sound, though he didn't see anyone enter.
"Hello," he said casually. It was only polite.
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:02 am
"I've been meaning to speak to Toby about that," Maia said. "Do you think you'd like to come stay with us, if he agrees? We have an attic, and we could take you out more." He'd have the ability to go to the garden whenever he'd like. Have meals whenever he liked.
Maia looked up. "Hello," she greeted, following Michael's lead.
"Hello."
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:08 am
Michael had begun to chuckle, but the door opening cut him off. Moving into someone else's house was basically a consensual haunting, wasn't it? Toby was a good friend, but he had only just gotten a house of his own. Michael doubted that he wanted a ghost too.
The ghost smiled when the spirit responded. He had a feeling it might have been to Maia, but it was progress all the same.
"Would you like to come speak with us?" he asked.
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:18 am
"No," the spirit said, before closing the door.
Maia hesitated before she looked around. Well, that was progress. That was the friendliest the entity had been. "I'll talk to Toby about it tomorrow," she promised.
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:22 am
Michael gave a short, whispering laugh in response to the spirit's bluntness. He was well-versed in muffling emotion, and so he didn't have to raise his hand to cover his lips. It was just a momentary huff, then he shook his head and lifted his cup to his lips.
"Well, at least she has good manners." It was better than flooding the house and trying to smoke them out, after all.
He turned his eyes to Maia then and shook his head. "Don't. It's very kind of you to offer, but Tobias isn't going to want someone moving in so soon. I won't be offended."
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:41 am
The door opened again, wider, and the spirit seemed to wander off.
Maia couldn't help but smile and shake her head at Michael. Maybe now she was polite, but trying to flood them out hadn't been. "Maybe she'll talk to us tomorrow," she said.
Maybe it was too soon. Maia looked thoughtful. "I'll ask him soon," she amended.
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:56 am
"You might be the one to get through to her," Michael said. "I doubt that she was saying 'hello' to me. We know she doesn't like men much, and who are we? A bunch of men, and Maia."
He nodded. "You know, I was going to be a physician. A surgeon, even. Have I ever told you that?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 10:25 am
"Hopefully she'll talk." Maybe they could avoid Toby getting sick, after all, if the spirit was willing to communicate. Maia looked a bit nervous, and looked around again. This was a powerful entity, whatever she was. She took a sip of tea.
"Were you?" She looked up from her tea. "Tell me about your life, Michael," she prompted.
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