Silk Purses and Sow's Ears

In fact, it's six doctors of various sorts, two shamans and an odd and rather smelly voodoo man we take her to, as well as an expert in biotech implants. And not a damn one of them can tell us what is wrong with her. The only useful bit of information we get is at an oriental herb shop, where a man with eyes like copper coins and a beard longer than my arm told us that her spirit was shorn in two, and her body had become the battle ground. Unfortunately, his answer was a concoction of mercury, lo quang and sulphide, for driving out demons. Demons, and anything else living, I shouldn't wonder.
It's a frustrated and despondent group that sits about the living room by the end of the week, each of us sunk in our thoughts.
Into the silence, I drop my last hope. I'd been leaving it off. But there was no other answer.
"We need Lily." I state, my words falling like a stone on calm water.

Kiou swallowed as she looked to Liv. She looked ornery and tired, the seizures had sapped her of her energy. The will to fight however, burned brightly within her. "The flower bitch is unneeded. Surely one of the healer's instruction will work. We should try that first."

I turn, giving Kiou a level look. "What they said was either useless, or worse than wortheless. They had no way to help you. I cannot heal you. The work is far beyond me, and I'd not do it. But Lily can. She did it once before. So unless you like your heart stopping, you'll not fight me on this."
I hate to see that lovely face snarl at me. But this I will not be moved on. I won't see another death. Not if I can help it.

Kiou's face twisted into a snarl as it was clear that had she had the energy, Liv would be missing limbs. "The moment I see her, I will do her in."

I raise a brow wryly. "In your state, you try it and it's yourself you'd be doing in." That gets me a sour glare, but seeing as she can't stand, I'm not much unnerved.

Kiou looked away after giving her a thorough glare. She may not be able to kill Lily, but she would certainly do her best to make it hard for her.

i take a puff from a cigarette in my mouth and ask the obvious question "so how do we find her?".

I sigh, putting my chin in one hand, fingers tapping against my cheek. "I know where she went to ground at the last. Where she is now.... well, I know where to start at the least." I give Sori a wry smile. "You may get to use a bit of your hardware on this jaunt. It's no place to walk unwisely."

i smile and relish at the thought of bloodletting i take another draw from the cigarette and say "well good i came packing heat then".

They debated for a moment whether or not to take Kiou home but the realization that the only thing that was keeping her from dying was Liv meant that where Liv went, Kiou went. Resolved in finding their other family member, they set off into the myriad of streets that meandered through the Nightside.

It's a fair quiet night, only four bar brawls, one street race and one duel going on as we wend our way, twisting and dashing across streets. Here and there, slanting eyes widen, and bows are made to me. I've still to really adjust to that, even now.
It's difficult to remember exactly where we had entered, all those years ago. I scan the streets, trying to find something, anything familiar. Wasn't there....was it an arch that had led down? I glance to Liam. "You lead."
But he's confused as well, oddly enough.
There's a tug on my sleeve, and I turn, knife in hand. The boy beside me quavers, terrified. "Lady Nightshade-" he gulps. "Lady Nightshade wants to see you."
I blink. Now this is a surprise.
"Very well. I'd like to see her as well. Lead the way." I gesture with my blade. The boy looks from me, to Sori, to Liam, wide-eyed. I smile grimly. "Don't worry. We only eat bad boys."

i check the handguns and give the flamethrower tank a knock to check if its full i smile when i hear it is.

Kiou eyed the boy and was honestly surprised that there would be a child in employment anywhere in this dark place. Then it occurred to her that if she were to have children, they too would grow up here. Perhaps finding Lily would not be a bad thing after all. She did not want her child to become a street rat; she would have to teach him much. And, not to mention, dead women did not produce children.

falling in beside kiou i say "you're unusally quiet i would have though you'd be complaining by now or muttering curses at lily".

"Perhaps if she were here, I would be able to. Otherwise it is wasted breath." Kiou gave a sideways glance and smirk.

i smile and say "you know you are more sparing than the supply officer i had during world war two".

It takes time, but finally, our lockets lock on. Down through the underground, down into the labryinth of passages and sewers, buried streets and forgotten waterways. The fertile, fetid richness of odors reaches out to wrap us round, familiar and unbearable.
I turn. "I have no taste for dealing with the weed queen again. I'll be raising a glamour. Stay together, and I can keep us all from sight."
It's short work,singing the air into refracting light in a new way, singing us all out of sight.
The smell of growth and decay is strong, and soon, we're in among the twisting creepers of Belladonna's court, festooning the walls, twisting, following us like eyes.
I walk as far from the walls as I can, avoiding the tendrils of poisonous blossoms and deadly vines.
So, Lily is still here.
Six months, and she's still here.

i unsheathe zerstorer from my back and light the nozzle saying "i have a feeling im gonna need this rather big weed wacker today".

Kiou grit her teeth and fought to bare the smell that seemed to permeate her skin. "We should strive to leave soon. I've never seen blossoms move like that." It is barely above a whisper as they continue on their way towards where Lily is.

i clinch my fist around the hilt to release gas engulfing the blade in flame "dont worry mon petite cheri doesnt matter if they move they still burn and im the king of flames".

"Queen." I murmur. "And do not light the place; we are trying to walk unseen, remember?"

i sulk and put the flame out "Fine queen of flames".

"I will take comfort in you blade of flames for now. Regardless though, we should leave soon." Kiou looked to Liv with a hint of nervousness. In a place like this, it was hard to swipe with a blade properly.

"You have my agreement on that." I murmur reufully.
The seedling house is still there, still quiet. And Lily still has a small room.
When I drop the glamour, she sits up with a gasp.
I smile. "Hello, Lily. It has been too long."
She's thinner than she had been, and her hair has lost the golden hue it had taken while she'd lived with us, until it looks like silver gilt. She's been dressed in a white gown the color of new milk, hemmed in green. It does not suit her so much as her street clothes did.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demands. I smile, and take a seat on her bed. "I came to ask you if you're ready to get out of here."
Her pale eyes grow wider.

Kiou eyed Lily as she sat there. Despite the fact that she had known she was supposed to get help from the woman, she couldn't help but be angry with her still. After all, this whole situation could have been avoided if she had simply not tampered with their minds in the first place. With a huff, she looked to the side.