Broken Promise, Kept

This is getting to be all to common now. Thinking about it i should have grabbed one of the others, walking alone is possible but if you wander in the wrong direction it is downright stupid. groups are safer, but they are also bigger targets. I guess there is no real way to win. It is disconcerting in some ways to know I spent so long wandering by myself down these very roads by myself and never noticing how much better it is to have someone to wander them with, at least to watch your back.
With a mental Shrug I turn my self tword dockside. Only to have my way blocked by a rogue timeslip that has been cordoned off. Damn the luck, and damn the luck and whoever thought it would be a good idea to play with time today.
Opting to go around it instead of trying to go through I set off in the direction of the most noise, after all if it is quiet it is probably a really bad idea to be there. Up ahead there are a few of the demon boys up to their old tricks. a couple get grabbed and sent to a well known hole in the wall called "The Pit" others are tossed into traffic or dragged into alleys, the sounds that come from the last are sickening. The timeslip puts me about six blocks out of my way and covers a couple blocks deep before I can turn back to a route that will take me to dockside. Coming out of my shirt Aimee makes a soft trill questioning. "yes little one we are going back to the salt air." the trill I get in response is happy he feathers ruffling in pleasure "I know little one, I know." I just hope the would be queen is down there today, otherwise I may have a lot of walking to do.

The wandering sound of a deep throated violin rides the low waves like a mist, thrumming strings voicing a siren's song, calling people to it, their eyes glazing slightly as they're footsteps turn them, unbidden, to the source.

"Oh, you lost and wounded," Adriana runs the bow of her instrument across the side of a nearby man's neck in a suggestive manner. "They cut our throats and ran out of the world; the bloodied us, destroyed our home, and fled like thieves. And that was just the Elves; the Faerie Host still stalks the Nightside, those blood banshee and the nix that couldn't bring themselves to leave us in peace at last like their cursed kin, the pixies and gnomes that prey on our women and play the cuckoo in mortal homes." She touches the strings of the fiddle and it seems the wood of the instrument resonates with mocking laughter. "How long will they tease and torment us?" she calls coaxing the sound louder to fill the ears of those caught in sidewise fog she wove around them.

"Chase them out. The once and future king drove them from the world, but he is gone, to return again, God's will when. It's our turn. I am daughter of Ys, thrown down by Fay. My kingdom sits under twenty fathoms, its mournful bells calling judgement as the storms build and the waves pound upon the carved slopes that once upheld the place." Bells seem to chime as her fingers pull the notes of a death march, and she lifts eyes half clouded with tears. "I say vengeance," the voice lowered, as if a shout would subvert the meaning. "I would lead you to cast apart all of those that would use us, that would condescend to look at us lesser. We're better then them; we invent and create in our too short lives while they play and prey on us, calling us to them until our lives our spent and wasted."

She pauses, allowing the fog to thin, then calls to the people, "I would lead; would you follow?" and smiles as sparks of conversation, flickering energy, passes through the crowd as they turn to each other in subdued conversation.

I wait till the crowd disperses a bit before coming to her with a slight chuckle " I will grant you this, you have the drive" I say by way of greeting " the smell of the magic she used is still strong there "if you have a minute, we could talk a bit? I promise no preaching or condescending" my, as liv would put it, Damnable, smirk back where it normally is.

"Your glamour laced friend send you to find me?" Adriana says with a impish glint, slipping her violin into the satchel, "You might tell her that song-spun magic is distracting to anyone that can hear it. She sounds like a damned angels choir."

" i will pass on the message, though yes she is the reason i found you, she wants to talk at greater length if possible." my head already flicking through the possibilities of a meeting place or to procure a 'yes' settling on the hawkswind as a meeting place "besides i still owe you a meal and well, kalimari just doesnt sound appealing right now."

"Particularly if it has a mind to fight back; though there is surprisingly little neutral ground in the city between heaven and hell," she smiles ruefully. "She brings two, I'll bring two. Balance... I don't particularly like feeling outnumbered or cornered."

"sounds fair to me" i say after a long moment "the hawkswind?" damn but i could use a coke, or more stiff drinks

She lifts an eyebrow quizzically. "The where?"

"come on I will show you, It is a cafe from the sixties that burned down but just won't stay gone" I turn "after all everyone even the walkers have respected it as neutral ground. besides i am thirsty anyways" I start to walk

Sighing heavily, she slips her bag over her shoulder and falls into step beside Liam, letting out a long, low whistle. The path is mostly clear, the people milling, but the crowds seeming to favor their route of travel. Odd shadows leap in and out of doorways, slinking over low rooftops in their wake as they traverse.

I smile as Aimee curls up by my shoulder flaring her ruff at the shadows letting out a low hiss "good to know you are more then a gifted player" I murmur the smile never faltering "this place is great provided you don't mind being unsure of the legality of what you eat, avoid the mushrooms"

"No brownies, no mushrooms, no coke." She smiles sardonically. "The best of life, back when it was the best, I take? The place was too in love with itself to fall into nostalgia like the rest of the sixties?"

"No the people were too in love with it to let it fade." here i hale one of the cabs, paying attention to the design on the side to let me know if it is safe or not, it takes four of them before one that wouldn't kill us shows up "ladies first"

"Such the gentleman."

She climbs in, followed swiftly by Liam, calling the directions to the cabby. As the cab pulls away from the curb, the sound rounded claws and muted footfalls rumble on the roof; swearing loudly, the cabby hits the breaks, throwing all forward, before flooring the accelerator and wizzing into the traffic, weaving evasively before checking his mirrors for sign of pursuit. Adriana holds on grimly, watching the cars glide by out the window.

I do my best not to watch the traffic as we travel to the hawkswind, the cab driver seriously stiffing me for the money i give him. but after several hair pin turns, and two near misses we arrive at the sixties incarnate the garish hawkswind cafe, with cheap neon lighting and 'retro' plastic seats. "welcome to the HawksWind Cafe" I say as if it were a grand monument. which it sort of is "safest food in the nightside"

Adriana takes a deep breath, the smell of fried food, sugar and incense melding in the air. "If needing a coronary in five years is considered safe." Her eyes widen at the gaudy display in front of her, and she forces them shut, rubbing her brow with a hand.

Her lanky shadow jumps from the roof of the cab where it lounged and slips into the crowds which give seem to part as the Red Sea, the briefest glimpse of matted hair visible through the press, and a musky, sharp odor that slips away on the wind.

"Liv in the now" I answer then catching the actions of her guardian more then a small amount disconcerting "Shall we? Like i said I am thirsty" I don't really wait for her walking into the cafe and finding the normal place I sat empty I take it, smiling at the confused look the waitress gives me "one roman red soup and a coke please" I ask smiling as her confused look deepens. Then when Adriana joins me "I have been wanting to do that for months."

The waitress nodded slowly and jotted down the order as she looked to Adriana. "Is there anything I can get you miss?" She shifted slightly as she stood there slightly wondering just what a 'roman red soup' was. Of course, she knew that the cook here would know what it was but still, it was strange all the same.

I try to give the Waitress a winning smile some mischief is just too rich to pass up, to bad Liv isn't here. then as the wheels in my head begin to turn, I grin and finger the locket i had snapping it open to Liv's Picture I Murmur "I am already here, Come by yourself she said, you bring one she brings one, we are at the hawks wind." then after a thought "there should be something waiting for you to eat when you get here. hurry this will be too much fun to miss" snapping it closed again I smile at Adriana "we will have one more coming and i don't know if the Ladies Other companion will join us aswell or not. but for the other a grilled tuna sandwich and blackberries, I would like a coke, but she will likely want water" sometimes having this memory is a good thing " I look expectantly at Adrianna waiting for her to make a selection on her food.

A few minutes later, a slim, dark figure in denims comes through the door. A call of welcome goes up from the bar, and several of the go-go waitresses prance over to kiss and high-five.
"Hey sweet thing, you singing tonight?"
"Honey, I need me a real woman's song tonight!"
The bartender slides a drink across the bar, but Liv waves a hand with a slight smile, passing it by. Amid a crowd of admirers, Liv glances around, spots her friend and smiles.
Beside Liam, Adrianna grinds her teeth.
I drop into the chair. "Sorry it took so long, apparently the priests of Dagon are making a mess of twelfth street again."

"Breath daughter of Y's some things should never be made to wait, and the rules were followed, you have one, she has one." I shake my head "they still haven't figured out why i look familiar yet and I would share that bit of mischief with a friend and with a worthy acquaintance." I shake my head "besides good food should always be shared, unless you live on mead and wine like some old gods did"

"Ah, we tried that one night, if you remember it went badly." I grin as the food is slipped in front of me. "My my, this is familiar. Has anybody told you that you're a sentimentalist, Liam?"

"Go from no memory to more memory then anyone has a right too and you would be the same way" I smirk at her mischief ah it is good to relax, even if we are meeting with someone who is opposing us "that and a good meal usually helps peaceful talking" the tone of 'if i can play nice anyone can' very apparent to both. "though where is our fourth miss Ab'ys" she Scowls at me before muttering some excuse to the bathroom and heading in that direction "I think i may have pissed her off"

I think it's easy to do." I murmur in reply, pulling bits of fish out of my sandwich and holding them out for Ailin to nibble. She trills appreciatively, her little wings tickling my neck.
The trill becomes a hiss as Adrianna slides back into her seat, and Ailin curls against the back of my neck. She snaps her tiny fangs. I bop her lightly on the nose. "Be polite."

"seems like most people need to relax," I mutter Aimee trilling something odd "anyways, before we get caught up in the joy that is this era I might suggest we start talking about why we wanted to meet up and be peacefull" I smile again "thought i didn't realize you had sang here liv or i would have looked for a different place, must be getting old"