Saturday the 25th of September, 1999. Back in Boulder.
Rook is deposited at the Board.
Arabis flies for the Tether, where Giles has thoughtfully left a window open for her. He is, as ever, in the kitchen, idly humming and doing tea-related things. Arabis changes vessels and becomes Messy Girl.
Giles is not fooled. "Where have you been, Arabis?"
"In the Marches."
Eyebrow. "So it wasn't you that caused that massive disturbance about thirty-six hours ago. I don't know where it came from -- near Boulder, not all the way to Denver. Nothing in the news, which is why I immediately suspected one of you. Celestials involved, probably Songs."
Arabis blinks. No, for once we are not at the center of trouble. Huh. Is someone muscling in on our action . . . ? In any case, not one to think about too many things when she needn't, Arabis returns to the task at hand -- punishing Jackson White. To this end, she requires another dress. And some more make-up. Giles mentions, idly, that bloody clothes were found in the mountains, sans body. Police are investigating.
Arabis is pleased.
Giles also adds, in his maddeningly calm manner, that a Triad came to visit, and he could honestly not tell them where everyone was.
Queen of abrupt statements, Arabis: "We unraveled the Tapestry."
By the time our venerable Cherub picks his jaw off the floor, she's off doing Fire things.
Back to raven, then. (And let the spending of Essence begin!) First, check house. Yes, the window is there, with its hole. Goooood. Jackson is home, though looking a little stressed. Better. Back to the Tether, for the transformation into Dead Chick.
Giles, having retrieved his jaw, has found Laura, the Destiny Soldier, to help with Arabis' transformation. Once that's done (with poor Laura wondering *what* is wrong with this weird crazy angel), Arabis returns to the frat house.
Jackson is in his room, but only long enough to retrieve a CD and vanish again. Arabis-Raven wriggles through the window, losing a feather in the process -- the cost of Punishing the Cruel! Hop hop hop, going human now, vomiting out the window now, crawling into bed now. She is careful to get vomit on herself, not on the bed. And then...wait.
Eventually Jackson returns, with a female guest. As they approach the bed, Arabis sits upright, looking ghastly and dead, and the female screams appropriately. Arabis goes celestial, and the girl's eyes get even wider and she flees the room. Jackson wets himself and sort of folds onto the carpet. Arabis exits, back wall, goes raven again, and perches on the window sill again. Tap tap, doing everything short of croaking 'Nevermore.'
Jackson's faithful cronies arrive, drawn by the hysterics. He tells them what he saw, and naturally they do not believe him. Obviously *they* do not watch the X-Files. A good pinging reveals a homogenous lot of creeps -- Arabis has much work ahead of her. Eventually, the homogenous lot abandons Jackson to his bottle of high grain alcohol and loud CD music. And eventually again, Jackson turns off the lights and tries to sleep.
The Ofanite pounces...slips in celestially, then appears corporeal and gross. Lock the door...click. Yes, Jackson smells like alcohol. Arabis stares a moment, then carefully settles herself into bed beside him. He awakens to the dead weight of a person on his arm, sees Arabis as DeadAriel, and begins to gibber.
Snap goes the mind...
And chaos ensues, with the arrival of the rest of the Cruel Crowd at the door. Arabis walks toward him slowly, arms open for a hug. "Confesssss." And then the door gives way to a well-aimed kick, and Arabis vanishes into the dawn air.
Meanwhile, Arashiel and Matt have arrived at the Painted Pot -- and it smells yummy. Like . . . cookies. There is a happy Archangel in the kitchen, and cookies all over the countertops in various states of cooling. There are hugs, cookies, and general coolness passed around. Then Jael arrives, and there are *more* hugs and general coolness. Everyone loves Eli!
Predictably, Creation's advice to his servitors is 'Be cool.' And Irad -- "He's confused and if he's around here, he's in danger. If you can help him out, do. I think we can get him back. It's that pride thing, you know. All that pride." Eli looks a little sad. "The trick with redeeming is convincing them that they are not alone anymore."
Presents! Eli gives Arashiel Abracadabra and finds a Watering Can of Wonder for Matt in the cabinet -- it prevents drought and holds 5 Essence, and the water can also act as a Song of Healing. Way cool. But what does Jael get? Secret conferences in the corner of the room, with the promise from Eli that he will 'show up to the hearing himself if she applies.'
Cookies are safely stored, then Rashi calls Giles. He briefs her, and she promises to bring him cookies. And then we have yet another patented Arashiel moment: Rashi, wearing only the purple pillowcase -- but human -vesseled, this time -- uses her song to fly round the room and land . . . in Giles' lap. Gee. I wonder what will happen now.
Creationers. Sheesh.
Matt, still morose, wanders away and waters things, ends up at Adrienne's empty apartment, and leaves her a point of Essence-water in a glass with a note attached, along the lines of a gift for a gift. When dawn arrives with no Lilim, he returns to the Painted Pot and Jael. There, he reveals his plan: to go Heavenside and 'sort things out.' He is vague, which worries the Cherub, but he assures her he will not get hurt. There are hugs, and Jael is left again with her pottery. She does not seem lonely, however....just focussed.
Sunday, September 29
Rook awakens to the sound of someone making tea in his kitchen. It's Eli! Rook is rewarded for doing his stint as honorary Creationer with the Malakite of Eli attunement. Rook, oddly cheerful for him (there's *expression* in his voice!) calls Jael asks her to go to Colorado Springs with him to check on Perry. She agrees, and observes that he is unusually perky. He must've smiled or something.
Arabis wings her way back to the Tether and notices two men on the sidewalk below her, walking fast. They seem to be looking for someone. Arabis has a good idea who they might be, so she skirts round the block and spots Gabriel herself, sneaking round behind the Cherubim and looking pleased with herself. The Archangel of Fire looks up, sees Arabis. Naturally, Arabis swoops down to her.
"My Lady."
Mad dark eyes -- Gabriel is in a *good* mood, today. She is pleased with Arabis' actions, both with Jackson and with the Tapestry. Nevertheless, the Seller of Souls must meet justice. And, just to be the cryptic angel she is, Gabriel adds "Your worst enemy is not without...you know that. Until you believe it, you cannot win." Then she is distracted by a pigeon nearby...and whips back to Arabis long enough to both award her an attunement and burn her dissonance from her, as a last gift. Then she goes celestial, wheels upon wheels of brilliant Fire, and flashes away.
Arabis is stunned...and rolls off (as a raven) along the sidewalk in a spasm of lunacy and jubilation.
Arashiel, this fine morning, goes to fly a kite beside the library . . . a dragon kite, of course.
Arabis flies past Rashi, into the Tether...what a mess. She decides not to dwell on the implications of Giles in a bathrobe and underwear scattered about, and sets about cleaning up her vessel.
Matt has gone to Heaven. What is Matt doing in Heaven? (Ah, this is a patented Matt moment, and no angel better do this again...) Matt is going to the Groves to see *Michael*. (The GM thinks she has been remiss...her players have the idea that angels should go about visiting other angels' Superiors. At least no one has tried to visit *Gabriel* yet...) A puzzled Mercurian takes down his appointment, and soon he is in the presence of War for the second time in his life. And Matt has *questions* about things -- like about Dominic, and Laurence, and why they are allowed to go round being unHeavenly (in Matt's opinion). Michael is remarkably patient (but he has Alaric's report in hand already, and possibly the Mercurian said good things about Matt). God's will is ineffable, Michael says, and that's that. War does not like Judgement, but if God thinks Dominic is being an angel, then that's good enough for Michael. (It's much more complicated than that, but you had to be there.)
Eventually, a slightly more chagrined Matt leaves Michael and goes to the gardens . . . and finds a Novalis a little more annoyed than usual. She reminds him of his purpose ("If this does not make sense to you, it doesn't matter. I remind you of your place on the totem pole. WE don't know why, Matt. God's not going to just tell YOU. He has not told anyone. . . .They don't understand peace, Matt. You're supposed to teach them that, or do the best you can.") and sends him off to research the Purity Crusades in the Library. Thoroughly. And not to leave Heaven until he has finished. (Bad angel. Go write me a research paper. . . )
At the Tether, Rashi and Arabis have a chat. Arabis wants to find Dinhabah and Adrienne. She also reports (a little smugly) that Gabriel is pleased with her, and why. (Arashiel thinks Arabis has *fun.*) And the Seller of Souls, well, he's on her list, too. Arashiel thinks he will show up again.
Rook gets Jael from the Pot at 10, they go to the Tether to visit ("Let me make sure it's safe," says Jael. "Safe?" Rook is puzzled. Jael, smiling, "Rashi, Giles, rites of essence..." "OH.") so Rook can schedule a make-up chess game. Giles is noncommittal and watching Rashi a lot.
Rook and Jael talk in the car this time round -- she confides that she wants to be Word-Bound, and get Dragons back. Rook talks about his feelings on the Tapestry, how noble he feels, how he feels like what he imagines a Cherub must feel (enigmatic Jael says nothing to that), he wants to help -- see? Rook in a good mood.
Arabis checks Dinhabah's house and office -- no Elohite. No Adrienne, either. She returns to the Tether again.