undergrounds | Darkness and the City

1. At Work
The bookshop that Wednesday works in is not so much as shop as it is a storage place for the owner's rather extensive collection of books. Since said owner is rather loathe to part with any of his precious collection, having Wednesday as a member of staff works quite well, as for some odd reason people are rather reluctant to make a purchase from her. So instead, she works on arranging the shelves, keeping them in good order and adding new items as and when they arrive.

Today, she is concentrating on the occult section, idly leafing through one of the books she is trying to arrange. The information isn't half bad - the author actually seemed to understand what it was they were talking about and she would smile if that was something she did. A ring of a bell drew her attention - the door had been opened.

"Do you require assistance?"

2. Market Time
It's her day off, and this is really one of the first times Wednesday has been able to look at some of the many markets London has to offer. She doubts that the mystic stall she passed has anything of real value, but there are some things that could possibly be used. The antiques interest her a little more, though sadly there's no weaponry. She hadn't been able to bring some of her favourites from the manor because of airport security rules and she found she was missing them. She'd need to see about finding a proper smith.

Still, it is rather fun, to wander about the market with no real purpose in mind. Even if people do keep muttering 'goth' when they see her dark parasol. She's going to curse the next person who says that.

3. Night Walk
London is at it's best at night, Wednesday believes. There's a hum from the city - ambitions, hopes, dreams, fears, and nightmares - that anyone could feel and at night it seems to be amplified. She strolls easily down a darkened street, not particularly bothered that the street lights aren't at their best. There's a pleasant chill in the air and it reaches the bones in such a comforting way. The sound of footsteps behind her isn't anything, either. They were just footsteps, after all.

"Are you following me, or are we merely headed in the same direction?"

Until they were introduced, that was.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"It is an anti-shapeshifting charm," Mako says after a moment. "From what I gather, it isn't a curse. Not a real one, anyway. It was more of an accident of misfortune than anything. Those happen all the time, I imagine."

"More frequent than not," Wednesday agrees. "If it were cast by a witch, it would be an easy removal, but Fae magic has it's tricks." Is that a glimmer of being impressed as she speaks? She does favour Loki... "Unless a Fae removes it, the charm will remain."

"It does. The kind matters, too, how old, how powerful. If it were easy, I am sure a fae would have gotten rid of a long time ago when I was travelling." She selects a thin volume that seems very old and very gently opens it to vibrant illustrations of fae.

"I don't...I don't want to summon one. You know?" she says softly. "That's generally uncomfortable for everyone and I am no witch. That's why I've made so little progress save for information. Summoning is so very unpleasant."

"I know," Wednesday says. "We got Pubert back eventually." She had been a little more reckless with her siblings when she was younger. "Have you considered payment?"

"It is good you did," Mako says, her voice quietly curious. "I have considered it, yes, but it is a very high price since it is my own freedom in question. I would be bound to service, my loyalty pitched most likely away the ties I have already established."

That seemed the greater of the wrongs in her book. Turning away from Hillingdon seemed an awful thing.

"I didn't mean offering your service." You'd think she was rolling her eyes, with the way that was said. "I meant with money. If the Fae are living in London, money is still an essential."

"I suppose it would be," Mako said, thinking it over. "I do not really have all that much when it comes to money, sadly. I must care for my father first and he is gravely ill. From what I know, it takes a great deal of money to sway fae into a favour."

Wednesday shrugs. "I'll pay it."

"Why?" Mako asks before she could stop herself, startled at the easy way she'd just offered. "And to whom? Does this not have to come from a fae of equal standing as the one that cast it? How would you find them?"

"Then we find one," Wednesday says, as though it were all as simple as just saying it. "I doubt the tracking methods I used to use would work here... I suspect the best place to start would be at the council."

"That is a good idea," she says quietly, carefully putting the book back. "Your help is unexpected but very welcome. Do you know someone on the council?"

"No." She doesn't. She's only really relatively new to London, the only people she knows here are ancestors, and even then she has to summon their spirits.

"Then," she says, thinking for awhile, "I suppose introductions must be made. It seems like the best idea. I haven't met anyone from the council, either, though I probably should have looked into it. Politics seem more than a little rattled at the moment."

"They're always rattled," Wednesday says with a shrug of her shoulder. "The job requires adept liars, people constantly having to watch over their shoulders. And rewards with a nervous breakdown."

"Possibly more than usual," Mako says very quietly. "I can hope that it is not so much rattled that my particular issue is not lost amid the chaos. I suppose I, or we?" she glances curiously at her new friend, "will just have to see about it."

"We will."

It's very firm.

Mako pulled out a pad of paper and a pen, scribbling down a number and her name in neat, flowing letters.

"You can contact me at this number, texts are fine, too," she said and then shrugged a little. "It doesn't matter to me what time. I'm always ready to hit the road." She pulled out the book she'd set her eye on before.

"I think I will buy this one, actually. It is quite beautiful."

Wednesday glanced at the volume she was holding. "That one is £12.99 and we charge the 5p for a bag." Some shops didn't, she'd found out, so decided to make it clear that yes, they did do that. She placed the paper Mako gave her into her pocket, reaching for the book and going to the till.

"I am Wednesday Addams."

It was much less expensive than she'd thought it would be. The name sparked a memory of France and she nodded. Ah, she'd her interesting things about that family when she was in France dealing with the worst French fae in existence.

"Mako Mori," she said, handing over the required amount - plus the bag fee - which she didn't mind. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Wednesday handed over her purchase, and put the money in the till. "I look forward to the hunt with you."

"Me too, I think it will be quite an adventure," she murmured warmly, raising a hand in farewell as she moved out the door. The book she had just bought went into the saddlebags she'd outfitted to her motorcycle, Gipsy, which were neatly closed. By the time she had her helmet on, she'd started the motorcycle, which purred and rumbled as she moved off into traffic.

It was time for tea and another round of notes, especially when it came to her new acquisition. Hopefully, her new friend would have news soon. Stacker did not have much time left and Mako's options had a time limit.

Darkness and the City

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