Fion kicked her heels as she sat on the edge of the Crosstown Court fountain. She was still a little early but she hadn't wanted to stay home on her own after the awful day she'd had yesterday. She still didn't know if her uncle was alive and there was no way she could get to Dorhaven and back in a day and a half on foot. She was stuck. At least this would give her something constructive to do. Help her feel strong again.

She'd left her hair out of her scarf today and was enjoying the way it shifted with the wind. She closed her eyes and tried to think of better things.

Khymarah saw Fion in the distance, sitting on the edge of the fountain. She was a bundle of nerves. Yesterday she had read through the grimoire she'd borrowed, memorizing Immolation and Fulmination. She'd thought about Conflagoration, but it was supposed to be hard to control and she didn't fancy her chances.

She approached the black haired seamstress, who had her hair out of the wrap. It was a nice change, it turned her from pretty to rather beautiful. Smiling anxiously, she spoke.

"Good evening Fion." She had found an old brown dress in the back of her wardrobe, and wore her black cloak over the top. Her ruby hair was tamed back into a low tight chignon and she wore a brown wrap over it.

Fion smiled widely when she saw Khymarah.

"You look perfect!" She said with tired warmth.

She stood up and stretched her arms over her head. She took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Fion shook her hands out.

"So, are you ready to do this?" She asked, as a courtesy, although slightly worried that she might give Khymarah the jitters, "I can tell you about what we're going to do while we walk there."

The galdor took a deep breath to settle herself then nodded. It would do neither of them any good if she looked like a kenser confronting a chrove. She fell in beside Fion.

"Alright, let's go."

Fion nodded and walked at a sedate pace. She was slumped at first but her strides brought her up, straightened her posture. The fire went on behind her eyes.

"I used to work in a bar downtown, keeping my ears open for those below ground." She didn't bother to whisper because a whisper could carry this time of night. Instead she spoke slowly, so Khymarah could follow and so that anyone walking by would only catch a few innocent-sounding snippets. "Whenever I needed to meet with my superiors, I'd go to the Book and Bell."

She steered them both down a side street, to avoid a group of human men coming their way.

"They probably won't be happy to see you but make sure you don't give them an inch. If they know you can handle yourself, they'll be less likely to give you trouble or follow you home after. If anyone does you'll have to incapacitate them. I know you're a gentle soul but it really will be you or them and I rather you were the one to come out safe. They're not as merciful." Fion saw a brigk on a chrove in the distance, she put her hand on Khymarah's shoulder to hold her back. "Give it a moment, if he feels your field he might decide to get a backbone and ask you a question."

Fion looked at Khymarah, "Any questions thus far?"

She felt surreptitiously down the outside of her thigh, checking that her dagger was still there.

Khymarah had a million, but they were too many about Fion's background and not enough about tonight. She shook her head, looking at the Seventen officer in the distance, asking the mona politely in her head to lay low and help her tonight.

"Don't fear Fion, I'm not always as gentle as I seem." She said, hoping it would be true tonight. She remembered the men in the alley with Dove Black and hoped she was right.

Fion smiled at her.

"Alright, I believe you. Just remember, if you choke or accidentally explode someone's head when he's running at you with a big, pointy sword, I will not think less of you." She looked around casually.

"Let's book it. I know this probably feels a bit silly, we're not being particularly stealthy. I just want to be safe, is all." Fion saw the front door to the tavern.

"I'll go in first, stay right behind me. I won't leave you on your own but it's better to stay close." Fion took a deep breath, "Here we go."

Fion walked into the pub with a small swagger in her step. She'd only be smiling for friends tonight.

She looked around for Stu.

Khymarah smiled, wondering if she could indeed do that. And what a mess it would make. Shaking her head, she realised Fion was still talking to her.



The red head followed close behind Fion, who's demenor seemed to change in a second. Suddenly the woman seemed to have more authority and swagger. It was suprising, but perhaps not completely unexpected. She looked around the tavern as she waited. It was a rather modest little place, but not all together unpleasant. Drinks were being served and people were sitting at tables eating modest meals. It felt homey, but right now Khymarah felt strongly out of place. She tried not to show it though, and turned to Fion.

"Are we looking for someone in particular?"

Fion propped herself up against the bar.

"I'm looking for Stu, if he's not about maybe Ginny. They run the place." She patted the stool next to her, "They're good people, Stu's helped me out before. They'll know who's in. If nobody we can talk to is around it may end up being a late night."

Fion did not want to spend a whole bloody evening waiting to ask for a glass of water.

Fion glanced a little wistfully at the bar. She always felt more comfortable behind one.

Khymarah nodded and placed herself on the seat Fion had indicated, not really knowing what to say. She just placed her folded hands on the bar and waited patiently. She would wait as long as needed, as long as Fion told her too.

Stu appeared from the back room. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows and he was covered in suds; the shrill sound of Ginny's yells followed him until he slammed the door shut.

Until he spotted Fion, he was muttering to himself; when he saw the object of his secret infatuation, he turned cherry red, not even noticing the elegant galdori woman accompanying her. "Oh...Fion." He attempted a wry smile, shrugging as he held up his soapy arms. "I'd shake your hand but I don't want to get you wet. I mean, I don't want to soap you up. I mean I'm covered in soap, and I wouldn't want the soap to get on you, because then you'd...er...who's your friend?" he finished, sheepishly.

((LMAO))
((EDITED because I got my lingo wrong))





Fion's laugh was clear and happy. She giggled a little in a friendly fashion, with a hand over her mouth, smiling warmly at Stu.

"Hey Stu, I've missed you, you're so funny." Fion put a hand on Khymarah's arm, "This is a friend of mine from uptown, I wanted her to meet some old-timers, if any of them were in right now. I know it's not the usual place to meet them but she's such a nice guy and she's not fond of my uncle either, so I didn't want her starting bottom rung, you know?"

Fion always felt a little silly when she had to use so much underground slang in a conversation.

"Hey red, what are you drinking?" She asked Khymarah, voice tuned to its most comforting. "This is Stu, I told you a bit about him before. He's a good guy, hey?"

This was probably far outside Khymarah's realm of experience and she didn't want her to feel left out. Fion didn't think she'd be doing anywhere near as well in a room full of galdori.

Khymarah looked from Fion to Stu. The man was obviously smitten with the seamstress, which was rather sweet. But now she was just lost. Fion was making no sense. The galdor thought her uncle and all that lived in Dorhaven. She didn't let the confusion show on her face.



Smiling, Khymarah nodded to Stu. She tried her hardest to keep the aristocratic air out of her voice.

"Evening Stu, good to meet you. Drinking, uh, I'll have root beer." She said quietly. A few alcoholic drinks had sprung to mind, but she wanted to have her head completely clear tonight. Plus, since Clock's Eve she had been rather reluctant to touch alcohol.

Stu, wanting to impress Fion with his manners, bowed low to Khymarah. "Root beer it is, ma'am. GINNY!"

Ginny emerged from the back room. She seemed to have gotten the brunt of whatever had soaked Stu in soapy bubbles; the tiny witch looked like a walking, talking raincloud. "WHAT?"

"ROOT BEER," bellowed Stu, without turning around. He flashed a winsome grin to the two ladies.

"Your damn dishwasher overloaded AGAIN," Ginny yelled back. "Stop buying these ridiculous laoso machines!!" Despite her ire, she was pouring Khymarah a root beer dutifully.

Stu turned back to Khymarah and Fion. "So, er, let's talk, upstairs, shall we? The boys won't be along for a half hour now."

He led them upstairs along the rickety wooden steps to a third-level loft. The building seemed to go up for ages; Khymarah could see fifth and sixth levels, at the very least, before the darkness made seeing further impossible.

Sitting down at a table, he motioned to the empty chairs. Ginny came along and sat Khymarah's root beer down; she gave Stu a frightened glance as she felt the galdor's field, but said nothing, continuing to unload drinks - Fion's usual, and Stu's glass of milk.

"You need anything," she said nervously, glancing again at Khymarah, "you just holler. Hi, Fi." She flashed Fion a small smile before ducking back down the stairs.

Khymarah watched Ginny and Stu's banter with amusement. The young girl had a huge personality and could really get her voice out there. They sat down at the table upstairs, the red head noticing Ginny was already nervous around her. She didn't try to make herself less threatening at all, hoping this was in fact an advantage. Sitting very straight, she nodded thanks for the drink.

Sipping the root beer, she looked at Fion. Right now, she didn't have a single idea of what she should say or do. Who were 'the boys', she wondered.

Fion smiled reassuringly back at Ginny before she went down the stairs again.

"Hi sweets." She said in greeting to the young girl.

Fion had always quite liked Ginny, she reminded herself a little of what she'd been like in her youth. Fion turned to Stu.

"Now that we're alone, this is Khymarah. She wants in." Fion sighed, "I wish everyone wanted in, then there'd only be one side and I could quit."

Fion took a long sip from her glass. Smiled as it slid cool and soothing down her belly.

Stu looked vaguely incredulous, but kept his serious business face on.

"Now, no offense meant," he said, nodding courteously at Khymarah, "but Fion...you know as well as I how skittish they are about takin' em..."

He looked highly uncomfortable: not wanting to raise Khymarah's ire, but finding it difficult to express how lengthy and uncomfortable a process it would be to induct a galdori into the anti-galdori movement.

"I know, believe me, I told her the boss'd have her throat." She patted Khymarah's shoulder, by boss she was referring to Serro, "As much as he'd hate it, fact is we need some of the galdori on our side if we want this to end well. I don't want his cleansed earth. One day it'll be galdori, then wicks, then anyone with a puff of a field at all."

Fion slammed her drink down on the table without meaning to.

"Like hell am I gonna risk Piran for that chrove crap." Fion ran a hand through her hair, "I don't want to get you in trouble Stu. Should we try going to the usual place at midnight instead? The underground needs people that can heal, people that get to see more than male gollies that've hit the cups. She's worth the risk, believe me."

She gave Stu an earnest look. She'd thought it over and over again. The more she did the more it seemed like the right thing to do, for the long term.

Stu seemed to think about it for a minute, biting his little fingernail nervously. But the urge to impress Fion was greater than his worry about potential trouble with the freedom fighters.

"Nah," he said, with an edge to his voice. "You're right, o' course. I've been sayin' that for years now. Can't be too careful, though, right?" He grimaced. "They've had issues in the past...you probably remember the Lemmon affair, Fion. Golly passed every sort of loyalty test, got into the How and almost gave those boys away to the Seventen. Narrowly avoided disaster there..." He made a slitting gesture across his throat.

"Ever since, the Boss has been very strict. He doesn't trust anyone with a vibe. All his top-level ops, human. He doesn't even like wicks too much." He made an apologetic shrug to Khymarah. "What I can do is get you in touch with my man Ox. Necessity's bound to overcome their distrust. We need safe harbor, we need heals, and most of all we need total secrecy."

Fion nodded at Stu, then looked at Khymarah.

"Stu's right. There are too many people running around,trying to make a name for themselves. Sometimes you need to let someone put you down or push you around, keep a cover going." Fion reddened a little, "I'm breaking most of those rules by bringing you here but... Knowing when to bend the rules is important as well, I hope."

She turned back to Stu.

"Bloody Lemmon, they should never have let him into the How. Far too many people know about it already." Fion's nose twitched, "I shouldn't know. You shouldn't let storytellers know anything about your own end."

She took a big breath and exhaled.

"Thanks for getting us a connection with Ox, I appreciate it." She smiled at him to show her thanks, "If there's anything I can do for you or Gin, let me know."

"Fion," said Stu, seriously, "now, I trust you know what you're gettin' yourself and your friend here into. You've always had the protection of the...well, this is a pretty..." He exhaled, rubbing the back of his short hair. "It's pretty radical, you know? They're going to want to talk to you after Ox gets back to them. There's gonna be a lot of uncomfortable questions. I'll vouch for you, of course."

He was concerned. Concerned for Fion's safety, marginally concerned for her friend, and tiny portion of his brain worried about his own safety. Business (among other things) would suffer if the word got out that he was a golly supporter.

"And, Miss Khymarah, don't be discouraged if you don't 'xactly receive a warm welcome," he warned. "These folks've been fightin' to get out from under a galdori boot for centuries. They'll need a whole hell of a lot of convincin'. I suggest doing something to prove your loyalty, somethin' symbolic, or somethin' useful if you can think of anything." He shrugged. "Been that way before. Some gol-galdori feel bad and want to help out, but the prejudice drives them away..."

"Stu?" called Ginny up the stairs. "They're here..."

Stu froze as though he'd been Paralyzed, clearly unsure of what to do. His eyes flickered downstairs, and then back up to Fion.

"You girls know how to climb?" he whispered, gesturing frantically to the nearby fire escape, which was accessible through the window. "If they find Khymarah here, there will be trouble. I don't want anyone to get hurt tonight..." Standing, he made hurriedly for the stairwell to block any possible attempts to climb to the third level.

Fion nodded. The only reason she felt she could try was her good reputation. That and the valuable information she had with her tonight. Serro needed people like her, if things didn't work out with Khymarah he'd find someone else and she'd find herself...

At the bottom of the river, probably.



Fion grabbed Khymarah by the arm, none too gently.

"Lift up your skirts, bright eyes. We need to get moving." Fion pulled her towards the window, swinging her legs over the side before Khymarah had a chance to reply.

Khymarah grabbed her skirt with the other hand and scurried out the window with Fion. Her canvas shoes slipped briefly, before catching on the roof tiles. Heart racing she followed Fion along the rooftop, all the while being careful not to look at the ground. it was a loooonnngg way down. What were they running from exactly? Ox? Seventen?

Stu appeared over the edge of the window, looking very nervous. He mouthed a silent goodbye to the two women before turning back into the room. In another moment they could hear his voice, speaking to his visitors.

"Hey, fellas...good to see you...let me pour you some ale up by the bar..."

"We're going to be up here a while." Fion said blandly, combing a snag out of her hair with her fingers, "I think that went rather well, don't you?"

Fion leant her arms on her knees, looking at Khymarah and the sky.

"Have anything to talk about while we wait?" She asked, rubbing her knees a little from the cold.