Quiet Country People

[Dip]

Callahan looked at her like she was out of her gullet. And she might as well be! A piece of his hair? Why, was she quite mad? Perhaps a Witch, Oh, he hated those witch types, he really did! With their mean cats and terrible spells. He shivered inwardly at the last time he ran into that kind. He was a frog for far too long. Oh, his tongue would never turn back to normal!

But enough of that! " Are you da--" He was cut off by a boy who looked so out of place, it almost made him sad. And a girl, who looked quite ready to kick her own bucket and call it a night. Damn kids! What did they think, that Callahan was their baby-sitter? Where was their bloody parents? Housewives? Care takers of ANY KIND? He glared down at the girl-- Poppy? Pipi? Papii? Pompii? What have you, he glared down at her. He knew that he shouldn't have trusted himself.

Damn adventures. This'll ruin him from ever leaving Hart's place again.

"Take me now, God," He muttered into his hand. He looked to the proper boy, with a sarcastic tone. He was very well pissed. "No, sir, I did not see a man chase a mouse. And no, sir, I do not know what a raven has in common with a writing desk. And no, sir, I do not know what is greater than God, or more evil than the devil. Now, excuse me, princess, but I do not have time for these childish riddles. " His eyebrow, Callahan was sure of it, was twitching angrily. God surly was testing him.

-----------------------------------------------------

Archie was being dragged which way and that, but it was mostly his footwork what did that. He was thankful that fear broke his vocal cords, or else he would have damn near brought Leanne into a painful process of being dumb and deaf. When the thing collapsed, and Leanne moved forward, he knew something had to be wrong.

Sure, he wasn't the strongest, but he tried to hold her back. When she turned around and told him that he was going to be alright, he almost spoke, "Well, it's not me I'm worried about," But, nothing came out when he tried. He was pulled forward, again, and there he saw a child.

Oh, Archie was about to faint. He was going to drop dead, and no one was going to be aware that he died in the middle of God-Knows-Where by the hand of God-Knows-Who. But he was only sure his heart had stopped when the child dropped to the ground in a heap of leaves, and a few twigs. He was in awe, but it seems that Leanne wasn't.

She jumped back, on top of Archie, and he was sure that now indeed his heart was racing and that now indeed he WAS going to die of a heart attack. He looked to her and noticed how very beautiful her eyes looked when she was uncomfortable. God strike him down. but he was thankful about this adventure after all. But he could she that she wasn't only uncomfortable, but she looked damn near sick with fear. As if her eyes were mirrors, and they were reflecting what Archie had looked like all that time before.

They soon were up, and Archie payed no mind to what she was saying. Something about food? Hmm... Archie pulled a hand away from hers, and reached over to grab a stick that was jutting out from a dead tree. The branch was thick, and he was sure that it would would for what he needed. He broke it in half, and used a lone rock to sharpen the tip into a curious pencil shaped tool. Archie took a moment to look around. Trees, he noted. Tons of them. Light was fading fast, so he only had minuets to work. He looked towards a large oak tree, with a mossy flank. Perfect.

Moss doesn't only grow on the north side of trees, he learned from a book, but it just MOSTLY grows on the north side. That rule only applies in the northern hemisphere--in the southern hemisphere, moss mostly grows on the south sides of trees. If he was right, than the mossy flank was facing north.

So they came from the north. Archie knelt down before the trunk, and wrote an N. Since north was facing from where they came, he wrote an E on the left side. Well, it was logical that south was the polar opposite of north, so he wrote that away from where they came from. West was on the right. Now he had a compass! Albeit not the most accurate, but he had one, none the less.

Now, Archibald the Cartographer began drawing a quick map. He talked to himself as he knelt on the ground. He drew a quick pond, the chariot, and the entrance from where he ran towards. He recalled passing a large rock, and a tree that looked quite like a mean bar tender, with a batch of wilting flowers, with curious silver thorns before it's trunk. Archie faintly remembered that he was so close to touching it, but he kept his mind on his pet. He caught Lyall near that strange girl who turned to nothingness, and then he met with Leanne....

Archie took a moment to look over what he had now. He had a hand on his chin as he was deep in thought. Assuming the others followed him, they must have started the same path, but left along another way... Right! Before he ran into that tree, there was just a small trail that led towards the south east of where they were, and judging from where they were right then, they were... North!

Archie smiled, and simply drew one last thing; a large arrow, pointing towards their new destination. If Archie was at all incorrect about his locations, the lost patrons could find where they had attempted to go. He wrote his name under the arrow, and turned to Leanne.

Archie could see the color had drained from her face, and she was keeling over into the mud-- the mud, even! He knew something was wrong. He sighed, knelt with her, and gently lifted her up, such as a groom would carry a bride. "Leanne, I know where your brother is," He said, with a small smile. Oh, he hoped he was right. But, on the bright side, if he wasn't, he could try and have his father help Leanne.

If they got out of there alive, that was.

Archie swallowed, and trudged on, carrying Leanne in his arms.

 

[Falcon]

Henry followed as they all ran after the kitten as it chased the mouse and ended up in the thicket. Well at least he knew now the animal would do its job. Still, he'd hate to see Archie loose a pet just when he was about to make friends. The whole town knew the boy was a recluse. It would do him good to have a reason to get out more. He was watching when Leanne reached down for something and pricked her finger, and again when Elisa pulled it out. A hairpin in the shape of a blue butterfly. He felt his heart lurch at the thought, and then chided himself gently for having absorbed one of the local superstitions. Shill, superstitions didn't come to be without a reason. The locals believed the blue butterfly meant misery and woe were coming. For someone to have a pin in that shape it must be very old indeed. Henry believed the butterflies simply showed up before a large storm, like the one that was forming overhead at that very moment. Something to do with the air pressure. He wasn't going to discount an omen though. The Lord worked in mysterious ways. Had he not used a donkey to bring warning to Balaam?

A moment later he realized that Elisa was stuck in the bushes' thorns. Leaving his thoughts behind, he pulled a pin knife from his pocket and went to her rescue.

At the realization that they were now two members short of their original party the only sensible solution he could see was to get everybody else back to the road from which they could find the carriage, and have them wait while he went back in to look for the lost party. Fortunately Allen Kingsley seemed to be of the same mind taking the lead and leading those left in the group back to the road. Perhaps Allen didn't know where he was going, though Henry knew the direction, but the voices from the road were easily audible and it wasn't long before they were there seeing the same strange pairing from before of Pippa Stonewall and Callahan Peerce.

It was the sight of Mr. Peerce that gave Henry his solution. Choosing to flat out ignore the man's reputation and give him the chance to show what kind of man he was going to choose to be, Henry spoke.
"Mr. Peerce," he addressed Callahan, "If I might request a favor from you? We find ourselves in a rather peculiar situation today. Young Mr. Angstrom and Miss. Leanne Kingsley have gotten themselves lost in the thicket. I fear they might have been chasing blue butterflies," hopefully Callahan would understand the meaning of those last few words.

"As you know these woods as well as I do if not better, Mr. Peerce, I was hoping you might be willing to go back with me and search for them. Meanwhile Mr. Kingsley," here he addressed Allen, "would be at liberty to escort the rest back to the carriage just a short ways that way," he pointed, "and ensure their safety until we can return with the others. I really must insist that it be you who goes back to the carriage, Mr. Kingsley," Henry added in before Allen could protest. "You are still a stranger to these parts and for one unfamiliar with the area to venture into the thicket, no matter how well meaning his intentions, well we'd be looking for three instead of two wouldn't we."

Not to mention that it would be extremely improper for Allen to leave his sisters to wait in the company of an unrelated man, no matter what the profession.

 

[Midian]

Mr. Weston saw the defiance bloom in Eliza's face much as it had when her mother had challenged David's inclusion in the family, except now it was turned on him. The butterfly pin quivered with her gasps and she straightened up a little, still clutching the tree.
"David is still-- lost and I am- not-- leaving until I find him!" At that moment, she didn't care that Mr. Weston was no relation to them and that Mr. Peerce seemed to be some sort of shady scoundrel. She would have gladly walked all over the country, unchaperoned, with a hundred men if it meant finding her kitten again.
"Everyone can--go-- back, but I'm-- staying."

The bulldog-set of her jaw was final, and the only way she was going to leave was if someone carried her. Her eyes dared Allen to come and do it. In fact, it looked like she might snatch the hair out of Callahan's head if he were to go for her, no doubt an exciting prospect for Pippa, although no so much for anyone else in attendance.
_____________________________________________________________________________
In the thicket Archie and Leanne could hear the rustling of the leaves increase dramatically, the wind of the incoming storm picking up in speed like locomotive heaving steam. The noise soon reached a fevered pitched, a deafening frenzy as veins and brittle-dry skin scrubbed.

From the bush near Archie's feet, a bush exploded and David popped out, mewling and climbing up Archie's leg. He settled himself on Leanne and looked expectantly at Archie, waiting to be carried back to the rest of his family.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Eliza's stubbornness bought Archie enough time to reach the group just as they were reaching the height of the quarrel, Eliza still refusing to budge.
"Leanne! What happened?!" Eliza cried upon seeing Leanne being carried by Archie, but Allen got to them first as David went and scooted under Eliza's skirt. Overhead there was a deafening crack of thunder and rain began flooding down in iron-grey sheets like watered silk, driving the entire lot back into the carriage. Setting off proved to be initially difficult since the wheels were already mired in mud somehow, but soon they pulled free. It was apparent that they could not bring Callahan back to Brighton Manor, but the storm's winds were rocking the carriage and the thunder spooked the horses.
"Perhaps Dr. Colridge would allow us to stay the night?" Eliza cried over the din.
It was difficult to control the horses, but they eventually reached Colridge Estate and huddled on the front porch. After a long while of knocking a voice from inside cried
"Go away! I won't let anything in-- not a single rain drop or leaf!"

 

[Dip]

Callahan shook his head as soon as Archie was dragged in from the forest. Those kids, those kids! They were going to send him to his grave, and even then, he was going to be rolling! Never send children out alone, his philosophy was. He slipped off into the cart as he was told, contemplating what his next very move should be.

As they reached the strange mans house, he supposed there was an odd feel to it. He stood under the gutter and lit a cigarette, puffing smoke into the door as they all rapped at the wood, like it would save their lives.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Archie's arms ached and his legs were shaking. Damn it all, he was cold! And most of all, he was dirty and clearly not fit for staying another trip home. It was raining, it was well past curfew, and his father might be worried sick of him! Well, that, or he's throwing the grandest ball outside of Roma. Archie sat in the same spot he was when they first drove into the mess, and he wasn't all that happy about it. He wasn't happy in the slightest when they appeared on the strangers step-- a Dr. Colridge, was it? Oh, this was going to be interesting. Tedious knocking and annoyance ensued, and soon, the man asked them away.

"Well, I never!" Archie started, angrily. "No-No! Now you listen here, DOCTOR!" He continued, pointing a finger to the door. He was anything but pleased, and it was clear. He almost seemed ready to run with the wolves, he was so angry! He clearly had a temper like his father. "We come all this way in the cold and rain, and you simply expect to send us off with no simple hospitality? No simple reasoning other than the leaves that seem to other you?!" Archie knew that going outside was a bad idea. He turned around, raised his arms in defeat, and walked from the threshold and onto the cobbled road. He was throwing a fit, sure, but what else was he to do? "Everyone in this bloody country side is daft! Where in the world could I find some logical people? Well, CLEARLY no where NEAR here! Oh, damn this bloody adventure. Damn the entire thing to shambles! I'm going home."

His hair was sticking to his face, his clothes where spotted with mud and plants, and he was sure this was going to be a long walk home. He crossed his arms and grumbled to Lyall, who was the only thing that listened to him as of then.

 

[Falcon]

Henry frowned as the rain poured down and Archie threw a fit. He caught a glance of Eliza as she cradled the kitten and knew that she at least could not stay out in this.
With a sigh he pushed his way to the front of the group and rapped one more time on the door.
"Dr. Colridge," he called. "It's Henry Weston. I apologies for the inconvenience but in light of the weather I really must ask if we can encroach on your hospitality. Just until the storm's over. If there's anyway I can repay your kindness I assure you I will."

 

[Banana-senpai]

The usual calm and controlled Allen was gone. "Excuse me?" He said, taken aback by the man's comment. His hand felt clammy as he automatically closed it, feeling distressed about the fact that he wasn't holding Leanne at the moment. He turned, surprised to see Eliza being untangled by Mr. Weston. He mentally scolded himself for not noticing as he hurried to her, also panicking that Leanne wasn't there at all. He looked around, holding Eliza and caressing her back. He huffed impatiently, his usual poise slipping off him gradually. Mr. Weston took over from there, much to his relief. But now, he was being instructed to escort his sisters back to the carriage.

"I beg your pardon." He said quietly, letting go of Eliza. He took a deep breath and started again. "We're not returning without Leanne." He said firmly, being hyper aware of the smells and sounds around him as he put the cool and collected image back on and kept his eyes to the ones he spoke to. However, Eliza also disagreed very much and for a brief second, watched her in nostalgia. The two of them certainly had a similar stubbornness. He went back to his surroundings. Sounds; a persistent breeze, rustling leaves, insects, frogs? Smells; just the typical scent of a forest. The man and little girl seemed to smell like the forest, which is pretty strange. He knew Eliza's scent, too. And Mr. Weston. He felt like he had a lot to hide and learned to be very keen like this. Still tuned to his surroundings, he went on. "I'm-I." he said, faltering again. He can't exactly just let Eliza and Maria stay here but Leanne is still there somewhere. And Archie as well. He looked from Mr. Weston to The other man and to Eliza, unable to think of any better solution. He was greatly annoyed by how childish he seemed now but was more worried that it would rain anytime soon.

He heard something and quickly turned to its direction. It's Leanne! And Archie!

The two came out into the clearing as Allen picked up their scent. He took off his coat and draped it on Eliza, making sure it kept her warm. Then he went to the other two. "Leanne, goodness." He breathed. "And Archie! You two. Really. Worried. Me." He said, panting at first and then taking in the sight of them both. Archie was carrying Leanne.

But that aside, she was all messy. So was Archie and they had the same look of fear. Allen's mind automatically ran with many theories and thoughts all from examining the plants and mud and other things that soiled the two. He took Leanne from him wordlessly and embraced her tightly. It was the first thing he thought of doing and it comforted them both. "It's alright now, Lil." he said, caressing her hair. He kissed her cheek gently and pulled away but held her hand and clapped his other on Archie's shoulder. Something in him did not at all appreciate Archie carrying Leanne but he must have done it for a good reason so Allen thanked him anyway.

Thunder clapped and shook Allen's focus right back. He helped get everyone to the carriage. They ended up at Colridge Estate from Eliza's suggestion. At the moment all Allen cared about was to get his sisters and Archie warm. They were all drenched, although his coat on Eliza possibly helped her a bit. Leanne was still in his arms, she was shivering slightly. He was surprised when Archie started lecturing at Dr. Colridge but said nothing. Allen just nodded in agreement and Mr. Weston took over. He looked up at the storm clouds and at the building. It also had a strange foreboding atmosphere, not unlike that of the Wywolfe Estate. He shared a look with his sister whom he was trying to keep warm. Apparently, she felt it too. Was there a place that didn't have this such feeling to it or was Allen just too paranoid at this point? All he knew was that something about this house is just not right. He hoped there were no corpses inside.

 

[SilverKiramoto]

At first, Maria had found some bit of annoyance with their sudden departure. Everyone wanted some strange adventure, for one reason or another. Maria had initially thought this trip would be a leisure tour of the countryside, nothing more. Now they were dragging the stringy young man - Leanne and Allen referred to him as Archie - along, and heading towards some pond. Maria was a lady, though, and wouldn't address her concerns so bluntly. Not now, anyway, while Henry was being so hospitable, and so willing to show the family around. And Maria truly did want the parson to be around dearest Eliza, so the two might become fond of one another. They really did seem a fit pair.

When they arrived at Fairy Pond, Maria looked around the forested area with disdain. She held her skirts aloft from the ground, unlike Leanne, trying to keep from soiling her dress in the unsavory muck. She didn't even pay mind to the dead fireflies that floated along, and avoided the scorched ground altogether. Maria didn't enjoy being here, and didn't appreciate the fact that Eliza was in this filthy place, either. Who knew what kind of sicknesses she could get from being out here, and sitting next to this disgusting pond, as well--

Then, suddenly her mind went numb. Staring at the water, she became fixated. The whispers, the nasty voices that lay at the back of her mind, they suddenly became a roaring hurricane in her mind. Nothing could be understood, and yet it entranced Maria, kept her staring at the pond's surface. She couldn't explain why the voices had become so loud, or what the water had to do with it, but Maria didn't have the mind to question it, either.

It wasn't until the group began shifting that she finally looked away from the pond, but even then, the voices screamed in her mind. Maria stared almost blankly at her siblings, as though she didn't even recognize them, and heard nothing of their words. Only her ever present concern for Eliza argued for her to follow them, but her steps weren't quite natural, one might say. Robotic, automatic. Maria followed, but without any thought to the action itself. She was quiet, unnoticed, in the drum of the chaos of chasing after Archie and the animals, and when running in to Callahan and Pippa, well, they may as well have been mere shadows to her.

But as they continued onward, and left the pond far behind, the sounds in Maria's head began to slowly dim down, until they were simple whispers again. But now they were at the doorstep of someone's home. Maria didn't know who at first, and quite frankly, she couldn't remember how she'd wound up there in the first place. Confused, she looked around at their party, half of them shouting at the man behind the door. Maria saw the man with the wild hair they'd spotted on the road, but she didn't know why he was with them, nor why the girl with him was present, and a bit of a panic swelled up in her heart. Darkness was encroaching upon the sky, which was filled with storm clouds threatening the worst.

Reaching out, Maria clasped Eliza's hand, but this time it wasn't entirely because of her protective ways. Her hands trembled, but she didn't wish to voice her confusion and fear aloud. No, let her just have this simple comfort, please...

"Please, sir, let us in," Maria chimed in with the others, her voice soft and much weaker than usual. She was suddenly very exhausted, and if she could just get herself and Eliza inside...well, perhaps she might be able to clear her head...

 

[Midian]

Eliza had begun to shiver and tremble in the cold and the wet despite trying to conceal such weakness. Why on earth wouldn't a sane human being let them in during the middle of a storm?! Eliza glanced over at Archie as he yelled at the door. Even Archie would have let them inside, probably. Apparently he had and that was why he was out of doors now. When Maria grasped her hand Eliza jumped a little, but let Maria hold her hand. Maria didn't seem to be doing so well either, and she imagined Mr. Weston had to be cold, and there was a child out there with them too (even if Pippa was probably used to the elements anyway)!
"We have a child out here with us! Please let us in!" Eliza yelled, adding to the chorus of pleas. There was only silence from within and she coughed, fanning the smoke from Callahan's cigarette out of her face.
"Could you please put that out?" she grumbled, but the door swung open slowly with a resentful creak.
"Just come in," the old man grumbled. The interior of the house was little more welcoming than the exterior, but at least it was dry. Everything was coated in at least ten years worth of dust and grime, but not a single leaf or acorn could be seen. The old man, his dark eyes distrustful behind his iron-rimmed glasses, limped into the parlor where a fire blazed and motioned for them all to sit down.
"I remember you, you're Allen Kingsley," the old man said. "I've seen you before. You're studying to be a doctor. And you, parson, you-- Do not put your foot down!"

In a flash Dr. Colridge had used his cane to stop Leanne from putting her foot down on the floor, single, wet leafs stuck to the bottom of her shoe. He snatched it up and put it at once into the fire before sitting down again.
"Don't show him Lyall," Eliza murmured to Archie.
"What on earth are the lot of you doing out in this storm, anyway? These squalls are getting worse and worse."

 

[Mundane Monster]

The wind was whipping Pippa's hair this way and that and her clothes were sticking to her body, but she was more than a little excited and enthusiastic. She hadn't had this much fun in forever! If it was going to be like this all the time, then she would visit the Kingsleys ever single day! Even fighting stray dogs wasn't as great and joyous as the events that had occurred in the past thirty minutes!
Pippa wanted to say something. She wanted to run off of the porch and jump in a puddle or launch a handful of mud at someone, but she got the feeling that she probably shouldn't. Everyone else didn't seem to be as happy as she was.
But did they really have to ask Cooky Colridge for help? Pippa often saw the old man but she stayed away from him. Partly because he was odd but mostly because old people were slow and uninteresting.

 

[Falcon]

"Thank you," Henry said with a bow as Dr. Colridge let them in, and he very pointedly wiped his feet on the step outside before being the last through the door. "I assure you we'll be out of your way as soon as the weather clears." He didn't know the Dr. well, but on the few occasions they had met Henry had been treated to a lecture on the exact nature of the man's opinions on, well, nature. That was why it did not surprise him when the man threw a fit upon finding a leaf on the eldest Miss. Kingsley's shoe, though he could see the confusion on her face, and neither was he surprised when the Dr. snatched up the leaf and fed it to the flames of the fireplace. The leaf gave off a few wet pops before it began to burn.
"Are you well, Miss. Eliza?" he asked beginning to arrange several chairs around the fire for the most drenched of the party, namely the girls, to sit in, "And Mr. David?"

"What on earth are the lot of you doing out in this storm, anyway? These squalls are getting worse and worse." Dr. Colridge snapped, and Henry turned his attention to calming the eccentric gentleman down.

"I fear the fault for that is mine." Henry began courteously. "The Kingsleys are new to the country and in my attempt to be neighborly and show them around, I'm afraid I lost track of the weather. Had I known for sure it would storm we all would have been back in our homes before the first drops fell and none of us would have been in any danger from the threats of the outdoors." Henry only meant the lightning and rain, but he knew Dr. Colridge just well enough to hope the man would understand the comment to mean everything else as well.

 

[Midian]

"Threats of the outdoors? The threats of the outdoors are getting worse every day!" Dr. Colridge exclaimed, thumping the leg of the couch with his cane.
"Twenty years ago you could go for a walk during the day not not encounter a single snare unless you strayed off the path, but now even the road to Roma isn't safe in broad daylight. There are incidents in the towns now! Well into the interiors! You must know something about that, parson. Litchfield is besieged. Ten years ago the rivers were safe to fish in, but then sometime changed! Where people would only have leaves in their houses and had but to keep the lights on at night now strange abominations are roaming freely at all hours of the night, creeping in cracks and pinholes!"

He banged his cane roughly on the floor.
"I tell you, the Tangle is GROWING! It feeds on our blood and our children and seeks to suffocate us all in its deathly embrace. Why it has not swallowed up that damned widow I will never know, because I see her whispering to it and planting seeds at night. Thousands of wretched acorns! And the storms, God the storms--"

By now Dr. Colridge looked as though he were about to have an apoplectic fit, his neck purple and his breath coming in great gasps.

 

[Dip]

Archie thought this man was positively out of his gourd. The Tangle? GROWING? Not only was that NOT possible, but it was probably the most insulting thing he's ever heard of a place before! His Cartographer's eyebrow was twitching eternally and forever from those comment. Surely such places couldn't change in just ten years! It was improbable.

Archie was slouching terribly on the couch now, arms crossed over his lengthy torso in a fit-giving manor. He was quite annoyed, actually. He'd as for a spot of tea, but, 'Oh! The leaves! The impeccable specs! The terrifying howls! Blah blah blah!' What was it with these country folk, anyway?! He swore this was just one big joke that everyone was in on, and Archie was just an extension to the running gag! How annoying. How very very annoying! He blew a few stray hairs from over his forehead and thought silently that he had to get a haircut, or possibly a wash. Or two. Oh! How the stink will stick to his clothing for week and weeks!! How very annoying.

And the fellow, with the yelling and the banging and the lies! The loud, painful, annoying lies! Archie stood up, and pointed a finger at the man accusingly. He was so fed up, cold, annoyed, tired, and on edge! He should have never left his hollow hole. Not even a pretty face that was the female twin can sway him in the future, he decided. He opened his mouth, but closed it horridly.

He was about to call out on the fellow and tell him how very mad he sounded, but he seemed to be turning bright purple and terribly shallow of breath. Had he screamed himself into a fit? Curious. Archie just looked at him, as if he was a very rare sight to see. And he wast-- surely, being the son of a Doctor, he saw lots of fellows and ladies turn purple and pale in his day, but not in the middle of an argument. Archibald was dumbfounded.

"Errr..." He started. His finger that once pointed so righteously now bend forward a tad bit, as if he was caught off guard. "Do you... Ah, I see you are in need of... some, uh, some assistance..." A Doctor in need of a Doctor? How very peculiar. Archie turned around quickly, to the clown-car that was the couch. "Does anyone have a medical textbook handy?"

 

[Midian]

"I don't need medical attention!" he yelled. Eliza grabbed Archie's arm and tried to make him sit down again. What on earth was the boy so upset over?
"Archie, don't you think he might be right?" Eliza hissed. "Have we not seen a great number of strange things?"

Dr. Colridge sat abruptly in his chair again, regaining his breath.
"You think I'm a crazy old fool, don't you boy? I wouldn't expect anything else from an Angstrom. However, the Tangle is not a place, it's a thing. A living thing that grows and is aware. You're just a child, what do you know? What do any of you know? This country is wild, and it infects people. Look at the Stonewalls, they've lived here for generations and are entirely queer, present company included. Look at the child, for God's sake."
"Doctor, that's very cruel!" Eliza exclaimed, but Dr. Colridge thumped his cane on the floor.
"Cruel, but true! You're a little pert for a girl so young, that won't serve you well. The lot of you need to be careful with thinking the Tangle is less harmful than it is. And about running about with ruffians like this man."
"We couldn't just leave him in the rain," Eliza persisted, but Dr. Colridge stood.
"You all may stay in here until the rain lets up, but after that you need to leave," he said curtly, limping away and into his study. He shut the door firmly behind him and they were left in the silence of his parlor.

Presently they could hear him talking to someone in his study, although his words were muffled. Eliza looked about to her siblings to make sure they heard it too and whispered:
"I wonder what he's saying? And who is he talking to?"

From the small crack in the door, Dr. Colridge could be heard apologizing profusely and alternately weeping and cursing.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
At the Moorehouse Estate, servants scurried to light candles to cut through the darkness caused by the storm. The man of the estate, Monsieur Lovelace, stalked about through the half-unpacked furniture.
"Bibi? BIBI? BIBI?!" he yelled, finally turning a corner and nearly running into his maid.
"Bibi, if I paid you to stand there and look pretty, you'd be fired. You need to go to that damned Doctor Colridge and tell him that I need to borrow that cart he promised to loan me. If you hurry you might get there before the old coot goes to bed," Lovelace said, shooing her outside.
____________________________________________________________________________________
When Bibi knocked on the door, Dr. Colridge could be heard standing abruptly and limping to the study doors very quickly, muttering about having too much company.

 

[Falcon]

"He's right," Henry stated resting his elbow on the arm of the chair he was sitting in and hiding his face in his hand as he pinched his temples. "Nothing here is what anyone from the outside expects it to be. The sooner you learn that the safer everyone will be. If you hear a crazy story it is always better to believe it true until proven otherwise. He sighed and stood going to a window to watch the storm. "I've long since determined my predecessor wasn't crazy after all, though perhaps he was incorrect in what he believed the cause to be." but the last lines were said so softly it wasn't likely anyone heard him.

Henry let his brain drift as he watched the rain, ignoring the conversation behind him. Bibi's sudden knock on the door startled him enough that he visibly jumped.

 

[Mundane Monster]

Now Pippa didn't really mind being called strange. And she didn't give a rat's ass whether her siblings were being insulted or not, because they were utterly infuriating. However, the old coot was talking about her parents. Her lovely mum and da who were splendid! Pippa's face contorted into an ugly snarl, but before she could yell anything at the man or run outside, grab an acorn and lob it at his wrinkly head, he returned to his study. Rage and annoyance swirled in her chest, and she huffed angrily. Then there was a knock on the door, and the old man exited his study and went to answer the door once more. Gleeful anger filled Pippa and she turned to the man.

"Cram it, you old coot!" She snarled, "You talk about my parents like that again and I'll shove a bucket of acorns down your gullet!" She spat, ignoring everyone else in the room. She knew that someone, most likely the parson, would reprimand her, but she didn't care. Nobody spoke of her parents in such a manner, at least not out loud!

 

[Kura]

"Bibi? BIBI? BIBI?!"

Bibi made no effort to hurry to her Master's aid. His yelling for her was a usual daily occurrence, and after working for him for so long she had decided that it only showed how little he could do for himself without her around. She continued to help the other maids light their candles, and when Msr. Lovelace finally did manage to catch up with her he almost ran her over.

"Oui! Oui! What ees it that jou want?! Jou cannot 'ave us running around zis place lighting candles for the storm if you're just going to interrupt us, manchild," She snapped, then decided to place her candle back on the table before wax was inevitably knocked over. "You left joor mother many, MANY years ago!"

"Bibi, if I paid you to stand there and look pretty, you'd be fired. You need to go to that damned Doctor Colridge and tell him that I need to borrow that cart he promised to loan me. If you hurry you might get there before the old coot goes to bed."

Bibi turned her head to look out the window at the pouring rain, then slowly turned back to glare at him.
"How ees it that ev'ry time you want me to go out, it ees raining outside, ah? I'm beginning to 'tink that jou just like to me soaked with water when I return.. Fine. FINE. I weel go and get joor silly little cart, But I expect you to be satisfied for ze rest of ze evening when I return." She replied, then called loudly to the other maids.
"I EXPECT OUR DINNER TO BE ON ZEE TABLE WHEN I RETURN. WITH NO BURN MARKS ZIS TIME." She yelled, looking at up nothing in particular, "GY. I need you to come here please! We 'ave an errand!"

Bibi crossed her arms and lifted an eyebrow at Lovelace, tapping her foot as if she were waiting for something to happen. A few moments passed, and soon large footsteps could be heard throughout the house and became louder as whoever they were coming from drew closer. Soon a very large, widely built bald man dressed in a immaculate butler's outfit stood behind Bibi. He was easily five times the woman's size and easily stood three feet taller than she, but he stood straight and nodded at the head maid as he placed a tiny beret on his head an opened the door for her.

"Why s'ank you, love. Ees good to know zat somebody knows how to treat a lady." Bibi cooed, and Gy remained expressionless and opened an umbrella to hold over her as she patted his large hand. Without a second thought he followed her off into the rain with only his tiny hat covering his bald head.

They arrived at their destination quickly and Bibi rapped at the door as she called loudly.

"Monsieur Doctor Colrige! Are you at home? I am here for Master Lovelace!"

 

[Midian]

Dr. Colridge limped out of the study and slowly made his way to the front door, opening to confront Bibi and Gy. He looked suspicious and mildly frightened of Gy, but nodded to her and allowed her in after ensuring neither of them had brought anything but water with them.
"What does your master want?" he asked, nodding as she reminded him about the cart.
"He would collect at a time like this. Inconsiderate French... Present company excluded, of course," he hastily amended.
"There are others in the drawing room if you want some company. If you will excuse me, I'll go get the cart prepared."

He limped down the hall and left the pair to meet with the others in the drawing room. Eliza visibly paled when she saw how large Gy was, but she smiled fondly at Bibi and waved, indicating an open seat next to her.
"Hello Bibi, what on earth are you doing here in this storm?"

The fire burned low in the hearth, but Dr. Colridge still hadn't returned. Eliza tried to hide a yawn and turned to Mr. Weston.
"You're such a good speaker Mr. Weston, could we trouble you for a story or something of that nature? It's so dreadfully quiet here; you could hear a mouse sneeze."

As Mr. Weston spoke, a glimmer of blue caught Archie's eye. A blue butterfly was worming its way under the other door in the room, and by the time it had made it, its wings were destroyed entirely. Not even seconds later, another squeezed under as well. Once about three or four had come through, an exceptionally fancy and gold-plated ruling pen was pushed under the gap in the door by blue-white and brittle fingers. They beckoned to Archie, but the door appeared to be locked.
"If Gy breaks it, Dr. Colridge will surely know... But I don't know how to undo a lock without a key," Eliza said, crossing her arms and looking over at Callahan. Several of the straggling butterflies began trying to crawl over to Pippa, almost as if taunting her about the incident at the river.

 

[Kura]

"What does your master want?"

"Vell, Monsieur Doctoor Colridge, he vants a lot of tings. Too many, een my opinion, buut today 'e would be very pleased to have zat cart you promised to let heem borrow." Bibi replied with a smile. She never passed up an opportunity to advertise how incredibly needy her master was.

"He would collect at a time like this. Inconsiderate French... Present company excluded, of course," Colridge hastily amended. Bibi shot a look of anger his way at first, but quickly returned back to her smile as he corrected himself.
"There are others in the drawing room if you want some company. If you will excuse me, I'll go get the cart prepared."

"S'ank you!" Bibi returned, bowing to the doctor as he left them to mingle with the visitors in the drawing room. She removed her gloves as she entered, hardly paying any mind to the giant following along behind her that practically shook like a dog to get the access rain off of his suit. He brushed off the umbrella with one large hand and gingerly placed it to the side leaning on the wall.

"Hello Bibi, what on earth are you doing here in this storm?"

"Allo dear! Gy and I 'ave come to fetch a cart from Msr. Colridge for Master Lovelace. Apparently 'e cannot trust anyone else in ze house to bring home a simple wagon." she replied with a fluff of her skirt, "And do not worry, mum, Gy vood never hurt anyboody. 'E is as... how you say, harmless as a fly?"

"Flies carry disease." Gy grumbled in a very low, quiet voice, and Bibi swatted at him as she pointed him to an empty chair. With a nod her politely sat down, causing the chair to creak in agony underneath his weight. Bibi sat in the chair next to him in order to listen to one of the other visitors to the doctor speak.

 

[Banana-senpai]

The twins had said nothing save for Allen's polite greeting and expression of thanks for Dr. Colridge mostly because Leanne was emotionally exhausted. He was about to explain why they were all out, but the Parson did and Leanne gripped his hand and his attention was instantly on her. They were seated together with their younger sisters, hands still linked as Leanne was trembling with cold. Allen had next to nothing in mind by now but to keep her warm so he took his hand from hers and held her close to himself.

Leanne began sobbing when Dr. Colridge warned them of the Tangle and when Archie stood up, she muttered incoherently on Allen's chest that she was at fault for something. Allen looked up in alarm as Dr. Colridge looked as if he ran out of breath completely and was about to collapse.

Allen was surprised when Bibi and Gy came but was more surprised by the sudden appearance of strange looking butterflies. He instinctively pulled Leanne to him more, making her look up. She gasped and watched them crawl to Pippa. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh, dear!" She said in a rising pitch of panic, pulling away from Allen to try and redirect the butterflies.

 

[Mundane Monster]

Pippa was momentarily distracted from her rage when two even odder people entered. A massive man and what some women in the town would call a 'tart'. Although Pippa thought she looked nothing like a pastry.

The blubbering and panic rising from one of the doppelgangers caused Pippa to turn back to them and that was when she saw them. The blue butterflies. They were identical to the ones from the river, save for the fact that their wings were either in tatters or torn off completely. Pippa frowned, at the state of them. Although pulling the wings off of insects was a hobby of her brothers and the boys around town, she refused to partake in such an event. She didn't fight things that couldn't fight back, and insects were in that category. Besides, butterflies were pretty and they didn't do anything important. But these butterflies were quite odd...They were crawling towards her. Why were they doing that?

Crouching down, Pippa put her hand out and waited for one of the wingless insects to crawl upon her palm.
They had done this at the river too! But at the river--Pippa quickly snatched her hand back and gave a good shake when she remembered the other thing that had happened at the river. As soon as the butterflies had appeared, something had grabbed her.

At the risk of sounding just like Dr. Colridge, Pippa jabbed her finger in the direction of the butterflies and screeched, "They're horrible little beasts! Stomp them!" And with that she gave one of the butterflies a good smashing with her bare foot.