luministi_logs | Better Late Than Never

At the sound of the knock Fuu gave a start, scratching a long line in her journal where she'd been writing. She listened for a voice over her suddenly pounding heart - ah, it was Mister McCrimmon?

"J-just a moment-" she called back instinctively, then winced. Looking over to the side, she could see her reflection in a decorative mirror. Her face was pale and her eyes dark, her hair sticking up a bit oddly in places from having slept on it when it was wet, and her white blouse rumpled for having slept in it.
And that was just what was in the mirror.

In short, she was really in no condition to be seeing someone.

Rising to go to the door, she leaned against it rather than opening it.

"Please forgive me for speaking to you through the door, Mister McCrimmon," she said. "I'm not really... presentable to greet you just now."

"Aye, all right."

As he waited for her to open the door, he tucked his thumbs behind the belt holding his sporran in place, and rocked back and forth on his heels. When she spoke again, however, he stopped and gave the door a faintly puzzled look.

"Have I come at a bad time?"

It's quite possible he did, and just hadn't realized it. Maybe he should have tried to reach her over the CAT first, after all. After a few seconds, he added, "I'm sorry if I have. It's just we still need to go to the library, ye see, and I'd forgotten to contact ye sooner about that."

Edited 2011-07-17 06:33 (UTC)

"Ah-! I'm sorry, I'd... put it off as well. We should do that..." She couldn't help but feel rather reluctant about going, and was uncertain about being in someone else's company. Yet she could really use something new to think about, rather than what had happened to her. And... she would have to talk about it eventually.

"I take it that you are ready to go now?"

"Well...yes."

It's hard to tell through the door, but he thinks Fuu doesn't sound entirely enthused about still going and he can't help but wonder why. Maybe she's found out something that's unnerved her, or...he doesn't really know, not really.

Possibly it's just she was asleep and she doesn't feel like she'd be presentable if she went out in public. Lasses are funny that way. He hesitates, then adds, "Although I suppose I could wait a wee bit if ye want to...er, take care of anything first."

Edited 2011-07-19 07:21 (UTC)

No avoiding it, really. After a long moment she took a deep breath and called back, "Thank you. I would appreciate it. I'll be just a bit..." but she really couldn't leave him to wait on the doorstep. What could she do?
"Um... if you would, just count to ten, then come inside? You can wait in the living room."

Count to ten? Well, that's a rather strange request, but he's heard stranger. He shrugs, even though he knows she's not able to see it. Well, why not? "Aye. I will. One thousand and one..."

Okay, maybe it isn't strictly necessary to count out loud, but at least this way she knows he's willing to take the requested time before coming inside. And even though he's careful to count slowly, he decides to give her an extra few seconds, simply because ten doesn't really seem very long at all.

"One thousand and nineteen...One thousand and twenty. I'll just be coming in now, if that's all right?"

He reaches to try the and open the door. Hopefully she's left it unlocked for him.

Once he starts counting she undoes the chain across the door, then quickly retreats down the hallway and into her room. She can faintly hear his clear voice counting even within, and laughs slightly to herself when he gets to 'one thousand and eleven'.

And that small laugh felt really nice, after all this time. She still felt burdened by what had happened, but it seemed that something had loosened within.

Changing into the green dress Sophie had given her, she then silently crossed the hall to the washroom, where she brushed out her hair and washed her face. It was... better. A bit better.

There was nothing she could do about her wan, tired look or the purple nail polish at the moment.
But then, did she really have to pretend or hide anything from Mister McCrimmon?

Softly she came down the hall and came into the living room, her eyes downcast for a moment, but then finding his face.

"I'm very sorry to have made you wait like that."

He's standing in the living room when she returns, seemingly engrossed in the study of the light from a lamp as it plays against the wall. He turns, however, at the sound of Fuu's voice, a small smile on his face - that fades as he gets a good look at her face.

"Oh! I'm sorry. If I had realized ye were feeling poorly I'd not have suggested we go now."

He's feeling vaguely guilty for having bothered her while she was ill, and he's about to say something more on it when he notices her fingernails. That's...odd. The idea of of tinting ones nails isn't unheard of in his day, but he doesn't recall seeing that particular shade on her before. Actually, he's not at all sure he recalls seeing her use nail polish period.

"Er, Fuu? Is there a reason why your nails are purple?"

Fuu flinches a little at the question, then takes a deep breath to try and get a grip on herself. (It's not very effective.)

"Oh, Mister McCrimmon- I don't know. I really just don't know. And... it's not so much that I feel sick as- as... I'm sorry. P-please, sit down? There is something I should... tell you."

"Aye, all right." Giving Fuu a slightly confused look, Jamie does as he's asked, taking a seat on the edge of the couch. It seems to him that she's upset about something, but he can't figure out what, and that's a bit worrisome.

"What is it?" he asks, some of that worry evident in his voice. "What's the matter?"

She took a seat in the chair that was beside the couch. Another deep breath.

"I can't explain it, but I'll tell you what happened... The other evening, when I was investigating the Chrysalis with Hawk... I-" Pressing her lips together she steels herself to speak of it. Perhaps it would get easier though the telling.

"I died. I was suddenly shot through the heart with an arrow by someone unseen." She pressed her fingers over the place, the dress she's wearing now showing no evidence of it, although it was the one she'd been wearing.

"But then I woke up here one day later, with my nails painted like this. Ichijou just confirmed to me that it's the exact same as Miss Audrey's nails in the video. And this..." she bent over to show him the little flame symbol on her ankle.

"So you see... I'm alive when I thought I'd died. I have a dead woman's nail polish, and a flame symbol. To say I don't understand would be a vast understatement..."

She trailed off, trying her best to watch his reaction and not look away.

"Ye...died??" Jamie's expression is a mixture of shock and disbelief, with a goodly amount of confusion thrown in on top of it. He obligingly looks at the symbol on Fuu's ankle, but it's the look of someone who isn't really registering what it is they're seeing.

Unfortunately, he's still trying to wrap his mind around what Fuu is saying. People don't just die and then come back like that. It's simply not possible.

"What do ye mean ye died? You couldn't possibly have done. You're here. You're talking to me." He draws back a little, starting to look alarmed. "Not unless you're a spirit of some sort."

"No, no, I'm not a ghost. Really!" Hurrying to reassure him, she holds out her hand to him, an invitation to make sure his hand won't pass through it.

"I'm fine, really. But there was no way I survived that shot either. I have no explanation but to say that something really, really strange went on."

Tentatively, he reaches out to touch her hand, and looks much more relieved when his fingers brush up against her palm - because, to be truthful, he was expecting his hand to go clear through hers. He lets his hand fall again, satisfied on that part of things, and looks at her ankle again - this time paying more attention to the symbol.

"I-I can't say as I understand how that could be, but...ye seem to be real enough. When ye...ah...woke up again, ye said that's when ye found out about the nails and that wee flame on your ankle? There must be some reason they're there."

She smiles kindly, glad that he's a bit reassured. (And glad that she's real enough, too.)

"Don't worry. I don't understand it either. But I'm sure you're right - there has to be some reason why this was done... No one else has said anything about something like this happening yet?"

"Well...no." Jamie looks more than a bit dismayed about the idea. "There was that message from that fussy-looking man where he wanted us to check in, but no-one said anything about dying."

Apart from Audrey's death, of course, which is what set everyone on this path to start with. And that brings a rather uncomfortable thought to the Scot's mind. He swallows heavily, his eyes flicking back up to meet hers. "D-does that mean the murderer's still in town, then?"

"I didn't see who got me, but... I didn't see who got Miss Ardes either. I... I think it is very possible."

She pauses uncomfortably, not wanting to voice what thought lead from that - if the murderer could not be seen, and had even caught her right under Hawk's eye, how could they possibly keep each other safe?

Part of him had been hoping - rather strongly - he had jumped to the wrong conclusion, but Fuu's reaction is making him think that he's onto something. However, while it's not an idea he likes, he's also not about to sit around and do nothing. He's not afraid of the man, murderer or not.

Taking a breath, he straightens, a determined look appearing on his face. "All the more reason we need to find who it is." Turning slightly, he reaches over to place a hand over Fuu's reassuringly. "Don't worry, Fuu. I'll not let him harm ye again."

Blushing as he places his hand over hers, Fuu nods hesitantly. She doesn't want him to be put in danger's way for her sake. But then... although no one is safe in this town, they still have to do their best to keep one another safe.

Looking up at him with a bit more determination, she nods again.

"Thank you. You're right, we have to find out who it is, and why they are doing this."

Once he sees that determination echoed (at least a little) on Fuu's face, he removes his hand and stands up from the couch. While they could continue to sit there and try and figure out what the nails and that bitty symbol mean, it means that much more time that the murderer has to try and hurt other people.

Even though it's dangerous to go, it's dangerous for the others if they stay. And, in general, Jamie prefers to be doing something rather than sitting about.

"Right. So are ye ready to go, then?"

Taking a breath she stood as well.

"Yes, I think so." She'd spent enough time here wondering about what it all meant and worrying about what to do next. Now she needed to continue forward, find clues, and help keep everyone safe. And Jamie had helped her remember that. She gave him a grateful smile.

"Thank you for talking with me."

[[ooc: I guess we ought to hand-wave them going to the library? ^.^o]]

Jamie gives her a smile in return. "You're my friend, Fuu. There's no need to thank me for that."

Or for opening the door for her either, which he does - but he does step outside first to make sure there isn't anyone in sight before he motions that it's alright to come outside. Only then does he start to head for the library, keeping alert for any signs of the murderer on the way.

((OOC: I wouldn't mind playing it out if you'd like, although I do have that mini-hiatus in a couple of days. I'd definitely pick it up when I got back, but if you'd prefer to fade out and handwave the rest because of that, that's fine too. Either or is good with me.))

She smiles a bit more brightly at him for that. And blushes. She's not had many friends who were boys.

She does thank him for holding the door open too.

Watching Mister McCrimmon skilfully ride his bike while wearing his kilt, Fuu couldn't help but grin a little. She could appreciate what a trick that was.
Picking up on his alertness, and a bit paranoid herself about the murderer being out there, she also kept a keen eye out as they rode towards the library.

As they came around the corner of the building she said, "I'd like to check the sundial before going inside, if that's all right?"

[[No worries! Let's do it. I'm glad you'd like to still play it out! On we go~
And so I don't have to go hunting for the link, here are the clues (http://luministi.livejournal.com/33805.html?thread=2158605#t2158605).]]

It's taken him a bit, but he's definitely picked up on how to adjust the kilt so he can actually ride the bike both safely...and modestly. The actual bike riding part itself was a lot trickier, and he's still a little wobbly at times. Today, however, is a good day, and he's able to get to the library without incident.

Leaning the bike against the wall, he glances around again before nodding. That seems like a good idea, actually, and he's certainly willing to go along with it.

"Aye. Looks clear enough at the moment. I think we can take a wee peek there first."

He starts to head that way once Fuu does, but he stays on alert - just in case there's any unexpected company.

Walking up to the sundial with the huge Neptune statue, her face became more grave.

"This statue has been weird for a long time," she said, going to look at the place where the antidote had been hidden.

"I don't know if I mentioned, but it seemed to move in the lightning when we had that odd personal weather bubble last time."

She didn't know what she was expecting to find, but she didn't see anything much. The topiary dog's eye that she'd given to Nurse Hope to open the secret compartment was still there, however. Pulling it out she rolled it thoughtfully on her palm.

"Move?" The weather bubble he remembers her mentioning, but he can't quite recall if she had covered the statue moving as well. "Are ye sure it wasn't some trick of the light?"

It seems it would take a lot to get a statue to move, since as far as he knows they're not supposed to. And besides, even if it could, what would it do?

He looks up at Neptune with a rather skeptical expression, only barely noticing Fuu's retrieval of the eye. Something about the hands on the statue has caught his attention instead.

"Well, at any rate, someone should take better care of it, maybe. It looks like bits of it have been flaking off."

Edited 2011-08-11 07:01 (UTC)

"I'm pretty sure," she answered. It had been storming something fierce and it had only been when the lighting came, but she was pretty sure.

Looking up in interest at his comment, she followed his gaze to the hands.

"They always take good care of things here. Let's see-" Getting as close as she could, she peered up (way up? (http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t114/vampwrite/Luministi%20Stuff/Sundial15byflickrtim_johnson.png)) at the hands of the statue.

"Mmm? That's strange."

Sure, he has to crane his head to get a good look, but it helps that there are some of those greenish bits on the ground beneath the statue.

He reaches down to pick one up, turning it over in his fingers thoughtfully. "I wonder why they've not noticed it, then, if they're so keen on cleaning things up. Unless it's something more recent."

Fuu looks down with interest at the flakes on the ground, then back up at the statue.

"Mmm. Could be recent - at least, since the normal townspeople went. Which means it's even more unusual, because then who was doing this? Well, if someone was doing something to make it flake, we should try too! Do you think you could boost me up a bit?"

If she's right and that's the case, unusual is certainly one way to describe it. "Aye, and why would they be trying to do anything to the statue in the first place?"

It doesn't make much sense to him, but maybe if Fuu is able to get a closer look she'll see something that they can't up there. She doesn't look to be too heavy, so he's confident he can lift her if need be - but he's not entirely certain which way she'd prefer to do things.

"I should be able to. Do ye want me to lift ye or do ye want to try and get on my shoulders instead?"

[She blushes a little - it was a bit forward of her to ask to be lifted, wasn't it - but she looks up and considers it.]

I think it will be enough if you lift me straight up - if I'm not too heavy. I have no idea why they would do anything to the statue, but we'll be ahead if we can find out.

[So she stands straight and thinks light thoughts, ready for Jamie to lift her. (Good thing she's wearing the long dress...)]

"A wee thing like yourself? Aye, that'll be easy," Jamie replies, confidently.

Slipping his hands around her waist, he takes a deep breath, then lifts her up. While he's not the most muscular of people, she's light enough that he can boost her a bit.

Hopefully that'll give her enough height that she can get a better look - at least, for as long as his arms hold out. He glances up as well, seemingly more interested in the statue than whatever dress she happens to be wearing right now.

"Do ye see anything?"

Being lifted, she can investigate where the metal was flaking quite well. She quickly runs her fingers over the spots.

"It's rather weird. It's almost like... someone..." Spacing out her hands over two particularly worn spots, she frowns. "It's almost like someone was pulling on this?"

And Fuu promptly tries pulling on the trident herself. (Oops, might have wanted to warn Jamie before doing that? Her weight shifts and bits of corroded copper drift down, but nothing else happens.)

"Like someone was -- hey!" Warning Jamie would have been a a good idea, as he nearly loses his grip when she shifts like that. Fortunately, instinct kicks in, and he quickly adjusts before anything untoward can happen.

"Would ye mind giving me some warning next time ye go and so something like that?" he grumbles, mouth pulling off to one side as bits of copper rain down on him.

Something about the situation seems very familiar, though. Almost as if he's been through it - or something like it - before, which is ridiculous, really. After all, he's the son of a piper, and not prone to having to hold on to someone as they try and make some adjustments to something or other.

...Right?

"Look, Fuu, why don't we try moving it from the trident at the bottom and see if that doesn't work instead? Or, I suppose I could try and climb up and make my way down the arms..."

"Oh! Oh! I'm sorry, Mister McCrimmon!"

She looks down to see his head speckled with copper. Oops. And it felt like he'd nearly dropped her. That'd have been a bigger oops.

"That's a good idea. I don't see any other spots that have been rubbed off from here though, so you probably don't need to climb up."

She puts her hands on his shoulders to steady herself as he lets her down.

"Thank you for the lift!"

"Aye, well, it's no bother," he says, making sure to gently set her down before turning his attention to his hair. Bending forward slightly, he runs his hands through his hair, sending a rain of greenish bits down to the ground.

That should have gotten most of them, but he brushes his hand over his head again just to make sure. It leaves him a bit rumpled looking, but more or less copper free.

Glancing up at the statue again, he thinks it's just as well. Not only would it be a bit tricky to go out over the arms, he'd have to warn her about the kilt...and he rather suspects that given her earlier reactions, she'd be more than a bit red-faced over the situation.

Rubbing his hands against his kilt to clean them of any stray copper, he moves over towards the base of the trident. "Right. Let's take a look down here, then."

While he's brushing out his hear Fuu looks over the statue again as well. At his suggestion she nods agreeably.

"Let's see. Does it look like it's been moved or anything?"

"I'll check," he replies, then lapses into silence while he studies where the tines of the trident meet the stone of the sundial.

As he looks, a faint frown appears on his face, and after inspecting it, he shakes his head. "Aye, well, if anyone tried, I'd not say they were successful. Looks like it hasn't budged."

Hands clasped behind her, she looks down at the trident with a slight frown, then looks back up its length.

"This is so weird... But then, little around here is normal!" With a sudden bright smile she turns back to him. "Shall we see what else we can find, Mister McCrimmon?"

"So I've noticed," Jamie comments, with a tiny pull of his mouth off to one side. The expression is gone rather quickly, however, and when Fuu turns back to him he looks the same as ever.

Well, that is, until she uses his last name again, and his brow knits for a second or two. She's been doing that an awful lot, and there's no reason for her to do so, in his opinion.

"Look, Fuu, ye don't have to keep calling me Mr. McCrimmon. We're friends, aye? Jamie's fine." He gives her a encouraging smile. "Now, let's go see what there is. Into the library, ye think?"

Edited 2011-08-31 06:42 (UTC)

"Eh-" At his request she blinked in surprise, then held out a hand silently imploring him to wait from going.

"Sorry, but, are you certain that is all right? I just feel that it would be impolite of me to address you so casually."

Catching a glimpse of the hand out of the corner of his eye, he stops, and turns to look back at Fuu in mild confusion.

"Why wouldn't it be? We are friends, aren't we?"

It doesn't make sense to him. Why would friends be that formal with each other? Unless...it's something having to do with the way things are where she's from.

"I mean," he says, sounding slightly uncertain, "Ye don't call your friends by their last names where you're from, do ye?"

"It depends how the relationship is! I... suppose it is a bit complicated? I'm sorry, I haven't had many foreign friends before!"

"I'm not foreign, I'm...och, never mind." He guesses with people being from all sorts of different places, where he's from specifically doesn't really matter that much.

However, he would prefer if she called him by his first name. Mr. McCrimmon seems...off somehow. He can't really place his finger on what that's bothering him, though.

"I really would like it if ye called me Jamie, though. Would ye be willing to at least try?"

Fuu blinks at him, then nods shyly. She... has come to call Hawk and Xion by their first names, but they are closer in age to her - she is probably a good five years younger than him.

But, she would try to remember to call Mister McCrimmon by his first name out of respect for his request.

"All right. Mister Jamie?"

If asked, Jamie would be under the impression that it's closer to two years than five - although he's wrong about that. Five is actually just about right. Even so, he still doesn't see what the big deal is about her using his first name. At least she seems willing to try.

"Aye, I suppose that'd be all right." He's not going to argue the Mister part of things at the moment. It's still a start. "Now that that's settled, should we not be going to look inside?"

"Yes, absolutely let's do it!"

With a eager spring in her step she makes a bee-line for the doors.

[[ooc: Shall we leave it here, or play out the inside too? ^.^]]

Jamie trudges along after, a faint look of bemusement on his face. This seems oddly familiar somehow, although he still has no reason why. Oh well, nothing to do for it but keep searching. Who knows? Maybe they'd be lucky and come up with something.

(( OOC: Let's fade out here, if you don't mind? ))

Better Late Than Never

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