03. The Ivy Files

[Corwin]

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[19:20] <Kallen> Midmorning, the next day. It's rather slow, but this doesn't concern Ivy overmuch; her businesses stock, fortunately, is self-sustaining, the product of tireless work; both her own, and that of Ted. "Miss Ivy," he says, in that delightfully formal tone- "Would you mind if I took tomorrow off?"
[19:21] * Ivy pretends to think about it, eyeing Ted critically. He will squirm as the silence draws out, she has little doubt of that.
[19:22] <Kallen> Squirm he does, and his eyes manage to slide right off of his employer. With a start, he realises this, and faces up bravely to her once more!
[19:24] <Ivy> "I suppose anything is possible, for the right price," Ivy muses, her expression growing sad. "Is there something more interesting than tending to these beautiful flowers?"
[19:25] <Kallen> "Um... but, Miss Ivy, I go forth to bequeath these flowers onto one who would appreciate them!" replies Ted, glancing up hopefully.
[19:27] <Ivy> "My, but that does sound interesting," Ivy comments, observing Ted anew in a shift so rapid it suggest her downcast expression just then was not entirely sincere.
[19:31] <Kallen> Ted nods emphatically. "I'm going to ask her out. Ah, Rachel.." He lifts his gaze to the sky. "I can't wait to see her smile at my gift..."
[19:36] <Ivy> "Anyone would smile while gazing at flowers that so clearly belong with one another," Ivy murmurs, losing herself slightly in reflection. "And a different sort of smile is reserved for an arrangement where the parts are greater than the whole, complimenting one another and masking each other's weaknesses."
[19:36] <Ivy> Seeming to shake herself free of her musings, Ivy inclines her head. "That's quite alright, and your goal appears a worthy one. In return, of course, you'll work twice as hard the day next?"
[19:46] <Kallen> "Of course, Miss Ivy! Thanks for understanding," replies Ted, with a beaming smile. Just over his shoulder, Ivy can see a couple walk into her shop; a handsome-looking fellow, with short blonde hair and an easy smile. A hand is clasped on his partner, who seems to be smiling back. Karen.
[19:47] <Ivy> "Certainly," Ivy responds, her attention instantly diverted to Karen.
[19:48] <Ivy> *responds absent-mindedly
[19:48] <Kallen> "I wonder if she'd like it here..." wonders Ted, ambling over to pick up a watering can, standing right between Ivy and Karen. "You don't need any more help, do you?"
[19:51] <Ivy> "I--" Ivy regains her composure, and smiles at Ted. "No, I will be fine. Do have fun tomorrow," she tells him, before proceeding confidently towards the couple, almost gliding across the floor.
[19:51] <Ivy> "Welcome," she greets them, her customary smile brighter than usual. "Do you need help to discover the perfect bouquet just for you?"
[19:52] <Kallen> "Oh, we're just browsing," replies the man, turning his dazzling gaze upon Ivy. Suddenly, the phone rings!
[19:56] <Ivy> "In that case, please be certain to pay the yellow roses a visit. They are simply stunning this winter," Ivy tells the two. Her gaze lingers on Karen just a bit, but she turns away to look back at the phone. With a murmured, "Excuse me," Ivy retreats to answer it.
[19:57] <Kallen> The voice than speaks upon receival is lilting and pleasant to the ear. "Do you want to know what happened?" it asks. Ivy can almost see the smile at the other end.
[19:58] <Ivy> "What happened?" Ivy echoes.
[19:58] <Kallen> "Yes, what happened. We could tell you," replies the voice.
[19:59] <Ivy> "If you would like," Ivy responds. "It matters not one bit to me either way." Perhaps that is even the truth.
[20:00] <Kallen> OOC: Make a wits+composure check
[20:04] <Kallen> "If you come to the Hyatt this evening," replies the lilting voice- "You can find out just why Karen only has one friend in the world right now. And maybe, just maybe, get your revenge." As Ivy glances up, she gets a glimpse of the young man's shadow; it's wrong. The horns of satyrs extend from the head, and she's sure those are hooves, rather than shoes.
[20:06] <Ivy> "How will I find you?" Ivy asks, her aloof demeanor disappearing entirely. "And what is your price?"
[20:07] <Kallen> "Oh, you will. And it's nothing you can't afford. Just-" A sudden crash distracts Ivy for a moment, and the phone is wrenched from her grasp! An upward glance reveals Ted, who seemed to trip over the cord whilst carrying a full watering can; liquid seeps everywhere...
[20:07] <Kallen> OOC: Bad luck, repaid >_>
[20:09] <Ivy> Schooling her feature into an empty smile Ted won't be able to misunderstand, Ivy kneels down to retrieve the phone. "When?" she asks, to see if the line is still connected. With her luck, of course, the phone may well need to be replaced.
[20:10] <Kallen> It seems the cord was ripped right out of the socket by Ted's untimely accident; the call has been disconnected. He apologizes profusely, already floundering about for a towel.
[20:13] <Ivy> The urge to toss the phone, perhaps at Ted, is storng. But neither of them are truly at fault. Instead, she thinks about what the caller had said, keeping her eyes on her browsing would-be customers.
[20:15] <Kallen> The boy is already leading Karen out; she glances over her shoulder, looking a bit concerned, but allows herself to be guided back into the street.

<--->

[17:07] <Kallen> During the sunlit hours, the library seems a little more inviting; snow's been pushed out of the way of the doors, making the entrance somewhat less wet, and a few people are actually present. As Ivy enters, she catches a young girl staring at her- she's only around six or so, clutching some oversized picture book under her arm.
[17:08] * Ivy stares back curiously, slowing down.
[17:09] <Kallen> "How did you get your hair like that?!" exclaims the girl, her eyes shining with wonder.
[17:13] * Ivy tilts her head, the hair in question moving with the motion as if it possessed a mind of its own, untangling from its self-kept ponytail. "It just happened. I didn't do anything, and one day, that was how it turned out."
[17:17] <Kallen> "Huh," she replies, still staring. "Could I get it like that?" In an aisle behind her, Ivy can see an older woman approach, wearing faded trackpants and a loud, pink t-shirt.
[17:19] <Ivy> "You don't really want to," Ivy confides in the girl. "It's a lot of hassle, the least of it having to care for something so long."
[17:21] <Kallen> "Gracia!" calls the woman, advancing on the couple. "It's time to go- I'm sorry if she's been trouble, uh..." Her accent is coarse, and faintly embarrased.
[17:24] <Ivy> "It's alright," Ivy responds, directing her gaze towards the apparent mother. "We were only talking about how hair styles."
[17:27] <Kallen> "Ah. Um, alright. No offence, I just told her not to talk to strangers. You know how it is," replies the mother, taking the child's hand. "Come on." The two of them soon depart the library, armfuls of books in tow.
[17:28] <Ivy> "It is a very sound advice," Ivy agrees, waving as the child departs with her mother and then proceeding on her way.
[17:29] <Kallen> Handspan is nowhere to be found; it dimly occurs to Ivy that he must have a real house somewhere, even if he uses the winterwatch headquarters as his workshop, study, and kitchen often enough. However, she does find another changeling near Marduk's bed; a thick-bodied, black-skinned man who seems to emit a constant stream of smoke from his hooked, pointed nose. (More)
[17:31] <Kallen> A name springs to mind; Gareth, a physician of the Autumn Court who ostensibly aids the winterwatch when they suffer injuries that goblin fruit cannot allay. Medical devices seem to have been set up next to the bed, and the room has been tidied up a great deal. What appear to be feeding tubes have been set up for the unconscious Beast. "'ey," he mutters, not quite meeting Ivy's gaze.
[17:33] <Ivy> "Hello," she responds, baffled by Gareth's reaction and observing him as a result. "How is Alan?"
[17:35] <Kallen> A darkling, almost certainly; Gareth keeps his face pointed away from Ivy at all times. "Comatose. Hasn't stirred since he got here, 'ccording to Handspan." He keeps muttering, but his voice trails off until Ivy can't make sense of it.
[17:36] <Ivy> She was, perhaps, too callous in considering Alan's help so soon after his escape. "Is there anything we could do for him, besides give him time to recover?" she inquires, feeling a degree of responsibility for his well-being.
[17:40] <Kallen> "Might need to check him in for an MRI. This isn't just exhaustion or anything. Could be brain damage. A tumor, a stroke. Worse," he replies, shaking his head. "Don't think so.. doesn't seem right. His keeper might have a tighter leash than we know."
[17:42] <Ivy> "You think he was being used as bait?"
[17:45] <Kallen> Gareth holds up a smokey hand; "There might be no medical explanation for him being asleep. That's all. How did he seem when you found him? We're all a bit..." He taps the top of his head. "You know, when we get out. And when we're out. But did he seem dizzy? Nauseous? Complain of a headache?"
[17:48] <Ivy> "He was confused, as is to be expected," Ivy recollects. "And yawning, which was why we thought he was just too tired when he collapsed. He was talking about having forgotten things, which also fits his situation. I'm afraid I lack any insights into this."
[17:53] <Kallen> "Mmph. It just doesn't sound like something natural. People don't emerge with serious ailments. Usually. Doesn't have the right signs," he mutters. "Might be stuck in his sleep. I've seen that before. Trapped in a dream. Tough nut to crack, that."
[17:55] <Ivy> "It is not my specialty, I'm afraid," Ivy admits, which is close enough to the truth. She dislikes the very idea of going into another's dreams. "Since there is little I can do, I had best be on my way once more," she voices next. "Would you be able to pass word to Handspan?"
[17:55] <Kallen> "I'll be seeing him as the sun sets."
[17:58] <Ivy> "It is regrettable, but I would not be able to fulfil my duties tonight. A personal matter came up, and I would be needed at the Hyatt this evening. If you could pass my apology to Handspan for me, I would appreciate it."
[18:02] <Kallen> "Eh. I'll tell him. The Hyatt, eh. Fancy," replies Gareth, turning entirely away from Ivy and studying a bookshelf intently.
[18:03] <Ivy> "I wouldn't know, I haven't been there before," Ivy responds. Her gaze lingers on Alan a moment longer, and then she nods to herself, turning to leave. "Until next time, Gareth."
[18:07] <Kallen> "Later," he replies, though it is muffled. The library seems a darker place when Ivy leaves it; the snow seems grey rather than white, and even the passers-by seem downcast.
[18:10] * Ivy doesn't let herself be bothered by such matters, instead deciding to arrive at the hotel earlier and explore its ground floor and layout ahead of time. That it is a trap is not truly in doubt, but her chances of surviving it would be greater if she knew the terrain.
[18:22] <Kallen> The Hyatt is filled with wide, open spaces, and certainly doesn't look a place for any obvious ambush when Ivy arrives. At the foot of the tower, there is a large reception area, with potted plants and couches aplenty; a hotel restraunt is visible just to one side, and a causeway joins the hotel to an adjacent mall. People are going in and out, many of them immaculately dressed for dinner.
[18:25] <Ivy> She can't really do much but look her best; even renting a gown for the evening would cost more than what Ivy is comfortable with parting. As with any hotel, the reception area or the part further within by the lifts would have a handy map, and knowing where the exits are and other such information may well prove useful.
[18:28] <Kallen> There are many exits; through the adjacent mall, the front door, to the underground, two fire escapes... Should she need to flee, almost any direction would get her out of the building eventually. Whilst wandering around, Ivy also notices quite a few security guards loitering around; most of the major businesses in the city have increased security quite recently, and there is little doubt-
[18:28] <Kallen> -as to why.
[18:30] <Ivy> That does not really reassure Ivy in any meaningful way, but she feels that she's done what she could to prepare. All that remains now is waiting for the one that extended an invitation to her.
[18:37] <Kallen> It doesn't take long for Ivy to spy the one who must be her contact. The woman walking through the front, with the sparkling yellow tresses and the gold-studded skin, clad only in ethereal silks- who else could it rightly be?
[18:41] * Ivy stands up from the sofa that allowed her a view of the grand entrance, placing down the magazine she had used to help pass the time. She gives the other woman a chance to notice her, not yet moving in her direction.
[18:46] <Kallen> The woman advances straight towards Ivy, extending a hand. "Hello- Celia," she says, with a gratitous smile- even her teeth are gold. "Accept my heartful gratitude for arriving, and my deepest apologies for putting it to you so shortly."
[18:49] <Ivy> "There is no need for me to introduce myself, quite apparently," Ivy responds, taking the strange woman's hand. "I'm afraid the call was interrupted as you were answering my question. What sort of price is there to your involvement?"
[19:01] <Kallen> It feels as though it's barely there, almost slipping through Ivy's grasp. "Ah, of course- all that I desire from you is your finest bouquets, your keen eyes, and a winning smile," she replies. "I have a small club, you see- perhaps you are familiar with this sort of thing, as you are a lady of spring..."
[19:03] * Ivy frowns. "If it's the sort of club I'm thinking of, I have no interest in it, spring or not."
[19:12] <Kallen> "That does seem the greatest shame," replies the woman, lowering her ruby eyes. "We are providers, there, finding ways to fulfill the greatest desires, for what else do we truly have? Blessed are those who can know those of others! All I ask is that you lead some of those who cannot find what the seek to us- is that truly so onerous?"
[19:14] <Ivy> "Just as someone oh-so-helpfully did with Karen?"
[19:23] <Kallen> "Karen..." she replies, her eyes rising to the ceiling. "We do not have your eyes, you see. Karen's desires are truly known only to her. But, I would guess, suppose, consider- that someone bereft of their family seeks out love."
[19:27] <Ivy> "I will defer my answer," Ivy decides after almost a full minute of silence. "Was that satyr allied with you? Are you enemies? You have told me that Karen only has a single friend in the world. You offered me information, and a chance at revenge. I fully intend to listen."
[19:35] <Kallen> "Timothy is our knight, you see- a virtuous protector of all that is good in the world. Including Karen Winters, of course," she replies. "He *cares* for her. The sympathy of her other classmates waned; her foster parents find a daughter who is not what they had hoped for... and none of them can protect her from the beast that stalks her dreams and plagues her thoughts." (More)
[19:35] <Kallen> "In a way, it is not so unlike your boy..."
[19:37] <Ivy> "You are implying that she sees things the way they are?"
[19:39] <Kallen> "Oh, no. Her dreams are kept safe and sound from the Spinegott," she replies. "She is protected, and her desires are given room to grow once more. This much, we do without need for pledge or pact."
[19:41] <Ivy> "But why target her?" Ivy snaps. "To plague her dreams and to protect her? Why Karen?"
[19:48] <Kallen> "Karen herself is a vibrant spirit, just waiting to break free from her fears and her regrets. That alone is enough to warrant our interest... but her relation to a member of the Spring Court is likewise of import." The woman sighs once more. "What haunts her dreams is the same as what hunted the blood of the Winter Family. The Spinegott was dragged forth-"
[19:54] <Kallen> "-from the Hedge. When a changeling breaks free, the veil between us and that world is weakened, sometimes enabling the worst of the creatures there to slip through. Yet, the Spinegott does not hunt without one first making a pledge towards it."
[19:55] <Ivy> "In other words, you are claiming that I brought this Spinegott back with me, and that it switched targets to her due to our relation?" Ivy asks in an outwards semblance of calmness, reigning her mounting frustration in.
[20:01] <Kallen> "Oh, no! I do not believe it was hunting you, but- the Winter family itself. Why else would Karen Winters still be plagued by nightmares of the creature?" the woman replies, arching an eyebrow. "Unless... it is not unheard of for terrible bargains to be made for freedom from the Gentry... could you have.. no, surely not!"
[20:07] <Ivy> Her words are intended to seed doubt in Ivy's mind, and though they are working, she does not intend to let the other changeling see that. There is little point in denials, since she has no reliable memories of her escape, and any lie would likely be picked up on and use as ammunition against her. "So our situation is somewhat clearer. What do you offer if I make a pledge with you?"
[20:10] <Kallen> "There are records, you see. Of every transaction the Spinegott has ever made. It would be difficult, but for you, should you assist us, I would pledge to secure a true accounting of what lead to the Winter's end. It is a terrible creature, the equal of the true fae, called to do dreadful things for equally awful prices; a true servant of death, leaving only misery for every party." (More)
[20:12] <Kallen> "Someone made a deal, Celia. Someome made a deal, and your family died because of it. Only the one who made that deal can call it off... only that person could stop the Spinegott for good. And only from that person could you gain satisfaction. You can consult with Autumn Court, ask veterans of the Summer Court- I do not play you false on the danger it presents."
[20:13] <Ivy> "How long do I have to decide?"
[20:18] <Kallen> "As long as you wish, of course. Those of spring are always welcome in our fold."
[20:20] <Ivy> "I'll do my research, as you expect me to, and meet you once more to deliver my answer," Ivy tells the other changeling. "How would I get in touch with you?"
[20:22] <Kallen> "Through the telephone, or the electronic mail," she replies, producing a business card; it is framed with flowers. "Miledy Blossom, Director, Valiance Escorts," it reads, with accompanying details.
[20:24] <Ivy> "Not that I care particularly," Ivy says, accepting the card, "but why are you operating outside the Courts?"
[20:29] <Kallen> "Fundamentally, the courts are a challenge, are they not? To work within the courts is always, always, always taking a stand against the Gentry... and they do love challenges, or so the goblins tell me."
[20:31] <Ivy> "And by avoiding that, you are seen as a front for Reine des Glacons. To each, their own, I suppose."
[20:33] <Kallen> "It would be unfair to say we have not learned a thing or two from her," she replies, with a sigh. "But that would bring me to the other reason. We will never bow our heads. Not to the Reine. Not to the Mountain King. Never. We have bowed enough."
[20:36] <Ivy> "I can understand that, I think," Ivy accepts. "Alright." She pockets the business card. "What does Karen know right now?"
[20:37] <Kallen> "Karen was told that her dreams are unnatural, and that Timothy can keep them at bay. Nothing more. Not who we are. Not who you are. Not of the Spinegott. It is a happy thing to be in ignorance, I feel. One can live without worries..."
[20:38] <Ivy> "It will do for now," Ivy agrees with a nod. "I'll be in touch."

<--->

[20:39] * Ivy answers on the third ring with a "Yes?"
[20:48] <Phi> "Uh, hey, Ivy? It's Phi. Just wondering, could you make it to the library any time soon? We've got business..."
[20:50] <Ivy> "Not another runner, I hope? I'm afraid I'm tapped out, if so."
[20:50] <Phi> "No, not a runner. But it's the Hedge...picking some fruit, if you know what I mean."
[20:52] * Ivy pauses briefly, considering. "If it's just that, I can contribute. Would you like me to pick you up at the library with a cab?"
[20:53] * Charlie coughs from behind Phi. "We can take my car this time."
[20:53] <Ivy> "Ah, then I am reassured!" Ivy chirps. "I will arrive as soon as I can manage it."
[20:54] <Phi> "...Yeah, maybe we should let Charlie drive this time. And sorry about yesterday. When the glasses come off, I sort of lose it..."
[20:54] <Ivy> "It's quite alright. My paralysis was not a permanent one."

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