Athena looked at Zoe and her pained expression, mirroring it herself. "I'll tell you what I know.." she replied carefully. She turned back to her locker, using the moment to calm the tension she was feeling- though knowing the eyes of her friend were on the back of her neck.
Zoe steeled herself she knew this was going to be hard. This was bothering her for so long. So many 'little things' that didn't make any sense when yesterday it was all perfectly fine! The empty guest room in particular
As Athena collected some papers she wondered how deep her research had taken her. Her friend Zoe was seeking answers and seemed to think she had them but- that was never how this worked. No more then a fortune teller telling the actual future. Whatever odd.. gift... she might have if indeed it was real- well- It was something she often questioned herself it was true that Athena had strong intuition so perhaps that is why she could sense something in the world was just off. Zoe lost someone dear to her and couldn't remember it at all.. Athena couldn't recall all the specifics either as she had no memory but the 'signs' were there. There was enough to see the obscured hole in reality. Why was she different Athena dared not say she was somehow 'better' to know or more knowledgeable or even just 'lucky' to have such foresight. It was something else- something far more simple:
Athena was an outsider an outsider from all walks of life who saw reality from that perspective for better or worse. People came.. they went.. she didn't always see 'them' but she saw their impact like ripples in a pond of water. Even if it felt like she was watching her classroom from the dome of a fish bowl- yet now she was wondering.. if that was the truth. There were many ways to perceive a barrier, from the inside or the outside...
Athena drew a breath giving Zoe an even look. Her friend was now asking- demanding even, to cross the barrier would her friend hate her if it hurt?
"Follow me."
Zoe could see Athena was very quiet in each step within the school. The goth girl was silent, even more so then usual. She was being lead in the direction of the library and thought they were going there- but then suddenly turned down another door into what looked like a storage room.
"I've probably been down this corridor a hundred times I've never seen this room." Zoe said looking around. "Why isn't it locked?"
"Well, it's just a storage room for old books in the library that never made the cut. Things that they don't want most students to read." She gestured to one corner. "Ancient religions, the occult books considered offensive or might upset social cohesion- the librarians just stuff them all here. I like to come here for a bit of peace and quiet. The lock jammed ages ago, so its always open but nobody comes here."
Zoe looked about the room. It wasn't large, a simple storage area lined with huge shelves. The room was made to be tall, with metal ladder in a corner. However it looks like most people just put the books in a pile. There were manga comics in one corner, some books relating to war a general mess of uncatalogued items It seemed such a shame, some of these books did look interesting. A few cobwebs indicated the room wasn't used much either, perhaps abandoned. Maybe the school thought the books could be sold for a bit of extra money and just left it at that.
"Whatever happened to freedom of speech," Zoe glanced idly at a book- then gasped as it had quite a few pictures of human anatomy in exquisite detail- she laughed and shook her head.
"The librarian is free to exclude books." she said shrugging. "I'm not personally bothered by it. Its a nice atmosphere for me to work in. Sometimes I find an obscure source for my homework here too," she gave a wry smile. There was a table and chair. Athena pulled the ladder closer to the large table at the center. "Have a seat."
"I always wondered where you disappear at break." Zoe nodded as she sat down on the fourth step of the ladder. It was awkward but.. not too uncomfortable as she crossed her legs perched on it.
"You're probably the only one that does wonder." the goth-girl replied as she placed a few clippings from papers.
"Something caught my eye a few days ago. There's this.. arcade machine."
Zoe blinked. Of all the things Athena would bring up, an arcade machine wouldn't have been the first thing on her list.
Athena sighed leaning back. "If I had said a mirror, a book, a wardrobe or an idol would you be any more or less sceptical?"
"Well- I don't know." Zoe admitted sheepishly. "It's just not what I expected you to say. Magic.. arcade machine?"
"Magic can mix into anything that humans have 'created' through the ages. An arcade machine is no less an artefact then anything else. If a human made it, it can be enchanted. So some people claim anyway." She thumbed through a book. "I've been looking at the company who made that arcade machine we saw it's called Parson's Entertainment. There is enough signposted on that thing to say it has been hit by some serious rituals. They didn't just invoke spirits on this thing, they bargained with the gods of creation themselves."
"I don't understand-"
"Neither do I," Athena admitted. "Look you asked me what I know, the truth is I don't know, I just have feelings it's like if you feel yourself scratching an itch, do you ever find out what causes the itch? Would you honestly want to know?" She said with careful evenness.
Zoe looked at the clippings. "I want to know..."
Athena nodded in return. "Well- I think this machine is the key. Take a look at the company notes. See the machine for yourself if you want to."
she affirmed with determination. She pointed to the paper. "So.. some company was accused of witchcraft in the 80s?"
"Yep. Quietly shut down " Athena leaned back a bit in her chair, rocking the front legs. "Okay, so I don't know for sure if this links to.. what I feel about the guest room in your house. Still this is what I have; a weird one of a kind machine that had symbols referencing gods very few people would know there's a link to the occult- a genuine link-"
"But Athena.. real magic.. isn't real..."
Athena looked to her friend with a sincere twilight like smile. "Well, that's probably a relief " she started to write something down, for some reason closing her eyes as she did so.
"What are you doing?"
"Writing down your name If something were to happen to you, I'm going to remember- at least- partially." She then folded the paper, wrapping a strange thread around it placing it into her pocket. "Old charm my grandmother once told me, when something absolutely had to be remembered besides if magic isn't real... why are people so paranoid that it might be real, enough to shut down a company "
Zoe tried hard not to sound like she was playing Scully to Athena's Mulder. "There could be a lot of reasons. Taxes maybe? "
Athena brought out another clipping. "I have three people here who were involved in something. Their skills don't make any sense- unless you add the mystical component. Then it comes together. These people 'created' something Zoe "
"Created? By.. magic?" Zoe again looked Sceptical but then she did ask for everything Athena might know. "Assuming you are right.. what could be created by magic?"
"Lots of things limited by just two requirements; resources and imagination. These people had all the resources they could want.. so it just depends on what they imagined. I think it was something really big."
Zoe sighed. "Well.. it's the only lead I have. I'm going to go look at this arcade machine. I'm not sure if I believe in all this.. magic stuff as much as you do. I need to see it first to believe."
Athena chuckled. "Of course.. everyone does." she looked a little wistfully for a moment."
The journey continued- in surprising silence.
Sarah glanced back to Tom and Diana wondering just what was going on. They had said their goodbyes to the strange village, Millicent had even given them food- not that the robot girl needed it, but certainly Tom and Diana would.
They were walking down a path past the village which now curved a bit to the north. "Robin's Heath shouldn't be far now," Sarah said.
Tom gave a nod. "Uh.. uh huh..." he glanced at Diana. The cat girl wasn't looking at him in the eye- which was probably a good thing? Cat's that stared meant aggression. Still this felt really awkward- more so then he expected it to be.
"Is everything fine?" Sarah eventually asked breaking the silence. "You two have been really quiet."
"I'm fine!" Said Diana quickly looking up. Her ears twitched slightly. "We- I- um-" why did she keep on doing this? She was going to upset Sarah again she didn't want to but- it seemed like every time she tried-
"No harm done," Tom said biting his lip. "Diana just uh- caught me a little too early for some dinner."
"Ah," Sarah giggled. "Come on Diana," she patted the girl's head. She did think she looked oddly cute in those overalls. Perhaps a bit tomboyish but.. it was a good look for the wild cat.
Diana burned in embarrassment. It wasn't just that the girl had crawled in so close to Tom- not in any way other then to just.. be a cat. It was nothing else, absolutely nothing else. The instinct had overtaken her- again. Feeling the touch of Sarah though felt good she rubbed her cheeks purring. "Mmm..."
"So, what can you tell me about Robin's Heath?"
Tom smiled at the change of subject. "Well it's got a dark history, but nowadays it's just a regular fishing village."
"Oh? I like learning about dark history. What happened there?"
Tom cringed slightly. He didn't realise just how difficult it was to summarise history to someone new to the world- the entire world. Each war and conflict seemed so petty and minor the little things one used to 'excuse' actions as simply politics- how can one explain all that in a few sentences? "Well, after the empire began to accept non-human folk living and working, some places didn't like that. They felt the empire had lost its way or something.. they felt that non-human folk were- um-" he glanced again to the cat-girl and robot- "inferior- to put it mildly."
Diana fumed at that. "Can't help being what I am," she said as much to herself as to Tom.
"I know I know!" Tom raised his hands in apology as if for all of humanity. "It was centuries ago, things are different now. Back then, Robin's Heath was called Trueman's way. It was founded with the idea to only have humans live there.. with no other races allowed anywhere near it. You can probably see some of the old walls as we approach it."
"So what happened to them?" Asked Sarah.
"A lot of very influential people were drawn to the ideals of Trueman way. There was even talk of expansion by pushing out other non-humans from the other cities and becoming a human nation. The empire managed to stop that though and maintained a border. Trueman's way was for the most part self sustained by the river I think at one time it was almost to become a city. Imagine that, a city- an entire city of only humans in it? Crazy."
Sarah tried her best not to roll her eyes with a slight click of the shutters in them. "Well- yeah I suppose that is crazy in a world like this."
"They remained isolated for quite a few generations. Anyway, long story short, a plague happened aid was sent to help the remaining survivors but it left a lasting legacy. The whole ideas behind the original town were burned and they became an open place again."
"Yikes!" Diana gasped. "So.. people died?"
"Yes," Tom nodded. "A lot of people some called it a curse by the gods. The Genomages felt it was the result of.. an environmental factor. Unfortunately-
Diana sniffed the air and pointed at something in the bushes. Tom and Diana paused and saw a set of.. rabbit ears. They twitched and moved, with clear snowy white against the green background.
"We can see you." Said Tom. "Mind coming out please?"
"Aww!" A boy suddenly popped out. He appeared to be Diana's age and might remind one of Huckleberry Fin- except for the white soft, fluffy bunny ears. They made him look awfully.. girly. Still it was clearly a boy. He had blonde hair and pale skin. His clothes were made of rather poor quality, torn at the seams. He didn't wear any shoes.
Tom looked to his ears then chuckled. "Er, let me guess.. bunny-pox season?"
The boy looked sheepishly. "Well- it's called Rabi- rabbi- Rabbiosis." He muttered. "Before that we had cat-flu." He stared at Diana. "You got it permanently? Or was you always a cat?"
Diana gave a flustered look. "I- I dunno." she whispered.
"She's an orphan," said Sarah. "We're just on our way to Robin's Heath."
"Oh man! She could bring the cat-flu back!" the boy grumbled. "I got that when I was five."
Tom shook his head. "So yeah, basicly the ones who survived the plague are.. susceptible to some... odd ailments. Usually temporary."
The boy stuck his tongue out. "Robin's Heath is just over there. I'll guide you, my dad's the harbour master." his ears bounced a little with each turn almost hypnotically. A white furry tail now obvious on the small of his back- causing Diana to suppressed a giggle. It was.. kind of cute- on a boy- somehow.
"Follow the white rabbit," Sarah thought, not realising that Diana had that same thought too
Jon had a -very- relaxing bath. That was good, she didn't realise how tense she was feeling especially in her gut. It was not surprising. She was in a new world, a new town new food eating worms.. it had made her What worried her though was how.. normal it was. Seeing those other girls, should have felt
"That was great!" Maggie suddenly chirped.
Jon gasped at the boundless energy of the youthful harpy. "I- well- yes it was."
"What now! Oh- we should see the sun temple. How about that? Or we could see the harbour. I want to see those ships. Oh! We could visit the shops again? How about we try that restaurant or-"
"Maggie hold on please er-" Jon drew in a breath. "I know you're excited but.."
Maggie looked sheepishly. An odd expression on the girl's face. "I just.. want to see this town with you. Maybe.. you would want to stay here?"
Jon blinked. "What? No! God- I- I'm trying to get home Maggie!" The elder harpy suddenly snapped back.
Maggie looked a little crestfallen but then brightened up. "I know. Still- you are here now, and we're here together. Hey, I could always go see your world too?" She smiled hopefully.
"I.. suppose." Jon eventually relented. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
"What's a bridge?"
"It's- uh- never mind. I'll show you one day." She guessed harpies didn't have much of a need for a bridge.
"So- what do you want to do now?"
That was a good question. Jon didn't have a lot to do but sit, wait and learn. There was a lot to learn. Maybe she could learn more about magic here if there was any sort of magician around. Though she also had to get back to the inn and sing more.
Maggie looked hopefully. 'If I'm a good sister to her she might stay...' she quietly thought. She could.. she could decide that. She just had to see all the good things a harpy could see here Maggie knew lots of good perches. Once Jon showed her the human world.. Maggie could show her the harpy world. Jon wouldn't ever want to go back!
