[PRP] howling at nothing (shiloh & jeremiah & noeh)

[shibrogane]

Noeh didn't look all that sure she wanted to be talking about this. There was a marked reluctance to her signing now, a slowness and hesitance that had been characteristic of her only in front of Melany before. No, she signed. I did know. I knew exactly what I was doing. I had to, or it wouldn't have worked.

She hesitated there. The spirit bond was powerful. They said that it was causing... problems, in the real world. You don't remember what it was like, but it was terrifying before I made the Court. There were people who abused their abilities. I wanted to keep their powers to the otherworld, but there had to be something built to keep them in. Like a fence. And I couldn't anchor it to myself. I had to anchor it to something else.

There was another hesitation as she thought about it. I didn't pick Melany. She was my friend. Why would I hurt her? I wanted to anchor it to a spell schema we found. They told me that we would anchor it to the schema, and then... I don't know what went wrong. Her shoulders slumped, and her movements were slow and dejected. I ******** up somehow. I still don't understand it.

Melancholies

azuredreams

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh picked up on it. The awkwardness. The reluctance. He frowned deeply when he didn't hear the immediate movement of her hands, his eyes glancing up from the doodles in his notebook. He set it down along with his pencil before scooting over so he was sitting next to her.

"The way Jamie explained it to me..." He thought, "Well, the way Jamie said Pride explained it, was that you were tricked. That Aodelle was using you... or something" He looked to Jeremiah for confirmation. He looked a little sad, "Is... is that why Melany took over? Why she became what she was? Why she wanted you dead...?"

He shifted a little where he sat. "I..." He huffed. "Maybe we can fix it though. She's different now. Maybe something changed with the seal." He chewed his lip, "Sorry Noeh, I'm speaking without giving you a chance to." He looked over at her, expression apologetic but slightly warm too. He wouldn't hate Noeh for anything. He hoped it translated in the silent communication.

azuredreams

shibrogane

 

[azuredreams]

"It- We could've taken it that way, yes, but-" Jeremiah's stomach churned as Shiloh looked to him for confirmation. "However, Pride kept calling her Hermione Granger and ... Hermione never did things by halves or without knowing exactly what she was doing." That did not exclude a chance for spectacular blow-ups. See: polyjuice potion incident.

The look on his face, however, said he wanted to hope- that perhaps he had misunderstood, that perhaps the implication she had been used was the truth. Jeremiah, however, could not resist any longer and shifted towards Noeh. A hand rested on her hair, smoothing against it and then down to rest on her shoulder lightly. There was support for her, regardless of what had happened.

"Pride did say that something about being female predisposed you to being a lock, though he did not explain." Shiloh gets a nod, that perhaps this is something they can fix- that the new Sigil had changed things and there were opportunities that didn't exist before.

"What was the spell schema that was found? What made it suitable as an anchor?" He paused, his head tilting. Was that the charter for the Court? The founding document they needed to have to change things.

Melancholies

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

People aren't meant to be sigils or seals, said Noeh. It breaks them. If you're lucky it just breaks them physically. If you're not, their bodies are whole but their minds shatter.

She stiffened at Jeremiah's touch, as if expecting him to strike her for this admittance. It was something of Renard's. A leftover from the time before the cage. It was complex, but held its own structure. It adapted to its circumstances. It would have worked perfectly as a self-perpetuating seal. I don't know what I did wrong that the seal didn't take.

She laughed. It didn't sound like a normal person's laugh. The sound was unformed, less the sound a human person might make and more feral, animalistic. And of course, the sight of her mouth was unsettling in and of itself. I think you're reading too far into that. Pridey hated Hermione Granger. He doesn't like me much, either.

Melancholies

azuredreams

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh's eyes got wide. The stone! He kept his mouth shut though. It wasn't his, it was Jamie's, and Jamie was going to make the executive decision on what he wanted to do with it.

"...I still wanna try and fix it." He mumbled, watching when Noeh almost flinched from Jeremiah's touch; there was something on the edge of his tongue but he held it back. It's not like Mercer was going to hurt her or anything. "I mean, if it's even... still..." He sighed, his thoughts jumbled. "I'll try meeting up with Melany again." He finally said.

"I mean, if stuff's still "locked"., He laughed a little nervously, "I am the key, right?" For a second it looked like he was going to be crushed by some unfathomable force, but he held it steady.

shibrogane

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I didn't think he did and-" Jeremiah stopped himself from rambling, really, about how there were several who did not like Hermione Granger because of who she was and her intelligence.

That Noeh stiffened was not missed, another knot in his stomach. For now he pushed it away, focusing on the schema. Was it- That thing? Renard's life work? Or something similar to it? It was something to perhaps talk with Shiloh about later. Shiloh and Jamie.

"He's right," he finally said. "If there's something that can be done to fix this? Having the key involved is likely to be beneficial." If things could be opened, then Shiloh was the one who could do so.

Still- It was not easy for him to be in the presence of two young adults who both looked ready to crumple. Let it be known that it was, if anything, a weakness that Jeremiah Mercer held. "Was this all part of creating the Court? We're- that's the other reason why we're here today- to ask about founding document for the Court." He looked towards Shiloh and back to Noeh. "We all want to see the Court change to something better and we know without that we can't do anything."

shibrogane

Melancholies

 

[shibrogane]

Noeh smiled at Shiloh. The best key. She leaned over to pat his knee before settling back onto her butt.

She paused. That's complicated, she signed finally. The document itself would still be in Melany's quarters. One of her fetches should be able to let you in. I think there's... Silk? At least Silk is still there. Silk-- and multiple following name-signs, the meanings of which were quite lost. Or she could, if you found her.

azuredreams

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

That eased some of the stress. The best key. He was a pretty cool key after all.

"You think they would, even though they're loyal to her?" He thought about this for a second. "I mean, I have her phone number on the other side... I dunno how well that would work though. I guess we'd really know if she had any lingering ties to the Court." He shrugged. "Either way I could ask...? I think we were really good friends in this world..." The admission made him look conflicted and guilty and bitter all at the same time.

azuredreams

shibrogane

 

[azuredreams]

"If we can speak with Silk, then that's the avenue that may be best. Can we find her within the Court?" Jeremiah looked to Shiloh. "Melany had that moment, didn't she?" Where she had looked different, not at all like the young woman she appeared to be. "We don't know what could happen if we bring her back to the Court. For all she knows, with whatever is going on, she does not know she's a Noble," as Shiloh stated, "and we may do more harm than good."

His fingers tapped a beat before he spoke again. His voice was softer, looking between Shiloh and Noeh. "I am also apprehensive to have her involved given her ties to the things we are endeavoring to change. If we cannot make headway with Silk, then we might want to consider Melany." Pausing, Jeremiah continuing. "Meeting with her again, checking with her is still a good idea."

Even though he understood that it was something particularly difficult for Shiloh.

shibrogane

Melancholies

 

[shibrogane]

Noeh frowned. I don't know, she signed. You're her ex-tithe. That gives you a little authority over them. Not too much, I don't think, but enough.

She shrugged, a gesture more of helplessness than anything. There was only so much she could do from this side. I can look for Silk for you. I think it's a good idea to get Melany, too. If she does remember and she's just playing you, then that's not a good sign for Pax and Pridey and me.

Melancholies

azuredreams

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh didn't like the implication of being played, but he supposed Noeh was right. Better cautious than anything (a skill he'd only used on a handful of occasions). "I'll definitely see what I can do about her..." He sounded less than thrilled, but resolved nonetheless. "But if she is playing, she's doin' a damn good job at it."

He'd never seen her actually, like, happy. Or any emotion in that general vicinity. But she'd smiled a few times before he panicked like an idiot in the coffee shop.

"I didn't realize being an ex-tithe gave you that authority, though." It was good to keep in mind anyway. "I guess if you could track Silk down, it'd be one less thing to keep up on..." Shiloh wasn't going to get overwhelmed. Shiloh wasn't going to get overwhelmed. He could do this, and everything would work out perfectly fine, and no one would die (probably). "You got anything else you wanna add Mercer?"

shibrogane

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Look for Silk, meet with Melany, reconvene at a later point at the Court to search for the charter." It was easier to say than you are not alone, Shiloh because Jeremiah would not let him crumple under all of this. After all, it was something they were working towards together.

To make the Court something more than it was.

"That is most of it." He was quiet for a moment then, looking to Shiloh before he was searching Noeh's face. "There is one more thing I have to ask, something that Pride said. He said your name was a curse, Chenoeh, from Adoelle and-" Jeremiah paused, bright eyes cutting towards Shiloh and then Noeh because this was still a topic that was not easy. "Are you alright with being called Noeh?"

Or would she prefer Mina? Though he was working towards getting that out.

Melancholies

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

If she died her fetches would become yours, said Noeh. If she somehow stopped being a noble, the same thing would happen, so we know she's not dead or denatured (the sign used for alcohol with the alcohol removed) because no one has her fetches.

She looked at Jeremiah and shrugged. They're both my name, she signed. One of them's the equivalent of being called a useless tape-recorder and the other one I only wore for a little while. Honestly... She hesitated. Her movements slowed. I barely remember being Minerva anymore.

Melancholies

azuredreams

 

[Melancholies]

"Mine? All of them?" Shiloh wasn't sure how to take that information, nor was he sure if he wanted to inherit anything from the one who abused him throughout his trials. He supposed Thorne had been her tithe too, so maybe not all of them, but...

He perked up with Jeremiah's question. "Minerva...?" His head tilted to one side and then to the other, "Was that your name before?" He turned to look at Jeremiah again, then back to Noeh. "Well... I'll call you whatever you wanna be called." To that he managed a small smile.

shibrogane

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

The information about fetches was noted, though it made sense in a way. They would go on to those that had become Nobles to be looked after. (Which made him want to go check in again with July and September, though it was unnecessary; he did genuinely enjoy having tea with them however.)

There might have been a snort about useless tape-recorder because, of all things, Dune reference.

"Minerva Mercer," Jeremiah supplied, looking to Shiloh briefly (they could talk later, was what the brief look said) and then to Noeh. "I know that at this point it's been a long time for you," as she said she couldn't remember being Minerva anymore, "but I suppose I would rather call you something that isn't attached to being a tape-recorder. Was there ever anything I called you? Aside from Mina?"

shibrogane

Melancholies