Part 30 The Feast(Pranks and Gifts)

The boyYesterday at 11:54 PM

Able had awoken a week later with a headache. He'd been having headaches fairly often ever since the dinner. His eyes were always sore and his dreams had gotten a bit more intense. Nightmares consisted of a thick ocean swallowing him. He doesn't even try to be saved, and accepts his fate. He always wakes up with a gasp. Able makes his way into his living space, quietly feeding his weasels before he stops, looking at the floor just beneath his mirror. He wonders how they got in here, but he turns them over anyway, inspecting them. There are neat bags of wine and chocolate covered moss, he doesn't want any of these. He figured he must know who these are from. Only one person seemed to forget that he didn't drink. Able sighs, setting the boxes to the side, going through them for a bit until he reaches the last box. He shakes it, and it rattles. What was it? Rocks? Dice? It sounded like maybe even sand? He stands, slowly opening the box. Able drops the box, shrieking as he steps back, his weasels jumping in surprise as it hits the floor and teeth are scattered everywhere. All different sizes and shapes, some from humans, some not. He backed up, looking around, grabbing his broom frantically before he sweeps most of them back into the box. He didn't want to touch them. He closes the box and starts outside. He would have words about this.

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Able visits the deacon, knowing his sermon must be over already, and waits for his congregation to leave, standing outside the door. He sees angry glares from the patrons, but he seems unconcerned. He waits for a good twenty minutes before heading inside.

Able: How are you today? Are you free for this evening?

ThemboToday at 12:17 AM

The deacon is standing at the vigil, holding several bibles of various prints in one arm and moving their other arm to pick up an open book extravagantly covered in maroon leather and lacquered in intricate gold threads.

Virgil: -Leaning over; looking at the open book.- Ah, evening Able. . .I'm doing well, and I will be free, if you give me a moment to tidy my church.

The deacon places the books down besides the organ, sitting down in the velvet chair and playing the keys in a syncopated rhythm; in a moment, the pews start receding into the floor.

Virgil: -Over the organ.- May I ask why you're having a meeting in my church as opposed to our usual weekly rendezvouses?

The boyToday at 12:22 AM

Able is watching the deacon closely, but looking around a little nervously. He was fiddling with a small box behind his back.

Able: Oh just wondering, if you'd be up for going to... the bandaged man's spire with me. I have.. A gift to leave him for the... bags of teeth he sent to my home.

Able walks closer, slowly. He stresses the word "gift" like an insult, hissing.

ThemboToday at 12:38 AM

The deacon finishes playing the organ, the church now empty save for the brass tiled floor.

Virgil: -Getting up out of their seat.- . . .well, what ever makes you think the bandaged man was the one that sent you teeth?

The boyToday at 12:40 AM

Able: He's the only one who seems to forget I do not drink. It is troublesome. Do you need wine, by the way?

Able sighs. He might as well get rid of it.

ThemboToday at 12:42 AM

Virgil: If it's a fungal wine, I'll pass. I prefer the acquired taste of infernal sherry. Virgil: -Adjusting their collar.- . . .what gift do you intend on giving to him?

The boyToday at 12:46 AM

Able: Ah, I'll pass it onto Thomas then... Hmm..

Able pulls up a small, plain looking box. Sealed with a string, and nothing particularly interesting about it.

Able: Thomas had offered me this, perhaps he couldn't get a buyer. Its a small amount of peppers, I assume the bandaged man will eat them regardless of... well he insisted that the bandaged man would regret it.

ThemboToday at 12:52 AM

Virgil: -Flatly.- Why, Able, I thought you liked teeth; why on earth would you leave such a gift of scorn?

The deacon pauses with a curt smile, before relaxing their face.

Virgil: . . .I will say that, as a deacon, I must say that I frown at disguising what seems to be a prank as cultural gifting. For shame, Able; using the Feast as an excuse to show your disdain.

The deacon gives a very pointed pause, before heading to the back of the church and climbing the ladder.

Virgil: A moment, please.

The boyToday at 12:55 AM

Able makes a face of faux disgust at the deacons talk of teeth. He was distressed but not that much.

Able:-Jokingly- Oh shame.

Able laughs a bit and gives an affirmative gesture.

ThemboToday at 12:59 AM

The deacon heads upstairs, the sounds of rustling echoing down. A moment later, they head down the ladder again, dressed in their casual blacks and wearing their saturno hat.

Virgil: -Stepping onto the ground.- Ah, there we go. Virgil: -Heading over towards Able.- I am curious about how you intend to trick the bandaged man into biting a pepper, and I have doubts about whether his tolerance is low enough to respond.

The boyToday at 1:04 AM

Able: Oh he would eat anything if you left it out for him.

Able waves limply. He then unties the box, showing the peppers to the deacon. A dark tightly crinkled looking pepper with a hint of orange at the ends, The stem is still green. There were about five or six in total.

Able: Thomas insisted these would be sufficient?

ThemboToday at 1:08 AM

The deacon looks into the box, pausing for a moment.

Virgil: . . .these are imported from Hell. A fair kudos to Thomas for getting past customs at the Brass Embassy, but I'd like to remark that this seems far too pungent for a gift of scorn. Virgil: -Musing.- Although, I suppose a gift of peppers isn't typically traditional for this time of year anyways. . .

The boyToday at 1:10 AM

Able re-seals the box.

Able: Thomas keeps busy it seems.

Able blinks, looking at the deacon, confused.

Able: ..This time of year?

ThemboToday at 1:13 AM

Virgil: . . .it's the Feast of the Exceptional Rose, Able. Have you not celebrated the occasion before?

The boyToday at 1:15 AM

Able: Wh... hm.. no I.. Don't think I've..

Able muses for a moment.

Able: I suppose I've never... had reason to? Hmm..

ThemboToday at 1:28 AM

Virgil: Ah, well, I understand that it's traditionally held to celebrate love. You received a traditional jar of teeth, which. . .well. It could mean anything, really. Perhaps the bandaged man would give you anything you desire to an almost manic degree. . .or that you should watch over your teeth. Virgil: -Adjusting their glasses.- Though, the gifts need not be indicative of carnal love; I understand that it's fashionable among my clergy to give gifts of friendly affection or merely sweetening an acquaintance.

The deacon rubs at their temples, sighing.

Virgil: -A bit grated.- . . .truthfully, I'm not enthused about the season. Many of the gifts I receive are something I'd expect in the Bohemian districts. At least Thomas had relaxed this year; he gave me a blank certificate, rather than the usual. . .exotica..

The boyToday at 1:32 AM

Able: Ah. Hm... I've never participated. I suppose I don't see reason to be so... extravagant.. Though..

Able is musing, he wondered. He would look at some books later, maybe he could find something?

Able: Thomas? Relaxing? Well that's something I wouldn't expect. Ah, well, shall we head over then? I want to get there before he's awake fully. Should be asleep for another few hours.

[

1:36 AM

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[

1:40 AM

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The deacon and Able make their way up the spire with little issue. Though Able seemed fairly winded by the end of the stairs.

Able: hhf... so.. I will go in and place the peppers on their desk. The hat will make enough noise to startle him enough to come down.

ThemboToday at 2:05 AM

Virgil headed up the stairs, their arms tucked into their pockets as they walk up the stairs, apparently unbothered.

Virgil: Mh, I see.

The deacon looks through the window, peering around the Spire.

Virgil: Where do you hope to hide, then? Inside the spire, or on the balcony, under the window?.

The boyToday at 2:08 AM

Able: There's few places to hide inside so it will have to be outside.

Able looks at Virgil. He huffs.

Able: How are you not tired? This spire isn't exactly a short walk..

ThemboToday at 2:09 AM

Virgil stares pointedly at Able, before shaking their body a little bit; their hands slip out of their pockets, the arms hanging limply.

Virgil: I have multiple limbs, Able. I can stick them in my false legs and cycle through as they get tired.

The boyToday at 2:12 AM

Able blinks, looking down at his arms. Able gently grabs Virgil's arm. He moves them lightly. He seemed surprised.

Able: Oh right.

ThemboToday at 2:18 AM

The deacon's arms fill out suddenly, Able's grip filling out as the arms lift up again.

Virgil: . . .are you going to head in, then?

The boyToday at 2:19 AM

Able: ..Ah! Uh.. Right..

Able quickly flees inside, a little flustered.

ThemboToday at 2:53 AM

The deacon follows behind Able, looking around as they do so. The Spire is dark right now without any candlelight. The floor is relatively clean of debris, save for a few overturned books and a single, half-empty bottle of strong spirits. Over on the desk, there is a bundle of leather underneath a pile of books, the sound of screaming muffled immensely while the books shake.

The boyToday at 2:56 AM

Able moves to the desk, in one movement he moves all the objects off and onto the floor in a surprisingly silent manner. He then opens the box, displaying the peppers neatly. Able looks at the pile he moved off the desk.

Able: Hm. Enjoying yourself without me?

Able snickers.

ThemboToday at 3:29 AM

A flattened, crumpled hat with an equally crumpled, preserved flower affixed right above the embroidered eyes. The deacon raises their hands to their ears, discreetly covering with two fingertips. Immediately, the hat screeches.

Charlemagne: -Furious.- MY POSY! IT'S BEEN MANGLED AND RUINED! FLATTENED AND DESTROYED! CONTUSIONED AND INJURED! I'VE WORKED FOR MONTHS AND FOR NAUGHT! Virgil: -Quickly heading out, ears still covered.- Time to make our leave, yes?

The boyToday at 3:33 AM

Able doesn't even take time to respond and just hurries over to the window, vaulting over and ducking down. He sits with his back against the wall, listening for the eventual sounds of the bandaged man.

Able: -Quietly- I think he's gotten louder.

ThemboToday at 3:48 AM

The deacon sits behind the ledge, taking their hat off so that the feathers don't show.

Virgil: I've met that hat before. He's actually gotten quieter.

For a moment, there's nothing but the screaming of the brimmed hat; then, the thunk of a hatch opening. Several slabs of wood with sigils fall down, tumbling before arranging into a spiral. The bandaged man heads down, their face covered by loose bandages stained gold and red. They step down the floating steps nonchalantly, rubbing their eyes as they teeter uncertainly.

The Bandaged: -Tired; irritated.- Alright, alright, quit yer blasted flapping. . .I'm coming down. . .

The bandaged man steps off of the last step, and the wooden blocks immediately float back up to the hatch above.

The Bandaged: -Scowling.- Right, what is it? Charlemagne: MY ROSE! MY BEAUTIFUL ROSE! The Bandaged: -Squinting; leaning in.- . . .oh that IS a rose. . .how'd it get so big. . .well, ye need to stop yelling. I have beauty sleep I need t-

The Bandaged: -Intrigued.- . . .well! Hello, what's this?

The bandaged man picks up the peppers, inspecting it.

.

[

3:51 AM

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The Bandaged: Ah. . .firm flesh. Well, don't mind if I do, then!~

The bandaged man wastes no time and bites into a pepper, chewing readily.

The Bandaged: Mhh. . .mh?

The bandaged man coughs, swallowing quickly; immediately after, they cough more, quickly wheezing as they do so.

The Bandaged: -Hurried.- Mph. . .hhhkkf! . .oh god. . .

Charlemagne: MY ROSE!

The bandaged man coughs wetly, pushing the brimmed hat off the table and sliding a dictionary off as well, flattening and muffling the hat.

The Bandaged: -Wheezing.- Hffk! Hhkkk, shut up for a moment. . .oh god. . .oh lord. . .

The boyToday at 3:53 AM

Able looks at the deacon, listening intently.

Able: How's he taking it?

ThemboToday at 3:56 AM

The bandaged man wheezes harder, coughing horribly wetly with a thick mucusy resonance. . .

The Bandaged: -Thick.- Oh god. . .oh lord. . .that hurts. . .

. . . before moving the pepper to their mouth again.

The Bandaged: -Through mouthfuls.- Mhf. . .oh god, that hurts. . .oh god, that's good. . .

Virgil: -Peeking briefly over the window lip.- Hm. He enjoys it; he's finishing it off.

The boyToday at 3:59 AM

Able looks shocked, and then confused.

Able: He.. -whisper yelling- he's enjoying it?? What in... lords... Maybe I should have gone with spiders

Able looks a little defeated and starts moving away from the window, though it's at a small crawl so he's not seen.

Able: Of all the things... "Enjoying" it... who enjoys pain??

Able slowly stands as he gets further from the window, sighing heavily.

ThemboToday at 4:05 AM

The deacon chuckles quietly, shifting along and following behind Able.

Virgil: Spiders won't work either; he studies those when he's bored.

As Able and the deacon take several steps down the metal stairs, a sudden screech rings out.

The Bandaged: -Incredibly loudly.- AGH! OH GOD, THE BLASTED- AGH! IT GOT IN THE EYES! OH GOD, GET ME WATER CHARLES!

Charlemagne: -Muffled.- MY HAT! MY HAT!

There is a thunk as the bandaged man falls to the ground, rubbing their eyes in pain.

The Bandaged: OH GOD! THAT MADE IT WORSE! OH GOD!

Virgil: -Flatly - Hm. Guess it worked after all.