if you wake up at a different time, in a different place...

[menocrede.livejournal.com]

Who: Song, Ray, and Calum
What: Song wanted to meet Calum again. Ray wanted to meet Calum period. Someone sure is popular.
Where: Song's suite at Rainbow's End
When: Wednesday evening

It was dark by the time he had arrived at Rainbow's End, but it couldn't have been helped. He had been distracted for much of the day, going through his memories, attempting to sort them out in a way that would make sense to be used later.

The locks didn't bother him - a simple spell took care of that. He would never have admitted how such a small incantation drained him - add to the fact that he was still years out of practice, and was still currently residing in a body not his own...

He entered into Song's suite, his eyes sweeping across the room quickly before smiling courteously at the woman. "Evening, Miss Song."

Comments

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

Song shivered and felt her throat tighten in anticipation of the attack which had accompanied it last time. Her answer to Ray's silent offer was a pleading look that said it all.

She kept her mouth shut this time. Talking hadn't done as much good as she would have hoped so far anyway.

[menocrede.livejournal.com]

"The problem with that," Calum murmured, closing his eyes, "is that it can't be done. Though you are welcome to try." He didn't move his hands again or make any other movements, but the temperature in the room suddenly plunged, and the room itself grew darker. The cold electricity that had originally snapped up returned forcefully, and the shadows swirled forth again against Ray's fire magic, pressing against it, almost curiously.

He frowned at her thoughtfully when she asked about the talisman. His eyes darted quickly to Song, and he smiled. "Ah. What has she been telling you?"

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

"You underestimate the wizards we know. They've done something very similar for us before - I'm sure they could do it again."

She let the Fire flare as she stepped a little closer to Song, letting it surround them both. It held firm against the shadows, refusing to relent as it cast a bluish glow on them.

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

Song closed the remaining distance between herself and Ray so that they stood side by side.

"Calum..." she said quietly but steadily, "if this is only going to turn to threats and violence, you should leave now. If you still think that something could be achieved by talking, then please stop this."

[menocrede.livejournal.com]

Calum looked at the two woman for a long moment, and he shook his head. "Whether you believe me or not, it was never my intention to get any of you involved." His eyes flashed darkly in the bluish light. "But I will not stop trying to achieve my goal, Miss Song. And I will find her."

Then, just as suddenly, the shadows were gone, the temperature of the room had risen back to normal levels. But the faintest remnants swirled briefly around Song, into a vague impression of words.

You should have expected that much, at least, poppet...

And it was Josiah who wavered slightly on his feet, blinking unsteadily. He took one look at Song and Ray, opened his mouth to say something... and then slumped to the floor with a weakly growled, "goddammit..."

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

Her magic vanished just as quickly, and Ray was kneeling at his side. She gave him an annoyed look and poked him hard in the chest.

"You need to stop getting yourself in this kind of situation," she said softly, a small smile on her face.

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

Song stood unmoving for a moment longer, as if still paralyzed by the fog. Then a violent tremor ran up her spine and she scowled. "It's little bird, not poppet. I'll show you poppet, you blackhearted, undead, Disney villain wannabe..."

Apparently satisfied with her grumbled cursing, she focused on the other two again and heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Josiah. The ghost in your head is being difficult."

[menocrede.livejournal.com]

"I don't think I signed up for this one," Josiah muttered, rubbing his temples wearily. "First, I get body-swapped with a succubus and now I have a goddamn swishy pirate-ghost-zombie-whatever-the-fuck-he-is living in my head." He scowled as he sat back against the wall. "The universe just loves to make me her bitch, doesn't she?"

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "That's why they've said you need to get put in a bubble, kid." Nevermind the fact that he was a few years older than her.

"'Sides. Being the multiverse's buttmonkey seems to come with the territory when you're a ref. Some just get it worse than other," she said with a grin.

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

Song slumped back into her chair as the adrenaline from the confrontation faded. She let Ray chat with Josiah as she let her mind reorganize itself. Then, in the midst of another thought, something clicked and she looked sharply at Josiah. "Wait a minute. Did Chase tell you about the body swap?"

[menocrede.livejournal.com]

Josiah raised an eyebrow when Ray called him "kid" - oh, really. "And I take so much pride in it."

He let out a weary sigh and closed his eyes, looking exhausted. At Song's question though, he opened his eyes and gave her a weak smile. "Why would Chase have to tell me? I was there when it happened." He leaned back against the wall. "He gave me my memories back on Sunday..."

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

That earned a bright smile from her. "You should have said something! I thought you were still half-oblivious. And I'll have you know, I do not like being forgotten." She waved an index finger at him in mock-scolding, but sobered again quickly, her voice taking on a lost tone.

"I don't like this, you know. He's much harder to deal with than Xem was. I'm worried about what he'll do to you, and to Lilith..."

[menocrede.livejournal.com]

Josiah laughed quietly, rubbing the back of his head, abashed. "Yeah, sorry about that. I kept meaning to post something on the comm, but I kept procrastinating."

At the mention of Calum, his eyes grew dark and he let out a frustrated sigh. "Don't worry too much about me - I don't think he can do too much to me without harming himself. As for Lilith..." He shrugged. "I have no idea what his obsession with her is, but I haven't seen her in days. She can probably take care of herself." But even with those words, there was a slight worried tone in his voice.