17. Walk, walk, fashion baby
General Summary
Full Scene
It's golden hour as the party exits the Library's Gatehouse. This part of town is less dense than that the gate where they came in. The Gatehouse seems almost out of place; it's mostly residential, with some dwellings on top of shabby looking businesses. The streets are getting busier, people going to and from work, finishing their tasks while the daylight lasts. Shadows begin to stretch.
Cypher looks a different direction for a long moment before starting to walk with Mirage and Cri in the direction you came from, toward the inn where Ta'lok and Saeldor went.
As they move along, Mirage takes a moment to walk next to Cypher.
"Alright fine. Your library was kind of cool. But only the dancing part. And the...it being alive part."
"Oh, is that all?" he's smiling, though.
"And Dame Kendral. And obviously, Siobhan."
"What can I say, amazing people just seem to magnetize around me." Side glance with that one.
"Who are you and what have you done with Cypher?" She laughs at this. "I'm not gonna argue, though, we are amazing."
He shrugs, looks down, still smiling. "Maybe I'm just in a good m-"
"and SINCE WHEN DO YOU DANCE??"
A startled laugh. "Since always? Not usually in a library with only two other people, though."
"No dude did you take lessons or something? I had no idea, that's pretty amazing."
"Not really?" The sincere compliments are creating a discomforted flush. "Sheesh, if you thought that was impressive-" he cuts himself off
her jaw drops. "Cypher, you have to take a lady out to DINNER before you start getting saucy." She winks, pretending offence.
"That so?" He looked at her sidelong, one eyebrow raised. "Time and place. Name it, then."
she stumbles. Marwa "Mirage" Noor, acrobat extraordinaire, trips over her own feet. Then flips her hair back over her shoulder and tries to play it off like she didn't have that reaction. Glances to see if anyone noticed. Cypher wore an undisguised smirk, but Cri was absorbed in the observation of a stray cat across the street.
the conversation picks back up on their walk to the inn but it's not quite the same - a little stilted. On Mirage's part anyway. She's a little flushed, but its definitely because of all the walking and exercise and nothing else. Cypher's in a good mood.
The inn isn't a long walk, but golden hour's passing into the darker oranges and reds of sunset when you reach the doors. Ta'lok and Cypher are waiting in the taproom or common area for them at that point.
Ta'lok lets you guys know the room numbers and gives you your keys, as he does so Saeldor points out that the kitchen here smells fantastic an is anyone else ready for dinner.
Cypher says "Yeah its decent. You guys go ahead, though. I'll be back later," and starts heading for the door. His good mood seems to have faded a little. Cri catches his attention before he gets there.
"Did you want company?"
He pauses. "I might be a while. But if that's okay...?"
She smiles and tilts her head, in a silent "of course it is." Then she looks to the others and says, "We'll be back soon! Look out for each other," and follows him out the door.
Ta'lok watches them go with a frown. His initial exclamation-mark reaction when the warlock is randomly fucking off (but at least he said something this time) dissipated a bit when Cri went along, but he's still not completely at-ease with the team splitting up.
"Don't worry Captain, I'll keep you out of trouble." Mirage winks at him
"Just as well," he says, probably half for himself. "Next flight heading west isn't until day after tomorrow. We're in town for a minute, I'm afraid. So, how was book club."
"Not as nerdy as I thought! Okay so like the library is apparently ALIVE, Cri spoke to it, and they have whole rooms with MUSIC but like -" and she just goes on, giving way more information than he asked for or wanted. It kind of washes over him.
Saeldor nods along a little more attentively. He makes some in-universe equivalent reference like "there are more things in heaven and on earth..."
The kitchen is, indeed, fantastic. A meal is included with your stay, breakfast or dinner, guest's choice. If you want both you pay for one. Ta'lok expresses doubt whether this truly is regular policy in the city given Cypher's notes on fleecing foreigners "only minimally" but the charge isn't unreasonable so its whatever.
Saeldor regales you with the TBD escapade he and Ta'lok got caught up in on their way back from inquiring about flights.
"Honestly, you two get up to some of the best shenanigans when I'm not around. So disappointing, sounds like a blast."
Ta'lok disagrees"Just once I'd like to get from point A to point B." but it doesn't feel sincere.
Eventually the sunlight fades, the city's gas lamps come on, and people who were just there for the food and company file out. Saeldor yawns, and it starts a chain.
Mirage slams her hands down on the table "No stop we CAN'T. We can't be tired already, we have PLANS."
It takes a second for the sequence of time to catch up with her.
"Oh wait, I think that was for tomorrow...nevermind. Go back to your yawning."
Saeldor had frozen mid-yawn, he literally resumes it through a smile. "Plans?"
"Oh! We met one of Cypher's friends at the library, someone named Siobhan. She invited us out for drinks at a place called the Naiad tomorrow. Don't have to drink, of course, but it'd be awesome to hang out, if you fellas are interested."
"Hey, if we're in town anyway" - Ta'lok
"Right on, she sounds like my kind of people" - Saeldor, who has never met a person who was not his kind of people
"My thoughts exactly." I nod
It's getting late, and it's been a busy day. Cypher and Cri aren't back yet. Ta'lok grumbles something about being too old to stay up waiting for kids to come home, but he's nodding off every time he blinks too slowly. Meanwhile, Mirage is still buzzing from social and name-learning adrenaline.
"Go to sleep, old man. I'll keep an eye out for the others."
"Some day you kids have to figure out how to lend me some of your energy." He shakes his head, but accepts the offer.
Saeldor warns her not to stay up too late, reminds her she can always ask whoever's watching the front desk to knock on their doors when the others get in, and also turns in.
Mirage gives them a mock salute as they head upstairs.
She is waiting a long time. its small hours of the morning when Cri comes in, absent the warlock. She sees you waiting up and immediately has an "oh honey" face.
"Hey - you're back. Where's Cypher?"
She glances backward toward the door. "He said he's not staying here tonight."
"...oh." She swallows. "Did he seem okay? When you left?"
Cri seems uncertain, a rare impression from her.
"He did not seem upset. Tired, perhaps. I don't believe he is in any danger." She looks apologetic. "I am somewhat unclear on how much I can tell you without breaching his privacy, I'm afraid."
Mirage nods, looking uncomfortable, disappointed.
"That's...that's fair. I'm glad you went with him, at least."
She follows Cri to bed, since they're sharing a room.
She's thinking about how he promised her he couldn't tell her everything, and she understood, but when the time came to let someone in, it was Cri. she's running a line over and over in her head, "He's allowed to have secrets. He's allowed to have secrets. It's fine. Stop being paranoid." she's assuming he's got old connections here, doesn't know who they are, though.
"He made no mention of unbooking his room," Cri points out as you let yourselves into yours. "Or of missing plans with Siobhan tomorrow. Get some rest, we'll all be together again in the daylight."
Mirage nods. "Do you ever get tired of being right, Cri?" she asks, giving the Aaracokra a tired smile.
Cri returns it. "It's not about being right, but I never tire of truth."
Mirage waves her answer off good-naturedly
feels the gentle breeze of Nimbus brushing her cheek. She tries to relax, but her thoughts run in circles until she eventually just goes GO TO SLEEP YOU IDIOT.
Falls asleep to the memory of Cypher's hand holding her wrist to the bookshelves, where she felt that heartbeat.
--
Morning breaks. Cri's still sleeping. Noctournal person adjusts to diurnal adventuring but never fully becomes a day lark about it. Mirage spent so many stressful nights on the road, looking for a place to LAND, that these beds feel luxurious. Both of them pass most of the morning under covers. When Mirage finally rouses, she's alone in the room.
Heading downstairs, she finds Cypher, Cri, and Siobhan at the bar. Cypher's got his back to the stairs, but he turns around when Siobhan, who is on the other side facing him, looks up and waves, all excited. Cri and Cypher knows very well there's no talky before coffy with you, so Cri leaves her good-morning at that, and Cypher doesn't even bother trying to say anything other than the over-shoulder "oh hey you're up" look.
Mirage APPRECIATES the nonverbal communication first thing in the morning. She walks past them to get a cup of strong brew, then takes a seat beside Cri.
(Sitting in a line they are Siobhan, Cypher, Cri, Mirage)
As she fuels up, Siobhan is chatting energetically. She has either already had an espresso or she's just Like That, but resigned patience on Cypher's face implies the latter. It becomes apparent that she has come in the daytime to collect "the girls" (Mirage and Cri) for a shopping / dress up day before bar shenanigans
As the coffee kicks in and she becomes more alive/alert, she notices something uncharacteristic, which is that, Cypher's never been a touchy person. Cri's been able to put a hand on him in comfort during crisis, even a one-way hug a couple times, but she remembers the way he flinched when she took his hand in the library, the instictive way he weaves away from brushing against people.
So its kind of weird how much Shiv is getting away with. She's not like, hanging off him or anything, but its things like, at some point she laughs in a way that kind of collapses her and she catches herself on his shoulder and he's unphased. She's kind of foward-leaning to talk to Mirage and Cri throughout the conversation, which is across him which puts her in his personal space and he's nonplussed. She taps his arm when she switches to talk to him directly to similar results.
Siobhan makes it immediately apparent as soon as your coffee starts to activate that she's ready to head out whenever, that she's sure this apparently-a-badass-now nerd can fend for himself
To which he smiles pleasantly, and says "Take a long walk off a short pier, Shiv"
"After you <3"
The exchange gets a chuckle out of Mirage. "Alright. I'm probably alive enough to leave now without walking into traffic. Where are we headed to first?" Mirage looks over to Cri and says, under her breath, for Cri alone, "Hey - I know crowded spaces aren't really your thing. Are you sure you're okay with this, or should we meet you somewhere?"
"Find me something pretty." I think Cri says, "Maybe blue?"
Siobhan's happy to take just you. Cypher will offer that he was going to probably head back to the library and actually get some research done, if she'd like to join him.
she'd absolutely agree to that, and Mirage asks her to check on Toby.
"Of course."
"Make sure to tell him Hi and I love him and he's the goodest boy," Mirage says, before starting to follow Siobhan out
Before she gets up though, I think Cypher will try to catch her.
"Hey, can I talk to you a sec?"
Siobhan's annoyed toe tap.
"I'll give her right back."
“Uh yeah. Sure. What do you need?”
He waits until Siobhan and Cri are a few paces off (as they step out Siobhan asks "So who's Toby?")
"Cri says you waited up."
"Yep."
"Wanted to make sure you weren't dead in a ditch somewhere, you know."
He drops eye contact for a sec. "I'd say you don't have to worry about me but I think we know how that goes at this point, huh? Anyway sorry. Woulda sent Cri back ages earlier if I knew you were gonna do that."
"Don't worry about it. Glad you're good."
He studies her face, has a slight half-second frown that makes her think he's maybe not 100% good, and there's more he wants to say but maybe its not the time or he doesn't have the words or maybe its one of his damnable 'its not safe for you to know' things? Either way he's decided to sit on it for now.
For her part, Mirage's curiosity about his wherabouts the night before are plainly obvious, but she leaves them unspoken, squashing her questions down because they are Trusting each other and that means he doesn't Have to explain even though its Hard not to know.
"Yeah." A moment's uncomfortable silence. Some internal debating. "Listen I'm aware Shiv plans to monopolize you the entire afternoon, but if we get a minute later-"
"Are you worried about all the juicy, juicy stories she's going to tell me?" Eyebrow wiggle.
Inpenetrable nonchalance. "She's got nothing on me compared what I've got on her. Besides, I told you, didn't I? You can ask me literally anything. Even if I didn't think I owed you that much."
The reminder moves her, visibly. Shoulders relax, small smile.
He continues, "I'll be honest it feels presumptuous to think it even matters, but if we get a minute later, well,"
He leaves it unfinished. He's been walking a little taller since the library, not slouching as much, but he's still finding it hard to do eye contact at the moment. Mirage is chasing his line of sight, moving to stay within it.
"I've heard you express yourself with more eloquence before, not gonna lie," she teases, which gets her a surprised and reflexive eye contact.
He makes that that kind of half-laugh where you breathe slightly harder through your nose while smiling.
"In fairness, You've got a talent for putting me off-balance." And with that he stands stand if you've been sitting or turns toward the door if you've been standing. Stretching a little.
"It's my winning personality." She'd say without thinking, looking confused? Hopeful? "Hey did you need me for something later? Look, I'm happy to tell Siobhan that I need to come back before we head to the bar. I'm sure she and I will get up to all sorts of trouble together and I'm looking forward to it but this is YOUR city. If there are things you want me to see while I'm here...then I want to see them."
"I don't know about need, I don't want to interrupt your fun. I just..." He rakes a hand over his head/hair, fidgeting.
She crosses her arms over her chest and waits him out. Expression that very clearly reads I'm not leaving until you say what you're thinking about saying.
He shakes his head, dropping his gaze, "It just seems bizarre you even give a shit. C'mon, lets go before Shiv gnaws the door down"
"One of these days you'll say exactly what you mean, and it will be the most wonderful, glorious day - bells will ring, trumpets will sound, the world will SING. Cypher. OPERATIC SINGING."
she punches his shoulder
It startles him but she don't get the reproachful "what was that for" you might have gotten a couple months ago. He pauses, and he's a little ahead of her, so that pauses her too. He looks at her sidelong.
Mirage is having a hard time catching her breath and doesn't know why.
"Cypher. WHAT."
He hesitates. "You can, you can call me either way, you know. If you wanted." A tense pause, "Honestly I'd have told you ages ago if- anyway. Just saying." this last blurts out like a burst dam just as quickly patched up.
"If...what?" Mirage looks at him, confused, before something clicks. The half-hearted laughs at her guessing game, his evasiveness over the source of his nickname - had he literally ever called himself anything else?
"Did you...not know it?"
He winces, can't look at her.
She takes a deep breath, but doesn't say anything. Underneath she is ROILING MAD at whatever this unknown entity is like she'd fight it with her bare fucking hands if she could "What do you want me to call you?" Quietly
"OKAY TIME IS UP"
The door bursts open, it might have been kicked.
"Mika you said one minute and it has been almost TEN. You have had a YEAR."
Cypher is doing a 'lord-gimme-strength' expression you're used to seeing on ta'lok or saeldor
Mirage is looking at Cypher, waiting for his response. Making it clear that like, she won't go until he answers, regardless of whether or not Siobhan stays
"Shiv. I Swear to all the hells-"
She's got her arms folded, tapping a toe. Not actually tantruming, but maybe starting to clue in that she interrupted a kind of a moment.
He pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head, then decides to ignore her.
Maybe to make a point, maybe on impulse, he puts a hand on Mirage's shoulder. Speaks softly, not a whisper, but soft enough that its clearly not for anyone else. "Anything you want." A half-second longer eye contact than is probably necessary for a short statement
I think Siobhan grabs Mirage's hand at this and gently leads her out the door. "I'll bring her back in excellent condition, pinky promise."
Mirage is just stumbling after her, looking at Cypher like W H A T T H E F U C K.
He watches you go, gives a lil wave. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do"
"SHORT LIST," Siobhan fires back.
Mirage is very much trying to keep her shit together. Sh lets the fresh air outside snap her out of the moment. As soon as they're outside Siobhan lets go of her.
"I am SO SORRY, oh my god"
"What? What for?"
She kind of does a half-squint at you, like she's trying to read if your confusion is sincere or not.
"Just seemed like kind of a serious conversation"
"Oh. Well. Yeah, but it's fine."
"Okay good because seriously I barely even tranced last night I was so excited"
Mirage laughs at this, "Siobhan, I cannot wait to turn this place upside down with you. Lead on."
She takes them downtown. The smell of the sea grows as they get closer to the city's east side. The towering piers of the airship docks rise above the streets in the middle distance.
Siobhan tries to get a bead on what Mirage is into fashion-wise: a cute dress? Something with an A-line, spinny? It strikes her that she'd look good in things that match her literal airflow, but she will not deny that she would look hot in boots and leathers.
For her part, Mirage loves flowy, softer outfits, but she's having fun just trying things on together, getting to know Siobhan and the city at the same time.
One of the first things that becomes apparent is that Siobhan's adventures have always been within Midnight city limits. She is envious in the least-toxic way possible that your group travels, sees places she's only read about, and alongside this is an undertone of "happy for him" that implies this used to be something she had in common with Cypher/Mika.
Mirage continues telling her all about where they’ve been, Story after story.
Its so gladly recieved. As she relates their adventures, Siobhan asks more and more directly about Mika's abilities.
"So I guess he's doing more than translating these days, huh?"
“Yeah. I mean he does that too, his biggest asset is that big sexy brain of his, but - wait. Are you…bummed?”
"Huh? No, just kind of confused."
"Like he was always smart, gutsy sure, we'd probably never have been friends if he wasn't, but I'm just trying to figure how he'd be helpful against an actual MONSTER and I'm pulling up blanks. He take a wizard class when I wasn't looking?"
Mirage shrugs and says “I dunno. But I do know that he’s the most creative problem solver I’ve ever met. Along with our boss, Ta’lok, he is big on strategy. It’s one thing to know how to swing a sword or sling fire at someone, but another thing to be able to identify an enemy’s weakness and exploit it.”
"So he's like an advisor?"
“I mean, yeah. Plus the magic. Look, Siobhan. He plays it pretty close to the chest these days. I’m assuming he…wasn’t always like that, based on your confusion.”
She looks slightly bummed now. "Y-yeah, no. Sorry, I guess I shouldn't pry. I'm not used to not being in the loop with that one, I guess."
“He’s pretty tight lipped with us too, if it makes you feel any better. Things have been changing for the better lately, I think. But there’s still a lot be can’t say.”
She looks at you, frowning. "I'm guessing he didn't tell you much about before he left town either, huh?"
“He didn’t say much. Mentioned his parents, and his dog rose.”
Siobhan waits for the list to continue and is a trifle unhappy when it doesn't. Just a trifle.
Mirage is internally panicking, she thought this was gonna be a fun gab session and instead she’s cornered.
“Siobhan…forgive me for being forward. Are you…did you two…”
Shiv is immediately off-balance.
Mirage puts her hands up and say “not judging, I’m just trying to understand the relationship. You can tell me to fuck off if you want, that’s fine.”
She looks awkward, "Nothin like what you're thinking," she says, clearly not having expected this turn. "Friends, that's it. Kinda. It was a long time ago. We were bored. But we were never like, dating or anything if that's what you're worried about." A sly smile with that last point. "Whyyyyy? ❤️ "
“Oh fuck off.” Mirage pushes her shoulder, blushing.
Siobhan is grinning ear to pointy ear. "He won't shut up about you, you know"
Mirage's blush turns her face scarlet.
"OH MY GOD," Siobhan squeaks, her delight undisguised.
“Shutthefuckupshutthefuckup”
"I SHAN'T!"
Mirage tackles her into a headlock.
"Okay okay uncle! Uncle! Geez"
Lets her go
"Geez, you dorks are meant for each other I swear"
“I am not a dork I am a BADASS thankyouverymuch”
"Buncha mushy morons"
"Well okay lets get your bad ass a pretty dress so you can knock that snarky stringbean's socks off later, hmmmmmm? ❤️ "
"I want sparkles. Take me to the sparkles.”
"obviously"
“you owe me baby Mika stories. Spill.”
"Oh with pleasure"
"It's apparently nothing as cool as what you guys get up to nowadays, but listen it was awesome at the time"
You're walking in a district that.s pretty close to the city walls, and she points out one of the watchtowers built into it. It's like, five storeys high, rough black stone.
"Climbed that shit. Sat on the roof, threw rocks in the bay"
“Good shit.”
"We used to climb shit all the time. Like, who wants to take stairs?" She laughs
“Pff totally hear you. Fuck stairs.”
"One time we set up a rope between this catwalk on Lyonese and sixth, fucking ziplined halfway to west town"
"Terrifying, amazing we didn't break our necks. Would absolutely do it again"
“Oh my god that sounds like so much fucking fun. We probably don’t have time to do that before we leave, huh?”
"Funnily enough there wasn't any bylaw against it at the time but there is now." She looks proud.
Mirage offers a fist bump. Siobhan blows it up.
“You’re cool as fuck, Siobhan.”
She grins "thank you for noticing, yes I am. And you're all right, I guess" big ol grin.
Big old theatrical bow. “How kind.”
A few hours later, they up your shopping, they've got those bags of cute stuff all assembled. It's getting along toward dinner hour
"I bet that nerd's still stuck in a book. You wanna go collect him?"
“Probably should. I get the sense that he’d just move in there if he could. Set up shop.”
"You know he got locked in one time?"
“HAHAHA NO”
"Literally zoned out reading and missed all five calls. Worked out though - turns out the gatehouse isn't the only entrance in town"
“Oh?”
"Nah, there's another one behind the boneyard. But It leads into the lower levels, and those are off-limits to visitors for a reason. You ever find out how he made it out that way un-chewed you have to tell me"
“Unchewed - sure.” Mirage is looking at her like. “Weirdest fucking library ever”
“Wait, but you weren’t wearing any armor yesterday?”
"Didn't need it at the time!" she smiles. does a short gesture with a spin of the wrist.
"pallium deflexionis" and a blue shimmer runs over her from throat down.
"There, come at me why doncha"
I flick her in the forehead
That gets a flinch, but she giggles, and drops the spell. She looks thoughtful.
"I wonder if Mika'd spill his beans if he knew I learned a few tricks since he saw me last, too"
"I don't know what's keeping him from bragging in the first place. Best he could manage was a sixth sense and a knack for dead language. Cantrip stuff. If I learned how to shoot fire or something after that I know I'd be showing off"
Mirage is absolutely not going to be the one to tell her about the whole hazard incognito nonsense Cypher spewed at them. She just nods politely and steers the conversation away. Mentions that Ta’lok can get rowdy.
"Not a problem, so long as he doesn't start breaking shit"
Mirage's strained smile makes her laugh.
"... I cannot wait to meet him"
"I have already acquired a friendship offering for your chill paladin" and she displays a packet of presumably-very-dank pipeweed.
“You are a goddamn gem, Siobhan. Saeldor would have adored you anyway but now they just might go to war for you.”
"Oooh, a half-giant paladin ready to start a war for me. I may faint." she mimes it
You don't make it all the way to the library before you run into Cypher and Cri walking back. Cypher brought his backpack and it looks heavier. He waves when you catch sight of each other.
"Hi Mirage. Siobhan, I see you've found a way to walk in daylight. Congratulations."
"Mirage, did you hear that? That skeleton just spoke to me!" She turns back to Cypher. "Speak, oh fleshless bone! Who were you in life??"
“Girls, you’re both pretty.” Mirage says, deadpan. She turns to Cri and shares all of the things they found for her while Shiv sticks her tongue out.
Siobhan falls into step with Cypher as you're sharing the shopping with Cri, who is flattered and pleased and touched at your thoughtfulness.
"So were you heading back to the inn?"
"I was going to walk Cri there and uh, probably head to dad's for a bit. Unless drinks are happening sooner?"
Mirage has a small reaction to this - barely noticeable. But like, intrigued. Cypher has only mentioned his parents once before. It feels significant.
"Nah, dead bar before sundown. Boring"
"Fair. Anyway that was the plan. Kind of thought you'd be out running around longer. You losing steps or something?"
"HOW DARE"
Mirage pipes up. “Everything looked great on us so it was just a matter of figuring out what to go for tonight, you know.”
Siobhan nudges him with an elbow, "I'm a fucking artiste, and you're welcome for it."
He shakes his head. "Tragic. Another bright soul converted to your legions of the cold and pallid. Anyway have you guys eaten yet?"
“No," Mirage supplies, "and I’m starving. Dinner?”
"Sure. Still waiting for time and place."
“What?”
The slightest of headtilts, and a 'you-heard-me' face. “Aren’t YOU the fucking midnight native?” Gesturing to their surroundings, “And don’t even joke, you couldn’t handle a date with me, buddy.” She pokes a finger into his chest and then saunters off.
“Come on girls. Food then fashion.”
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09 Mar 2025
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