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Rick laughs in response, "Smart man. And I'm sure it'll be a suitably memorable surprise." Life as a Changeling could get crazy enough as is. A celebration like that at a place where emotions and glamour could flow like wine...probably not something many people would forget.
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Marcus' only response is an enigmatic smile. Soon, however, thoughts of cigars and strippers are pushed to one side as he remembers the other reason he wanted to meet with Rick.
"Before I go, I wanted you to have a look at this. I'm not too sure what to do with it, to be quite honest. Before... it was the sort of thing I would bring to HAL... so, I suppose now its the sort of thing I'll bring to you."
The Summer Courtier pulls something out of his rucksack and holds it out to the Autumn King. Rick recognizes it as the book that Brother Lucas had identified as the Apocalypse of Matthias, or Book of Sorrow.
"I've had a look, but I can't seem to make sense of anything on the pages. The words seem to move around and blur as I try to read them. I haven't tried to activate it yet, if it is indeed some sort of Token. I suppose I wanted you to have a look at it first."
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Rick accepts the book perhaps a bit gingerly. He knew enough about it to be wary of the thing, at least. He flips the thing open, his own gaze scanning the pages before he quite simply arrives at the same conclusion as Marcus. They weren't going to figure out much of use just staring at the thing while it was unactivated.
"Nothing ventured, right?" Even as he speaks he draws upon the part of him that had been touched, and twisted, by the Fae, attempting to let it resonate with the magic of the book and activate it. Unfortunately, that doesn't quite work. So he draws upon the tattered patchwork of borrowed emotions within him, letting a dram of fear sleep forth to nudge the book into wakefulness. So to speak.
"Wyrd roll fails, spending one glamour to activate it.
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Upon activation, the book shudders in Rick's hands and lets out a mournful wail. Sad, wispy angels of gossamer and mist appear to float out of the yellowed pages before disappearing in the air. The ink on the pages glows a sickeningly pale green as the words and images settle into stable forms. Rick is able to make out an overly-wrought paragraph on the current page written with all of the character and delicacy of a life insurance policy. From what Rick can decipher, it relates that the current waiting period of the previous party-of-the-first-part will continue in perpetuity at his currently listed primary residence until he is released from his contractual obligation by the current party-of-the-first-part.
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He hadn't really been all that sure what to expect when activating the book. At least it hadn't done anything overtly dangerous...yet. And it had finally made those infuriatingly shifting letters settle into a form he could actually read. Though what they said catches him by surprise. "It's a contract, the thing's recording some kind of agreement, or part of it. Something about a waiting period, party-of-the-first-part continuing in perpetuity, a listed primary residence, and a contractual obligation. It's hard to make out." Rick pauses, giving out a slightly disbelieving sigh as he combs his fingers through is feathers. "Where'd you say you found this again?"
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Party-of-the-first-part... in perpetuity...
Marcus remembers those words from what he had read in the book when they had first found it. He casts a slightly accusatory glare at the pages when he answers Rick.
"We found it in the Bogeyman's... er, the bastard that abducted young Owen... we found it in his Hollow. We could read a bit of it, but mostly, it was simply gibberish. At the time, it seemed like it had warned that tosser that we were coming for him. We just couldn't get to him before he skipped out through a mirror. I can show you, if you want to have a look for yourself."
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"That particular bastard's starting to get mentioned near me far more than I'd like..." Betony Rue, Spartan, now this. "According to Betony Rue he seems to be a disciple of Skin 'n Bones or something...and I've heard whispers that he's a member of the Scarecrow Ministry. Those guys can get dangerous if they're carried away," he glances down, briefly, to the golden thorns peeking through his feathers. "They tend not to like the Magi all that much either."
There's a brief pause as Rick's thoughts drift back to two conversations with HAL, how he'd twice advocated hunting different targets instead of Skin 'n Bones or this new terror. Maybe that had been the right thing to do, maybe it hadn't. He'd probably never really know. But he didn't have a more urgent target now. "You know what, I've got my gear for wandering the Hedge stashed nearby. Let's check the place out."
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Marcus nods to his friend as he cautiously replaces the book in his rucksack.
"Alright. I have everything I need in here. We can swing by for your gear, then I'll drive us over."
As they leave the park, he looks at his fellow elemental with undisguised curiosity.
"You'll have to tell me about this Skin 'n Bones and Scarecrow Ministry on the way over."
Three Months too Late...
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