Waiting at the Boarding House (Attn: Mr. Liebowitz(maybe)/Open)

[Thistle]

She now sat in a chair, crocheting teal yarn, watching the children.
They still slept a great deal of the time. Though both were gaining strength and eating ravenously. The Kincaid boy still did not speak, which worried her. Her funds had also become harder to come by. She could not go out to make house calls to the tend to what people used her services and she wasn't entirely willing to bring them here. It felt like she was trapped in a cave, healing these two patients. It felt, however, natural. Comforting even. And so long as she did not grow to care for them, she would protect them.

[Fractured]

A sensible looking Volvo pulls up outside of the boarding house. HAL steps out, circuits sparking slowly and wearing the Autumn 'crown' and a blank expression, though that's how he looked whenever he wasn't trying to look some other way. He stood outside looking about the area as though he was seeing it all for the first time; in fact, he was familiar with the Boarding House. Yes, it was filed neatly away in his memory. Perhaps he's simply noting what's changed, because he doesn't stare long before walking up the step and knocking on the door, once, twice, thrice, with perfectly measured pauses between them.

[Thistle]

Betony Rue heard the knocking at the door and gave a ragged sigh that could have been a growl, sure that whoever was running to house was negligent. They always were.
She looked at the children, would they be safe if she went down stairs to speak with the person there? Though she had removed all mirrors from the room, the Fae could take any opportunity while she wasn't watching.
She got up and closed the door halfway, before going to the top of the stairs.
"The door is unlocked!" she called down. She made sure it wasn't an invitation to enter in case it was one of the Gentry. Not that that was a guarantee.

[Fractured]

HAL pauses, tenses, and his hands go to his pockets as he looks over each shoulder, walks backwards, turns in 360 degrees before seemingly satisfied with the results of its search. He walks back up and opens the door, looking up toward the direction of the voice, and finding the Jasons woman. "I do not understand your behavior, Betony Rue. I grant you a personal audience, and you cannot be bothered to greet me at the door? Explain yourself." His inflection is somehow even calmer than usual, not a good sign.

[Thistle]

Betony Rue also tensed when she saw a man's figure appear at the bottom of the stairs. She relaxed slightly upon seeing it was Mr. Liebowitz.
"You did not announce who you were, Mr. Liebowitz. I have children I am caring for that I cannot to be away from every time there is a knock at the door," she said by way of explanation. The Jasons woman refrained from telling him that if he wanted to complain about the hospitality of the house he could do so to the property manager, if he could find them. She takes a step back once he reaches the third floor so he has space to get on the landing.
"Thank you for coming," apparently thinking her reason reason enough and so moved on.
Both statements have the same cold seriousness to them; as did her curtsy, and her straight posture afterward.

[Fractured]

HAL nods slowly and ascends the stairs. "Children, yes. Tell me the reason you wish to speak to me, Betony Rue."

[Thistle]

"There is a creature called Skin and Bones. I am unsure if you know it. It also is called the Bagman, or Tall Stranger. I want to request it be made the target of the Hunt of Leaves." she says bluntly.

[Fractured]

ST Note: This scene occurs after the Festival, where I stated that a target for the Ash Run would be announced. Though that has not yet occurred in the Festival thread, it will, and this thread comes afterward. Betony Rue has thus called HAL here to request the target be changed.

"I have already announced the target of the Ash Run, Betony Rue. I will not change the target now. However, I am unfamiliar with subject-noun 'Skin and Bones'. Please, give me your data." HAL sounds as excited as ever at the prospect of new information.

[Thistle]

Betony Rue was displeased at her request being denied. She was however at a loss on how to express it. How did one cause pain to a machine? She didn't know enough about computers to come up with any punishment other than 'smash it with a sledgehammer'. There were unfortunately none of those within easy reach, but she was still angry.
"It is a boogey man, able to be summoned through a mirror and given a name of a person the summoner wishes vanished. It then hunts that person, coming through mirrors, puts them in its bag and takes them into the Hedge. The victims are buried alive and left to die." Her words were plain and harsh and perhaps even a very little accusatory.

[Fractured]

HAL's analog eyes regard the Jasons woman with interest as she explains what she knows, and his circuits buzz and snap just a fraction faster. Whether he notices the difference in her tone is debatable, as she does not in his. "A Hedge creature that responds to commands. Remarkable. What other data do you possess regarding subject-query 'Skin and Bones', Betony Rue? I must possess all the data to make an informed decision."