~ A flicker, next scene. The bell on Venus' shop door rings ~
Venus - "Rhea ... I was so sorry to hear ..."
Rhea - "Don't. No one's sorry Venus. I need a gun Venus. A gun that can kill gods."
~ A flicker to Lilith exiting the woods. She thumbs the wax on the revolver load, five shots. Spins and closes intentionally and holds it close, holsters. To herself, "Be wise."
She looks up as the shadow of her airship passes over.
________
Becoming more crone and twisted, the mother runs the woods on antelope legs, grey hair streaming, body covered in vine. Through the deep woods, crossing the river stone to stone, leaping far and fast, sighting the riverboat salloon rolling through the trees ahead.
Running hard until along side, she overtakes it in it's sway over her, leaping to catch the side rail the sway back in it's meandering path. The vines wrap it as she pulls herself over.
To the fore, vines pulling back, hair to dark and legs returning human. She takes in the air, then glances to port, LA on parallel approach.
Mother - She turns and shouts high to the cabin, "Boatsman ! Do ya go Los Angeles way ?"
Jim - Slides the side window and shouts down. "That's the plan, when we get to it. It'll be a day or two."
...
Mother - Looks back to it, grinds her teeth a bit. "Drinks in the barge ?"
Jim - "Drinks in the barge."
________
Lilith watches the ropes fall from the decks of the Arena, her airship. Wide bodied, shaped nearly like an eye from beneath, half adapted from her old ship. Her crew begins exiting the woods from all parts surrounding the clearing.
She speaks aloud to no one present.
Lilith - "Naamah. Are you in this world ?"
__
Naamah exits the train in the Misting Lands with One. Modern, grey haired, one eyed and grey cloaked with an unadorned mechanical arm fitted for weaponry. One with goggles, apparently 'scanning', occasionally giggling and turning over trash.
The carnival is now well formed, the mist swirling among the passers by and churning rides. Stilt walkers pass over the crowds, hunters in the mist. A gust as a roller coaster departs to overhead among the rider screams, filled in by the steam of the departing train.
One - "Okay now where the hell's Eve ?"
____
Mambathu and two crew ride up on horse from the clearing's main path to. He dismounts, slapping the unbridled horse away, the others still seated, waiting.
Mambathu - Sees her watching the sky over the city, "There was no 'Hindenburg' here."
Lilith - "No crash ?"
Mambathu - "None at all. Apparently Germany went a different way."
________
Clemmons - "Care for a drink, (clears his throat) 'Great Lady' ?"
Mother - "Oh god. It's you. Why would I ever drink with you Clemmons. You're supposed to be dead."
Clemmons - "I believe you. You know why." Calls out, "Pitcher lass !"
The pitcher bearer brings a glass, bows specifically and leaves the pitcher.
Clemmons - "For the drink itself." He pours her glass.
Mother - "And for the life of our daughter ? Think twice." She smells the glass watching him drink with a laugh. Drinks. Checks the flavor and aftertaste, eyes on his. Slams the rest and pours another.
Clemmons - "I'll cut you down right here if I have to. She has the right."
Mother - "But you do not. Do it. What flavor of gun have you dug up this time, Clemmons. What interference in history and fate have you found to shoot your lover with ? Do me."
...
Clemmons - "My God woman that kinda talk is exactly why I fell for you."
She drinks.
Clemmons - "But of course I have a new pistol for the gods."
Mother - "Venus ?"
Clemmons - "Who else ? And she says it'll even work this time !"
Mother - "Backstabbing opportunistic whore of a robot." Drinks and smashes the glass empty.
...
They burst out laughing.
...
Mother - "I want one." The pitcher-bearer brings another glass.
Venus - "Rhea ... I was so sorry to hear ..."
Rhea - "Don't. No one's sorry Venus. I need a gun Venus. A gun that can kill gods."
~ A flicker to Lilith exiting the woods. She thumbs the wax on the revolver load, five shots. Spins and closes intentionally and holds it close, holsters. To herself, "Be wise."
She looks up as the shadow of her airship passes over.
________
Becoming more crone and twisted, the mother runs the woods on antelope legs, grey hair streaming, body covered in vine. Through the deep woods, crossing the river stone to stone, leaping far and fast, sighting the riverboat salloon rolling through the trees ahead.
Running hard until along side, she overtakes it in it's sway over her, leaping to catch the side rail the sway back in it's meandering path. The vines wrap it as she pulls herself over.
To the fore, vines pulling back, hair to dark and legs returning human. She takes in the air, then glances to port, LA on parallel approach.
Mother - She turns and shouts high to the cabin, "Boatsman ! Do ya go Los Angeles way ?"
Jim - Slides the side window and shouts down. "That's the plan, when we get to it. It'll be a day or two."
...
Mother - Looks back to it, grinds her teeth a bit. "Drinks in the barge ?"
Jim - "Drinks in the barge."
________
Lilith watches the ropes fall from the decks of the Arena, her airship. Wide bodied, shaped nearly like an eye from beneath, half adapted from her old ship. Her crew begins exiting the woods from all parts surrounding the clearing.
She speaks aloud to no one present.
Lilith - "Naamah. Are you in this world ?"
__
Naamah exits the train in the Misting Lands with One. Modern, grey haired, one eyed and grey cloaked with an unadorned mechanical arm fitted for weaponry. One with goggles, apparently 'scanning', occasionally giggling and turning over trash.
The carnival is now well formed, the mist swirling among the passers by and churning rides. Stilt walkers pass over the crowds, hunters in the mist. A gust as a roller coaster departs to overhead among the rider screams, filled in by the steam of the departing train.
Naamah
- Speaking aloud, "No. The new one. It should be close to yours, but
something's off. We're set in the right place, but not the right time."
She looks around at the crowds, a group tightly watching a carney game cheer a victory, he announces a stuffed pony. It leaps into the girl's arms before she and her parents disappear with the passing mist.
Naamah - To herself, "Hm." ... "So I thought you hated it inside my head. What do you want."
Lilith - Heard as a wisp, "I do. I really really do. In fact. But it's bigger than that this time. It's the Maiden."
Naamah - "A rogue fate ? Explains the wrong time."
She looks around at the crowds, a group tightly watching a carney game cheer a victory, he announces a stuffed pony. It leaps into the girl's arms before she and her parents disappear with the passing mist.
Naamah - To herself, "Hm." ... "So I thought you hated it inside my head. What do you want."
Lilith - Heard as a wisp, "I do. I really really do. In fact. But it's bigger than that this time. It's the Maiden."
Naamah - "A rogue fate ? Explains the wrong time."
One
- Goggles on, the left focuses into a cloud. "Wrong time !? Hehehe ... wrong again ..." He bends down into the gust clearing smoke and pulls up
the Book of Names. "Welcome home, oh heart of mine ... welcome home."
He tucks it into his satchel, looks around ...
...
He tucks it into his satchel, looks around ...
...
____
Mambathu and two crew ride up on horse from the clearing's main path to. He dismounts, slapping the unbridled horse away, the others still seated, waiting.
Mambathu - Sees her watching the sky over the city, "There was no 'Hindenburg' here."
Lilith - "No crash ?"
Mambathu - "None at all. Apparently Germany went a different way."
________
Clemmons - "Care for a drink, (clears his throat) 'Great Lady' ?"
Mother - "Oh god. It's you. Why would I ever drink with you Clemmons. You're supposed to be dead."
Clemmons - "I believe you. You know why." Calls out, "Pitcher lass !"
The pitcher bearer brings a glass, bows specifically and leaves the pitcher.
Clemmons - "For the drink itself." He pours her glass.
Mother - "And for the life of our daughter ? Think twice." She smells the glass watching him drink with a laugh. Drinks. Checks the flavor and aftertaste, eyes on his. Slams the rest and pours another.
Clemmons - "I'll cut you down right here if I have to. She has the right."
Mother - "But you do not. Do it. What flavor of gun have you dug up this time, Clemmons. What interference in history and fate have you found to shoot your lover with ? Do me."
...
Clemmons - "My God woman that kinda talk is exactly why I fell for you."
She drinks.
Clemmons - "But of course I have a new pistol for the gods."
Mother - "Venus ?"
Clemmons - "Who else ? And she says it'll even work this time !"
Mother - "Backstabbing opportunistic whore of a robot." Drinks and smashes the glass empty.
...
They burst out laughing.
...
Mother - "I want one." The pitcher-bearer brings another glass.