Kassandra sits in the parlor curled up on one end of the couch, glancing out of the curtained window at the incredible view of San Francisco at night. She and Kyril had just gotten back a little while ago from trying to talk to Hope, and now pretty much everyone but the two of them are in their bedrooms for the night-- Kyril in the kitchen with his laptop, and Kassandra here in the parlor. It's very late, but quite a number of people in the chantry are having trouble sleeping tonight-- whether or not they're in their bedrooms.
Kassandra's thinking about her mother...about Hope...Aether...Grandpa Joe...the alliances...she's trying to decide if the werewolves could be trusted in an alliance with her mother...she's trying to figure out why Hope would keep trying to pressure her so much into being her replacement-- NOW of all times when Hope KNOWS Kassandra's got her life's quest coming up and has been commanded to drink no immortal blood! She's wondering when she's going to finally meet Grandpa Joe face-to-face, since he's the one who has to find HER. If he's anything like his grandson he's probably going to take his time, and show up just in the NICK of time!
Kassandra thinks about her space in the horizon realm where her "house" and garden are. Well...she created her garden, but that didn't seem to deter the very disrespectful and greedy Kaiden and Aidan when she asked them nicely to please not trespass in it. She's just hoping that after the fight they had that the two will respect her space-- fence or no fence. Kassandra doesn't want to have to put up a stupid fence! Nor should she HAVE to! Kaiden and Aidan both have boyfriends, and have had a lot more than that previously AND on the side!
The main reason Kassandra wanted her Greek garden was to have a man-- or men-- that she could come home to...who would always be there for her, and who would always be eager to talk to her or listen to her...who would always be safe and trustworthy to try not to harm her. The others in the cabal definitely didn't seem to understand this...at all.
Kassandra suddenly has the worry that Kaiden might be getting into her garden, and so she gets up off of the couch and hurries to the entrance of the horizon realm, speaks to the Guardian, and then enters. It's nighttime there, too, but it's warm and peaceful with the sound of crickets and the sound of the waterfall filling the glen. She sees centaurs and pixies and faeries sleeping together in groups...the moon is a beautiful crescent floating overhead...it's...perfect.
She walks past the Verbena drumcircle on the left, continuing up the path to the tree in the center of the houses, and then walking past it to her home at the top of the circle. She's fashioned her home to look like a Roman manorhouse from the Roman Empire. It's made of plaster painted white with a large dome in the center of the roof, and Corinthian pillars all around it. In the center is a large fountain shaped like the loas Ayeda Wedo and Dumballa entwined and spitting water from their mouthes. Around the fountain are more pillars supporting the large dome above.
To the left are two rooms-- her very large bedroom decorated in burgundy red velvet carpet and bedspread, and gauzy burgundy drapes surrounding the canopy bed-- and her ritual room with all the statues and tools she uses.
To the right of the fountain is a large Italian kitchen with grape vines painted around the perimeter of the room near the ceiling and a large wooden table with matching chairs, and just off of the kitchen is a parlor like the one back at home.
Kassandra hurries through her house and emerges from the back archway into her garden. The garden is filled with tropical flowers from her mother's island, and in the center is her mini Greek temple. It used to have about 10 statues of various Greek gods standing in a circle facing each other on a very large pedestal, but the night before she'd gotten rid of all the statues except for Apollo, and had shrunk the pedestal down a little to about a 10 foot diameter. White pillars still surround Apollo.
He may appear to be just a statue, but if Kassandra touches the base the spirit that slumbers within will come to life and interact with her! She worked hard on getting just the right minor spirit who could embody the majesty and godliness that is Apollo. Why Apollo? Because Kassandra was named after his most dedicated and famous priestess: the Kassandra who worked with snakes as part of her ritual...the Kassandra who foresaw the fall of Troy.
Kassandra glances around the garden, scanning for any recent lifetrails of anyone who might have snuck in, but gratefully no one has. As an extra precaution Kassandra had commanded the spirit not to awaken to anyone else's touch but hers. A nice little added feature! Especially since the main purpose she'd created the statue for was to have sex with...if she could just get the courage up to TRY that!
Kassandra stares up at Apollo quietly and respectfully. There WOULD be a statue of Papa Ghede here since he's her patron loa, but the Papa had told her that he thinks of her as a daughter and would never copulate with her. So she wanted to pick someone who she'd always found attractive, who wasn't mortal, who she could look up to and admire, and who would take her powerfully and breathtakingly! And she'd always been fascinated with Apollo since finding out that she was named after his priestess! So here they were!
Kassandra blushes and turns quickly, walking back into her house with a shy smile on her face. She REALLY wants to try this, but something keeps holding her back!
Speaking of that, maybe the best way to begin would be in the house...with the secret statue she'd made. If Kaiden or Aidan messed with THIS one, she would kill them. Flat out. Or torture them with voodoo dolls. Until they died.
Kassandra walks into the parlor and opens a set of double doors that leads into a walk-in closet. There stands a statue of John Constantine-- what she's dubbed "The Ideal John." She'd worked REALLY hard on this one to make it look and talk just like her mentor...the John she USED to know who was always smiling and joking with her and bringing her presents and making her feel special. And...she had NOT programmed THIS John with the "never sleep with your students"-feature that the original John has! She'd had to get a few drinks in her before she'd gotten the courage to remove that memory from him...as well as the Zantanna-memories! Not that she had any immediate plans to make any moves on Ideal John, but it was nice to know that this one had never met Zantanna, and thus had never "made the mistake he promised himself he'd never make again!" No, this John promised to have a lot more possibilities! Again, not that Kassandra would ever have the courage to go for it! But then again...she did in REAL life, right?
This statue has a different activation-feature! To bring this one to life, Kassandra has to light the cigarette he's holding between his fingers. The cigarette never seems to get shorter, but when she's done talking to him he just stubs it out and then turns back into a statue. Rather ingenious!
Kassandra takes a deep breath and brings out her lighter, hesitates, and then lights his cigarette.
The statue suddenly flushes with color and steps off the dias. He brings the cigarette to his lips and smiles, "Strewth! the only thing better would be a pint of the ale, wouldn't it?" he says with a wink at her. He runs his hand through his spikey blond hair. "Kassandra, me old china, what brings you round? Another lesson? Or maybe a spike of the old tipple?"
Kassandra smiles and laughs. "The house and garden are finally done, so I thought you'd like to see them! I'd like to hear what your general impression is, or if you think I'm missing anything. And you can grab a pint of ale from the kitchen on the way! I've got anything you could want in the fridge!" she smiles proudly.
John smiles and winks at her. "Not everything, luv. No salt and vinegar eh? Didn't think so." he says. He takes another drag and looks around. "Not bad. Lot better than the closet eh?" He looks around again. "A little too white for me taste but not bad, luv. Parlor I take it? Where's the telly?"
Kassandra nods. "No TV in here...we can't get reception in the spirit-realm. I didn't know you didn't like it in the closet! If...you promise to keep out of sight you can wander the house all you like when I'm not here..." she offers. "You could even wander the rest of the realm if you get bored and the rest of us are gone, just be careful and keep out of sight if someone comes home. There's this sex-crazed hermaphrodite who's been given guardianship over the realm who I wouldn't trust around you or any OTHER man!" Kassandra warns.
"A sex crazed hermaphrodite? Just one?" John says. He looks up at the ceiling. "A bit more fog, one more sex-crazed hermie and it'll be London all over again," he says. "Right stay away from the mad hermie, can do." he says. "Alright let's see the most important room in the house...the kitchen. I need a tipple."
Kassandra can't stop laughing! It IS the old John all over again!! What happened that changed him so much?
"Come with me!" she beams, leading him through the large arch-opening that separates the parlor from the kitchen. "I wanted it to look like an old-fashioned Italian kitchen! Here's the fridge..." she says walking over to a refrigerator that looks like it's made from marble, "...and beside it is the oven..." she motions to a marble-brick oven, "...and the sink..." a large basin made from marble, "...and the cabinets all have pots and pans and plates and bowls and cups and things, and the pantry's fully stocked..." Kassandra goes on and on showing him everything in her dream-kitchen. Finally she opens the refrigerator to show him a variety of all the drinks she's ever heard him mention, or seen him drink in her life!
"Just tell me if I'm missing anything and I can get it for you! And if you decribe 'salt and vinegar' I can learn to make it!" she smiles cheerfully.
"Oh right," John says pulling out a Shae's. "Too right." he says opening it and taking a drink. "Strewth, what the doctor's ordered." he says smiling at her. "Nice kitchen, eh? Fridge is big enough, sure. Salt and Vinegar? Oh right chips you call em over here. Potato chips right?"
"Aaah...salt and vinegar chips! I get it!" Kassandra opens a cupboard door and pulls out a bag of salt and vinegar Ruffles. "Is this what you mean? Or do you mean CHIPS-chips...like fries?" she asks, pausing with her hand on the cupboard handle.
"No, like chips, you buy in a bag, Lays chips...you know...chips.." John says. "You make this place yeself then? Right right...looks good so far...second most important room then, you got a library here?" he ask taking another drag and sip of the beer.
Kassandra puts the bag of Ruffles back in the cupboard and magically pulls out a bag of Lays salt and vinegar and hands it to him. "There you go. And yes-- I have a library! Not really big because we have the big one back in the main part of the house, but I have all the books you've ever given me, or that Mom's given me, or that I've gotten over the years." she says, leading him out of the kitchen. They're now in an open, airy space with marble floors and the large fountain in the center. There are torches on the walls that light up when Kassandra and John enter.
"Here's my mini-piazza!" she announces. She points to some stone benches against the walls covered in cushions. "You can read or relax in here. The library is in my ritual-room right through here." she points ahead at the closed arch-shaped door. Two of Vanessa's snakes are curled around the fountain-statues watching Ideal John and Kassandra. Kassandra already explained to all the snakes about Ideal John, and Andromeda said he's OK, but they aren't taking any chances!
"Ta, luv," John says taking the chips and opening the bag. He munches on a few as they walk out into the fountain area. "I like it. Very Roman, not sure about the stone benches. Maybe some cushy red divans or something right?" he says. "I mean stone benches, kill your back right?"
Kassandra looks at the benches. She actually hasn't sat on any of them yet! She just thought they looked cool...and ancient!
"Well...I DID put those cushions all over them, but yeah...I guess they probably aren't all that comfortable..." She concentrates on the benches and turns them into Roman reclining divans covered in plush red velvet and cylindrical cushions. "There! Try one of THOSE out!" she smiles, folding her arms.
"Exactly. Now you don't have to adjust those cushions or have them fall off when you're trying to relax, eh?" he says sitting down. "Ahhh this is the life, Kassy," John says. He leans back and puts his arms behind his head. "Nice for a nap or wot all eh?"
Kassandra smiles when he calls her "Kassy." He's definitely very convincing! Aside from the lack of grumpiness! Hmm...maybe she DOES miss that...to SOME extent. Not when it's directed at HER, of course. No, no...she's keeping him as he is!
"Thanks John! Come see my ritual-room! You can tell me if there are any books I should be studying!" she says excitedly.
Kassandra's ritual-room is set up basically the same as the previous one back in the house, except for the fancy-touches. This room is the only room in the house that is not Roman at all. From the moment you enter the temperature is warmer...the light dimmer...there are palm trees in the corners and other tropical plants around the perimeter...the floor seems to be covered in soft white sand...there's a circle of black ashes that almost fills the room, and the statues and candles and things are in their usual places. There even seems to be the sound of ocean-surf coming from nearby! And the walls are covered in bamboo as if it's a tropical island hut.
One wall is filled with bookshelves. Kassandra has all the books John's ever given her on the spheres he's taught her, as well as books on the Technocracy, the Fae, some of the Traditions, some history and geography books, dictionaries for Italian, Spanish and Latin, art books, bellydancing instruction manuals-- a big mixture of the magickal and mundane.
John immediately heads over to the books and starts looking them over. "One on cosmology. This one is outdated." He says pulling the book out. "And this one...more spirit, you need that right...oh look, one I wrote..." he says with a wink. "Or at least I wrote in..." he says. "Warm in here...you able to study in here?" he ask turning around.
Kassandra nods. "I can make a tropical island breeze come through and then it's perfect!" she says, snapping her fingers. Suddenly the air picks up a tiny bit-- enough to feel soothing and relaxing. "But it's a little dark in here, so mostly I take the books back into the piazza and study there. I only keep them in here because this is the room I do my rituals and magic in and sometimes I need my books at a moment's notice." she explains.
She walks over to a cupboard on the wall, makes some motions and speaks some words, and the doors open. She removes a leather-bound book from inside and brings it back to show John. "It's the Book of Shadows you gave me." she smiles softly. "I've had it for almost exactly 10 years now. Can you believe it's been that long since I Awakened?" she asks.
"I remember the day I gave it to you." John says with a smile. "Ten years, can you believe it. And the world is still here," he says with a wink. "I hope it's served you well in all that time." he says. "I know it's good to go back and re-read your book every once in awhile front to back to see how much you've progressed. Have you tried that?"
Kassandra nods. "I do it every year on my birthday-- the day I Awakened." Kassandra opens the book and flips through it slowly. "A lot has happened in 10 years..." she says quietly. She suddenly looks up, remembering the question she'd been meaning to ask him for years but keeps forgetting to.
"John? Why did you want to be my mentor?" she asks seriously.
John shrugs, "Because I didn't trust anyone else to do it right. And besides it was a favor to your mum." he says. "And...why not? I was looking for a student for awhile anyway and here's one that's just dropped in me lap. And it was to keep you safe from others..."
Kassandra listens and nods slowly. 'Except that it's hard to keep me safe when you're on the other side of the world, isn't it...' she thinks to herself with a touch of bitterness. She glances down at her foot, wondering if her tattoo would alert John if she was in danger. Probably not since he had no idea she'd almost been killed/captured/tortured by that evil Euthanatos-traitor-guy! Well, at least he would have been able to track her mutilated body once he was back in San Fran! If there had been anything LEFT of it!
"So what happens after I do the thing I was born to do? Are you REALLY always going to be my mentor, or is there a point where you're going to...you know...just...tell me it's been fun and go on your way?" she asks, clutching the book to her chest.
"I don't know luv, I don't know what you're supposed to do. But I'll always be here right? As long as you don't send me away right?" he asks winking at her. "Don't worry, I won't leave you." John says raising his beer to her.
Kassandra blinks and realizes she's talking to Ideal John, not Complete Real John, and gives an embarrassed laugh, glancing down.
"Sorry...you're just so convincing sometimes that I forget!" she apologizes. She realizes in that moment that Ideal John will just never be Real John-- no matter how close he gets-- and she has a strong pang of missing Real John...like she wants to give him a call, even if it means risking getting grumped at by him. She sighs. No, no...she's not going to do that. She'll just end up making a fool of herself.
She watches Ideal John drinking his beer and gives a little laugh. "And here you are, worried that *I* might send YOU away! Ironic, don't you think?" she smiles, but knows Ideal John won't understand her sarcasm. She didn't "program" him to know about how Real John treats her-- leaving all the time, and acting like she's pestering him. She wouldn't want Ideal John to even know about that!
"Here-- come see the last room since it's right next door." she says, motioning towards the bamboo door. She opens it and it leads into her large, spacious bedroom. There are Roman sconces on the walls that light up when she enters. The bed is a large queen-sized canopy-bed with gauzy burgundy-colored drapes pulled around it and held open with gold cords. The bedspread is a soft, velvet burgundy and the bed is quite high off the ground. The carpet is deep, plush burgundy, and long matching drapes with gold cords close the windows. In the center is a sunken hot tub-- just like in her parents' bedroom! She'd always wanted a bedroom like theirs!
"There's not much here but the bed and hot tub, but I couldn't think of what else to put in here." she explains, glancing around. "I've never had a luxurious room before!"
"A mirror, might be a good start," John says walking over to the wall. "Right here, and you could have red mahogany if you want it to match, right?" he says. "Nice...is this velvet?" he asks looking at the bed. "Very nice...looking to entertain some gentleman callers, jack the lads and all."
Kassandra blushes and gives a little laugh. "Weell...maybe..." she says. "If I can stop being so shy and nervous, that is!" She glances around the room. "I guess I SHOULD put some dressers and a mirror in here...thanks John." She points in one corner an a full-sized mirror appears. She turns around and points at another bare wall and makes a dresser appear. And she turns and points at a third wall and a vanity with chair appears-- all of matching red mahogany. When she first moved in she'd just piled up all her stuff in the bathroom and had been living out of that for the last two nights!
She surveys the room and then nods. "Much better!" Suddenly her familiar Andromeda slithers out of the hot tub and looks up at she and Ideal John. Kassandra sees her and smiles. "Might be hard to entertain gentleman callers with all my roommates...do you and Andromeda get along?" she asks John.
"Not bad," John says. "Not a snake-man, know what I mean? Not much of a pet guy either," he says thinking about it. "The room looks much better now," he says. "Roommates? Oh you mean chantry mates...right right...want to be discreet an all."
Kassandra laughs. "No, actually I meant my snakes! My chantry-mates aren't allowed to step foot in here without me inviting them or they risk death. My SNAKES, however...well, they just come and go as they please. They think of me as their child, so there's not much I can do to order them around." She pauses. "Do you get tired? Do you need a place to sleep if you're not going to be spending time in statue-form?" she asks.
"I'm alright, luv. Not much sleep to have. I can spend many days without sleep, right?" John says sitting down. "And your snakes are fine, I'll deal you know." he says. "So what else you got for me? Any improvements? Or maybe some dining advice...keep in mind I'm English."
Kassandra laughs. "No...no improvements! Everything's fine! And I don't have anything else I need to learn at the moment. You can just hang out, or go explore, or whatever you like! I'm going to...check on the garden. If want anything specific in the kitchen just leave me a list and I'll get it for you!"
"Alright. I think I am going to go to my closet." John says. "I have alot of things to get done and get written right? You know, little things you'll need to know sooner or later about cosmology and what." he says walking towards his closet. "I really do like the fountain." he says.
Kassandra smiles happily. "Thank you! I'm happy to hear that!" Suddenly she remembers something. "Oh! On the subject of cosmology I DO have a question. I was in the spirit-realm peeking in on my parents' house, and suddenly all these little spiders started surrounding me and just coming from out of nowhere in huge numbers! Do you know what they are, and what causes them to be there, and what they do, and how to get rid of them?" she asks.
"Weaver spirits..." John says turning back around. "They usually follow a lot of static dampening. They only way to get rid of em is to find the hive and kill the queen." he says. "Luck with all of that. I can find out more if you like."
Kassandra's eyebrows go up when she hears that they have to find and kill a queen-spider! Hmmm. She wonders if Beamer might be able to help with that.
She nods her head quickly at John's question. "Yes thank you! I would appreciate that very much! I'll have to tell the others about this...see if it's something they want to tackle..." she muses to herself.
Kassandra watches as John goes into his closet, feeling bad for him! He doesn't have to go in there! She thinks for a moment, and then points to the closet and a comfortable chair and small desk appear on one side. It's a pretty big walk-in closet so hopefully John will like the additions!
John looks at the new additions and smiles. He turns around to Kassandra, "Nice touch, ta," he says setting the book down and sitting in the chair. "Ahhh...how about a lamp, Kassy. Can't see in the dark and all."
Kassandra grins and laughs, and not only gives him a nice overhead lamp, but a drawer full of paper, pens and pencils, and a laptop computer on the desktop!
"We don't have access to the internet here, but that's got Word on it!" she beams, and then quickly adds a printer and a stack of printer paper next to the laptop. "And a printer!" Then she thinks and adds a little garbage can next to the desk. She surveys everything and can't think of anything else to add.
"Am I missing anything?" she asks.
"Crikeys! Now all I need is a secretary to take all me calls," he says. He looks over at her hopefully. "One who takes really nice diction." he says with a wink. "Right then, I'll get to work. I'll talk to you later, squirt!"
Kassandra folds her arms and sticks her tongue out at him. "If anyone's going to be your secretary around here it's me!" she hmphs, and then realizes that sounded dumb.
"So I'll just be here the rest of the night...if my bedroom door's closed it means I got some courage! If it's not, you're free come in...you know...and hang out or something." she says.
"Alright, squirt!" John says. "No secretary...right...had to try tho..." he says. "Alright I should have something for you in a few hours right?" he says and then closes the closet door.
Kassandra grins and shakes her head. This is taking some getting used to-- a John who's sole purpose in life is to help her and teach her and be there for her! Not that she MINDS getting used to it, but it's definitely the opposite from what she's used to! Well...she shouldn't be SO mean...Real John said he'll always be there for her and be her mentor. And he IS there for her...just not in the flesh. And speaking of flesh...
Kassandra goes back to the kitchen and gets out a bottle of wine. She stands there drinking from it, trying to relax and get some liquid courage. Finally after about 20 minutes she sets the bottle on the counter with a slightly shaky hand, and walks to her room. She quickly strips off her clothing until she's naked, and then she stands there with her eyes closed...and then raises her arms and concentrates.
A minute later Kassandra comes walking out of her room wearing a form-fitting Greek toga with a gold braided rope for a belt, gold armbands on her upper arms, some dangly gold chandelier earrings, and her hair pulled up into a gold hairpiece with long curling black tendrils of hair hanging down. She takes a deep breath, and then turns and walks into the garden.
She pads up the path in her golden sandals and climbs the white marble dais so she's standing facing the statue of Apollo. She stands there a moment, fidgeting, and then finally takes another deep breath and walks up to the statue-- touching the base to bring it to life. Then she quickly goes down on one knee nervously before him.
The statue steps down from the dais, its marble white stone appearance suddenly replaced by flesh and a soft yellow light. He looks down upon Kassandra. "Rise, daughter of Ghede. I am Apollo, and I am here to give you counsel and guidance." he says in a soft baritone.
Kassandra swallows and stands up, gazing at the handsome spirit. It takes a minute for her to get her composure enough to speak, but finally she holds her hands tightly together in front of her and takes a breath.
"Great Apollo...I am trying to become a whole woman again since my...imprisonment by the false priest of Ghede. It has been hard...a long journey out of darkness...and I am still struggling to be free. I have been dependant on my parents and mentor for everything to the point where I can hardly function without them."
"But now my mentor is in unknown lands far away...my parents, too, are in unknown lands where I cannot see them...and here I am on my own and regaining my strength...not falling apart. I have achieved great things without their help. I have made important decisions without going to them at all. Yet there is one fear I cannot get over: the fear of intimacy with another man. I come to you for help in learning to trust again...to lose the fear of being alone with a man...to be able to function as a woman again." she says in the strongest voice she can muster, and then swallows and waits to see what his response is.
"Then you have come to the wrong man, Kassandra Grimaldi, daughter of snakes. I am forbidden to do so. Your task is at hand, distractions now you do not need. Your decisions have been wise and you please the heavens greatly. I give you a warning, daughter of snakes. Death is coming, but not for you. The alliance you build will teeter upon the edge of a knife, but it must hold for all the city is at stake." Apollo says.
Kassandra's eyes get huge and she stares at Apollo for a moment. She DID only summon a minor spirit...right?? This one is giving off very much REAL Apollo-vibes! At least if it IS real Apollo he said that she pleases the heavens greatly! Aaaaah-- what to say??
"Great lord...forgive me for disturbing you. I thought I had contacted a servant-spirit and not you yourself. I am very humbled that you have come to me with this message, and I thank you for your warning. Is there some hint of who death comes for...that I can protect them?" she asks hopefully, hands clasped together.
"There is nothing I can tell you further. You have asked a servant spirit to do what cannot be done, and so I have come to rebuke your efforts lest you continue to waste time. Time is not your friend. If you wallow in selfish endeavors the list of enemies will surpass even the alliance." Apollo says.
Kassandra's lips turn down and her eyes get a little teary. She tries to hide her thoughts, but it seems unfair for him to call her efforts "selfish" when Darcy and Aidan, and Kaiden and Richard are right this very moment probably having blissful sex together in their separate homes...or at least sleeping cuddled together! And she's wasting time? It's the middle of the night! She wasn't planning on laying around the Horizon Realm all day, having statue-sex!
Kassandra tries to reign in the willful nature both of her parents' blood gave her. This is not the time to pout! Once she's back in her room, sure! She'll pout all night! Lonely and alone. As always. But not now.
"Then there is only one question left to ask. You said there is nothing further you can tell me, but I have to try because you brought up the alliance and how the list of enemies is growing the longer we wait. We have brought in the Lupines...we are bringing in the Fae...that only leaves the Kindred. I don't want them to become our enemies because we left them out of the alliance-- especially since it was Kindred who made the stand on the bridge last time and kept the ancient creature slumbering! Yet others think the vampires and werewolves can't be trusted to keep an alliance together. Is it wise to attempt to bring the vampires in?" she asks, her eyes pleading for the right answer.
"There will be a time for the Kindred to join. Now is not that time. Take comfort in the alliance you have now and seek to free the city. It is the beginning of your quest. You will know when the time to entreat the Kindred is." Apollo says.
Kassandra gives a tiny relieved smile. She's grown fascinated with Vampire-culture...feeling almost a part of it because of her parents, but also prudently wary of it as any Mage should be. She's glad to hear that the Kindred can and will be entreated to join them at some point! That means her mom and dad might be able to be at her side when the big moment comes...if her dad LETS her mom! He's really protective of his two ladies. How can the city fall with such a powerful alliance?
"Thank you great Apollo! Thank you for this message, and for coming to me in person to deliver it. We will do everything we can to save the city." she says, pressing her hands together and bowing her head to the god-messenger.
"I have come to save you from grave mistake, Kassandra, daughter of snakes...those who oppose you are moving as we speak. They will try to destroy you, and those who stand at your side." Apollo says. "Be wary of those you trust."
Kassandra looks up in alarm. "Are there more clones?? But we've checked! Those we trust...that could be anyone in the alliance! Can you not be more specific, great Apollo??" she begs.
Apollo shakes his head. "There is little more that I can say, daughter of snakes." he says looking down at her. "Stay your hand at love, for it comes to you, and that love will save your life." he says. He looks up at the heavens and then back to her. "One more question, and I can say no more..."
Kassandra's hand goes to her heart and her eyes fill with tears. Her mouth opens but no sound comes out. Love is coming...LOVE is coming!! She can't even think of a question to ask now! Well...of course she wants to make sure she knows WHO it's going to be, but a part of her is excited to have it be a surprise in the end. Besides...Apollo probably can't tell her anyway. Her heart is just pounding away with hope and optimism now!
Suddenly she remembers something. "All right...I DO have one more question. A very important question. Hope...she has asked me to take her place. But then I won't be a mage anymore! I'll be what SHE is! And I don't even know exactly WHAT she is, or what she does, or if I would like having to fill her shoes! Or if saying yes will drive this love you mentioned away! It's a permanent decision, and I feel so pressured to please her! Is this an offer I should be considering, or is it not in my destiny to be her replacement?"
"Your destiny is in place, my child. Her offer is to be considered. That is all I may offer you," he says. "Now I must go. I am proud of thee my child. Go now and find your destiny...it awaits." he says and then the statue is silent and stone once more.
Kassandra stands there feeling stunned. It feels SO good to have someone-- especially someone like him-- tell her that he's proud of her. It's just nice to know that ANYONE'S proud of her these days...it really is.
Kassandra presses her hands together and bows to the statue once more, her jewelry and hair-clasps tinkling. Then she turns and walks slowly back down the path and into her house. She looks up at the fountain quietly, and then reaches forward and touches the statues of Ayeda Wedo and Dumballah, closing her eyes and thanking them for giving her an important destiny.
Then she walks quietly into the parlor and up to Ideal John's door. She presses her ear against it to hear if he's still typing.
John is still typing away at the keyboard with some notes he found. He can sense she's behind the door, but he'll wait for her to open the door...or not. He looks at his watch. He's been typing for a little while now and could use the break. He stops typing for a moment.
Kassandra hears him stop typing and pulls back from the door a little. She clears her throat. "Hey John...how's the book coming?" she calls, trying to keep her voice light and casual after such a momentous encounter with a god!
"Good good, I still have a lot to write, squirt. You need something?" John asks over his shoulder.
Kassandra pauses. Maybe she shouldn't have programmed Ideal John to call her "Squirt!" Ever since she recovered from the mind-alerting drugs, hearing him call her that always makes her feel like he looks at her like she's still a little kid, and then in turn it ends up making her ACT like she's still a little kid. But at the same time it's sweet that he has a term of endearment for her...even if it's a little kid nickname.
"No no...it was just quiet in the house and I was feeling restless so I thought I'd check up on you. That statue out back...when I woke it up it wasn't the same spirit I put into it, John! It really WAS Apollo! Or a very major servant-spirit of his! Or Apollo speaking THROUGH a servant-spirit! He told me such incredible things!" she calls through the door.
"Perhaps keeping it to yourself is the best idea, Kassy." John says over his shoulder. "Except your cabal-mates who you trust right?" he says. "You never know what spirits you have around here. They may be spirits who'll sell you out right?" he says.
Kassandra falls silent, staring at the door. 'God...there's a boogyman around every corner!' she thinks to herself. 'No one to trust...no one to trust...even in the cabal we don't trust each other! Not really. I have SO many secrets I'm keeping from them. That's no way to be a cabal...' she thinks.
"I never thought of that, John...that's a really good point." Then she gives a frustrated laugh. "Especially since it was an inexperienced spirit-worker who summoned a lot of the spirits here..." she smiles, thinking of what a mess Kaiden and Aidan's god-temple must be!
"Well, I wish there was a way I could tell who to trust. Being a mage is nothing but paranoia!" she says in frustration. Then she folds her arms. "So how do I know I can trust YOU!" she smirks.
"Well ask me who I serve. Every spirit has to answer that truthfully." John says over his shoulder. "Jeez, this John-guy even teach you that?" he asks. "Spirits can lie to you, trick you whatever. But they have to answer that."
Kassandra's eyebrows lower. "No...no he didn't!" she exclaims, folding her arms on her chest. "All right then..." She opens the closet doors, standing there in all her Greek priestess glory so she can see his face when he answers the question. "Who do you serve?" she asks, her outfit lending a little unintentional command to the sentence!
"Stag," John says over his shoulder. "I'm really a small bird if you should see me in the Umbra," he says. "A blackbird to be exact." he says still in the John accent. "I'm here to keep an eye on you and make sure you're safe."
Kassandra's mouth falls open. "A...blackbird? Did Papa Ghede send you? His messengers are crows." she tells him a little excitedly.
"Stag sent me. Your request was heard and here I am. Ghede and Stag are friends...well more like acquaintances...actually they know each other enough to say hi," he says. "That's all I can say really."
Kassandra beams and then laughs. "Well that's good enough for me!" She pauses. "Are you OK with being 'John' while you're with me? This isn't...demeaning or anything for you...is it?" she asks worriedly.
"Nah not really. I've been worse things I'll tell you. And I like being someone famous you know. Lets me exercise those acting chops." he says. "So I got filled in on the situation."
Kassandra nods, feeling disconcerted at watching "John" suddenly speak with a completely different accent.
"Well I'm really glad to hear that you've been sent to protect me. I've felt a little...well...vulnerable lately. No mentor...no parents...no elders left...just a ravaged city that's not safe to live in...and us to defend it!" she gives a bitter laugh.
She looks at Ideal John/Blackbird-- hmm...isn't that a Beatles song? And both the Beatles and John are from Liverpool! Interesting!
She represses a laugh and holds her hands together in front of her. Her mind is all over the place tonight! "Sooo...if you were John...would you...find me attractive?" she asks shyly. "Or if you weren't. Either way." she quickly adds.
"Lady, I'm a bird. If you don't have wings or lay eggs, you ain’t doin it for me." he says. "What, you can't find a man? Maybe it's the men you hang with. I'm sure you're cute in some way. Go out, go to a club like you guys do."
Kassandra's eyes get teary and she looks down. 'Why did you have to be a bird??' she thinks miserably. She can't even get a STATUE of John to notice her! She can't get ANY statue to sleep with her, let alone NOTICE her! Even one she made just for that purpose!
"The only guys who are interested in me are guys who want something from me...not because they love me, or think I'm a nice person, or who pick me out of a crowd because their soul and my soul call to each other...no guy who I'VE ever wanted has wanted me back. And now I find out you're a bird and you wouldn't even sleep with me if I begged you to! Great! Just great! After all that trouble..." Her voice breaks and she hurries away from the closet so he won't see her crying. The "hollow one"-part of herself secretly hopes that whatever this important thing is that she's supposed to do will require her to die! She's wouldn't be able to handle it if this "love" who's coming for her ended up rejecting her, too!
John looks over his shoulder and shrugs. He gets back to typing. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but hey he's a bird. He doesn't know what's attractive and what isn't. He sighs...he should go talk to her...but he has to finish this...she has to know this stuff and soon!
Kassandra goes to her room. Oh boy is she going to be in a pissy mood tomorrow...having to deal with selfish Aidan who's pretending she doesn't want to marry the Troll and rejecting all of Kassandra's good ideas for how to get out of it while stringing Darcy along all over again! And then Kaiden and Richard and their stupid confusing relationship! The two couples throwing it all in her face! Fuck EVERYONE!!
Kassandra slams her door shut and with a wave of her hand makes all her spirit-clothing disappear. She grabs a nightgown and pulls it roughly over her head, and then flops into her big, luxurious, very empty bed for a long night of nothing.