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[lightlessflame]

"..."

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un: thearchivist; text

[compellingstatement]

[A few hours after their awkward cafe encounter, Jon texts Agnes.]

I'm sorry about the cafe.
I should have told you earlier.
I'm trying not to tell Martin that Elias is here.
If he doesn't know, Elias might leave him alone.
And he's just going to worry once he does find out.
He has enough problems as it is.

[lightlessflame]

Do you know him to be the sort of man to leave well enough alone?

[But that's not really the point, she knows. She sighs inwardly to herself.]

It's your decision.

( text | un: m.blackwood )

[buffeted]

Hi Agnes, sorry about earlier. Jon's a little stressed still.

If it's okay, I still want to talk about your contract sometime. You shouldn't be able to be forced into something like that, and if nothing else, I want to talk to someone about your options. [ if they, as submissives, have anything like options anymore. ]

[lightlessflame]

Hello, Martin. There's no need to apologize. I had a lovely time meeting you.

[And she's used to having a generally negative effect on people, even if this wasn't really her fault.]

I'd hate for you to trouble yourself and waste your time, but I do appreciate how willing you are to help me. I haven't done anything to deserve it.

[sathan]

( on around the fifteenth of the month agnes will return home to find a handwritten note waiting for her on her bed )

action

[lightlessflame]

[Agnes, still working on social decorum, doesn't reply to the message in any way other than showing up on Lilith's doorstep on the indicated date. Knock knock, witchy friend.]

text; un: aj.crowley

[demonicmiracle]

Hey, Agnes. It's Anthony, from the park and the whole hand-holding business. Not the weirdest introduction I've had to someone considering this city, sorry if it was a bit forward, though.

Thought I'd check up and see how you're settling in. The first month can be a tough one.

[lightlessflame]

I believe as you pointed out at the time, I was the one who started it. You have nothing to apologize for. Hello, Anthony. Thank you for your message.

[Time for Crowley to get way too much information right off the bat because she has no particular concept of a filter.]

I would say that I'm settling in as well as can be expected, under the circumstances. I recently had sexual relations for the first time, in order to participate in society in the way that's dictated. I am also making steps to mitigate my physically limitations.

gift delivery: 12/20

[compellingstatement]

[Jon tells himself this is as much a practical thing as a gift when he leaves a metal box outside Agnes' residence. The metal is to make sure she can actually open the thing without burning it. There's a sheet of paper taped to it with her name on it, as well. Inside, Agnes will find three pairs of gloves. Maybe she's getting a spell to help with the issue, but it never hurts to have them.

There's no note to accompany the gift.]

[lightlessflame]

[Hey she's delighted as fuck.]

Text; un: theadministrator (takes place soon after her collar thread with Jon)

[fingeronthebutton]

Agnes, we need to discuss something.
Meet me at this location in an hour.

[And he leaves her an address to coffee shop.]

action;

[lightlessflame]

[There's no need to respond to the message, of course. Just being there on time is enough. But she stares at it for a long while, brow furrowed, a stirring of discomfort in the pit of her stomach. What does he want? The fact that he's messaging her now...well, she can't imagine that it's a coincidence.

Elias Bouchard doesn't seem to be the kind of man who's prone to coincidences. She leaves her scarf in her apartment before heading out to the appointed location. There's no point sitting around, so she'll be a bit early this time, waiting with her black coffee.]

[sathan]

( by the time agnes gets home after her day to venia and whatever else she has for the day she'll find a small box in her apartment, left on her bedside table with a small note atop it in handwriting that might be a little familiar )

Agnes,
Something to thank you for what you've done.
Lilith

( inside the box will be a small, simple bracelet, spelled with both heat protection and something to hide her from elias's senses )

[lightlessflame]

[The gift surprises her, but she finds it lovely, and, not knowing the spells it contains, puts it on readily. She carefully places the note with gloved hands somewhere she can admire it, and thinks that she'll have to come up with a lovely reply the next time she sees her friend.]

un: thearchivist; text (1/?)

[compellingstatement]

[He's been meeting Agnes for coffee daily since she'd made the offer. Every day from 2 to 3 PM. That's their schedule. Agnes is always there before him or extremely punctual, so it's a little odd when he get there and she's not at their usual table.]

Are you okay?
I've ordered your regular.

(2/?)

[compellingstatement]

[Five minutes pass without reply.]

Agnes?

text;

[demonicmiracle]

I've heard about what happened. If you'd like company, you're welcome in my flat. No need to talk about it if you don't want to. If it's all a bit much, you can ignore this until you're ready.

Take care.

audio;

[lightlessflame]

[Agnes doesn't see the message, or who sent it. She'd leaned forward at the first pressings of Jon's power against her, her long hair fanning out around her, and in that protective coil she felt her phone buzz. It was very easy, then, to reach into her pocket and let her phone simply begin recording.

When Crowley tunes in, he can only hear half of the conversation. The voice that belongs to the one Agnes is speaking with coming in only as static.

This "defiance", at least, she can do.]

[sathan]

Crowley told me that you're with him.
Is there anything I can do?

( she won't ask if she's alright because she knows exactly what realignment is like even if she hopes agnes's punishment was far different than her own )

[lightlessflame]

[Abnormally, Agnes replies via audio. It's a very brief, soft-spoken message.]

Will you come see me?

( text | un: lilith )

[sathan]

There's someone here you should be careful of.

[lightlessflame]

[Well, that's definitely not something that anyone wants to hear. Agnes frowns as she considers the message.]

Who is it?

un: thearchivist; text (before the spaceship)

[compellingstatement]

[Shortly after a mildly unsettling exchange, Jon contacts Agnes.]

Agnes, there's a new man who's arrived here named Cole.
He's a spirit in a human's body and has some... bizarre combination of powers.
He can look into your head and pull out your most intimate thoughts.
And he can make you forget things, remove memories.

If you'd be all right with it, I'd like to give you a tape recorder to carry with you, in case you encounter him.
He can't remove his voice from the tapes.
He's already tried to wipe my memory.
I only discovered it because I was recording.

[lightlessflame]

Alright.

[Concise as always, but mercifully, Agnes doesn't simply leave him with that.]

Thank you for warning me, Jon. Do you have any idea why he would try and do such a thing?

( text | un: mrs.s )

[aeva]

Hello, my name is Mrs Sheringham. I received some paperwork this morning that lists me as being in a contract with you. I thought it would be a good idea to meet and talk about it.

[lightlessflame]

Hello. I'm afraid that can't be possible; my current contract is permanent.

[Agnes checks her unread messages; sure enough, she'd skipped one that she hadn't cared to acknowledge from Duplicity officials. Truly? Somehow, suddenly, she seems lighter.]

I apologize, I just saw my own notification. Would you care to meet at a cafe?

gift delivery

[compellingstatement]

[Agnes' gift this year is a set of plates featuring various fish on them. There are 20, in total. There's a note with them.]

I thought you might find these funny for your bakery.
-Jon

( text | un: mrs.s )

[aeva]

I have a question for you and I have to admit that I'm a little embarrassed to ask it.

[lightlessflame]

Please, ask anything. There's nothing I would dare to judge you on.

( text | un: mrs.s )

[aeva]

Do you like ice cream?

[lightlessflame]

I don't know. I've never had it.

un: thearchivist; text

[compellingstatement]

[It's 3 AM and the Archivist is bored to tears, sitting in jail, unable to work, unable to focus well enough to fall down a useless research hole on the internet thanks to being too tired. So, it's Agnes' turn for a late text he'll regret later.]

You should get a cat if you don't end up contracting with Festival.
Do you think regular cats are like children to him?
Or more like apes?

[lightlessflame]

[Is it because she is what she is that Agnes is a light sleeper, or is she merely a night owl? Either way, Jon is (questionably) lucky enough to get a direct response.]

This is a very strange question to ask.

[She's just saying.]

text; un: louis

[deathoftheauthor]

Mademoiselle Montague,

I hope you have been well, and that you have found the summer heat rejuvenating. There is a matter I wish to discuss with you, and I feel it would be best spoken of in person. Might you spare the time to meet with me some evening?

Warmest regards,
Louis de Pointe du Lac

[lightlessflame]

[What a well-written message! Agnes can't help but smile. She's not used to receiving such a formal sort of letter.]

Hello Louis,

Thank you for the kind words. While temperature holds little meaning to me due to the abnormal composition of my body, I do enjoy what summer brings. The flowers are lovely, this time of year. Have you seen them in North Park, lately? Perhaps we can walk through it together. I find it's another great place to watch the citizens go about their lives, oblivious to the dangers that stalk them.

I am free tonight, or any other that would suit you.

Yours,
Agnes

text; un: louis

[deathoftheauthor]

Good evening. I hope you've been well.

Do you have a free night somewhat soon? There is someone whom I would very much like you to meet.

[lightlessflame]

Good evening to you, too. It's always nice to hear from you.

All my nights tend to be free, and I would be glad to meet anyone you recommend.

Delivered on Dec 25th

[compellingstatement]

[On Christmas morning, Agnes will find a pair of books. One is titled Fire Safety and You, and appears to be a children's guide to preventing fires. Jon has a certain sense of humor, and he thinks Agnes will appreciate it. The real gift is a book of jokes, focused on puns, on all manner of things.]

[lightlessflame]

[She loves these, by the way, and her pun game is going to get incredibly strong, if no less monotonously delivered.]

un: thearchivist; text (backdated to the start of the Down evacuation)

[compellingstatement]

Agnes, I wanted to check in.
Have you got a contract at the moment?
If you need somewhere to stay in the Up, my house is open.
Anything you need.

[lightlessflame]

Unfortunately, my contract partner disappeared from the city in December.

[Things she should probably tell people, but she honestly doesn't think to mention it.]

I'd hate to put you out; you know the cold doesn't bother me.