Once upon a time...

[timefather]

[ For the residents of Märchenstraße, and all the land surrounding it, the eighth of December was a day to look forward to. Looking at it from an outside perspective, strangers and travelers could easily assume it to be a holiday. At the very least, a day for a festival, if a modest one. A day that shopkeeps spent all morning preparing for, that all manner of creatures spent days traveling to the city to witness. They'd heard the talk that passed around, the rumors from those still left. But would it work? No one knew for sure, no matter how confident the stories seemed to be. But hope was very quickly becoming all they had left.

They had decorated the whole town. Streamers, banners, wreathes and garland made of autumn flowers, plus whatever the Fairy Godmother had cooked up. Oh, she was just giddy. No skepticism could be spoken around her, not if you wanted to escape the wrath of her wand! Rumor had it that she had caught wind of a few piglets squealing about the likelihood that their magic would fail, and that they were subsequently transformed into the band of musicians who could be found performing in the park.

Well, at least the music was festive.

Of course, the decorations weren't for the newcomers alone. Autumn was coming to a close in just a few weeks, and Old Man Winter would take the reigns like he did every year, and their weather would turn cold and harsh. The chill was already there, cool and biting when the wind picked up speed. Lady Autumn was much preferred to the citizens of the city with her gentle nature, even if she failed to show up, finishing her work in the orchards instead. That was what they liked about her.

It was mid-morning when Father Time was found outside of his tower, checking one of the numerous pocket watches he kept on his person. "Unnecessary, but comfortable," he called them, and closed the watch again. It was twelve o'clock in the afternoon, and where empty space had been just seconds before, now they were. Sitting on benches, lying in flower patches, scattered about the city and outside of the gates in peaceful slumber. They would awaken to the bells of the clock tower. Some, to many friendly and relieved faces all around them, some to grateful ones carrying gifts of food and clothing and magic, and some to fearful, cautious faces. Regardless of how the town treated them, they would awaken to a celebration of their arrival, and choices to be made, and the books. Each and every one. ]

Comments

[under_the_wire]

[Finally, some useful information. This is the second book he's come across with the name of some sort of magical creature on it and the first time anyone has had any sort of clue as to the name on his own book. "White Beauty" still doesn't mean a great deal to him, but with all the fuss about his hair, at least there's some sort of connection. "White" he certainly provide, but beauty? Maybe if you really like freckles.]

There's some sort of enchantment, either on the books or on us, that ties us to these names somehow. All of the people here call us by them and they seem to expect us to provide something based on it.

[perfectionisms]

[ Just when she taught she was talking to someone sane, he starts talking about enchantments. What is wrong with this world. ]

It's not an enchantment. There has to be a logical explanation to all of this. I am not and have never been a fairy. Those creatures exist only in fairy tales and foolishly fanciful tales of foolish whimsy. This is real life.

[under_the_wire]

I admit that I've never seen proof that fairies exist, either, but I have seen someone whose book labeled them a djinn and that is something I have seen much of, so there is at least some basis in reality.

[His reality is just a little different from hers.]

[perfectionisms]

Genies? Hah! [ What a cold and bitter laugh that was. ] Poppycock.

I suppose we better find this man, rub his lamp and wish for us to get out of here.

[under_the_wire]

Somehow I have my doubts about that. Is that how dji-- er, genies work in the stories you've read?

[That may be how it works in the story connected to Mogget's book. He'll have to pass that on if he ever crosses paths with him again.]

[perfectionisms]

They reside in lamps and rings, they grant three wishes each. Without an object to trap them in, they can wreck havoc throughout the land.

They're also foolish figments of fiction, so we never had to worry about them.

[under_the_wire]

I see. That's very interesting. I can see how someone who knows very little about them could come to those conclusions and write a story like that. [He rolls his eyes.] I can even think of someone whose stories might have helped that along a little.

[He mulls that over for a few seconds before proceeding.]

So there is nothing magical where you come from?

[perfectionisms]

All magic is trickery and fiction. [ shaking her head at his foolishness. ] Anyone past the age of seven can tell you that.

[under_the_wire]

Perhaps in the world you're from, but I assure you things are quite different elsewhere. It seems quite common here, though different from what I'm used to.

[He runs his fingers through his hair and holds up the ruby that falls out. Sure, she'll probably think it's sleight of hand, but it can't hurt to try.]

[perfectionisms]

[ Her reaction's that obvious, huh? She snorts derisively. ]

Was that supposed to impress me? I could do better tricks with my whip.

[ Ready to prove it, she stretches her whip overhead. ]

[under_the_wire]

[He tries to keep his expression neutral and bland, but really? That little whip?]

Is that so? I'm sure they are indeed quite impressive.

[perfectionisms]

[ Hey, it was pretty special in her world. She has wrangled many a testimony with that whip and made grown men cry.

In this world, it is just a whip. ]

More impressive than that extremely expensive sleight if hand.

[ Don't mind if she helps herself to one gem... for evidence. ]

[under_the_wire]

[He'll give her credit. She is good enough with a whip for that little trick, at least. If he was a bit more of a show-off, he'd show her up with his wires, but he prides himself on being more mature than that.]

It would, perhaps, be more effective if your whip had a longer reach. It would be a small matter for me to take that back from you at this range.

[perfectionisms]

[ Her eyebrow raises at the topic of her range. As for taking things back, she thinks of it as nothing but a threat. Why would she fear a simple but extravagant street magician? ]

I could whip a man across a court room [ something that you should never do, btw ]. That's how far I can reach. It's a profiessional tool, not something for your foolish circus tricks.

[under_the_wire]

["Foolish circus tricks" indeed. He has half a mind to show her what he can do with Bararaq Sei after all. It's been a long day and she's really trying his patience.]

I would more expect to see whip tricks at a circus. Perhaps it is you who has missed your calling.

[perfectionisms]

[ Eyebrows raised. Why was he picking a fight when she's been so nice to him? ]

I doubt that someone like you would be granted an audience in court, except as a defendant. I don't blame you for your foolish close-mindedness.

I don't tell you how to do whatever it is that you do for a job, don't tell me how to do mine.

[under_the_wire]

[No, he expects she would tell him how to do his job.]

The only judicial matters I'm left to deal with are the ones brought to my king directly. [that pile up on his desk and need someone to tend to them.] However, we've been stripped of any sort of job or station by being brought here. I have no kingdom and you have no court, so it's best we set that aside and try to make sense of the situation.