A Marsh Guest

[themorbidsocialite]

Bugsby's Marshes were home to a wide and varied array of micro- and macroorganisms, the biodiversity one of its most notable features. Yes, a great many of the creatures were incredibly dangerous, but wasn't every environment filled with such risk? Surely, all one had to do to avoid assault was avoid bothering the various animals. Surely.

This was how the Morbid Socialite- Mori- found himself in the depths of the marshes, gathering samples of water, plant life, lichen, and insects to start his research. He was too busy marking notes on a variety of mushroom to notice the eyes on him. The thoughtful hum to themselves and the squeaking of tall boots, worn to avoid staining the hems of their trousers, were enough to hide the sound of something treading through the muck. They only noticed the disturbance when the bugs they'd been surrounded by had scattered. He turned and his eyes widened, finding a second pair staring into his.

"Oh, bloody 'ell."

Screaming echoed across the marsh, likely reaching at least someone's ears.

Comments

[themorbidsocialite]

Mori rubbed his neck as he considered everything. Careful of his stitches, he gave another stretch and carefully maneuvered his legs under the blanket, towel positioned underneath. He reached over and gave scratches to both animals, gentle and affectionate, before pulling the mask up over his eyes and attempting to sleep.

What a day.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

Maven changed into her nightgown and got prepared for sleep. Devil had said not to wait up for him, which likely meant he planned on hunting the rest of the night. So this left her alone with her thoughts.

....

Mori kept the mummified arm of their dead daughter in their bag and is planning to use it to resurrect her.

Maven spent a little while staring up at the ceiling, her mind a swirl of thoughts and feelings on all that had transpired. Thankfully, the Spoiring she had drunk earlier helped eased her into sleep eventually.

[themorbidsocialite]

Despite the swirling thoughts, blurred only slightly by the haze of good wine, Mori was out like a light the moment his head hit the pillow. If there was anything more to think about or remember, it was either gone or would have to wait until morning. There was no waking this man until then.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

When Mori would next wake, it was well into the afternoon. The animals were currently playing with each other around the room, playing a game of chase and light play fighting.

[themorbidsocialite]

To say Mori had slept heavily would have been an understatement. He had slept like the dead, if the dead were particularly drooly or often had their entire hairstyle be made up of cowlicks. The experience, pillow marks on his face included, could best be described as one hell of a sleep. He observed the window and, realizing his brain could not yet tell time by level of light alone, reached for his pocket watch. Which also happened to be away.

Because he had put it in his bag.

His bag, which was out in the Maven's living space.

It was likely worrying that it took a moment to remember, firstly, where exactly he was and, secondly, why exactly he was there. Likely even more worrying to realize he would have been okay with most of the options, had he not landed on the correct one.

Mori yawned and wiped some of the crusted drool from his mouth with his shirt sleeve before remembering this wasn't his shirt. A pity. He went to check his wounds at the same time he listened for anything outside the door.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

There were voices out in the living space. It sounded like Devil was back and him and Maven were conversing. But Mori was a door and a hallway away from hearing specifics.

[themorbidsocialite]

Mori took approximately ten minutes to get up and get to the door, ignoring the injuries and praying they didn't get worse in his sleep. The hangover made his head throb with the change in height, so he had to take a moment by the door to let it settle before opening it.

Mori traced a hand along the wall as he limped down the hall, stopping before he could be seen.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

"So did you leave the other marsh wolf body?"

"Nah, I dragged that to Audrey."

"Ah, of course."

"I figured, probably a treat after the usual sorrow spider-"

There was an anthropod chittering noise.

"Not you Mimosa."

"Well, hopefully this new one hasn't been dead too long and will be an okay specimen."

[themorbidsocialite]

Mori came out from the hall with a smile, only barely more put together than he was getting out of bed. "Good morning, you two. I hope you've slept well." He's leaning against the wall still as he takes in the scene before him.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

Maven was sat at one of the small tables. She seemed to be attempting to pick a lock. Not a lock TO anything, just some random padlock, as if she was lockpicking just for the sake of lockpicking.

The more unusual sight was over where Devil sat on the floor. He was playing with a sorrow spider, (likely the Mimosa Mori overheard him respond to), tossing the cat-sized creature glim which it would pick up and form into different shapes. He was still very dirty and messy from the hunt.

Maven looked up from the padlock, standing up and going to Mori, "Good morning! Well, actually it is the afternoon now, but it doesn't matter! How are you feeling?"

[themorbidsocialite]

"Afternoon? Goodness, I must have needed the sleep." Mori looked around the room, reorienting himself with the layout of the house. "I'm feeling better. More blood than wine in my veins now, I would hope. I do hope I haven't overstayed my welcome. I may summon a hansom back into the city, soon."

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

"Okay, I'm glad you're feeling better," Maven said, a look of relief spreading over her face, "And I can assure you that you're always welcomed here! If you want I can make you a sandwich or something to eat before you head home. Oh, also, Derek has something to give you before you leave."

[themorbidsocialite]

Mori waved a hand respectfully. "No food for this moment, I apologize. I fear the wine is still lingering and the prospect of eating anything at the moment is dreadful. I do hope, however, to invite you both for a meal at my home someday soon. It's only respectful to return the favor you've done me."

Mori turned to face the Devil and nodded. "I do hope the rest of your night went well. You've brought something? Then color me intrigued."

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

"That would be lovely!" Maven smiled at the idea of dinner at Mori's place.

Devil got up from the floor, tossing the rest of the glim to Mimosa and dusting himself off before heading towards the door, "Yep, it's just outside."

[themorbidsocialite]

Mori followed the Devil, taking a moment to grab his bag and lifting it with his good side. Thankfully, it wasn't overly heavy, so he had no trouble carrying it to the door. He briefly spared a look at the Maven. Had she told the Devil? Was he aware of their goal? Did it actually matter? Mori shook his head and followed Derek out the door.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

The Devil took Mori outside and gestured near the fence, "There you go. Should still be relatively fresh for whatever the Hell you wanted it for." Right by the fence was the body of a marsh wolf. Clearly not the same one from yesterday, as this one still had its head. This was a more recent kill.

[themorbidsocialite]

Mori paused for a moment, shortly believing this to be the same marsh-wolf before remembering the sudden decapitation of the last. "Remarkable. Would you at all mind helping me over to it?" He'd opened up his bag and considered the implements at his disposal. "An incredible specimen. And the central nervous system was kept intact?"

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

Devil blinked at them as he helped them over to the wolf, a pause in the air before he said, "I mean, its head is still on if that's what you mean. Figured you'd want it all in one piece so I ambushed it and suffocated it so it would be. Heck of a lot harder to kill that way but not impossible." He waved a hand at the wolf as if to prove his point.

[themorbidsocialite]

"Only minor cerebral damage from oxygen deprivation, then. Acceptable." Mori grunted and groaned into a tentative kneel, careful of his injuries as he examined the body. "Fresh, minimal to no signs of decay... Perfect. Well done."

Mori then took a bone saw, a pen, and a slip of paper from his bag. It took approximately seven seconds for the saw to cut through the neck, severing the vertebrae at the cartilage, another five seconds to draw the fourth Correspondence symbol on the page, and only a moment to slap it onto the head's slowly bleeding stump before it could combust. The sudden burning cauterized the opening and Mori patted it out before it could spread. He lifted the head and observed it. "Good. Very good. This will do nicely. Thank you, Derek. You've been a fantastic help."

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

Devil stared as the whole thing happened.

Oh. So he went out of his way to get an intact body, killed the wolf in a very inconvenient way, and all they needed was the fucking head.

Might as well have just shot the thing, or even just brought the corpse from last night at that point.

It's fine. This is fine.

Funnily enough he found himself too tired to even get angry. He was just ready to crash now.

So he turned and walked back into the house, exhaustion setting in his voice, "Okay, good to hear."

Maven had walked out at a point, and upon seeing the look on Devil's face she said, "Honey, are you-"

"I'm gonna sleep now," was all Devil said as he walked into the house.

[themorbidsocialite]

"Yes, the timing and the minimal damage is just right. With such a carefully prepared specimen, it should help keep the brain stem intact when I--" Mori turned and watched Derek leave. "Oh, um, alright. I wish you good rest?" He spared a look at the Maven that seemed to ask if it was something he did or said.

"It is a shame about the rest of the body, but I can't have a whole wolf in my abode while I work, nor would it be particularly reasonable for the end result." Mori put the head in the bag, the velvet protecting the arms from the head and the cauterizing preventing further bleeding.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

"It's fine," Maven assured Mori as she approached, "He's just tired after hunting all night. He assumed you needed the full body unharmed, he probably would have just shot it or would have used some other easier method. He just needs sleep, he will be fine afterward."

She would make sure to explain that the method he used was still optimal in terms of the end result, that Devil still did a great job getting a good specimen for Mori.

She watched them put the head in their bag, "Do you need another bag? It might be more practical to put the head in a second bag. I have a few if you need."

She also took the opportunity to look at their hands, which she saw them use to pat out the fire.

[themorbidsocialite]

"I do apologize, nonetheless." Mori moved to stand, leaning against the fence and sighing. "And no, I feel it would be rather more impractical to occupy both arms or over-encumber one arm when I require both good balance and a free hand to help with travel. Though, I do thank you. That is very kind of you."

His hands were rather fine, the callouses developed from frequently chapped hands helping keep the damage limited to just minor redness and stinging. If only there were an implement that could protect one's hands so they wouldn't become so chapped with frequent washing... Perhaps in another ten or so 1899s.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

"True, that is a good point," Maven agreed, "Though with that head I feel like your balance will be impacted regardless. Probably good that you'll be getting a hansom then, in any case." She looked back over to the now bleeding headless wolf corpse by her fence. Guess Audrey will be getting more marsh wolf to eat.

[themorbidsocialite]

"Undoubtedly. Despite my bloodless protestations the night before, I do not believe I can reach my flat in such a state on my own. Pride does cometh before the fall and, now, I think I would rather take the hansom. Is there nothing else I can do to help you before my departure?"