And it's burning where she kissed you [OTA|MTW]

[sparrowhillrose]

The carnival is gone, but the effects are still lingering, for Rose. While her hangover the morning after her ill-advised "fun" with Kitsune has faded, the vivid hickey-like mark on the back of her hand has not. She wishes she could remember what happened, where the mark came from, why it doesn't seem to be fading

Comments

[modernholmes]

Conan had his own worries about the missing people. He'd already searched the area where the carnival had been, but there was nothing there. Not even the smallest clue. And that might be the most worrying thing of all to him.

When he sees Rose walking through the barracks he leaps at the distraction from his own thoughts and walks over to her.

"Are you looking for something?

[sparrowhillrose]

"Oh, um," Rose hesitates for a moment, not really sure if she should bother this kid with her problems. On the other hand, it's not like she looks her age, so he could easily be just as experienced and mature as she is, or moreso.

"A friend of mine didn't come back from the carnival," she says, though calling Harry a "friend" is stretching the term a little. Still, close enough. "Actually, I noticed quite a few people didn't, so... I don't know what to do, I just kind of figured making sure I didn't miss him somehow couldn't hurt."

[modernholmes]

"At least ten people are missing," he states bluntly. "None of them have been seen sincew the carnival. And there are no clues left behind where it stood. After this length of time I think we have to suspect foul play. Statistically, the chance of a person surviving and returning decreases every hour." That many people disappearing with no warning or farewells? That would be suspicious by itself, even without considering their current situation.

[sparrowhillrose]

"You're real chipper and encouraging, aren't you?" Rose asks, her tone dry. Her mild amusement only lasts a moment before she sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "And there's at least one person who was living in the castle that I don't know how to get to who's missing, too. Fuck."

This is not good. Rose doesn't know what to do, where to even start looking. What information-gathering skills she remembers from their little stint in that noir detective film really doesn't apply here - there are no regulars to shake down, no police reports to get hold of.

"I don't suppose you have any ideas about what we should do?"

[boundtostay]

The Calico Cat is perched on a low branch in the tree behind the library, paws stretched out in front of her, tail twitching idly. There's no missing that there are suddenly quite a few less people here, but she hasn't figured out yet where they've gone, and that concerns her.

She looks perfectly composed... until she spots Rose. She jumps in surprise, loses her balance, and nearly topples off the branch. Catching the branch with her front paws doesn't help much - she just dangles by her claws for a moment, scrabbling to regain her position on top of the branch, and finally gives up and drops to the ground, tail lashing irritably.

So much for dignity.

[sparrowhillrose]

Rose had not noticed the Cat before her unceremonious topple from the tree. Once the scrabbling started, though, it was hard to miss it, and Rose stopped to watch the whole production with a bit of a grin.

"Yeah, I'll bet you totally meant to do that, right?" she asks, not expecting an answer. It's just how one talks to cats, when one is Rose Marshall.

[boundtostay]

The Calico Cat glares, though not quite with her usual venom, and twitches her tail one more time. "I had to get down sooner or later," she responds dryly - which is not an actual answer, but then, the Cat never gives real answers.

She's still staring at Rose like... well. Like she's seeing a ghost. She lifts one paw like she's planning to lick it nonchalantly, and then stops and sets it back on the ground, looking almost embarrassed. There is just no chance of retaining even a small manner of dignity today. None at all.

[sparrowhillrose]

Rose's eyes widen, and she blinks a bit, processing the fact that the cat just talked to her. The cat. Just talked to her.

"Right. Okay. Talking cat. I've probably seen weirder things."

She rubs the back of her hand. Yeah, she's definitely seen weirder, though she can't remember hardly anything from that night at the carnival. Still, that alone makes it weirder to her than a talking cat.

"Um, I don't suppose you have any idea where people might be if they're missing from here, do you, Puss?" She balks. "Oh, shit, that's probably really annoying for you, to be called Puss. What's your name? Do... talking cats have names?"

She's babbling. It comes from nerves, you know.