Wings Of Destiny
Chapter Five: After- Hour Visits
Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow of Destiny or Nicholas Flammel
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Margarete leafed through a book titled "Rare Stones" boredly. She had gone over the same page for the fifth time before realizing she had taken in none of it. She had spent the day going through many books, but despite the several that mentioned the stone, the information was secluded and minimal.
Margarete shut the book and pushed it away from her with a sigh. Now was the perfect time for a break, and she was anxious to get out and look around this interesting time.
"Hugo always locked me up when he was out." Margarete thought as she left the Brum building and made her way downhill. "And I'm sure Homunculus won't mind if I take my nose out of a book for just a little bit."
She stared in awe at all the people and buildings as she walked, her mind wandering. "He's very mysterious. But he's so cruel. How can someone so devastatingly handsome be so cold- hearted?" As she thought this, her face began to burn. "Oh God! I didn't mean that! I meant..." She mentally growled in frustration and kicked herself, before ducking into the Bar Zum Ei, as if to escape her own thoughts.
"Welcome, Miss! Don't believe I've seen you around. Hungry?" Now that the bartender mentioned it, Margarete realized she hadn't eaten in more than nine hours. She nodded her head at the man. "Well here, why don't you sit here at this table?" He said as he ushered her to an empty table by the window. "Now, what would you like? Our special's very good, fresh shrimp and clams over zesty fettuccini with Alfred sauce."
"Yes, that sounds delicious."
"Okay, coming right up." He made his way down the stairs, and a young lady came up to her after him.
"May I get you something to drink?"
"Water will be fine, thank you."
"Of course."
This was nice. She had expected, when walking into the bar, a gang of rowdy men, yelling and stomping around drunkenly. But this was almost the exact opposite. Sure, the occasional drunk guy stumbled up the stairs on his way out, but overall it was quiet for this time of night.
"Here you go." The bartender had returned with her food, and also, she realized with a small amount of surprise, the young waitress had also come and gone with her drink. She thanked him and set to her meal.
The food was delicious, fully cooked, and the silverware was so clean! The water tasted different, but it wasn't a bad different at all. It actually tasted fresh, and not cloudy or gritty like she was accustomed to. She was definitely going to enjoy it here.
Margarete glanced at the strip of paper that the bartender had laid in front of her when he set down her food. It had her meal typed on it, and beside it, a couple of numbers.
"Oh! I forgot all about money!" She whispered into her hand. She looked down into her empty plate. "Well, it's too late now."
"Are you ready to pay the bill, ma'am?" Having seen her pick up the bill, the bartender had come over to her table again.
"I, um..." Her voice trailed off; she couldn't fid the words to tell him hat she had no money.
The bartender seemed to read her mind through her hesitation. "Forgot your purse? That's okay; I'll start a tab for you. Just pay it next time you come in."
Margarete sighed with relief. "Thank you so much."
"No problem." He began to pick up her plate and glass as she got up and left.
"I'm going to have to get a job here, if I expect to eat." She thought as she walked down Haupstr. But that brought up another problem. How was she going to maintain a job and create the Sorcerer's stone for Homunculus? Could she really do both without tempting his wrath? "I'll just have to see how things play out, I suppose."
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Margarete fell asleep among the many books that were piled on her table that night. Mr. Eckert had been downstairs drinking a glass of water when he noticed the light on under the doorframe. Carefully inching the door open so that it would not creak, Mr. Eckert peered around the white door. He saw Margarete immediately.
Despite the fact that the building was closed to all visitors at this hour, Mr. Eckert took pity on the girl, and fetched a blanket and pillow for her. Lifting her head up slowly and gently, he replaced the book she had fallen asleep on with the pillow and draped the blanket around her shoulders. She moaned softly and murmured something incoherent. Mr. Eckert smiled fatherly. He felt a strange familiarity for the girl that he could not explain. He brushed a strand out of her face and left, shutting the door gently behind him.
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
Homunculus appeared in the library five minutes before Margarete would wake. He walked over to the table she slept at and crossed his arms, watching her with a distant curiosity. Humans really did look angelic when they slept.
Homunculus picked up the sheet of paper Margarete had been taking notes on. Just one sheet.
Not much progress, then. He took a closer look at the neat, old age handwriting. The information she had gathered on the sheet was hardly satisfactory. Only a bit of useless historical information, half of which was not even true. He crumpled up the piece of paper and tossed it into a nearby bin. Margarete stirred.
When she forced her eyes open groggily, she found Homunculus standing a few feet away, watching her. "What are you staring at?"
"You, of course."
Margarete flushed and turned her head away from him on the pillow; she would not notice it was there until later.
"He had been watching me sleep?" Margarete thought embarrassingly. "I hope I didn't drool." Then to Homunculus, "Don't. I don't like it."
"Of course. Well, you had better get back to work then, hadn't you?" He had walked over to a bookshelf as he was saying this, and now picked up an old, tattered leather book held closed with a tarnished copper clasp. "Oh, and this might help a bit." He walked back over and placed it on her lap. Margarete looked down at it and turned it around so that it faced her.
"Hey, this book isn't even titled!" She looked up at Homunculus, but he was gone. "...Well he could of at least said good bye."
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As the day waned, Margarete found herself more and more curious about, not the Sorcerer's stone, but the philosopher's. The book Homunculus had handed her had turned out to be a diary belonging to a Nicholas Flammel, the stone's creator.
After reading so many entries, Margarete's mind wandered then to Homunculus. Whoever created the philosopher's stone, however they did it, had created the possibility of this artificial life. Had they known what would come of making it? She had to know more. Margarete stood up and searched the shelves with vigor, pulling book after book and placing them on a new table.
Maybe she would find an explanation to his sudden interest for the Sorcerer's stone. Maybe she would find a break in that cold exterior of his.
At that moment there was a knock on the door. Margarete jumped, and then looked at the door in confusion. Who would knock in a library?
She walked over to the door and opened it, finding an old, balding man carrying a tray on the other side. Wordlessly, Margarete opened the door wider and sidestepped, watching him curiously as he placed the tray on an empty table.
"I brought you some food." He said as he turned around, smiling. "I thought you might be hungry."
"Oh. Well, thank you, but I don't have any money."
"Nonsense! I don't expect anything." He stuck out his hand. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Mr. Eckert." Margarete took his hand and gave him her name, something nagging at the back of her mind. She had heard that name somewhere before...
"Oh!" She remembered now! "Eike told me about you!" Mr. Eckert looked surprised.
"You... knew Eike?"
"Yes, for a couple of years, actually." Of course she had no way of knowing it had only been one day for him. Mr. Eckert looked pensive.
"Hmm..."He pulled something out of his pocket, considering it. "Margarete, does... this by chance look familiar to you?" He indicated the small, white, dual- sided comb that he held in his hand. She recognized it immediately.
"My comb!"
"So it is yours." It was a statement rather than a question.
"Yes, but... how did you get it?"
With a sort of sad, nostalgic sigh, Mr. Eckert set off into his story, his eyes never leaving the comb.
"I should have gone with him that night." Mr. Eckert stated at the end of his story. "Maybe then..."
Margarete placed a hand over his, still encircling the comb. "You did what you could. And I have a feeling..." Margarete took in a shaky breath, ashamed of herself for what she was about to say. "That things... wouldn't have ended up much different. After meeting Eike, I'm finding myself believing in predestination more and more. I...." Margarete broke off, unable to find the words to continue.
"Perhaps your right." Margarete was surprised to hear him agree with her, and yet not. He nodded at her. "Well, I should get back to work." As he walked past one of the tables, his eyes met the titles. He stopped and turned back to Margarete. "Are you studying about the Philosopher's Stone?"
"Um. Yes."
Mr. Eckert put the comb back in his pocket and pulled something else out. "Eike was interested in that stone, too. He borrowed this book from me. I think it might help."
Margarete took the proffered book, thanking him as he stepped out.
Once he was gone, Margarete looked down at the cover. It was black, decorated with a red pentagram- type symbol. She opened it and flipped a couple of pages. Suddenly she gave a small cry of shock and alarm as she recognized a name.
The book was about her father, Dr. Wagner.
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Okay, I actually can't remember what that little book of Eike's was about (if it mentioned Dr. Wagner, or what.) I can't even remember the titled of the book. I'd go back in the game, but I lent it to someone. So if someone could just inform me, I'd really appreciate it.
Quotes (that I am disclaiming):
"What are you staring at?" "You, of course." "Don't. I don't like it." - (The Gunslinger and Man in Black, The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King.)
Chapter Five: After- Hour Visits
Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow of Destiny or Nicholas Flammel
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
Margarete leafed through a book titled "Rare Stones" boredly. She had gone over the same page for the fifth time before realizing she had taken in none of it. She had spent the day going through many books, but despite the several that mentioned the stone, the information was secluded and minimal.
Margarete shut the book and pushed it away from her with a sigh. Now was the perfect time for a break, and she was anxious to get out and look around this interesting time.
"Hugo always locked me up when he was out." Margarete thought as she left the Brum building and made her way downhill. "And I'm sure Homunculus won't mind if I take my nose out of a book for just a little bit."
She stared in awe at all the people and buildings as she walked, her mind wandering. "He's very mysterious. But he's so cruel. How can someone so devastatingly handsome be so cold- hearted?" As she thought this, her face began to burn. "Oh God! I didn't mean that! I meant..." She mentally growled in frustration and kicked herself, before ducking into the Bar Zum Ei, as if to escape her own thoughts.
"Welcome, Miss! Don't believe I've seen you around. Hungry?" Now that the bartender mentioned it, Margarete realized she hadn't eaten in more than nine hours. She nodded her head at the man. "Well here, why don't you sit here at this table?" He said as he ushered her to an empty table by the window. "Now, what would you like? Our special's very good, fresh shrimp and clams over zesty fettuccini with Alfred sauce."
"Yes, that sounds delicious."
"Okay, coming right up." He made his way down the stairs, and a young lady came up to her after him.
"May I get you something to drink?"
"Water will be fine, thank you."
"Of course."
This was nice. She had expected, when walking into the bar, a gang of rowdy men, yelling and stomping around drunkenly. But this was almost the exact opposite. Sure, the occasional drunk guy stumbled up the stairs on his way out, but overall it was quiet for this time of night.
"Here you go." The bartender had returned with her food, and also, she realized with a small amount of surprise, the young waitress had also come and gone with her drink. She thanked him and set to her meal.
The food was delicious, fully cooked, and the silverware was so clean! The water tasted different, but it wasn't a bad different at all. It actually tasted fresh, and not cloudy or gritty like she was accustomed to. She was definitely going to enjoy it here.
Margarete glanced at the strip of paper that the bartender had laid in front of her when he set down her food. It had her meal typed on it, and beside it, a couple of numbers.
"Oh! I forgot all about money!" She whispered into her hand. She looked down into her empty plate. "Well, it's too late now."
"Are you ready to pay the bill, ma'am?" Having seen her pick up the bill, the bartender had come over to her table again.
"I, um..." Her voice trailed off; she couldn't fid the words to tell him hat she had no money.
The bartender seemed to read her mind through her hesitation. "Forgot your purse? That's okay; I'll start a tab for you. Just pay it next time you come in."
Margarete sighed with relief. "Thank you so much."
"No problem." He began to pick up her plate and glass as she got up and left.
"I'm going to have to get a job here, if I expect to eat." She thought as she walked down Haupstr. But that brought up another problem. How was she going to maintain a job and create the Sorcerer's stone for Homunculus? Could she really do both without tempting his wrath? "I'll just have to see how things play out, I suppose."
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
Margarete fell asleep among the many books that were piled on her table that night. Mr. Eckert had been downstairs drinking a glass of water when he noticed the light on under the doorframe. Carefully inching the door open so that it would not creak, Mr. Eckert peered around the white door. He saw Margarete immediately.
Despite the fact that the building was closed to all visitors at this hour, Mr. Eckert took pity on the girl, and fetched a blanket and pillow for her. Lifting her head up slowly and gently, he replaced the book she had fallen asleep on with the pillow and draped the blanket around her shoulders. She moaned softly and murmured something incoherent. Mr. Eckert smiled fatherly. He felt a strange familiarity for the girl that he could not explain. He brushed a strand out of her face and left, shutting the door gently behind him.
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
Homunculus appeared in the library five minutes before Margarete would wake. He walked over to the table she slept at and crossed his arms, watching her with a distant curiosity. Humans really did look angelic when they slept.
Homunculus picked up the sheet of paper Margarete had been taking notes on. Just one sheet.
Not much progress, then. He took a closer look at the neat, old age handwriting. The information she had gathered on the sheet was hardly satisfactory. Only a bit of useless historical information, half of which was not even true. He crumpled up the piece of paper and tossed it into a nearby bin. Margarete stirred.
When she forced her eyes open groggily, she found Homunculus standing a few feet away, watching her. "What are you staring at?"
"You, of course."
Margarete flushed and turned her head away from him on the pillow; she would not notice it was there until later.
"He had been watching me sleep?" Margarete thought embarrassingly. "I hope I didn't drool." Then to Homunculus, "Don't. I don't like it."
"Of course. Well, you had better get back to work then, hadn't you?" He had walked over to a bookshelf as he was saying this, and now picked up an old, tattered leather book held closed with a tarnished copper clasp. "Oh, and this might help a bit." He walked back over and placed it on her lap. Margarete looked down at it and turned it around so that it faced her.
"Hey, this book isn't even titled!" She looked up at Homunculus, but he was gone. "...Well he could of at least said good bye."
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
As the day waned, Margarete found herself more and more curious about, not the Sorcerer's stone, but the philosopher's. The book Homunculus had handed her had turned out to be a diary belonging to a Nicholas Flammel, the stone's creator.
After reading so many entries, Margarete's mind wandered then to Homunculus. Whoever created the philosopher's stone, however they did it, had created the possibility of this artificial life. Had they known what would come of making it? She had to know more. Margarete stood up and searched the shelves with vigor, pulling book after book and placing them on a new table.
Maybe she would find an explanation to his sudden interest for the Sorcerer's stone. Maybe she would find a break in that cold exterior of his.
At that moment there was a knock on the door. Margarete jumped, and then looked at the door in confusion. Who would knock in a library?
She walked over to the door and opened it, finding an old, balding man carrying a tray on the other side. Wordlessly, Margarete opened the door wider and sidestepped, watching him curiously as he placed the tray on an empty table.
"I brought you some food." He said as he turned around, smiling. "I thought you might be hungry."
"Oh. Well, thank you, but I don't have any money."
"Nonsense! I don't expect anything." He stuck out his hand. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Mr. Eckert." Margarete took his hand and gave him her name, something nagging at the back of her mind. She had heard that name somewhere before...
"Oh!" She remembered now! "Eike told me about you!" Mr. Eckert looked surprised.
"You... knew Eike?"
"Yes, for a couple of years, actually." Of course she had no way of knowing it had only been one day for him. Mr. Eckert looked pensive.
"Hmm..."He pulled something out of his pocket, considering it. "Margarete, does... this by chance look familiar to you?" He indicated the small, white, dual- sided comb that he held in his hand. She recognized it immediately.
"My comb!"
"So it is yours." It was a statement rather than a question.
"Yes, but... how did you get it?"
With a sort of sad, nostalgic sigh, Mr. Eckert set off into his story, his eyes never leaving the comb.
"I should have gone with him that night." Mr. Eckert stated at the end of his story. "Maybe then..."
Margarete placed a hand over his, still encircling the comb. "You did what you could. And I have a feeling..." Margarete took in a shaky breath, ashamed of herself for what she was about to say. "That things... wouldn't have ended up much different. After meeting Eike, I'm finding myself believing in predestination more and more. I...." Margarete broke off, unable to find the words to continue.
"Perhaps your right." Margarete was surprised to hear him agree with her, and yet not. He nodded at her. "Well, I should get back to work." As he walked past one of the tables, his eyes met the titles. He stopped and turned back to Margarete. "Are you studying about the Philosopher's Stone?"
"Um. Yes."
Mr. Eckert put the comb back in his pocket and pulled something else out. "Eike was interested in that stone, too. He borrowed this book from me. I think it might help."
Margarete took the proffered book, thanking him as he stepped out.
Once he was gone, Margarete looked down at the cover. It was black, decorated with a red pentagram- type symbol. She opened it and flipped a couple of pages. Suddenly she gave a small cry of shock and alarm as she recognized a name.
The book was about her father, Dr. Wagner.
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
Okay, I actually can't remember what that little book of Eike's was about (if it mentioned Dr. Wagner, or what.) I can't even remember the titled of the book. I'd go back in the game, but I lent it to someone. So if someone could just inform me, I'd really appreciate it.
Quotes (that I am disclaiming):
"What are you staring at?" "You, of course." "Don't. I don't like it." - (The Gunslinger and Man in Black, The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King.)
