Hey, guys. You may have noticed that I'm not posting as many author's notes anymore. This is partially because of social fatigue, but also because FFN has been rather difficult for me to use, lately. I'm still seeing your reviews in emails, and they make me very happy (I'm always especially excited to see familiar names, like 17), but being on this website for longer than it takes me to post a new chapter is painful, because I keep getting routed through cloudflare to do captchas.
If you want to talk to me somewhere I'm more able to respond, please check out my tumblr which is five-rivers.
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Chapter 254: First Errand
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Jazz joined Dmitri on the roof.
"Can't see the stars here," he murmured. "I know where they should be, but they aren't here."
"You can see the moon, though," said Jazz, pointing, unnecessarily.
"Yeah… it's nice. As long as it's clear, you can see the moon." He sighed. "I read all the books they left here," he admitted. "I'm bored."
"Well, hi there, bored, I'm Jazz."
"Ugh, that was terrible, don't give Sojourn ideas."
"I'm sure he already has them. And if he doesn't, he will soon. It's a dad thing."
Dmitri's blush, even in human form, was slightly luminescent. "Is it?"
"Apparently, yeah."
"Wonder what the psychology of that is," he said, quietly.
"Wanting to bug your kids."
"Hm," said Dmitri.
"Want to try going out and getting some books? There are some bookstores around here."
"I don't know…" said Dmitri, shrinking a bit. "That sounds like a lot of people… who might not like us."
"True, but how can we make connections if we don't put ourselves out there? If we stay a mystery forever, it'll be easier to demonize us." She paused. "Not that it's your responsibility. I've just been thinking about it. Thinking about maybe Sam, Wes, Mar, and I going around… some of the wisps… We're kind of nonthreatening."
"I mean… are you? I don't have a lot of reference points, but you do have swords."
"I could leave the swords."
"I don't think that's a good idea…"
"You're probably right."
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The Chef slipped back into the embassy through the kitchen.
"Did you find anything?" asked Sojourn as she shed her human disguise.
"Nothing conclusive. I am surprised by how well I'm remembered. I was told more than once that I resembled myself. No one you young people would know," she added at Sam's curious look. "They have good informational security. They're aware of our abilities. I never heard where they were holding our friends, although they were discussed. The president has evidently banished Freakshow to the same location. I propose that he be followed."
"I second!" said Sam, raising her hand.
"That sounds dangerous, though," said Pamela. "Who would we be sending? Would they be safe?"
"I would volunteer, but we're entertaining tomorrow evening," said the Chef.
"I could cook," said Irving. "I mean, I'm not as good as you, but I can cook. Deep fryers don't run themselves. And the sauce… all that sauce…"
"And you'll be a great help, dear, but I think expecting you to provide for all those politicians is a bit much."
"We can't send just anyone, either," mused Sojourn. "Freakshow is a powerful sorcerer, who even managed to control the Unstoppable Mailman, for a short time."
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Jazz, as she and Dmitri came down from the roof.
"They're sending Freakshow to where they're keeping the ghosts the GIW captured," said Sam.
"It sounds like whoever goes has to be as sneaky as a ghost, but can't be a ghost, because a ghost could be controlled," said Wes, petting Inky, who purred in agreement. "And it can't be anyone the government knows should be here."
"So," mumbled Dmitri, "like a half-ghost?"
"Maybe we could get Ellie to come," said Sam. "Or would that take too long?"
"I got the impression that they're sending him away first thing in the morning," said the Chef. "They didn't mention a specific time."
"No, I mean…" Dmitri raised his hand, slightly. "I'm a half-ghost. I could… I could do it." He looked up, briefly, saw the eyes on him, and stepped slightly behind Jazz.
"I think," said Sojourn, "that might be a little too much for you, at this point."
"You haven't even fought anyone for real yet," said Mar. "Not that you should have to, but this is the kind of thing you build up to."
"I know how to fight off mind control from Danny's memories," said Dmitri. "I wouldn't even be fighting Freakshow directly. I'd just be following along behind."
"I feel like we're forgetting something important here," said Jazz. "What about duplicates?"
"Won't work outside of a certain range," said Sojourn. "Even for me."
"And depending on the type of mind control Freakshow is using, it could work through the duplicates," said Mar. "Like, there are some objects powerful enough that even an image of the object can affect a ghost. Of course, I think we can conclude by how he let, or had to let, both Poindexter and the Unstoppable Mailman go, that his current mode of control is not so strong or absolute. However, we cannot discount the ability that he has since been able to locate more powerful objects."
"Thank you, Mar. If we can't get word to the Realms – and a volunteer – in time, however, we may have to let this go."
"Maybe if I went back," said Sam, "I'd be able to get some pictures?" She hadn't been able to take anything but normal pictures here in DC, and she hadn't been able to get distance pictures of anyone she wasn't familiar with. But she was willing to try.
"Mm," said Sojourn. "It might be worth it, but you'd have to take a lot for us to get a good picture of where he's going and how to follow him. How much film do you have?"
"A couple rolls."
Sojourn considered this. "Not enough to justify sending you back and having our hosts wonder why. As much as I hate to admit it… in this case, sticking to the diplomatic route may be better."
"But we don't even know if we can do a prisoner exchange," said Jazz. "The court was still stalled when we left."
"It's certainly a conundrum," said Sojourn. "But let's start by alerting the Realms. With my portals, it's just—"
A portal opened. Wulf stepped out, holding a scroll.
"Or, perhaps, this message will change our decision. Thank you." He took the scroll and unraveled the diplomatic ribbon and broke the seal. "It looks like we can do a prisoner exchange after all. Wulf, would you mind waiting while we draft a return message?"
Wulf shook his head.
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"Dan, are you-? What are you doing?" asked Danny, coming to a stop in the doorway of Dan's temporary room.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" snarled Dan. "And didn't… how to knock?"
Danny felt like there was something missing from that last sentence, but chose to ignore it in favor of examining Dan's… "Honestly, it looks like very sad paper mache."
"It's my college application," snapped Dan.
"It's… Huh. Where are you applying, and have you considered how to maximize the amount of pain it'll give Vlad?"
"Do I look like an idiot?"
"Right now? Yes. Where are you applying, anyway?"
"This one's going to Dis."
"I'm pretty sure the paper will catch on fire if you send it there."
"This is a mockup. The real one will be brass."
"Ah, that makes sense, then. Want to take a break to track down and cause problems for a guy who hurt you in the past?"
"… I'm listening."
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Dmitri had never snuck out before, but he knew how it went. Memories from his brother and sister. He expected problems in execution, of course. No plan survived contact with the enemy. Or reality. Was reality the enemy? A philosophical question!
Hopefully he had inherited his original's skill in the act.
If not… well, worst that could happen was that he'd be scolded. A lot. By everyone.
He didn't know how he'd take that. He'd only ever been scolded by his progenitor, before, and that was when he wasn't entirely a thinking, reasoning being. He was different, now. The people he was around were different, too. Better, maybe.
Well. Definitely. He didn't remember Vlad all that much – he remembered caring deeply about him – but he knew that, compared to now, Vlad hadn't treated him very well. Or his clone siblings. Or Danny.
Dmitri was curious about Danny, but also cautious of him. He knew that Danny hadn't meant to hurt him, that what had happened had been nothing more than a reflexive response to an assault ordered by Vlad and carried out by Dmitri.
But it was hard for Dmitri to control his own reflexive responses to the memory of the event. And reminders thereof. Such as Danny.
Trauma, Jazz would probably say.
He wanted more psychology books. What he remembered of it sounded so interesting, but Danny hadn't always paid attention to Jazz, so his knowledge was frustratingly limited.
He could still turn around, go back inside, and ask Jazz to teach him more. He could let go of this idea, let go of this stupid, risky plan and be a good, well-behaved child.
Yeah. Okay. He wasn't going to do that. Who was he kidding? He was a Phantom after all.
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"It shouldn't be as surprising as it is," said Sojourn. "But Dmitri seems to have vanished overnight."
"To chase Freakshow?" asked Jazz.
"That does seem to be the most likely reason," admitted Sojourn.
Jazz sighed deeply. "I don't know why I didn't expect this."
"We really should have expected it, yes. I agree."
"So… can you tell where he is?"
"Vaguely, but I'd rather not inadvertently reveal his presence by teleporting or portalling in on top of a large group of whatever flunkies the president has set to babysit Freakshow. I've sent a duplicate to follow at a distance for however long it's able."
"And as soon as you get to the end of your range?"
"My dear, this is my child. My son. Attempting to stalk a trafficker. Of course, I'm going to swoop in and make sure he's safe. The first errand only goes so far."
"The what?"
"Oh, yes, that's more of a Japanese tradition, isn't it? Never mind, it isn't important. I'm just worried that if I go too soon, I'll damage his confidence in himself and in his abilities."
"I do feel the need to remind you that we are talking about Dmitri, who has extremely little experience existing, tracking down and following a human traffic—" Jazz cut herself off. "Ghost trafficker. A very dangerous ghost trafficker."
"Your point?"
"There is such a thing as overconfidence."
