Constantine The Laughing Magician Presents -Life in the Real World –
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Chapter 12: Huxian on the Wing
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~ Another fun fact on my travels; an exemplary part of myth is born of the imagination and one's depth perception. If you have to go to sleep with tigers roaming the woods, you tell stories to pass the time. And if for some reason a kid of yours is bustin' your knuckles so you can't get any shut eye whatsoever, you scare them with the folklore that puts kids on the right path. Psychology 101. Whoever came up with that either was stoned to death or died as an immortal. My next stay was in the urban reaches of the Chinese mainland. Lae isn't too pleased about her cousin, Lau. ~
~ He's…. a chimp, and she is far superior in some way. He's a trafficker of sorts and that bugged even me…The world isn't always as we see it. And if you stare closely at the person beside you, maybe you'll see the face staring back that sees every part that you never will in yourself… ~
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Lae told the Trese that we couldn't stay. They for once had a character who looked to be bulky; a priest from times of the past, so we had a plan C riding on that…had to go to a place that sold a few artifacts; as a cover, it was actually a den where more spirits gathered only at night. Lae told m that a trip to the in-between world of the spirits would give us some more answers since the Triads had been one step before us in this "magical gang war."
Lights in China here are damned lit, as if a party never dies until dawn in this city. New York I've heard does have an off switch, but yet…China has only to wait until the sun's up to keep an even thought on how pretty it would be to wake up to a sunrise – smog and sky scrapers. I miss the country of my origin, not to be a lout. Yet, Trese is interested and we took the case. I tagged along to see why Nergal had decided to tick me the hell off. I saw a murder of a dozen Phys at his hands, and for once…he wasn't the one who started the smuggling ring.
We are in deep. This could be more that politics. No more than another bloody conspiracy as we run all over the ruddy underground…
"Here." Lae pointed to a stairway that led to the lower level of one street. Maybe a cellar for air raids?
We go and descend. I'm feeling spiders crawling on my skin as the miasma only gets thicker from here on in…
And down, we find a door of wood and open the bloody thing with a graceless push.
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A den of foxes is an understatement. In a way, we are still at the docks. Still here nor there.
I confess. I have no prior knowledge of China's equivalent of a Kitsune, but the name rings a bell and I can smell them in every corner of the den.
" Nihao." Lae heard a woman with a body like a ferret's drag itself over and tap her shoulder.
"Have you come to be impressed tonight?" She batted those eyes at me as the lights turn on.
A host bar. Thank Gods!
I hear Cassandra sigh. ~ Not a dungeon. ~
"We are here to see, the one in the back room…?" Lae edged up and whispered to the tantalizing fox in disguise.
"They will not see you. I know you were sent to gather what you came for. Phys - native." An insult as the fox snickers, as Lae's eyes start to turn to ones of pure rage.
"I…think I can assist in this. If you wouldn't mind, lov." I jump in, but what? Good that'll do me!
Trese comes to the rescue.
"What we seek is information on the unfortunate capture and trade of the Phys of the Laotian people."
So, to be honest… these were foxes…They didn't just give a damn, right?
"What can you do to obtain this, information. Should we, have it?"
The fox woman has to either be the owner of this brothel or she's keeping the scent of her mate away from us.
"We are in your service, so what do you wish to trade? Not bodies, for we must complete our task." Lae spoke, evening her tone a tad.
" Humm…I think…. We can arrange for a scavenger hunt." The fox woman hummed, then grinned to show her fox's teeth to her guests. "The loser would be left sealed to their fate. The winner, will get what they desire."
"Sounds peachy. Alright." I don't shake on it; I ask instead the fox one question; a simple one I've been waiting to sputter in its direction.
"Can we count on you lot' to do the same? To not cook us down into paste if we should lose?"
The airy laugh she gave me was enough to melt my bones down to sawdust.
" Ahh, we are not as harmful as you claim, foreigner." She batted those eyes, a small laugh with lips as red as her fur probably was. "We would certainly ask; for a price…. why not an object? Would that suffice? What thing of value do you have to offer to our "clan?"
Trese has a plan and pulls an interesting gem locket from her coat pocket. Why did I not see her pull a "Poppins" on me?
"This amulet is a charm to shield your home from those of your own race. It will better serve your family than the methods of illusion magic you've used to keep us away thus far."
I gawk at the proposal. Then what about if they end up leading us on?? What about that??
And yet, Cassandra is one tough cookie. She had a plan to start and end this war before it began.
I hope…
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"A demon's tongue from the mountains of my home –
"That, is distasteful." The fox yawns and cups her mouth as she does. "Anything else? There is very little time to struggle while in-between your world and our own…"
"Then, wh –
"I'm sure you've never seen magical relics from say, a Brit's perspective, lov?" I push on my best sales' voice. What the heck. You'd think swiping a foxes nine tails would be an easy match or the likes of this bloke? Even every succubus can't stand the sight of me all throughout Wales and the Scottish Highlands, no more!
"What about…. a bit of something more than pretty trinkets…I'd gladly be your company for tonight. And if I make you that happy…you'll give us the tool we need to stop a black-market struggle. Would hate for the Triads' agreement to keep fox meat off of their plate…it should be that way, right dear?"
"I…." Her eyes are back and forth, she'd rather break me than leave without having a good time first.
"It will…hurt…" She nods, but I get that plenty.
"I made love to the main guardian spirit of Los Angeles." I tell her this, because she'd rather laugh like all the rest. "Leave it to me, lov…"
I take her to the rooms upstairs and then she leads. This is a raunchy bit of fun, yet the vixen on my arm agrees to it when I was this close to the exit.
And I'd rather not be pullin' hair from my teeth, so let's get this over quick. I have a politically corrupt agenda to smash to pieces.
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(Noted; you have been warned!)
While Lae and Cassandra are busy snoopin' about for Lae's target, I get randy with this fluffy tailed creature as she shows me her whole self. In this form, I see only pearl flesh and red – blood lips waiting to take my breath away.
And I won't. I just have to pin her long enough –
" Hmmnn!" She pulls me down to slam into the mattress, I yelp against her advances. Is she stronger? Are damned foxes this –
"Are you going to stay and play with us, John?"
My eyes grew a set, just then. Many red eyes of the foxes this den provided for, came at me as rats to a sewer line; expulsed of the backflow of water –
Right at me poorly alighted member beneath those fox tails!
I screamed, gripped my magic up off its arse and the vixen was sent against a wall.
"Is that how you handle your lovers?? I want a refund!" I bolt off the bed and realize this was a set up.
"You're with the Triads, aren't ye?" I growl at her as she dusts herself off. "I'm not the only one plotting your downfall….so take what is owed, you've…" As she talks her bloody talk she's injured. She chokes on the fact she has no gall to continue attacking me. I don't regret it; in my defense, she was never the victim here as I now know why we'd been brought to our d –
"Cassandra!" I bolt and there I let the magic of my choosing send the fox someplace between hades and the next life onwards.
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Down the steps, I find that they're gone. Something of an abnormally heightened feeling…
~ I'm not the only one plotting your downfall… ~
Lau.
The Phys.
Lae's brother….
And…
It's all starting to come together as I get ready to return to my present day with news to share.
My enemy all along was my comrade.
Lae sold out her own people, having her brother killed, and almost me.
Nergal even, due to her shamanistic abilities was brought to throw off our scent…all corrupted.
But…Why?
Couldn't give a shite about that, as a portal back home came directly into view.
Right now, mates…. Cassandra is there on Earth, and at her bloody mercy.
Lae, fuckin' Lae….
The one selling their own kin for some reason beyond saving.
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