Constantine the Laughing Magician Presents; Life in the Real World –

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Chapter 33: Songbirds in the City of Sound and Laughter

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The hustle and going ons of New Orleans was as peaceful as a day in Paris, minus the muggy air. The reason they were here was to stop some kid with fire powers from sending threats states away. Maybe as a cry for help, or some luck less revenge scheme in a year old fiasco.

The culprit wouldn't be out here, John concluded as Helena shoved a beignet into his hands from a local stall. "There are so many things we can do , and for one." She bit into her fried treat as BJ eyed his next move. "I agree, toots. This city is the life of the party, or was it just us?" He snorted a laugh as she bit into the dough before making her way over to the Question. He was observing the grounds like a good paranormal detective. "I think we should check out the day life. See if any local events are going to happen that would warrant our coming." Victor told his group. "Constantine, you'll have to have a handle on the Juice, and Helena and I can scope out the local dives where villains usually frequent. The last opportunity you want us for Juice to trick another person into breaking the binding spell. I hear that voo doo magic is very popular in this neck of the woods…"

John had to agree. "I know about one such person, and correct you are, mate. There is a history of the occult laced about this city's archived accusations of witchcraft. As always, be on guard."

They split up as BJ finished his powdery treat and wasn' questioned about the sun hat or glasses, abd the undead smell under his clothes.

"Where to, Wise guy?" He pulled the magi with a wiggle of his brows to answer. "I know an old friend, and she is a white witch of sorts. Finding this novice user will be easy enough once we have a way to head to. Madame Loraine has ancestors woith the "gift of foresight." Many a time I've had to seek her out to solve old cases. If it comes to more, I know a man on the other side of that swamp as well."

"Huh? Does he like to shoot there Gators?" Mocked Bj. "When I was alive and was here, I had a dopple. He was a serial killer or something, so they buried him blood red in those waters, I recall it." Humphrey the ghoul. "I never wanna see his face, even in death like I am, you know coz?"

"I don't, really." More BJ incarnation sounded swell, more things to shoot at that would not go down without a last laugh.

"While private eye and his pardner get cozy on the scenic route, what about our good times, eh?"

"None for you, I'm afraid." John was in the scent as by their bond, BJ was forced to drag along after, down old streets that lead to the lower class neighborhoods if this fine, fine city.

John walked to where a wall looked out of sorts, only to seek a door right behind, it. Hidden, as if ti keep people out.

"Wait here."

Joh dreaded if his control broke while his head was halfway through that door. He whispered a spell to unlock it. The creole was raw on his tongue as the most cleared, the sun high up into midday. They'd see no spooks out, as BJ was given some protection in case she had rigge aby psychic alarms to go off.

" Lorraine?" John called down the halls to an old as time home, one from the days when there was only the subjugation of her kind of witchery.

" That voice that echoes out. Can it be?..."

She came out, holding a vane as her eyes squinted to look on. Bristle, old curls fell around her with her beads and scarves all as he remembered. "Johnny, it is!" A large smile graved them both as BJ pretended to know too, coming in fir a hug as John did.

"What in the world!?" She jumped back while casting a soil , a cleansed earth at their feet. "John! You've been possessed –

"Lorraine, he's under my abilities. I'm not lying." John pulled up his sleeve as the price ran red and clear. "It'll fade after I send it back. You can't say his name, but this is B."

"B? He looks like a hungry "what" to me, Johnny." She frowned. ( I'm basing her accent abd speech on Zamora from MlP because you'll have to see what comes next.) "Ah, but this was unexpected. I just had a client finish before I was gonna serve lunch. You'd better not run of, now? You came all this way for my help on a case."

"She's good." B swallowed. "I, humbly apologize for spooking yer majesty." BJ bowed low with a worm eyed, fake British accent. "Would you like it if –

"Don't sweet talk me, goulash and grimy. I know you've got motives of your own. I could smell em. First time you walked in that door, the dead did a jig, poking on at me heart and head."

She waved B to come along, John scowling at his partner for going bwck to being such a sly idiot. "Don't try anything, I'll have to send you to work a tad tardy, mate. You how helping fowl can be if you clock in a few minutes off the mark by three…" John left the threat wired as BJ shuddered. "My boss hates no shows. Right. As the greats once said " Hell hath no fury as a secretary, sassed."

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Lorraine could be a mummy herself, BJ admired. Her photos all lined were indefinitely of those she had helped and family, those John clung to as his eyes stayed on one image. "My great. Great Grand mama Jones was no bag a bones. Sge could sing, and I know you still hear her wode awake." The woman battered the cane ad she spoke, her grip on it tense. "She was also not a movable sort if child, not like us after her death. I have the gift, yet it suits me. Always did better than her shiny red shoes on that stage, Johnny."

"She was, one performance too far."

"She was a hot chili taco, I get it." Snickered B with a blush. "You met her ghost. I can tell from the look that you got too much tail and wanted another bite of that –

"Hush up and speak well if the dead, ghoulish and grey!" Warned the priestess. "I'm from a long line if mediums from beyond time and again. You say one more cursed word, and your bones won't find a home in this city. Keep your guest, silent. I gotta work." She waved John to sit as the other tools in the room further into her den were all for divination and curses.

"Some like to learn s lesson. But the curse is rarely the type to do. I had a customer, felt a fire burning under their whining story. He was as grey as your partner, and that I know." She pointed at the air with an aging finger. "There is no lord to stop what fireworks he holds against the person that was."

"In Chicago, it was –

"It was a hot spot of activity. Work with me, Johnny!" Chided the old woman. "The spirits see their own however – however it isn't! A human, worthy of the powers to take a peek at our futures."

"Another, clairvoyance, yet?" John asked as Lorraine sat before slipping into a trance. "Ah….I see it, I see…I see…"

The ghoul by the wall wrapped his brain around not going back. Nu – uh. If this case ended earlier than given, he'd be back with a desk ton of reports to file. Just …could he get John to loosen the noose, he plotted on.

Hum…

Relieving gas, the woman opened her eyes as BJ was the guilty party. If secret weapon to stop any medium from ruining his good time back home. Even if it was the doubles from his past. The serial murdering alternative self he kept mentioning.

"Sorry, Charlie. Go on, I can hold the next one…ohhh!" Making a pained face, the rapture of green , foul deadly stink had the witch throw up her palms, John was disgusted more so that she'd kicked them out and he was told to show up tomorrow once the rooms had been properly cleaned of demon's aura.

" You….fucking…..what the bleeding –

"It eoukf gave, had you not escorted me away from that old buzzard. Sorry, partner." B threw up his arms in a lazy shrug. "I gotta go, so…where is the latrine?"

"You were in a home, with out. Why not hold it and ask BEFORE the consultation, ya twat!?"

Shoving the ghoul around, John ran a hand through his hair. I Can wait, you can stay the day with those two once I have a transfer spell if the contract. If you ever want to get out of here, best we do it before the sun goes down." John dragged the mental case with him to the inn, Question and Helena were there with photographs on a wooden desk and a few extra notes on a series of paper strips just above them.

"You got lucky." Snorted the magi. "My little helpers couldn't help but not know how to trumpet the other way."

"It's a compliment, José!" BJ whined. "You think being stuck in a box of knives is fun? Trying being dead in a witch's cottage outta nowhere! I'd rather be eaten by a gator than look at another black and white photo of all them witches in here history!.."

"It's useless to look back on it, John." Question said as Helena pointed to the first photo. "Mr. Badly owns a jazz bar and tonight, you coukd turn this around?"

"And, any sighting of a random 'fox – fire' from the locals?" John questioned.

"No, but spirits. Something even closer to our goal." The Question answered back.

"Keep the asshole here, then. I'll go it alone." John pushed BJ through as he slipped by to give Helena a paper to read. "Say that contagion aloud and he can't get away. I don't want to lose one lesd to reel in another he sabotaged a prediction that could have been vital, all out of petty disagreement. Make sure-

"I'm coming along." The Question returned to stand as John shook his mop if hair quickly. "Can you just listen and stay put? This is official exorcism business and I refuse to have another fuck up."

"We won't, and you need to calm down, John." Helena wasn't the voice of reason behind those words, yet Victor. The nefarious "always" know it all. It took one to know, as John strode out, leaving Victor to rush after him into the bustling nightlife of New Orleans.

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Helena read the incantation as soon as BJ was distracted by the two men. He stiffened up as she tried out the spell. Sit on the bed." Her first command sounded less innocent than its actual intention, while a tin - braced B did as he was ordered. Stiffly, he tried to talk.

"You got the hots for the blonde, or the faceless weirdo?" Sleazy as it was, she would not be annoyed as John already was out tonight. Fighting spooks. Her, answering one less than truthfully.

"I don't do either. My mother was like me, she stayed a neutral party. We work to solve cases, you've got the wrong girl to ask a question like that one." Her wit was as strong as Selina's as BJ started to blush by how she looked…way too attractive in violet tonight to be a crime fighting lass.

"Uhhh…so, do you even got a clue what they're after? What happened to the big fire lizard we had before we got to this swamp land?"

"He's scouting as Jason a town off from here." She explained. "So, help me out. This is a set of photos taken that had something in common. The same person they described was a local. They grew up here, have family, and even went to the community College a city over." Sge explained. "They said that the last big Mardi Gras, there was a big flash bang and people had to cancel the event. That was a couple of days before they had seen anything. Unnatural by the swamp."

"Swamped em, huh? Jonathan did say he knew a guy out in them woods." B rubbed his chin as Helena pointed to the image of a man in a depia shot. "This man,he's out there and John said we'll be going tomorrow. Rain or shine. You may be coming to meet him. The fire came from something in the swamp. Maybe a demon being summoned so those powers –

"Ain't really ESP?" Gasped BJ. "Your not – a Boy friend – Question is kinda interesting, I wanna pick his noggin sometime!"

"You won't have that chance…" Letting go of the rest of her thought, Helena tried to stay positive. "The demon could feed on some enotion, anger or depression might fuel it. Did you notice anything about the people's moods since we arrived?"

"Uh….stereotype, much?" BJ crossed his arms with a sigh. "My word, Ella, you ain't gotta say everyone ain't right as rain!" He groaned over her ear.

"I am only saying that they seemed alright letting him go. I think this upstanding citizen was not only contacted by a demon, yet DID have the ability to connect and paid a heavy price. Or…"

"You wanna know what I think, toots?" BJ whispered over the side of her arm. "Me thinks…he was mad at the townsfolk fer running im into the woods and back." The Laughing kook had, wait…

"That…BJ, I won't kiss you. But, I thank you for using your head for once." Helena found her comm and went on the offensive. ~ Hi, Victor? We know what that arsonist is after. Yeah. He's taking it out on the town. Check the local college again tomorrow; look into any reports at city hall. Got it. How's the –

~ Loud here, Helena!~ John groaned as he pumped through the club with shots fired on all cylinders. The night was cabaret themed as if they'd never checked the web page. ~ Bad timing, lov. See you tomorrow morning.~

" John??" He hung up on her as she sighed and put the thing away. "Sleep tight, BJ. Up. I'm going to see if they have an extra blanket." She spoke to him like a dog, yet ole" Juice wanted out if his cage and quick. " What if I act like your plus one? The bar free to paying customers tonight?"

"Try again later, ghoul- school." She rolled her eyes and shut the door. The faster this went on, the closer he was to getting his arms chewed off by Cerberus. " I'm gonna avoid her, all flippy dippin costs." Grumped the ghoul as her looked over the photographs with a squint. "Is that…?" He moved in on it with an enlarged set of eyes, the door opening as room service popped in to get an eye full. They both screamed as the unlucky staff fell backwards and ran with her hands up and her voice as high as a nightingale's.

BJ looked both ways, then saw that the door was left open as he examined it. "If I wedge a pinky –

"Yow!!" He dragged back his burned digit as it stayed moving. Mostly charred. "Aj, it's a full proof spell. Jonny boy!! Why??" The ghoul jumped up and down as he'd not noticed the paper Helena had also left behind. The contract….

Grinning like a beast gleefully, BJ snatched up the scrap as it burned. "WhatsApp!!" He then let the entire thing turn to dust under his eyes. "Free to party with the big boys, don't mind me!"

He put one foot through the door, delighted to find that he was no longer stuck in the hotel room like some puppy dog in the no - no corner.

"Now…..the ladies. " He slipped back his green, gross hair and walked with style. "I never get too old for a good crash and burn. Shots, won't- woot! Coming through!"

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The monster was loose as Helena suddenly got a buzz from John. She was in the middle of making a call to one of the contacts, her blanket in hand as his cell number came up while she was still in civilian gear. "What happened-

~ What happened to my contract?? The scratch on me cleared, check! Now!~

Helena gasped and looked in her pocket to find it bare of the evidence in question. "John, I….I'll get my weapon –

~ No need, we're on our way back. The night was a busy, minus the sweat on the dance floor. Victor got all he needed by WE now need to reconstruct a brand new contract to keep B out of the streets!!~

"He's powerless, right…." She swallowed. "He isn't going to –

~ He's a madman in a city of sin, my dear.~ John deadpanned. ~ You think I'm not going to tell you to try harder to keep a leash on the dog, next time?? If he's not already hunted by "his people??~

"Heck no. You don't…" Her eyes scanned the area as she kept her voice lowered. "He's on the lamb now?? Would we be held in –

~ We might.~ The Question interjected. ~ Stay calm and just keep an easy eye out…~

" Wait, no need. He's playing the suave loser at the bar." Helena sighed as the men knit their brows.

~ Keep him occupied with something, lov. We are only a few blocks to you by cab.~

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