acrookedpath | [pfsb]

[pfsb]

The lantern is done. It's a momentous achievement; a culmination of all of Wei Wuxian's work since he first arrived at the inn...

And now it means he doesn't have a project to work on anymore. The agony!

He'll think of one soon enough. In the meantime, he's settled for sketching out an update to the Compass of Evil, whittling away at a block of wood Madam Bar provided him. If he has all the tools of a thousand worlds at his disposal, it should be no trouble at all to fine-tune the instrument.

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Lan Wangji gives an infinitesimal nod, and Moiraine nods to them both. "Follow me," she tells them, and glides across the parking lot to the diner.

The bell over the door chimes as she opens it. At this hour, it is not too crowded, which she is pleased to see. Shelly is at the other end of the room, coffeepot in hand, and Norma is behind the counter. She raises her eyebrows as she spots Moiraine's companions. "Hi, Moiraine. Table or counter?"

She tips her head to the side, toward the booth where Hawk is sitting. "We will join him," she says, peacefully. "Thank you, Norma."

"Good to see you. I'll have Shelly bring over some tea right away. You boys want coffee?"

Wei Wuxian did make an implicit promise to Lan Zhan that he'd behave himself, but -- !

He turns a look on Lan Zhan, hopeful and just a bit plaintive. They have so much work to do today, Lan Zhan! Wouldn't a little extra energy help?

This strikes him as an incredibly bad idea, but surely if Wei Ying thought it would impede him, he would not wish it, would he?

Observing, Moiraine murmurs, "I am given to understand that the coffee here is quite exceptional, should that matter."

Lan Wangji represses a tiny sigh, and nods to Wei Ying. "If Wei Ying wishes."

Wei Wuxian beams. He has the best husband!

"A cup of coffee, Norma-furen," he says with a decisive nod. "Though, ah -- maybe a small one? A mixture of regular and decaf?"

As delightful as an enormous cup of regular coffee might be, he can compromise a little. Especially when this journey might require a lot of sitting still and watching from a distance.

"I'll make sure Shelly brings both," Norma tells him, with a warm smile. "You boys go on now."

Moiraine gives Norma a faint smile of her own, then glides over to Hawk, who has been watching all of this with quiet interest. He starts to rise, and she waves him to keep his seat as she takes the one beside him, leaving the booth bench opposite open for the others.

"Thank you for coming," she murmurs.

"No trouble. As you know," Hawk tells her. "Are we heading for trouble, though?"

"Possibly," says Wei Wuxian, "though it is not an inevitability."

Before taking a seat, he bows to Hawk. "I am Wei Wuxian; this is my husband Lan Wangji. Moiraine has told you about our work?"

"Meetcha," Hawk offers, before he shakes his head: no. Beside him, Moiraine looks completely unruffled.

Perhaps the reason for this may become apparent when he continues, "Figured if she brought you in for this, then you know about this kind of thing."

Ah, yes, another example of the old Moiraine. Wei Wuxian has just enough self-awareness not to roll his eyes.

"We've dealt with similar anomalies before, yes," he says. "Though from what Moiraine has described, this one is exceptionally powerful, and exceptionally dangerous." A glance to Lan Zhan. "We hoped to observe it to learn as much as we can before we act."

Lan Wangji gives a small nod, and says nothing.

Hawk studies them both, and looks at Moiraine in silence for a few seconds. She bows her head slightly, assenting to his observation, and apparently deferring to his judgment. After a moment, he nods back, but before he can say anything else, Shelly reaches the table.

"Mornin'," she offers, with a cheerful smile. "I brought coffee - and Moiraine, I've got your tea brewing already. Can I get you anything else?"

Aiyo, he didn't think the comparison to Cloud Recesses would include no talking at meals, too! At least the young woman bringing them coffee seems chatty enough.

"Thank you, guniang!" he chirps. "Perhaps a small meal? What do you recommend?"

"Can't go wrong with the special," Shelly offers. As she talks, she sets down one of the coffeepots, takes two mugs from her apron pockets and starts to fill them with the other pot. "Both of you want the half-caf version? How do you take it? What's that Cooper always says, Moiraine - 'black as midnight on a moonless night?'"

Shelly's smile is bright, and an answering smile curves her lips. "That is what he says, yes."

Wei Wuxian laughs. "I had no idea Cooper was such a poet!" he says. "I am learning more of him every day. Alas that I can't match him in poetry, since I would like a little cream and sugar in mine. And," he adds, decisive, "the special. Lan Zhan, do you want anything to eat?"

"The same," Lan Wangji murmurs. "For the coffee. No special."

Moiraine, considering him, wonders to herself if perhaps the items on the menu are unfamiliar, or if given the time it was at the bar when they left he is uncertain between a full meal or something smaller. With serene calm, she suggests, "This diner is renowned for their pie. Cherry in particular. Perhaps we might each partake."

"Good idea," Hawk grunts. "Shelly, slice of strawberry-rhubarb for me instead of the cherry, please?"

Brightening, Wei Wuxian says, "Cherry pie sounds wonderful!"

Good thing he'll be having that coffee, because otherwise he would definitely need a nap after this much food.

Lan Wangji gives a slight nod of assent, and Shelly says, "Three cherries, one strawberry, cream and sugar--"

As she says that, she leans sideways to pluck a small bowl of creamer and sugar packets from the serving station behind the booth and sets it on the table between them.

"One special, Moiraine's tea. You got it."

"Thank you, Shelly," the Aes Sedai murmurs, as the waitress departs. Once she has, she adds, "Hawk, you may speak as freely to them as you wish. As you suggested, they have some expertise in such matters."

Wei Wuxian nods. As he sets to work doctoring his coffee: "Lan Zhan and I are cultivators, trained to protect the weak from all manner of terrible things. Ghosts, demons, monsters..."

He takes a sip from his mug, and his eyes widen in pleasure.

"Mm! That is fine coffee."

"Damn fine," Hawk says, with a flicker of amusement in the glance he shares with Moiraine. Lan Wangji notes it, but listens in silence as he tastes his own coffee. It is very nice, he supposes.

Hawk continues, "Okay. Moiraine said you might have questions for me." He keeps his voice low so that they won't be overheard, and doesn't notice as Moiraine flicks a near-invisible weave into place around them, ensuring their privacy. "About the pool."

He feels the slight hum of the weave's energy pressing around them, though there is no glow as there would be at the inn. Wei Wuxian nods, propping his elbows on the table as he curls both hands around the coffee mug.

"What I am most curious about," he says, pitching his voice low to match, "is whether you have been able to tell whether the Black Lodge has... intent, I suppose, in what it does. A living creature versus a force of nature; a mouth with teeth rather than a mere door. From the stories Moiraine told us, we believe it might be a portal to Diyu, but I've also considered the possibility that it is a monster in its own right."

Hawk raises his eyebrows. "Diyu?"

"The realm of the dead," Lan Wangji summarizes. "Where spirits are prepared for reincarnation."

Surprise and something like recognition flicker across the man's features. Lan Wangji notices that Moiraine's eyes narrow the slightest bit as she observes this.

"Saves me some time explaining," Hawk says. "Don't know if Moiraine told you, but I'm Nez Perce. My people believe that the Black Lodge is a place that every spirit must pass through on the way to perfection. There, you will meet your own shadow self. My people call it The Dweller on the Threshold."

He shakes his head. "It's also said that if you confront the Black Lodge with imperfect courage, it will utterly annihilate your soul."

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