#anywhere

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With a flash of glamour, Miriam and Clem Sluagh find themselves in Charm, near Poe's grave site. It is certainly within the power of New Agengard, but not in its direct view. There are no wards here.

"Jeeze." She looks around. "Nice."

"It is, isn't it?" Clem whispers. "How to track the boy down you think?"

"I thought -you- had some woo-woo that'd do it!"

"Well, I have your hair. Got a wisp? It should help"

"I can wisp, but I don't know this kid; how'm I going to send it?"

"Use your hair, it's been infused with a bit of glamour that isn't yours. Emmit says it might work to lead us to the boy as the nearest you who is not you"

She hands it over

She grunts and yanks some hair out as part of a bunk that includes braiding it together into a ring and torching it with a Bic lighter. The smoke wisps up, becoming a Will o the Wisp.

It does NOT fly off... but rather, jerks 3 feet in a certain direction, northwest

"Great. It's broken. Come on." then she mutters "Drek...."

As they move, it rotates, pointing in the same direction relatively speaking

"I don't think it's broken so much as..diminished?" Clem guesses

"This is pointless!" Frustrated, but following it.

"Lots of things seem to be" Clem says "Reminds me, later I want to ask you something regarding your daughter" They follow...the thing bends now aand then, they adjust, leaving the area

"What about Zara?"

"You seem to want to avoid her- Is that because she reminds you of what happened to you?" Clem says simply "You associate her with Paler so you don't want to be around her?"

She walks in silence a bit."You got a lotta nerve, askin' personal like that."

"I'm her friend so to my mind? I got every right. Your daughter thinks so"

"Ha! Now I know you're full of it. Zara, thinks -anyone- got a right to ask personal shit? Nope."

Clem says "No. I mean your daughter thinks you associate her with Paler and that's why you don't want to be around her for long. She think you look at her, and see him. "

More following in silence.

"That ain't it." muttered.

"Then you need to make sure she knows that" Clem says "because she's convinced the woman who birthed her can't stand her."

"not for long"

Most silent trudging. "S'Complicated."

"Not so complicated that you can't tell her it's not her reminding you of him. " Clem says "You're right. This is personal, but you tell me you wouldn't step up for a friend. You would. Now where is..." There's a crying sound in the direction the thing points

Miriam moves faster, heading toward it.

"But my daddy will come back from Syria..." The girl sobs.

A voice speaks, a whisper "lots of folks die...every day... in Syria"

"Oy vey...." She hustles over, bringing her net-gun to ready and signalling Clem to go around and flank.

Clem follows her lead

and they flank

Well, she flanks

Miriam moves fairly quietly (years of practice) aiming to get right behind the sluagh. If needed, she'll pop him with her net-gun. It will slow him down, a bit; the nets are sticky, too.

The boy is ravaging! at least.. sort of... he seems unsure, as if he knows the wrongness...but he's so low on glamour

"you see.. you keep hoping, but there is no hope there's.." Then the sluagh looks up and sees the nocker "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was just.. I needed" and he turns to run

*POOM* She fires the gun at him even as he starts and she curses.

And the boy is snagged "Nooo" He starts to squirm only to have another sluagh grab him

Well clem

He starts to squirm slipping the net but slowly

Miriam marches up. "You listen to me. I know you're hungry, it hurts, look, we can help. We're not snakes. We're... we're like you. We're... Friends."

"I needed what was in her... I.."/The mortal girl is running "my father IS going to make it" /Clem looks over "You got him, I'll get her." SHe moves to the girl "Your daddy loves you and I bet you're right"

The sluagh looks at Miriam with her own eyes

And keeps trying to back up "I don't have friends" he whispers

"Yeah, I know, but ya can't do it like that. I'll show you. I'll show you how. I....." She stops.

"Ya can. If ya want. Friends. Family. I can show you." She repeats.

"I.. you... who are you?" He says "Why would you help?" like a cornered animal

" 'Cause that's what we're supposed ta do. What's your name? I'm... I'm Miriam."

"I'm..." He looks around, the direction of the grave then seems to think better of whatever he was going to say "Jacob Xavier... and.." he lowers his eyes "I'm sorry. She didn't do anything I just.. the world goes so empty "