#earthrunes

He steps slowly down the bridge, looking over the locks, but he seems distracted, eyes flicking back towards the way the ladies left.

A smile. "Vince, do you want to go after them? We can."

“Ah, no. Let’s finish up here. Just a moment of distraction, nothing more.” Looking over the locks to see if there are any unique or especially interesting...

August nods and does the same.

Oh many are artistic, or have sweet messages, or the like

"How about this one?" From the look of it, it is one of the oldest locks on the bridge.

“Hmm. Perhaps the love has outlived the mortals?”

"Well, the bridge was built in 1955. It's possible....."

"Should we look for something more recent?"

One was just put up..oh wait, that was the mother and daughter

August chuckles. "This one, maybe?" He points to the mother/daughter lock.

He gives that lock a closer look. “This love has already passed on, according to the ladies...?”

August nods. "Yes, but if they know your Susan, perhaps we could learn more about them?"

His forehead wrinkles slightly. “But we are here to seek your mortals who need help in love.”

"The bridge isn't going anywhere. If you want to know more about them, let's do it. But if not, that's ok too. We'll pick a different lock."

He looks a bit further, and picks out another lock. This one is more simple, neither the oldest, nor the newest. Rather plain.

August nods and approaches. "Ok, here... we can use a little dross this time?"

He nods and cups his hand around it, lending a bit of glamour to overcome the realm as August casts the cab trip.

WOOM goes the magic

August destroys the dross and casts.

The lock seems surprised "me? You picked me that's.. wow. AHem right..ask your questions"

"Who put you here?"

"Mattie and Matt, M&M. Masterton by surname.."

"Why did they put you here?"

"To celebrate a honeymoon. They could barely keep their hands off each other as they locked me on"

His tail swishes in amusement and he grins.

"Does their love yet face any perils?"

“Oh no, not the peril... maybe just a little peril...” he quotes Monty Python, though quietly.

For some reason August blushes after a moment.

"I saw a man walk alone by me... and he looked with such pain... and he spoke asking how he could betray me..but it was not me he spoke of"

August frowns, jotting down the names and details about the lock itself.

It awaits its next question

“Does that fellow come by often, to leave such an impression, in a lock not even his own?” He muses to August.

August nods, and asks that question.

"Oh, it was his lock, but he walked alone... yesterday, but then...last week, he came with her..."

"And he put on a smile so fake, if truth touched it would have broken"

August frowns. "And she?"

"She knows not."

and then it dies.

"Hm." He still frowns. "This one might need urgent attention."

It might.

He kneels and pulls loose a silk handkerchief to carefully polish the nondescript lock, so that even plain, it can gleam. “Thank you.”

To August, he admits, “This one had a pookaish flavor to it. I finally understand your life with me. Though, I am far more fabulous, naturally.”

A soft chuckle. "Naturally." He surveys the bridge and many untouched locks. "There is much to do here but..... I think we might want to take this information and work with it. Thank you for your help, Vince."

“Any time. Thought with practice, you may soon have little use for me in this respect. Other than a bodyguard/wingman.”

"Happy to have you." He assures Vince. "Would you like to go back to EarthRunes, with me to the house to work on this, or can I drop you off somewhere?"

On a wall nearby, beautiful artwork is done... it reads 'Love BEYATCHES!'

“Oh my! I do love the sentiment.” Looking for an artist, or a signature.

The initials MLD shine

“Ah, M’Lady. “ a hand to his heart. “Always a pleasure. He lightly touches the wall with an appreciative caress.