#scarsdale

the Parasol does not move.

No!

"Oh, but you are the too kind, ciao!" Carmesi says..as the city inspector heads towards his car, everything seems to be up to specs here. Yes ssirr reee

Bronte gasps “I have seen the dark universe yawning
Where the black planets roll without aim,
Where they roll in their horror unheeded,
Without knowledge, or lustre, or name."

As more flamingos are placed

Well. A temporary victory. Carmesi will have to deal with neighbors who face the prospect of her taste dinging their million dollar plus property values.

They are far scarier than one miffed sluagh.

Once again, Zara looks for the dark parasol...and when the hammering starts again, she sees..movement

Retreat, actually ... a girl is moving away from the noise, looking pained.

And it is not the pooka

Trapped between Pink and Salmon, a sliver of black

While she does not run, she moves with haste, trying to find haven from the banging and hammering, a pained look at every wham sound. This sluagh, Zara does not know.

But she bears a strong resemblance to the pooka

If only in mortal seeming

Zara frowns, and slips out the window... down the tree.

Earl would fuss at her , in that loving way of his, wanting her to dress warmly. Mama wouldn't even wait before hurling a shawl about her neck at the least, and her uncles, her dear uncles would explain how she's doing winter wrong as carping with care is their way. But she is not alien to the winter, not new to the cold. Is she cold Oh yes. But what of it? Cold is cold. Rivers are cold. Corpses are cold. And they accept it.

The sere grass crunches softly beneath her boots, and she finds her way to the dark girl. "Hail."

The girl turns, her darkened eye shadow on a pale face contrasting, as if black tears had fallen. She says "Greetings. "

"...Family, nu?" A gentle nod at the... pink.

"you know in the tales, greek tragedies often make much of the sorrow of a beloved sister lost to Hades," she tilts her head, winces at the next bound of hammering, then sighs "I long, atimes, to be greek. yes. family." another hammer, another wince, another sigh

This girl appears to be very close to Zara's age.

She extends a delicate hand. "Zara."

a gloved hand brushes against her no crushing intrusive grips between sluagh. they have, unlike less secure kith, little to prove. "Marzanna , am I called" a sigh "do you reside near here? if so, this but the first of the thousand apologies that will flutter from me I fear. I liked the house as it was. "A petulant look towards it "she is the ruination of all good things, some nights, my sister"

"Across the way. And, well - her charms on that inspector aside, I fear for her when the adults see what she has wrought."

"They do take property value most seriously."

"She is adept at influencing mortals, her strong suit," Marzanna sighs wistfully, "Perhaps they will reign her in, but I fear she will try to seize even my room and 'improve it'"

Her eyes narrow. "That is beyond the pale."

"She is thy sister, aye? Not thy mother."

"alas, the money is all hers." a cringe "though i thought of huddling in an alley way, perhaps near an old church decayed from loss of faith and purpose, very poetic in my head, but i am , i fear, a bit of a coward. I do not wish to dwell in poverty no matter how prettily dickens writes the imagery."

"Aye, but... money or no, you deserve your own sanctuary."

"more than deserve, need. I have informed her that if she tries to paint my room salmon, i shall tak the brush myself and christen it sable. we shall see if she remembers that. As it stands however, it is just she and I." A look towards the house "See yon turret? is to be mine. I picked it as it faces neither the dawn nor the dusk, and light would be stars alone. I fear she will try to turn it into a princess tower for me, disney akimbo. i am no pampered princess. would not wish to be. better, i think, the genteel lady, which is not the same thing as you know."

"Aye, I know. Well. You have an ally, cuz."

"Surely, you need your sanctum as much as she needs to swaddle herself in falsehoods. To deny you thus is to destroy you."

a smile, toothless, of course, but the talk of sanctum's lack destroying her makes he sigh again "aye. but will she remember? every other kith try to make us what we are not. In my experience. My sister should know better, but the fortune has gotten to her head. Oh in my mind, that building would have been left for much of what it was, aged like fine wine, perhaps a touch here and there of twilight hues. The gargoyles, older than some states, would not have been removed. But no, this is her vision. So be it. but I need my turret, a prison that would be an escape in my otherwise pink hued jail. it is not that I mind pink so much I suppose, but the excess breeds contempt in me. Salmon and pinks. Every and always. it is part of her nature, flamingo pooka you know? but my gothic garb is more than my kith, it's my shield. no matter what else she takes from me, I can at least dress myself" A beat "thus far"

"MARCY!" A voice calls out, "Dove Sei?"

A stubborn set of her jaw. "I shall aid thee."

at the call of MARCY.. Marzanna sighs and looks heavenward "sweet Uriel, claim me now." then a shake "my sister is a great murderess, no language escapes her staling and mutilation. One would think it would cause fondness in me." A shake of her head, "zara, i am a stranger to thee. And , unwillingly or no, an ally to my sister's demise of thy neighborhood peace. leave me to my fate. i shall, in my best sluagh fashion, endure this suffering as a badge o pride as best i can. I only wish you did not have to endure this...architectural harlotry to this once fine house"

"Well... again... she may charm some mortals, aye, but I think it would take some great magic to sway a neighborhood entire. Pray, let me meet her. We are neighbors, nu?"

"this borders on scandal as it is" Marzanna says wincing "she is embarrassing from a distance. up close, she is mortification incarnate."

"I shall introduce you to mine uncles, and trust me - we shall be even. My kin are nockers."

"oh my, no wonder the noise bothers thee little" A cover of her mouth "Apologies. my sister has eroded my manners"

"Oh, it bothers... but... I have learned to cope."

"I envy your resilience,' marzanna says

"MAAAARRR CCEEEE"

Marzanna hisses, "if the Coach DeBaur would land on her right now, i would thank Da'an for justice. come, if you truly wish to meet her? Follow, but I tell you I shall be apologizing even more after this."

Zara tosses her head - sluagh or not, the Schwartzes are old money, not new. "Aye. I would."

Indeed, nueva Riche often get perhaps treated too harshly in some circles. They can be gracious too. they can be kind and warm. They can even have class. And then? Then there is Carmesi

"THERE you are," Carmesi beams to see her sister, "And you found a friend? Is she hear about the maid position? Beuno!"

Zara arches a dark eyebrow and extends her hand, palm down. "You are the new one?"

Marzanna lowers her her parasol, "this is miss zara, sister. be respectful, for her family has roots here."