all of the dead girls love me | Glowfic Constellation

rag-and-bone-sympathy

"A more complete link, then. Hm. Transference..."

these-violent-delights

"Of souls? Though... Could you be co-located - and why would that let me see what you can, but not through your eyes - "

rag-and-bone-sympathy

"The name of the lab," she says. "Transference/Winnowing."

these-violent-delights

Nod. "So the exercise is in both."

rag-and-bone-sympathy

"Sending and picking through what you get. Wheat from chaff."

these-violent-delights

"But why does it change my vision? What's the underlying mechanism, there?"

rag-and-bone-sympathy

"I don't know. Yet."

"Maybe the door that key opens will have answers."

these-violent-delights

Time to go find it, then! (Does the key itself have any clues to which of the doors it'll fit?)

It bears the emblem of the Second House, the same as they found on the door hidden behind the tapestry.

these-violent-delights

So - onwards to the door? (Gideon's body somewhat wants 'lunch' after all that fighting, but her mind is more than ready to go dig further into this.)

rag-and-bone-sympathy

Ellyn would like to, yes.

these-violent-delights

No time like the present.

rag-and-bone-sympathy

Indeed.

The key fits smoothly into the lock when they get the door, and it swings open soundlessly. Inside is a flawlessly preserved apartment, combination living space and work quarters. There's a lab space with elaborate tools, a clear area with a stone floor and a rack of swords on the wall, a loft area with a small sitting space and a pair of bed.

these-violent-delights

Neat!

The swords are interesting, obviously, but most interesting is the lab space.

rag-and-bone-sympathy

Obviously.

The first thing they notice is that there are two stone tablets fused to the main workbench. The writing on these lights up in green as Ellyn approaches, and her eyes widen. "This... this is the theorem from the lab. The completed version."

these-violent-delights

! Let her see!

rag-and-bone-sympathy

Ellyn shifts over a bit, but the writing is small and cramped so she needs to be close to take notes.

these-violent-delights

Gideon's used to sharing small books with Ellyn - though she'll (somewhat grudgingly) explore the rest of the room (especially for any other scraps of information) if she seems to be getting in Ellyn's way.

rag-and-bone-sympathy

"There may be other notes in the living space?" she suggests. "How they got to this might be almost as good as the final product."

these-violent-delights

"Fair enough." She'll look for those while waiting for her turn with the main tablets.

There's a lot of the little detritus of two people cohabiting in a small space for an extended period of time strewn about. A lost sock, dried-out pens, an empty tin of mints, used toothbrushes.. A photograph on the wall of a group of people with the faces all scribbled over. An inscription in a book: "One flesh, one end - G & P". A ripped and crumpled flimsy, proving to be part of a note:

ut we all know the sad + trying realit
is that this will remain incomplete t
the last. She can’t fix my deficiencies her
ease give Gideon my congratulations, howev

these-violent-delights

- What?

What?!

She's never seen her name anywhere else - but - it could be a coincidence -

...She goes to see if Ellyn is interruptible.

rag-and-bone-sympathy

"Hm?"

these-violent-delights

"Think one of the people involved in this had my name." She shows Ellyn the note. "Plus there was an inscription with the cavalier oath and two initials, G. and P."

rag-and-bone-sympathy