#sinilakki

“Of course--! not...” When Grey departed Wan turned to look at the rattie on the armrest. He certainly was a tough one, no doubt about that. With the little jacket and all. But booping his nose wouldn't do at. Instead of that they placed the jewels on the sofa before the rattus faber and added few moon-pearls to the pile. Then they tried to move their injured leg around gingerly at first, then more confidently since it didn’t hurt quite that badly anymore.

"What you lookin' at me like that for?" Zucker asked guardedly, not used to people thinking him 'cute'. Hell, even Grey thought him a rather tattered thing. Still, as Wan started to move, Zucker hopped onto the coffee table in front of Wan. "Don't think of runnin', lad. It'd only be worse for you if you did."

 “Sorry, I just-- No offence meant, sir. No running, no. I probably couldn't. Maybe walking. I certainly hope so.” Wan forced themself to stop pestering their poor leg. But they were getting awfully fidgety and kept squirming in their seat. “Say, what’s your name? And your friend’s? Do you have a secret society here, with all the masks? Gathering Hallowmas confessions all year round?” Wan asked lowering their voice and glanced over at the direction Grey had gone. They looked like they were pretty excited about that possibility.

 If ever a rat looked confused, Zucker certainly did. "You ain't been paying attention?" Zucker asked, tilting his ratty head. "Name's Zucker. And I run this establishment just as much as Grey does." The rat nodded his head towards the stairs. "The big one what dragged you down here. Never you mind the masks neither."

“Oh! I’m sorry I-- Zucker and Grey, pleasure to meet you.” For once Wan managed to hold their tongue in time instead of blurting out loud what they had thought at first. Not ‘sucker’ but *Z*zucker. But if that was a nautical ‘z’ then wouldn't it be almost the same thing…? But nevermind that. They still minded the masks though. Maybe they had something to do with the Feast of the Exceptional Rose? Wan looked around the parlour trying to spot some detail that would offer more clues. The masked duo must be quite well-off at least, with a big house and two big mirrors and all. Again they tried to put weight on their injured leg. Still hurt.

 "Hardly a pleasure fallin' outta the fixtures but I doubt Grey'll call the constables on you now. If nothing else, you got their attention." Sitting on his haunches, Zucker scratched under his scruffy chin idlely. "Probably got their interest too. Grey's been here not quite a year yet... tell 'em more about Parabola and they'll probably take a shine to ya. They never seen a Glassman before."

From upstairs, Grey at last managed to unscrew and pry free their vanity mirror. It was a bit of a to-do but with it wrapped in a towel and tucked under an arm, Grey brought it back into the parlor.

“No wonder they were so grumpy ‘bout the whole thing. I admittedly don’t remember all there is to the Surface but people didn’t fall out of mirrors up there,” Wan whispered to the little rattie before sitting back again and straightening their back while placing their hands on their lap again. They knew how to emulate stiff respectability in theory even if their patience didn’t quite allow that for long.

“Ah, I believe that will work splendidly!” Wan nodded approvingly seeing the size of mirror that the masked mystery person their rattus friend had called Grey was carrying.

 Coming downstairs, Grey looked for all the world rather sour still. Selling their vanity mirror, room even more of a mess than usual, and an interloper who Grey still wasn't certain about. They'd learn in time, they supposed. "I do hope you have the echoes on you for it." Grey stated as they came back to the parlor and rested the wrapped up mirror against the sofa where Wan was sitting.

Sighing softly, Grey looked at it and then back to Wan. "I think I'll be leaving the constables out of our affairs tonight but I would very much like to find out more about this Parabola place and the Glassmen. If you please?"

 “That is great news, my thanks! Wait, is that…? Oh. I’m not stepping through that one again, my apologies. Again. Feels like sticking a hand in a basket that houses snakes. And I’ll pay the rest as soon as possible, would that be acceptable? Here, these are for you!” Wan scooped the additional gems and pearls from the sofa and offered them to Grey.

“As far as I understand to become a Glassman one must step through a mirror and make an expedition to the source of the Writhing River. It’s a river of not water but snakes! And the River can get quite angry if it finds the expeditioner first. I did find it and after that I have received a weekly payment from the Ministry of Public Decency meant to “facilitate my work”. So please believe me, I can truly pay for your mirror but I don’t have hundred echoes in my pockets.”

 Sighing deeply when Wan seemed disappointe, Grey had to wonder if he hadn't paid attention when they said they'd get this specific mirror down. "I suppose that will do." Grey said calmly, taking the gems and pearls and putting them in a pocket of their robe.

"Working for the Ministry, is it?" Grey asked at hearing the explanation and nodded, reaching to another pocket and offered the contents to Wan. They were clearly smart enough to realize an escape attempt possibility when they saw one and instead of lugging another full length mirror down, Grey held out a compact mirror. It was a lovely polished thing with engravings of filigree on it but it was hardly enough to put more than a hand through instead of a full person. "I do hope this will do for your demonstration, Wan. The bathroom mirror is quite heavy and I'm not in a mood to bring another one downstairs."

 Wan chewed the inside of their cheek, biting back all the protests and just nodded as Grey handed over the pocket mirror. They’d better remember who had the upperhand here. But the fact that Grey now seemed to be convinced they could indeed pass through the mirror but didn’t let them while not calling coppers was potentially worrisome. Hopefully these worries were groundless Wan thought as they rather absently ran their finger along the fancy frame of Grey’s small mirror before moving to the reflective surface. The glass felt cool under their touch but they remembered the warm sun of Parabola. They gazed into the compact mirror and could see the sun too. “Where do you lead, little mirror?” Wan muttered more to themself than their audience. On the edge of the mirror vision was… leaves. And shedded flowers on the ground. Underneath a bush, likely. They reached out and the glass dissolved like a fog. Their hand enclosed around one of the flowers and they pulled it out of the looking glass. “Here, marvel at a… peony? From the other of the mirrors.”

Watching Wan, Grey wasn't sure if they could even manage or not. The whole thing was nebulous at best and without proof Grey wasn't one to believe anything. They watched silently until Wan's hand passed through the mirror and Grey's eyes went wide. The flower that emerged wasn't something one could grow in the Neath and it didn't look like any sort of parlor trick.

"...thank you." Grey said cautiously as they took the flower. There was even dew on it, freshly picked and cool to the touch. If this was faked Grey couldn't fathom how. The stunned look remained on their face a moment before Grey turned to Zucker.

"Call up George and have the boys bring the sedan." Grey told the rat who quickly scampered off and out the window. Turning back to Wan, Grey tucked the peony into a button hole of their robe. "I suppose that does make for a good demonstration. Now then... how do I find this Writhing River for myself?"

Wan was cautiously optimistic but still wary as they regarded their host. What if Grey was calling the sedan for themself and Wan was to remain here forever, picking treasures out of small mirrors? Surely that couldn't be Grey’s plan… They certainly seemed to appreciate the flower though, luckily it hadn’t been a bush of red roses or anything that awkward in flower language terms. Just a peony of bashfulness if they remembered the meaning right. Then Grey’s question gave them a good scare. Roaming dreamlands looking for snakerivers by themself was one thing but push others to do that was another. Wan bit their lip and picked their sleeves before answering. “Oh, you see; you simply must learn how to step through mirrors first. And even then I couldn't give any precise directions since mirrors lead to different locations within Parabola.”

"And how, precisely, am I to do that?" Grey asked in a very calm, very meticulous sort of tone. There would be a while before Zucker's ratty legs could get him to where the clay men were staying and a while still before George and Garfield brought the sedan to Grey's home. In that time Grey hoped to get as many answers as they could out of Wan since they damn well hoped they scared this person well enough never to come back in their house uninvited.

"I would very much like you to tell me how to pass through the mirrors. Presuming of course that is how to find this river, and not by means of honey dreaming..." They'd had enough of finding dangerous things in honey dreams. After all, that was how they'd dealt with the Eater of Chains and it ended rather poorly for both parties.

“Ah, umm… it is not so simple to tell. You need to--” Wan stopped to think and rubbed their neck. Then they lifted their gaze from the floor and again looked Grey in the eye. “You need to remember the light beyond the mirror. The warm sunlight. That’s the part of it. But the root for the path is desire--, maybe hope is a better word… hope for the change. For the better. The confidence you can bring new things to this bleak world of ours. I’m sorry I have no easy answers here. Go to Church fêtes. Speak with campaigners. That's what I did in the very beginning.”

This was perhaps the first and only time someone had told Grey to go to church and they actually considered it. Reaching to take the pocket mirror from Wan, Grey looked at it skeptically. "All right..."

The sun... It'd been a while since they'd seen it, hadn't it? The sun of honey dreams was so very sweet as well, just the gentlest light Grey could picture. It was easy to recall it and as Grey thought of how they spent their honey dreams they traced around the mirror as Wan did and... nothing. A hard surface with a smudge across it as they weren't wearing gloves.

Frowning rather deeply at this, Grey gave an annoyed look at Wan. "The church, you say?" Grey asked flatly. "I will be sure to pay them a visit." With that they closed the compact mirror and pocketed it once more.

“You don’t seem too keen of the idea, if you don’t mind me saying so,” Wan chuckled, amused but sympathetically. “Believe me, I know those people can be obnoxious and sometimes out-and-out cruel to others and themselves but there’s also great many truly kind-hearted souls who are truly trying to change the world for the better. And for good.” As their mood brightened again Wan tried again swing their leg. It still hurt but not that badly at all. “I know! Come sometimes with me to listen chamber music at Baronet Mariot’s place? There’s usually Bible-reading but also excellent tea!”

Grey openly cringed at the idea of Bible readings and tried to compose themself afterwards by straightening their house robe some. "I'm sure I'll try and find the time..." They said calmly. "Though I would suggest you sit a while longer. There'll be two men here for you shortly and I can't imagine it'll take them much longer to arrive." Ominous as it was to say so, Grey knew George and Garfield were fairly swift and would probably get there in a few minutes. They were ever so prompt.

“I’ll be sure to invite you then next time,” Wan openly teased, not bothering to hide their grin. “Unless you will now instruct your men to cart me to the River. But it would more polite just decline the invitation, just saying.”

Grey wasn't terribly amused and simply sighed. "I don't think there's much worry of that." They said calmly, walking to the window and peering out of it as they brushed aside the curtain. Seeing the two claymen and the sedan pull up, Grey went to go unlock their door. "Your ride's here."

When Grey opened the door two very tall, very burly clay men stood just outside blocking the entire entryway. "EVENING GREY." Said one in a monotone voice that all clay men seemed to speak in.

Giving a small smile, Grey stepped aside and looked at Wan. "Garfield and George will take good care of you and that mirror. Until we meet again."

 Clutching the towel wrapped mirror Wan glanced both the clay men and Grey in turn and didn’t seem to trust wholly either Grey or the clay men’s ability of taking that good care of them. Still Wan nodded politely. “Gentlemen, citizen. Farewell, until next time.” They tentatively put their feet down again, hoping they would manage to walk themself out at least. The nasty twinge crushed that hope. “Oh, could someone lend me a hand…?” Wan started but then looked mortified and glared the clay men bringing mind a dog who had put its ears back. “*Not* literally, mind you.”

Both Garfield and George looked at one another and then back to Wan. They waited until the smaller Glassman had come nearer before one took the mirror and the other offered a broad hand for Wan to lean on.

"Take our little guest home, if you please. Or where ever it is they instruct." Grey said to the pair calmly, folding their arms and leaning against the door frame. "Fare thee well, Wan. I can't make promises to see you again but I will be keeping an eye on mirrors..." And perhaps they would find out how to navigate them sooner or later.

The mirror was attached to a vanity and surrounding that was an astonishing number of masks of various sorts. Each of them hand crafted, and the bedsheet by which Wan had covered the mirror with had sent a number of objects on the vanity clattering to the floor. Not that it seemed to matter too much: whoever's room this was, they were clearly some sort of artist and chaos had made it's nest in the room as surely as any living person.

Hearing shouting from the other side of the door, Grey frowned and gripped the cane a little tighter. Surely they weren't going to come off nearly as imposing as they wanted to wearing a house robe but it would have to do. Gripping the handle, Grey mouthed 'one, two, three' before throwing open the door and raising the bejeweled cane. "ALL RIGHT! HOLD IT!! Whatever you're planning to steal isn't worth the beating coming to you, you thief!"

Startled, without thinking Wan tried to get up but their ankle thoroughly disagreed with that plan. Giving out a yelp fell back and had to try and explain themself to the cane-wielding presumed owner of the bedroom. “Please sir-- er, madam--, citizen, I’m not a thief! Honest!” They gestured desperately around after words seemingly refused to cooperate. Why etiquette manuals and letter writing guides never had any decent apologies for situations like these? But they couldn't think anything sufficiently eloquent to save them from getting the said beating. But the prospect of the owner not settling for that and calling the police was even more grim. They couldn't go to New Newgate yet again, nonoNono. This was unfair, they hadn't even been casing this particular house before. “Please, I was merely being chased by a Parabola serpent and had escape through the closest frame!” Well, that sounded potentially completely nonsensical.

The cane was still raised like a baseball bat ready to club someone but despite this Grey wasn't much more than a few steps into their room. This person wasn't making a lot of sense and their brow furrowed behind the plain black mask they wore. Confusion and incredulity mixed in equal measure as they tried to parse out what this person meant by Parabola and snakes.

"There aren't any serpents in my home, I'll have you know! That is the poorest excuse for a lie I've heard in my entire time here in the Neath!" They took another step forward, not really so sure they wanted to clobber someone on their knees but they'd at least managed to frighten the intruder-- that was important!

The white and gray spotted rat that was at their feet skittered closer to Wan, it's hackles raised but it's teeth no longer bared. "Surfacer don't know what they're on about but you showin' up ain't somethin' to be sneezed at neither." The rat's accent had an F in place of any TH sound he made and was a fair shot different than his American counterpart. At least he sounded like a Londoner. "Go on, how'd you get here? Spill! Afore I give you a good nippin'."

Wan tried to meet the masked house-owner’s eyes, since it was what trustworthy and honorable people do. They just were bad at keeping their own storm-grey gaze in others’ eye for the eye contacts always ended up reminding them of the Thunder and they got distracted… So they were more than happy to look down to the rattus occasionally. And the little rattie sounded like a regular Londoner rattus but his human companion had an accent they quite couldn't place which might be a good thing since they might not be that snooty about convoluted language.

“How? Well… through the mirror.” Wan waved their hand vaguely towards the vanity, looking both the masked mystery person and their rat companion in turn. “That’s what I do. Partly. I’m a Glassman. I travel through mirrors to Parabola. And back. Certainly you have… Um, it might sound implausible but it’s true! And and… I apologise for this cross intrusion of a stranger upon you home aaand… I hope you may excuse it?

With this person on the ground hardly seeming like a proper threat now, Grey lowered their cane slowly. "You keep saying Parabola but I don't know what the devil you're on about." Grey stated rather bluntly, resting their weight on the cane as it was intended for. "And I've never heard of a Glassman either! Now if you care to explain, perhaps we can continue this outside my bed chambers, hmm? Maybe then I'll decide if I'll call the constables or not." The tone was terse but Grey hadn't yet realized Wan had hurt their ankle and getting downstairs was hardly going to happen without assistance.

 “Ah, my good… fellow, the things is that I would have removed myself from here immediately but I simply can’t.” Wan tried to rotate their ankle and grimaced. The good thing was that their sturdy kingscale boot --which didn’t truly match the rest of their suit-- supported the injured foot when they didn’t try to move it around. “‘Cause I busted my leg,” they added meekly and seemingly very embarrassed. “Surely we can reach some kind of understanding, no need to involve the poor overworked gentlemen in blue.”

 A brow raised behind the mask and Grey sighed softly, stepping closer to Wan and tucked the cane gracefully under their arm. "Come on then, up you get." Reaching down, Grey offered their free hand to Wan in order to help them up.

Zucker, still uncertain of this strange guest, hopped up onto Wan's shoulder before they could stand up assisted or not. If the Glassman were to try anything to bring harm to his friend, Zucker knew very well how to use those ratty teeth of his.

Wan took the offered hand without hesitation and pulled themself up with Grey’s help. The Glassman appeared to be quite cheerful for someone who had just burgled a house allegedly by accident and might yet face the consequences, but they couldn't help it as they glanced the serious little rattie on their shoulder. Wan always tried to be respectful and not to coo or baby talk at the sentient animals of the Neath but d__n they were so adorable. “Oh, where’s my hat…?” Wan threw a hasty glance around the room trying to locate their bowler hat.

 While Wan seemed to be in a good enough mood, Grey wasn't smiling in the slightest. They wanted to get to the bottom of this, dammit, and how someone broke into their house 'through a mirror' of all the nonsensical things! "Probably where you left it running from serpents." Grey said humorlessly, taking a grip on Wan's arm to help them along out of the bedroom and towards the door.

As far as rats went, Zucker was hardly a precious little furball. He was tatty as his jacket was, ripped ear, badly healed tail-- this rat had been something of a scrapper once. Still was. And still was perched ready to bite something tender if Wan pulled a fast one.

"Now then," Grey said as they hauled Wan downstairs to their parlor. "I expect you would be so kind as to give me your name? Your real name, if you please." If this little delinquent tried something funny by calling themself John Thomas or other to escape Grey would be getting the constables post haste.

 “I go by the name of Wan Bowler, delighted to make your acquaintance. Oh, and I’m addressed as “citizen” in case you were wondering. But you can call me Wan, W-A-N. That’s as real a name as I have got,” they beamed like a sun, actually genuinely delighted.

The tiny uninvited visitor had a rather flat accent where they tended to always put the stress on the first syllable and meticulously pronounced every letter of words, which suggested they weren't a native English speaker.

 Grey's not smiling face became a little more pronounced the more Wan went on. Maybe it was nerves that had them so talkative but Grey wasn't pleased by any means. Leading Wan to their sofa, Grey sat Wan down and took a seat in the arm chair opposite them and steepled their fingers. "You might very well be addressed as 'prisoner' if I'm not satisfied with your reasoning as to why you popped into my house. Now, from the beginning, explain how you got here."

Zucker hopped off Wan's shoulder to the arm of the sofa still peering at Wan. At least it didn't look like the rat was going to attack anyone at the moment which was good and both the rat and human seemed to slowly be calming down after the incident.

Grey’s stern words inspired some humility in Wan whose smile somewhat dimmed as they nodded and sat down placing their gloved hands on their lap, trying to appear both unthreatening and respectable. “Oh… Well, it seems like the beginning here entails explaining what Parabola is? Since you seem to be new down here.” Wan glanced at their captor.

You see, it’s a… place, a land on the other side of mirrors. And it’s amaaazing! There’s forests and rivers and an actual sun in the sky! More orange than the Surface sun but a sun nonetheless. You know Prisoner’s Honey, right? I’m of course not implying you using such --what was the word?-- ah, substances but you know how it transports people away into the realm of sweet dreams? For real? That realm is Parabola, actually!” As Wan got more excited, more they began to emphasise their words with their hands.

As Wan explained, Grey's brow furrowed more and more in confusion rather than aggitation. "It's a dream, it hardly transports one away anywhere." Grey stated as a matter of fact rather than speculation. That didn't make sense! "There can't be a whole other world, that's... preposterous!"

From the sofa's arm rest, Zucker sighed softly. "Surfacers..." The rat muttered before looking to Grey. "Parabola's real's I am, mate. Don't know a damn thing about it other than the cats fancy it and that's more'n enough reason for me to steer clear. And you do disappear in those honey dreams of yours..."

"I.... what?"

Grateful for having someone to back their words up, Wan nodded eagerly first towards Zucker and then towards Grey, smiling full of sympathy. “Yes, the cats can roam freely between Parabola and London. But! They aren't cats in there, not exactly. Cats will become big cats, like lions and tigers! And I once met a gentleman who I think would be a leopard over here. And you should see my friend Adamás in Parabola, gosh! She’s a tigress. Here I mean.” Wan wanted to veer the conversation away from their host’s honey habits, especially after the comment that could be understood being quite disapproving.

But in addition of cats there’s these… snake people. Cats doesn't like them, at all. And they certainly can be trouble.” Wan sighed, suddenly melancholy. “I don’t want to believe they are all bad but one should be careful with them. They sometimes possess people. Or bite. The powerful snakes that have the most... business with people are called the Fingerkings. But I have met a perfectly polite snake who just noted that they were not a branch!”

"Wait wait wait! Hold on!" Grey sat up a little straighter and gestured with their hands for Wan to stop. "Then explain to me, perfectly clearly, why the last time I was in a honey dream there was an extravagant mansion complete with a ballroom, where as before I've seen firework displays over Paris, expeditions in jungles, and even museums fit for royalty! If it real why doesn't it make a lick of sense?"

Zucker gave a helpless shrug. Grey kept no cats but a small platoon of rodents and none of which had been to Parabola. Some had been rather far out to Zee but none visited the other side of the mirror.

“It must because Parabola is made at least partly of people’s memories, mismatched in this dreamlike wonderland. So it is possible to encounter all manner of things that are familiar but… off. Not really making sense. I have found temples, perfect cucumber sandwiches, a river made of silver snakes, an underwater forest and-- A-a castle? Made of briar roses or-- I can’t remember that well. As I said, I am a Glassman.” With a smooth move of the hand Wan produced a pair of mesmerisingly amber-orange glasses from their vest pocket and put them on. Their Cosmogone Spectacles that still were miraculously intact despite the nosedive the floor.

“I travel to Parabola and back. Through mirrors, there’s frames in Parabola scattered in some places. I assure you I usually use my own mirrors, in my own lodgings. But I was chased by this very discourteous Fingerking and desperate measures were required. I mean I exited through the first frame I found. Ending up here which I apologise.”

 When Wan went to grab something in their coat, Grey gripped their cane again just in case. Who knew what they could be pulling out of there! It wasn't like Grey to be on such a hair trigger but neither were they used to having house guests tumble out of their vanity.

When it turned out to be a pair of glasses Grey sighed and slumped wearily back into their seat. "That doesn't make any sense..." Grey said helplessly, lifting a hand to their head. "And you tell me Fingerkings are... snake people? Is that something I'm really supposed to believe? Talking animals I'll grant you but people are people..." As much as they didn't want to admit it, Grey was thinking back to things they'd seen in the Neath, in the Labyrinth of tigers. Things that seemed like people but were not and where mirrors were banned. The Tiger Warden did say humans found the place particularly unsettling for a reason... so were those Fingerkings?

 “Well, people can enter Parabola but I think the Fingerkings can’t leave unless they… acquire a human as a-- vessel? If that’s a right word. So… you know the Labyrinth of Tigers, right?” Wan’s eyes shifted from Grey’s to the floor and they grimaced like there was unpleasant memories associated to that location.

“Cats and snakes don’t get along here either so mirror-carrying people whose bodies Fingerkings are borrowing tend to end up in cages. As exhibits in the third coil. I might add that tigers can be prideful and hard to assure that mistakes were made,” they lifted their gaze from their toes and looked Grey again in the eye.

 For whatever was going on, for Wan to talk about that just so soon after thinking of it, Grey glared at them. Something funny was going on and they didn't like it whatsoever.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Grey lied, keeping their tone flat with disapproval. "That doesn't explain how you presume to pass through a solid object to enter some-some dream place. Parabola or some such. If you can pass through a mirror, prove it."

“But of course! I can't explain it but I can show, in that sense it's like riding a velocipede. ” Wan’s face lit up once again. “Do you have another suitably large mirror around here? For I’m afraid your vanity is best avoided. Unless you are partial to snakes. Not that there’s anything wrong with that either! There might be a Fingerking waiting just on the other side… Might we discuss the possibility of me purchasing that particular looking-glass? Frankly, to smash it into pieces so nothing will pass through. Ever.” Wan leaned closer to Grey speaking in hushed tone like something might be hear them all the way from the bedroom.

Try as they might, Grey couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling of something lurking on the other side of the mirror after that. Sighing deeply, Grey nodded. "If means fewer people crashing into my bedchambers, fine. Mirrors are expensive though... A hundred echoes should cover the cost of a new one I imagine. The only other I have of size is in my bathroom..."

“Many thanks, I’m sure that’s the best decision! Would these be sufficient as layaway?” Wan handed over several shiny stones of multiple colours to Grey after rummaging through their pockets again. Their garments apparently had way more unnoticable pockets than was usual. “Am I allowed to enter such a private part of your lodgings or…?”