View source for Log:The Dolly and the Golem

{{ Log
| cast = [[Nathania Winters|Nathania]] and [[Gisa Cohen|Gisa]]
| summary = Nathania comes to talk with Gisa at her shop. The two Custodians discuss current issues.
| gamedate = 2017.04.27
| gamedatename = 
| subtitle = "Hard... to break habits, hard not to... be lonely in a crowd."
| location = [[MT03]] - [[Tamarack Falls Jewish Bookstore]]
| categories = Changeling, Dawn, Winter, Custodians
| log = Nathania enters the bookstore and looks around. It's a know Lost oasis, so Nat is looking for Gisa. Frowning when the golem-lady isn't in the front of the store, she begins to look for the back room, knocking lightly on the door frame when she finds it before walking in. "Hello," she says. Her high Wyrdiness and her cold mantle mark her as something unique, even amongst the Lost.
 
There isn't a response for a handful of seconds, but Nathania can ''hear'' movement behind the door. It's just... well, not slow, exactly, just extremely deliberate. Eventually, though, the peephole briefly darkens, and then the door opens. "Bishop Winters," Nathania is greeted, and then the golem steps aside, holding the door open. "A pleasure to see you again. Shalom, and be welcomed." There's an element of formality, either because she's bringing the dolly in to her space for the first time or because they haven't seen one another for a while or just because golem. "May I get you coffee?"
 
"Coffee... would be lovely, Miss Cohen." Nathania smiles at Gisa, then, warm and friendly. She walks deliberately, respectfully, into Gisa's more private space. "I'm sorry... for dropping in... unexpectedly. I'm just... ah." She flushes slightly. "I'm lonely," the Winter admits softly. "And you... are always so kind, and I... was hoping you'd be free... to chat." Her button eyes are slightly dulled with embarrassment. "May I... sit, please? Or is this... an intrusion?"
 
"There is no need to be sorry," Gisa assures, going to start up the Keurig and make coffees. "This place is meant for Lost to be able to come for company or sanctuary." One of the couches is folded out, as if someone's sleeping there; there's a duffel bag tucked underneath the pull-out, which has been made up neatly -- hospital corners neat. "Pick a place and sit. Though I suppose not the couch that Alonso is using as a bed." Two mugs with pomegranates on them, coffee, a milk jug and a sugar bowl. Her ceramic hands clink-clink against the ceramic mugs almost musically, a strange staccato. "It's never an intrusion. Actually, I am glad you visited. It's good for you to be aware that this is meant as a sanctuary for the injured. A safe place to run to. Because if someone is physically injured, they may need your help as well."
 
Nathania blinks, even as she settles into a seat that isn't the folded-out couch. "My healing... skills are limited... at best, Miss Cohen. I'm more... of a mental health... professional," she says. But she pulls out knitting, getting comfortable. "I am... glad I'm not intruding," she continues, even as her needles join the strange song: whisperwhisp, clink, whispwhisp. "I am still... feeling so... lonely, even after... being in town... a few months. I suppose... it's partially my ... natural Winter inclinations. But." She shrugs. "I'm trying to break.... out of that."
 
"That's what I meant," clarifies the Elemental, with absolutely no fuss about doing so. "It is rare that someone is gravely hurt physically without the incident also leaving a mental mark." Her voice is an even monotone, her accent soft and very distinctly Israeli, if one knows such things. "Loneliness is not easy to remedy sometimes -- even if one is around people." She brings the coffee, the milk, the sugar, and takes a seat on the other side of a small table. "But I am glad you're trying to break out of that," she agrees.
 
Nathania nods, then, relaxing at the golem's words. "That makes... more sense. Shall... I give you my... number, in case something... happens? I'd rather know." And she pulls out a card with a blackbird on it--natch. Offering it, she nods faintly. "It is... a trip and a half, as it were. Hard... to break habits, hard not to... be lonely in a crowd." She smiles shyly. "New friends help... with that." The Elemental dolly looks at the Elemental golem, button eyes big and unblinking. Like she's hinting at something.
 
Settling into the chair she's chosen, Gisa starts doctoring her coffee: lots of cream, no sugar. It can more properly be seen as 'would you like some coffee-flavored milk.' She reaches one hand out, taking the card, and she rises slightly to tuck the card into the front pocket of her jeans. She settles back again, and raises her shoulders, dropping them. Her movements are tectonic, her shoulders rise and fall like a mountain range. One corner of her mouth curls up just slightly. "New freinds are always a good thing. It is one of the best ways to have hope." The Dawn's Mentle curls and crinkles up against the Winter's, bringing the scent that is the promise of snow.
 
Nathania smiles warmly as she is understood. She fixes her coffee as well--cream and sugar, lots of cream. She sighs contentedly as she takes a sip. "Thank you, Gisa. I always... appreciate... intelligent conversation." Dark slate eyes sparkle at the golem, eyes literally containing Swarovski crystal for a moment.
 
Her laughter is soft, a 'huff huff huff' that sounds like a blacksmith's bellows being worked. "Well, I try to give you intelligent conversation, if I succeed, then that is good." She sniffs slightly, her head tilts to the side. "Have you heard about the recent issues, with the Soundless and the missing women?" Her diamond teeth catch her lower lip, then let it go. She covers the brief almost nervous gesture with a sip of coffee.
 
"I have... heard snippets. What, are... the two connected?" Nathania tilts her head, looking at Gisa solemnly, eyes dark. "It's scary, either... way."
 
She shakes her head slightly. "I am not involved with the Soundless issue much. We have spoken about it at our meetings, that's why I was curious if you had heard more. But the bodies... " Gisa pauses, and her expression becomes... totally blank. Flat effect. "I have washed and prepared two bodies for burial. I understand now, I think, why they are being murdered. And it is truly foul." Her head turns, her flickering eye-flames directed toward Nathania more directly now. "We have our own Dr. Mengele, out there in the Hedge." A little rip of Yiddish, probably a curse of some sort, follows that.
 
Nathania winces, expression pained. "I..." But the dolly, gentle soul that she is, is otherwise speechless, the Soundless pushed out of her mind. She stares at Gisa, and swallows once. "I see," she says after a moment, voice breaking.
 
Her head nods slowly, and her eye-flames flicker off, and then back on again, before Gisa takes another sip of her coffee, the mug clinking against her lips. "Yes. So it is extremely important for people to stay together, until we find who this is. It isn't ... a group, it isn't political. He's killing them to see how long it takes them to die."
 
Nathania shudders, eyes going from large four-holed buttons, shale colored, to small, round, black shank buttons. It's how she closes her eyes. "That's... so terrifying," she murmurs. Swallowing, she forces her eyes back open and stares at Gisa. "So... What is... the plan?"
 
She sets down her coffee mug, reaching out a hand to pat the air near Nathania's arm. Gisa has been dealing with this for a while, and the newness of it is shocking, to be sure. Whatever the golem is feeling, it's hidden behind the clay mask of her face. "I need to talk to CJ Grillo -- I think he has some information about it. And I am going to talk to Heinrich, I think is his name, who is a Baron of the Lesser Ones. If my guess is right, someone who moves as much as this murderer seems to, in the hedge, will have been seen by hobs. Then we can track him." She takes a deep breath, lets it out. "But there is a woman missing right now. I am hoping to find him before he -- " Before he finishes torturing her to death, she leaves unsaid.
 
Nathania swallows again. Nods. "Can I... be of assistance... mortal-side?" She asks, eyes big.
 
"If you could find where the victims might have lived, that might help us?" Gisa offers, pulling her hand back and resting it in her lap. "He would have had to have captured them somewhere, and -- honestly -- while he dumped them in the Hedge, finding where someone ''sleeps'' is -- "
 
Nathania nods. "Huge," she finishes quietly. "I can... try. What... else?"
 
She presses her clay lips together into a narrow line. Gisa isn't used to directing other people, clearly. Goylomim just do what goylomim do, and take orders better than they give them, or give suggestions. "Your job," she answers after a moment. "This has been traumatic for many people. Remind them that you are there for them. And -- there is an Enchanted Mortal who is part of the Freehold who seems ... determined to be treated like one of us. And that's my worry -- she keeps getting people to bring her into the Hedge, she keeps doing things that are going to end up with her Taken. Or dead." And which of those is worse, Gisa doesn't sound sure. "Perhaps if you could talk to Max... that would help a lot."
 
Nathania winces. "I will... certainly try." The dolly nods, and moves to stand, coffee forgotten on the small table between them. "I appreciate... the information... and the... hospitality." She gives a crooked smile. "I should... get going, though. There is much... to do. Keep... in touch, please?" she asks, before stuffing her knitting away and turning to head out after another, wider yet still crooked, smile.
}}