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You have found the journal of Thornwatch Captain Liberty. Return it post-haste and do NOT continue reading.
__FORCETOC__
==Enter Treehouse==
===Jan. 5th, 1997===
It's been a long time since I kept up with my journaling, but now seems the best time to start anew. I'm finally going to settle down and end my centuries (?) of wandering. I know myself well enough to know I'd be stubborn and bull-headed about picking anywhere, but even so the Freehold of Austin, alias The Treehouse, has so far been a strobing stream of culture shocks. Still, best I start at the beginning before diving headfirst into analysis.
The day started off slow enough: I grabbed breakfast from a goblin bar similar enough to be a franchise of the one I found near Houston during my escort of Queen Snowflake. A man in a simple shirt and shorts entered, the blades attached to his feet making the racket of a knife-fight as he approached. He danced with grace to music only he could hear. I must admit I had my Torch locked and loaded for combat; I thought a skirmish was going on outside just from this man's "footsteps".  It always pays to be careful.
The man's name was Bastien and he was overly zealous about getting me to the Treehouse. He's a fellow Magi, so he knew and allegedly admired Thornwatch. He suggested I perform a Mindfinder scan before following him, which picked up a Bent Bow, a fight one can't fight alone. Bastien followed.
Three changelings beset by a Hunting Party. A novice Huntsman spitting acid from his hornet-teeth escaped, but not before I hexed him using my Contract with Lady Ohrwurm. The tail of his horse was recovered and kept to ease Mindfinding him in the future.
The three assault victims were on the road to the Mortal Realm, but were strangers to each other. Basset, a knuckle-walking Thimbleknight, was the most experienced with The Thorns, while the mermaid Merrow and diamond-woman Rhiannon were new to its winding paths and verdant briars. They're nice kids, the three of them. Even by appearance alone I'm old enough to be their grandfather.
Bastien guided us to a Goblin Market with a portal into a riverbank in Austin. A changeling bus driver picked us up and took us to The Treehouse proper, a gated-in facility made of multiple building and a mobile home park.
Here Bastien is the Autumn King. He gave us a tour which was hijacked by the Spring King Adonis, a man who puts too much stock into his good looks, even for a professional model. Both halves of the tour were informative in their own way, but both gave me doubts about the strength of this "free-thinking" freehold.
During our walk we met Judge Underwood, a Bronze Beylik and an Autumn Courtier. He doesn't seem to buy into the hands-off politics of the freehold either, and yet "everyone in the Autumn Court gets their turn to be King" according to idle gossip. I can't tell if Underwood is apathetic or unqualified, but neither seems the case. He merits observation; I don't understand his methods in the slightest. The Beyliks don't contain underperforming members. Fate ensures as much.
The tour ended with an introduction to the freehold's founder and Winter Courtier Thomas Hope. A good man with a good head on his shoulder, Thomas still falls in with the free-thinking crowd. He however inspired confidence in the freehold's design, contrasting Bastien's heavy-handed sales pitch approach and Adonis' apathy and proclaimed lordship toward the four of us newcomers.
He housed the four of us travelers in a Silver Bullet, apparently a kind of mobile home. It's not particularly spacious and I hardly find it appropriate for Basset and I to sleep in the same room as two young women, privacy screen or no.
For financial and real estate needs I was directed to Lisa, a freeholdsman experienced with accounting. A sweet girl, Lisa is often kept at arms-reach because she eats cockroaches, which I reminded several people is perfectly normal in many cultures across time and space. She was very nice and helpful. I expect to work with her frequently for managing my assets while in Austin, however long I force myself to stay. Felicity the Sacred Courier is who I am to contact about having my things moved here once Lisa helps me find a place.
I found Merrow having difficulty walking when I left the colorful shed Lisa was working in. Offering her my arm, we went to find Starla, original Autumn King of The Treehouse and resident information broker. I divulged to Starla about my idle desire to reconnect with Minister Deep, be she still in Austin. Based on gossip about Starla, the information will dessiminate far enough to find out if Ms. Deep is still in the area and also buy me Starla's attention, something I expect will be useful in gaining me connections within the freehold. Merrow was stand-offish about giving Starla anything about herself, a wise decision for someone her apparent age. Artifacts like me can afford negative attention in a new crowd, but the young should endeavor to keep their reputation pure as long as they can.
After Starla I called it a day and headed back to the Silver Bullet. Tomorrow begins my first full day at The Treehouse.
===Jan. 6th, 1997===
And it was a busy one. I woke with the others in the Silver Bullet; we showered and had breakfast. We had a late night watching Basset learn gladitorial fighting from Candice and Sensei Velasquez, which came in handy when we went grocery shopping for breakfast while accompanied by Sentry, a man named Seth trapped in dog form who ended up in a literal dog-fight with some Pure Uratha nearby. It was Rhiannon's first experience with combat, but she thankfully made it out without so much as a blemish. Basset, Sentry, and I were not so fortunate, but we were the last ones standing and I left with a trophy, their apparent pack alpha's mace. I will consider gifting it to the local Forsaken pack on Interstate Thirty-Five.
On our way back into the freehold, me wearing my comfortable but not particularly fashionable Magi hooded vest and jeans, I noticed the grinning man again. Pale, with grey eyes and blonde curls, this man appeared friendlier but disappeared as soon as I saw him. I write again as I saw him yesterday, staring at me with an inhuman grin on his face as we entered the Silver Bullet for the first time. At the time I had other concerns, namely our wounds. The nearest passersby included a woman made of water who goes by Bubbles. She offered us the apples we needed, and all she asked in return was that Basset and I consider signing her petition to made the nudist lifestyle permissable in the city of Austin. I told her she needed no favor for such things as I see nothing wrong with the choice, although I personally would never. Perhaps it's because I hail from colder shores or maybe I just don't want to be that older gentleman, but my clothes will stay on regardless of the law or weather. Unfortunately I wish I could say the same for my behavior in Bubble's apartment.
I should have realized earlier what she was getting at. I was just so drained from the fight with the Pure. People don't talk about the fact that amaranthine may patch up the bleeding but it does nothing to actually energize you, glamour or no. Excuses aside, she made a move on me I did not foresee. Lady Ohrwurm is rightfully upset; we have rules for such things my lack of foresight saw me breaking. I won't dwell on it further, but it won't happen again. I left.
On my way out I met Sparrow, a kind anarchist and our current neighbor living out of a van. I noticed something odd about the human's shadow and Lady Ohrwurm gave him a once over. Just a mechanical issue. Will observe, but seems harmless.
My concern became the odd grinning stranger. I interviewed Hope, who taught me more of the freehold's policies (Judge Underwood incarcerates public enemies) and sent me to Half Jill, who told me of Seth's trapped canine form and worried the grinning man was Seth's Keeper or a member of the Houston Freehold. I called Queen Snowflake for her to look into it and had Half Jill (she prefers the full title) see if he were perhaps a ghost from the barn fire which was "the last anyone saw of Bill Howdy and the Dust Devils Motley". She went to Lisa, who I eventually met up with. Lisa told me the grinning man matches a man from her next book, a man "who came to her in a dream". The man's appearances sound to possibly match up with Lisa being asleep, so Lady Ohrwurm is going to check on Lisa later. I instructed Half Jill on how to make sure Seth's Keeper was not involved and how to stay safe while doing so, and she took the advice to my knowledge. If there is a time for an Autumn Courtier to let Fear guide them, it's with scenarios like this.
My investigation continues. I really need to limber up these old bones; that fight today should NOT have been so difficult.
===Jan. 8th, 1997===
Lisa was sick today. Poor girl. I was looking forward to having her accompany me in selecting a place to live. I wanted something high up and with a view, preferably of the freehold. I found a potential place, a penthouse in downtown, which fits the bill, but I need Lisa, who manages my accounts, to let me know if it's within my means and if I'm being ripped off. I cooked her some soup at the Silver Bullet and wished her pleasant dreams as she slept it off. It appears there may be multiple intruders on campus and, at the very least, the two I've spotted appear to be targetting her. Former Spring King and experienced Fate-Reader Doctor Samedi has determined inaction on my part will lead to a Devil's lot of deaths in the wake of these creatures, so my worries are not without point.
Finally met Seth. He's a quiet fellow, although that may be in the face of the anxiety which comes from waking up surrounded by strangers after not being in control of one's own faculties for a time.
We, the four of us in the Silver Bullet, also recieved our interviews with Crow, who also swore us into the freehold with the assistance of her subordinate Owl. Crow is normally just the interviewer, says fellow freeholdsman Felicity Swift, and some other man whose name I did not catch handles the Oath of Fealty.
Speaking of Felicity, she is a Sacred Courier who was kind enough to give us a tour of the city. Rhiannon was looking for a job and I for a home for sale. Basset wanted a look around town and Merrow seemed to want to get more leg practice in. Judge Underwood opened us a portal to downtown which Felicity was able to use to get us back after Merrow found a dead fish in an alleyway and wanted to give it a funeral. We gave it a traditional seaside cast off in the freehold's pond.
That night Basset and I went to Sensei Velasquez's dojo for sparring. Candace was running the show. When I told her I was rusty she pitted me against Velasquez's ensorcelled, teenaged student Little Chris. I knocked him out in two strikes. I don't think Candace was pleased, since such force is considered excessive and barbaric. I think I just don't understand the rules, as I was already pulling my punches. The following match was Basset versus Ella, another of Velasquez's students and a ceramic changeling. Their match ended the same way mine did, but Basset was the one left unconscious. Candace then threw me into the ring with Ella, which I believe she did to distract my opponent from her unintended actions. The match was fair and I'm already beginning to remember my old "moves". Basset and Little Chris thankfully awoke and we all managed to stay in the action until the event was over, upon which time I stayed after and helped Candace clean up.
I'm now enrolled in an Aikido class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'll also be joining the no-holds-barred sparring event during the first Sunday of every month. I want to talk to Bastien or Underwood about hosting our own such event. It's just as I told Lisa: self-defense is an important asset which everyone needs to have. It's a dangerous world out there, and try as I might no man can protect everyone.
I have an appointment next Thursday to tour the penthouse. Lisa has been made aware of it. I also need to schedule some time with Underwood to discuss this Autumn Court and the possibility of my joining the Austin Police Department. I'd just put in an application but John Rhodes hasn't held a job since he/I was shot down at Normandy. I could easily have a new identity forged, but I'd hardly want to start out at the bottom again... Plus I also have to make time to talk to Starla about getting in touch with the I-35 wolf pack. My to-do list keeps growing.
===Feb. 2nd, 1997===
Well, I'm a damned old fool.
I found Mz. Deep. There I was, multiple wounds still bleeding with Somnis poison coursing through my veins, and the thought of finding her made me drop everything, which included Basset. Now I left him in good hands mere feet from the Hedge gate back to Austin, but that's hardly how you treat a comrade in arms. We, as in Lisa, Merrow, Basset, Rhiannon, and I, were searching for a translating device for the local goblin market run by Hedge cats who apparently don't speak English. A nearby English-speaking pig named Porky gave us information in exchange for the location of a clover field for him to nibble on. The one I directed him to was evidently much further than I had hoped, as Basset and I escorted him there while everyone else stayed behind. We found some Stabapples (I should have pocketed some, in retrospect) when we stopped for a breather and were shortly thereafter attacked by a swarm of Somnis wasps. We fought the poison their stingers contained, but Basset and Porky fell prey to its effects: twelve hours of immediate, unwaking sleep.
With the help of Digory Dock and Lady Ohrwurm we got Basset and Porky back to Clubhouse, the goblin market. When we arrived the girls had already found a translator: an old brass phone they pulled out of a crystal tree it was wired into. Lisa mentioned hearing someone on the other line when she first put it up to her ear. Naturally it was worrying. Years in the Hedge have taught me to fear the voices heard within the Thorns, so I pressed for more information, but Lisa became stubborn. I must have said something wrong, but I was only concerned for the safety of her and our fellows. Merrow shined a tad more light on the scenario until Lisa opened up. Rhiannon, who had already left for school, had seen the person on the other line, which calmed me down until they described her.
A red-haired journalist with features which match Raspberry's, I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I wasn't sure. As I charged towards her, the Mindfinder link honing in on the person they had seen, I kept thinking it couldn't be her. I "knew" it wasn't, but then I caught up to her. Raspberry, my missed connection, my "what-if". She's changed. She's grown stronger. She wears the Scarecrow mask now. Then she recognized me, started asking me questions. She was investigating the local Hedge-fires all around us. According to her, we were in one, and yet I neither saw nor felt flame. I lied to her to get her to come with me; I told her Bishop Crow was her star witness so she would follow, but I would not take her to the freehold. I swore to secrecy and fealty, and so I will respect their laws.
Lisa was not pleased when I did not return alone. I covered for the group with Raspberry, and for Raspberry with them. I wanted her away from them. I could not objectively calculate how dangerous Raspberry was in her current mental state, so I got her away from them as quickly as possible. I would not endanger them or her. Lisa was not pleased. Perhaps she was still upset with me, but she did not greet Raspberry kindly. I know Treehouse does not take kindly to Scarecrow Ministers, but I highly doubt kindly Lisa sinks to such blatant prejudices, regardless of the Ministry's reputation in the area. I know I've had my share of issues with the Ministry myself, but Raspberry defies their stereotypes.
I took Raspberry to Sullivan's in downtown Austin. The meal was magnificent and the company enchanting, but Raspberry would tangent to question me on things which contradict evidence and public perception. When she invited me to walk her home, I did so worryingly. We passed Basset on his first day of work on 6th Street. He is a bouncer, an honorable position for a Knight such as he. I wonder if he has any prior experience at guarding and crowd control. Do the Thimbleknights have templars? Merrow was apparently nearby performing as a dancer, though I did not see her. I'm sure any fine establishment would cherish and respect elegant dance performances, so I'm sure the place is high class. I'll have to see one of her theatre shows on my next convenience.
Raspberry criss-crossed across Austin in search of her home until she found one of the factories near where we fought the Pure. The Uratha living there was far from pleased to see us, and confirmed he and his pack had lived in those factories for long enough to know she didn't and never did. Raspberry refused to leave without her clothes, which, according to her, were some tattered tarps of what can only loosely be referred to as fabric she dug out of the ground. I contacted Felicity and offered her this month's new comics, all of them, from a store of her choice if she could get me a set of clothes in Raspberry's size and bring them to the doorman at my apartment.
Rico was on shift. Such a hard-working young man. I always make sure to tip him extra, as he has done nothing but the highest level of customer service for me. He took my money to give to Felicity and delivered the clothes to me as requested. Raspberry seemed flushed, telling me I was too generous, but she is my ward. I asked her to stay with me, in one of my five guest bedrooms. She worries I'm the one hallucinating. She's already refused Crow's aspersorium once, but she won't refuse it again if I tell her I'll take it with her. It's win-win from either of our perspectives. I'm just really glad I finally finished my first round of unpacking and furnishing. I've hated to have Raspberry walk in to a house in disarray.
I spoke with Post Man about our guest. She is not allowed inside the Hollow. He wasn't pleased about her staying, which led to a bit of a verbal scrabble between the two of us, but he understood. The Medical Bay came up again. I really just need to hire a hobkin doctor of some kind.
Lady Ohrwurm came home later that evening after spending the day with Merrow and Lisa. Apparently she joined a freehold of her own with Digory, one hidden away from wandering eyes. I dare not think more of it, as I have taken an oath of secrecy, though I am glad we can confide with each other.
Tomorrow always brings a new chance at solving old problems. I only hope I find no new ones in its wake.
===Feb. 5th, 1997===
I do not enjoy journaling when I am this upset, but, at Starla's suggestion, I purchased some Maker's Mark whiskey and this glass only takes up one of my hands. I need to be doing something other than stewing in my own feeling, so here we are. Lisa. Lady Ohrwurm went to Lisa's dreams again. Lady swears to me she told Lisa multiple times how real she was, but Lisa took it as part of dreams. Still, the things she said to Lady were disrespectful and uncalled for, not to even go into how hurtful they were. Lady was just trying to help. They were helping, her and Digory. Then Lisa threatened Lady, telling her she'd try and get Lady in trouble with the freehold unless Lady backed off and lied to me about all that she learned, when what Lady learned was that Lisa's magical slippers were powered by blood and anyone's blood would do!
I went to face Lisa about it all. Lady Ohrwurm stayed back; she had wept on my shoulder until she fell asleep so I left her with Post Man. Lisa didn't even apologize! I had no idea she was capable of treating us in such ways! We argued and now we aren't speaking. I can't believe her!
===Feb. 8th, 1997===
Basset, Merrow, and I attended a martial arts tourney with few rules other than barring outside weapons. I fought so hard I thought I might die, and I very well could have. I was too focused to give the severity of my wounds their rightful attention. It was a marginal win at best, and Basset and Merrow each took a swipe as well, but after jabbing her own spear-pointed arm into her leg, I remained standing as Candace, the Red Victor, fell first. The sweetest embrace of unconsciousness I can remember immediately followed. I didn't wake until the next morning when I found myself back at home.
I think the whole thing made Candace understand me a bit better. The group of us at Tuesday-Thursday martial arts have been going out for a social cooldown after practice. She's a lot of fun when she puts a layer of her defenses down, though I bet she'd never admit it.
Merrow was the winner of the free-for-all, though I suspect it had something to do with that wonderful song she sang. The voice of a siren doesn't carry the same level of beauty when it isn't paired with a siren's song, after all. Basset and Merrow were the final two left standing when Basset took the fall, so it's likely I wasn't the only one under her spell.
Speaking of which, in complete protest from Lady Ohrwurm I bought Merrow a slew of new skin-covering dancing costumes with Raspberry's help. Now I don't want to be viewed as a hypocrite; I don't see a problem with public nudity or expression, but seeing Merrow with all those perverts circling around her like slobbering briarwolves while she was dancing at work just made me worry. I'm also concerned about this Wally Williams practically stalking Rhiannon at her workplace. Mortal or not, no one threatens their happiness. Luckily Basset has been watching out for Merrow and Seth has been watching out for Rhiannon. Seth and Bastien even made sure Rhiannon would get a present on Valentine's Day. How thoughtful! I think Seth might have a "crush" on Rhiannon. Bastien implied as much. He's a good man; he just needs to work on his nerves.
Now Lisa is going out with Adonis, who is all aflutter over her new butterfly-covered look given to her by those slippers of hers. Anyone who changes their tune as fast as Adonis did with Lisa (he was openly insulting her practically yesterday) isn't worth the effort. I don't like it, but we are still not on speaking terms.
Anyway, Starla tells me she's overheard the girls referring to me as "Grandpa Liberty" behind my back. After all this worrying and concerning myself over them, it looks like I've begrudgingly earned it.
===Feb. 12th, 1997===
I find myself balancing on the precipice between who I have always been and the grand mystery of what I could become. I didn't realize until today how much juggling I've been doing.
Am I "Officer Liberty of Thornwatch", the peace enforcer willing to do whatever dark deeds are necessary, to burn whatever bridges it takes, in order to preserve life and order, constantly moving on to stop the next disaster, take down the next madman?
Or am I "Grandpa Liberty", caring old gentleman who gets attached, who cares and worries, who has a home, an anchor, filled with a strange kind of family?
Adonis broke up with Lisa. It was not a clean break as Starla made painfully clear; Lisa was heart-broken and distraught over the affair. I was still upset with Lisa, but not nearly as upset as Starla percieved I was. Lisa said some awful things, but nothing would leave me reveling in her emotional pain! I bought Lisa some ice cream, Cookies and Cream of course, since not even the Hedge contains a better remedy for a bad break-up. When I went into the Winter Shed, that man, the intruder, was there, stroking her hair while she slept.
I made a decision the way I always have: as an officer. I flashed my badge and Lisa was brought in for observation. I availed her of protocol and her part in it, but this was different from business-as-usual. I reached out to her and, as I left to get Crow and Samedi for assistance in diagnosing what kind of depraved creature the intruder was, she opened up about the slippers. They spoke to her with the intruder's voice, threatened to kill her if she removed them, their glass tendrils skewering her feet. We prepped the Hollow for surgery. Post Man was in rare form. Lady Ohrwurm checked in on Lisa's unconscious mind as Lisa "used her own anasthesia" in Contract form, although Samedi knocked her out when the intruder took over her body. Ohrwurm mended all of the gashes she found inside Lisa's mind, and we were reunited and reconciled. This warmth in my chest, this feeling I get when I'm around these people, I'm falling in love with it. "Grandpa" it is, it seems. It wasn't a choice at all.
Category:Fiction