A Phone Number

Hitherby leaves three birds on or circling Focals' building and launches one towards William's house, with (conveniently enough) somewhere between 5 and 5.5 Forces free.

William is sitting on the roof, in a deckchair, trying to sketch some of the pigeons.

Hitherby circles near the house, seeing if she can spot another likely student to take over.

There are no convenient students nearby. There are various people passing.

Hitherby will train William's ear until he can understand her talking at full speed in a bird Vessel, but that'll take a month or two -- maybe a RL decade. :) She will attempt to put her spare 5 Forces into the person who seems to be the least in a hurry.

There is a boy who is loitering and throwing stones at the gutter. Clearly not in a hurry.

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 5 6 CHECK: 1.

Hitherby hms. Next candidate? :)

There's a businessman coming back from work over there.

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 6 5 CHECK: 5.

Hitherby thinks about this.

<> Sephar says "My."

<> Daimon says "Courtin pain here."

<> Arcangel wonders if it's a Sign that Hitherby should train the fellow's ear to bugs.

<> Sephar says "Maybe there's a reason?"

<> Sephar grins at arcangel.

<> Hitherby nods. That's what Hitherby is thinking :)

There are some young girls coming back from school just there, in a giggling huddle.

Hitherby decides that the Almighty or the Great One wants her to have those 5 Forces free, circles, and lands at the edge of William's roof.

Hitherby croaks, "Hey there."

William looks up, blinks, and puts his pencil down. "Do you want some grain or water?"

Hitherby hops cheerfully towards William, but shakes her head. "Sayv for t'em."

William nods, and offers a finger to perch on.

Hitherby hops onto William's finger, near the base (in case his finger's not as strong as he thinks.)

William lifts Hitherby, strong-fingered, to the arm of the deckchair, so that the bird can perch there. He says, formally, "What may I do for you, swift flyer dude?"

Hitherby is probably pretty light, admittedly, being a building-roof-bird.

Hitherby croaks, "Not da best way ta trawk, but hey."

William nods.

Hitherby reflects. Is there a place nearby with a number of bugs that she knows the human name for?

Demiurge says "There's probably a park within an hour's walk."

Hitherby murrps to herself. Nah; within an hour we'll have encountered three more Superiors, been in five battles, killed two more demons, and terrified countless old ladies whose only mistake will be watching the evening news.

<> Demiurge says, mildly, "You may be overrating yourselves. :)"

<> Arcangel says "Fought two more demons."

<> Arcangel says "Not necessarily killed them."

Hitherby looks up into William's eye, and chirps, "'Bout the cats."

<> Sephar just falls over laughing.

<> Hitherby giggles. Okay, strike the killing part. :)

William says, "What about the cats?"

Hitherby says, "First, t'anks. 'T was murr im-por-tant than it looked."

William nods. "No problemo."

Hitherby sings, "Two, you cann arrange," a chopped-off note, "'nother home. Point is, they're safe. Orrr you can keep. You want to keep, say how many?"

William considers. "Perhaps a couple, not more."

Hitherby bobs her head.

William says, "Though of course I can put more up for a while, you know. If I have to."

Hitherby says, "Threee," and pauses, then carefully enunciates, spending seconds on each word, "You can take messages? By phone?"

William says, "Sure, no problemo. Who you need phoned?"

Hitherby shakes her head. "No. Pipple call *you?* -- o'kay if not o'kay."

Willian nods. "Can do. Okay."

Hitherby asks, carefully, "Num-ber?"

William gives his phone number.

Hitherby sings a few happy notes.

Hitherby says, carefully, "Ad-just-ing?"

William thinks. "I guess so. It's kind of affirming, having an angel in a bird's body sitting on my roof, you know?"

Hitherby sings, cheerfully, "Glad."

William grins. He says, "Hold it right there," and picks up his pen and paper again, starting a sketch of Hitherby.

Hitherby freezes obediently.

William sketches Hitherby's current host. It's not spectacularly good, but it's quite reasonable.

William finishes, after a couple of minutes, and says, "Thanks."

Hitherby pokes the picture with her beak when he's finished, chirps happily, and then hops down to the main roof. "Be 'round a bit," she says. "Then prt - prt -" With a massive effort, she gets out, "Poof!"

Hitherby walks around on the roof for a while until she needs the Forces. :)

William laughs, and goes back to general sketching.

<> Hitherby memorizes the number with her sturdy Kyriotate mind.

<> Demiurge laughs, and will only ask for an Int roll to recall it at moments of stress.

---

Fiat Justitia