Sigil: The City of Doors

Earlier that afternoon Cyprian had sent word to this particular Inn as per the instructions on the notice. The letter enclosed had read:

"Mysti,

My beloved rogue, and dearest Dhampir - I have arrived in Sigil as well. I don't know how long it has been for you, but to me it has been only days. Regardless I imagine we have much to discuss. Find me at the Golden Bariaur,

Cyprian"

Now all he could do was wait for the allotted time to come. And while waiting his mind turned over on itself. He was having a difficult time reconciling his feelings still. With all of the revelations made, and memories uncovered. Nothing is as it was, and yet nothing had really changed at all. He hoped that seeing Mysti might reset things. And yet...

He sighs and shakes his head. His guard completely down.

Mysti brazenly walked into the Golden Bariaur, seemingly confident and secure in her locale. She spoke briefly to the doorman, the two sharing a laugh over something, her hand touching his arm in an almost -- but not quite -- flirtatious way. The doorman then pointed in the direction of Cyprian and her head turned to follow his finger. At that point, her dark eyes landed on Cyprian, her expression unreadable. A moment later -- perhaps -- maybe -- she allowed an almost ghostly smile cross her lips just before she walked just as confidently toward Cyprian -- threading her way through the tables and bar patrons with cat-like efficiency of motion, avoiding any disastrous ale-spills or potential bar fights.

She then sat down in a chair opposite Cyprian, raising her hand with two fingers extended -- indicating she'd like two drinks brought to the table.

"Well, well, well," she said, looking Cyprian over. It had been ... what ... at least two decades since she had left Zobeck. And longer than that since Cyprian's strange disappearance. At least by Mysti's recollection. "What are the odds? The multiverse is a big place, Cyprian my dear. Do you believe in fate? Destiny? Things that were -- meant -- to be? How could we be together again -- in Sigil of all places -- so many years later -- if this were not somehow preordained?"

Then she winked at the bard across from her, a subtle gesture with her one eye not covered by lustrous black curls. What did that mean? Was she jesting? Did she actually believe this meeting was preordained? Or was there some other motive entirely? Cyprian would've known her well enough to know that this particular onion had a hell of a lot of layers.

((Oh, by the way, this particular build of Mysti has her charisma at 18. So woohoo!))

He undressed Mysti with his eyes, "Ohh you foxy, curly haired minx. I see Sigil has been good to you too!" He bit his lip and leaned forward. "I don't believe in destiny, just attraction. And clearly the forces between us are so strong even time and space can't keep us apart." He'll switch seats closer to her. "I think you and I should catch up before we talk. How many weeks has it been for you? For Gizby it has been months."

He growls playfully and whispers. "So shall we find somewhere quiet and make it... not quiet?"

Mysti maintained that same ghostly little smile she wore when she had first walked in. All the while she watched Cyprian's every move using only her eyes when she could -- turning her head only when he switched seats to be closer to her. At that point, her ghostly smile turned a bit more corporeal.

"It's been ... close to twenty years for me here. Haven't done much with the time, in truth. Exploring mostly. Picking up a few bounties here and there. So ... Gizby is here, too? How did you ... well ... right. You will have to explain to me what happened. At some point ..."

She tilted her head slightly like a puppy who heard a strange noise. She was giving something a bit of thought. "You sure you don't want to get sloppy drunk first? Or at least lower those ... well, no, nevermind. I can see you do not have any inhibitions."

Mysti then giggled almost girlishly and leaned in a little closer to Cyprian. Just a little. Almost teasingly. In a soft, whispery voice, she asked, "And what would you do, Cyprian darling, if I said -- yes?"

Cyprian for his part lost his appetite at the time dilation. Blinking in rapid succession he choked, "Twenty years? I'm sorry what? How?"

He leaned back in shock. "It has only been three days since I last saw you. How could this be?"

Mysti leaned back slightly, her chair facing Cyprian directly. She put one arm on the table and leaned on it in this casual-looking way. For a few moments she said nothing -- perhaps trying to think of an answer. But she finally gave a small shrug.

"Three days for you ...?" She shook her head slowly, the gesture saying she believed him but, at the same, was completely confused. "I don't know how that would happen. Maybe it ... has something to do with the nature of the portal I came through. Is that how you ended up here? One of those damned portals?"

"Yea..." he was still stunned. "...I had just left your flat and I was on my way to the "Dancing Bear", I stepped through the entrance into a broom closet in the Great Bazaar." He took his hat off and sighed. "Which portal brought you here?"

Mysti reached into a satchel and pulled out a silver flute. She played a few clear and well-played notes.

"I'd been practicing with this thing -- thought you and I could perhaps do a few performances together. It looked like it could be fun. Anyway -- I was sitting in my living room playing this ancient naval song someone at the Bear had taught me. When I went into the kitchen, here I was in Sigil. I can only guess the song opened a portal between the two rooms. And now, here I am."

She shoved the flute back into the satchel. "At least now I understand what happened to you. I knew we weren't anything official. I figured one of us would go our own way sooner or later. I just didn't think it would be that soon."

((Something weird happened. I had already posted this response yesterday and somehow I guess it never actually got posted))

"I'm starting to think someone at the Dancing Bear likes toying with us. Me, you, Gizby, all portaled because of something to do with the Bear." He scratches his head in frustration. "I still can't believe it. All of our treasures are gone then. I have to start over from scratch."

The realization was beyond disheartening. Rowan's necklace, on the night stand. The pipe of the Sewers, on the mantle. Toda's greatsword, in the closet. A proverbial fortune of gold and other relics, tucked neatly in the safe. Clockwork treasures, custom weapons and armors, and all of those vials and vials of red water. All gone! That sweet elixir of blood and ecstasy that pushes the body past the limits of pleasure into a world felt only by the gods and goddesses of sex.

He pulled out his last vial of redwater and sighs. "This is the last one then." He looks at Mysti and his misery turns to pure lust. "You asked earlier what I'd do if you said yes? Well... Mysti darling..." he leans in until his face is only inches from hers "... care to find out?"

Mysti nodded once, slowly, as she listened to Cyprian talk about possible Shenanigans at the Dancing Bear. She had been here in Sigil for some two decades now and hadn't known Cyprian - or Gizby - was here. She honestly couldn't remember many of the people she had grouped up with in the sewers beneath Zobeck. Most of their names and faces had long ago succumbed to the unforgiving nature of time -- except for that strange walking fungus. She only remembered him -- or her -- or it -- or whatever -- because it had been cute. Of course she remembered Cyprian -- but even Gizby was now on the frontiers of her memory. Had not Cyprian mentioned his name, she would have forgotten him, too.

The odds that all three of them, independently, found and traversed a portal to Sigil, was --- astronomical. To say the least. Unless, of course, it had all been engineered by -- someone.

"You must've had a lot more than I did then. In so much as treasure is concerned. I didn't have much to speak of aside from the personal possessions that, I'm pretty certain, are long gone. The odds of finding a portal back to Zobeck aren't very good. Assuming you would want to go back. I figure any- and everyone who once knew me in Zobeck are also gone now. Some died of old age. Others were killed while exploring or undertaking some fool's errand. Those that are left may have wondered where dear Mysti had disappeared to, but have since stopped caring."

She leaned forward to match Cyprian's posture so that they were almost -- almost -- nose to nose.

"Funny thing is -- so have I. With regards to Zobeck. Red water, hmm?" Her eyes drifted down to the vial in Cyprian's hands, then back up to Cyprian's own eyes. Her voice was but a whisper, velvety and sibilant. "Alright then. Red water it is. Ready when you are."