Desmond Cusick's Diary

( 'I understand, Desmond, I'll go arrange that meeting with Lord En and we can get this ball rolling.' [Wes] )

Wes has a few apprehensions about the ranch plot, and Desmond seeks to alleviate them. Wes also tells Desmond of Darius and Isabelle.

I knew she still loved me.

( 'I saw a ghost. Told me that I still loved you.' [Ilse] )

Ilse has a house key. She vaguely references her meeting Gretchen, but sleep happens before any connections can be made.

Callisto high, Ilse drunk. I can't help but wonder what could come of such a combination.

It's hard to fall asleep. The house smells like Siddartha's, and my mind will not rest. I hope the open windows will help. It allows things to air out, and more importantly, it's cool outside.

I almost wish it were colder.

I miss the s

I miss Il

I think I need a drink.

----

OOC Note: What follows are Desmond's sleep-laden thoughts after rolling over and discovering that he is not alone.

Ilse?

Charon.

Mmmngh, Ilse. Rrgh, Charon. Smells. But Ilse. Warmmm Ilse.

Zzzzz.

( 'I'm not gonna lie an'say its a /bad/ ass. ...Hah. Bad ass. Nevermind, Des. You -are- a bad ass, but you don't have one.' [Callisto] )

Desmond comes home after a harrowing day to find Callisto smoking something decidedly not legal. Desmond gets serenaded by a high bear.

Rajini Singh has more brains than I gave her credit for. Mother will have to be moved again, if someone like Singh can find her so easily. Damnable woman.

She told Mother of my little gift, and then said that she extended an invitation to have me attend her fashion premiere show. She failed to mention that it was only my tail she wanted to see.

It ought to be Singh's head I leave on someone's doorstep next time. She has distressed my mother and forced her to undergo another move.

All this just as news reaches my ears of Charon and his cronies branding cats with the Slaver's Guild's seal.

I believe more than one head will grace a doorstep come the end of the month.

OOC Note: Backdated to the 17th.

Babenkov has been living like a bum, wasting his life away. I hope this job will give him some sense of purpose. I suppose, in a way, he and I are not much different

Perhaps I am a philanthropist.

( 'You were foolish to try to get her to hurt me, just as Muldoon was foolish to try to get me to hurt her.' [Vasili] )

Desmond happens upon Vasili on the monorail, and the two manage to actually be friendly. Really. No, really. Desmond offers Vasili a job within the Merchant's Guild and tells him to get cleaned up.

OOC Note: Backdated to the 16th.

I really have missed this.

( 'And having lips in the middle of a piece of sandpaper helps.' [Ilse] )

Ilse drops by the house again for drugs. Or snuggles. Or drugs and snuggles. And she gets both.

The new owner of Hell is not altogether a bad sort, and though he is slow to the kill, he has a great deal of stamina. And that wolf--I wonder if Ilse knows her? She was far outclassed, as I had said. I almost felt bad taking her money.

Almost.

It was an enjoyable evening. It will be even better after I deliver this gift.

( Rough Draft of a Note. )

Rajini Singh has a cousin.

She happens to be a margay.

Who knew that life could have such amusing little ironies?

( 'I want nothing, save to issue you a warning: get away from your cousin. Not everyone is fortunate enough to get away with only a gunshot wound.' [Anjali] )

Desmond runs into Anjali on the street and makes an excellent impression on her. And by "excellent impression", I mean "scares her".

OOC Note: Backdated a few days. I fail at journaling, so I'll add to this later. Meanwhile, have a log.

( 'I've never even BEEN loved back, and even /I/ know what the FUCK IT LOOKS LIKE.' [Ilse, Callisto] )

Ilse breaks into the house to steal pills, and Desmond happens to find her on the bed when he gets home. The usual joyous emo happens, and Callisto becomes a relationship counselor. A breakthrough is had.

Jase--an unusual name, but an interesting girl. She wasn't human, obviously, or at least she wasn't a trueblood. She has gifts. I wonder what sort of gifts?

It will be interesting, should I ever run into her again.

There is nothing more horrific than being rendered useless, unable to do the things one needs and wants to do. I dread growing old. I plan to die in my prime, doing the things I love, putting my mark on the world.

Though perhaps death surrounded by loved ones is equally pleasant.

Callisto is strange. I think that if ever I had a sister, she would have been like Callisto. Perhaps that is what she is: a sister. Isn't that what she is to Ilse? Isn't that what she is to Ilse?

I think I shall visit Mother tomorrow.

( 'Consider yourself lucky to be able to grow old with all the people you know. How long do you honestly think /I/ will live?' [Callisto] )

Callisto cooks fish, and she and Desmond discuss his wound, Ilse, and growing old. Ah, roomies.

OOC Note: Backlogged a couple of days.

I hate needles. I don't understand how Ilse could do such things day after day.

Even without hair, she is so beautiful when she sleeps.

( 'Yer naked... 'n naked people...little'r no fluence...ciety.' [Ilse] )

Desmond breaks into the abandoned Jenell Braun Memorial Clinic for medical supplies and winds up being surprised by a wounded Ilse. The two treat their wounds and fall asleep on a mattress.

OOC Note: Backlogged a day or two.

Damned hunters.

Damned dogs.

Damned guns.

I can't go to Headquarters; the blood trail will be too obvious. I need to patch myself up first.

I wonder if Ilse's clinic still has supplies?

( 'Then you aim for the spine, right near the base of the thing. If you're lucky, you'll damage the nerves going to the back legs, and you can walk up and cut the thing free.' [NPCed Gil, Rose] )

In a tavern in Bridgelight, Desmond happens to overhear two hunters discussing Rajini's bounty on puma tails. He's decidedly less than happy about it and opts to teach them a lesson. Sadly, he winds up with the lesson--and a gunshot to the ass.

I haven't shared a bed with anyone since Ils

I have mi

It's comfortable.

( 'Hey Des~. Can I stick around again?' [Callisto] )

After spending the night at Desmond's house, Callisto returns to ask for the same favor again. The two wind up sharing a bed--BUT NOT IN THE WAY YOU'RE THINKING.

Now I have a bear living in my house. There have been stranger things, I suppose--like a wolf, a raven, and a rabbit.

I think I'll get a new couch tomorrow. This one has too many memories is old and uncomfortable. I should convert the childr spare bedroom into a guest room, so that I'm not inconvenienced when there are surprise visitors.

The Kargas have moved to Fairhaven. It's better than their cramped place in Bridgelight, I'm sure. It also gives me the opportunity to pick up some free white wine.

( 'Now, who is this friend of yours. A healthy young lady I see.' [Callisto] )

Desmond runs into Erol and Callisto outside the Na'Ostiria clinic and acquires a small cask of white wine and a very large bear-woman.

OOC Note: Backdated a couple of days.

It would seem Rajini Singh is out to get me. I suppose Murdoch and Calen told her about their business with me before they died. Interesting. Had I known Murdoch was connected to her so closely, I might have had her pay a visit to him during his stay at Headquarters. He might have liked watching her bones break.

Ah, well. Hindsight.

I will have to be more careful about where and in what company I shift, though with so many knowing what I am, I wonder if such precautions will be effective. If things become too much to handle, I might take Creed up on his offer of staying at the compound for a few days.

I look forward to an excuse to spill more hunter blood.

( 'You start just going after folks for no reason against them and I'll have to come down. It's my job after all.' [Creed] )

Desmond meets Creed on the street, and Creed gives Desmond a copy of Rajini's notice. The two discuss Creed's family history a bit and also Ilse.

Glen Murdoch is finally dead. How delightful. So many hunters are gone, and it is all thanks to the efforts of the Meridian and one Ian Calen.

I believe I will hang the obituary in the common room at Headquarters.

Aside from Callisto, I don't think any shifter in the city or even beyond has ever displayed such power. Come to think of it, a battle between Callisto and Fitzy could prove very interesting.

Things are still a little hazy. If Ilse were h

With Fitzy on our side, the Kent Ranch's outlook seems bleak.

A bad impression was left upon Amy when she was released. It's fortunate she was taken in by the man, but if this is the case, an apology is in order, and I am willing to give it.

Ah, whiskey.

( 'Good thing you're a shifter, probably would've taken your head clean off if you were anything else.' [Fitzy] )

Desmond meets with Fitzy to evaluate the mercenary's abilities. Via fistfight. Needless to say, Desmond gets pwned, and Fitzy gets hired.

OOC Note: These are just Desmond's thoughts, since he's in no form/position to be doing any writing.

She still loves me. I can tell. She can deny it all she wants, but I know.

I still love her. That is obvious.

I have missed this.

There were rats in the alley. I will bring her one.

( 'Why are you doing this, Desmond?' [Ilse] )

Dinner at the Cusick residence now involves throwing apples, Zero Tolerance, and angst. BOY OH BOY.

No matter how long I live, the ignorance of the upper class will never cease to amaze me. I thought Lady Na'Ostiria was at least more logical than others, but I fear she is as much of a bleeding heart as the pacifists in the Belfry.

Bats in the Belfry: hiding away from the terrors that lurk about in the city, coming out only when they can mask their shameful faces.

They are all as bats.

Shifters and mutants on a whole have every right to rise up and use whatever brutal force necessary to take their rightful place in our society. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool. Anyone who begs mercy from them after so many years of torment and oppression is also a fool.

Fools who live above the wise.

( 'SO Mister Cusick, remember that next time, remember that Braun's thick headed vigilancy caused her imprisonment and leaves Zero Tolerance no recourse to investigate Benedict.' [Isabelle, NPCed Baron Wayne] )

Desmond has dinner at the Na'Ostiria estate, and the conversation isn't very pleasant at all.