Brahm shook his leg out uncomfortably and dragged himself down the road. He was beginning to see why the virtues of commercial airline travel might actually be more than just talk, for sure it must be more comfortable than stowing away in a shipping container.
But airlines demand money and passports and all kinds of formalities that a dead man couldn't abide by. Still, it was over now, albeit over 30 uncomfortable hours later.
He was trying to remain chipper. His first evening in America had better be a good one, after all. The people here were friendly and helpful- he already had a lead on where to go. With just a small bag containing a change of clothes and a violin, the lead needed to be a good one.
The den of the so called "Capricorn."
He knocked at the door.
But airlines demand money and passports and all kinds of formalities that a dead man couldn't abide by. Still, it was over now, albeit over 30 uncomfortable hours later.
He was trying to remain chipper. His first evening in America had better be a good one, after all. The people here were friendly and helpful- he already had a lead on where to go. With just a small bag containing a change of clothes and a violin, the lead needed to be a good one.
The den of the so called "Capricorn."
He knocked at the door.
Cuckoo was sat crossed legged on her favourite fuzzy blanket having a dolly tea party. Most people would consider her to be a bit too old for such a game, but they couldn't understand how fun it was to partition off parts of her mind and imbue her dolls with their own little personalities. They didn't understand how exciting it was for her to perform the tricky task of pouring juice from her teapot, or hold such a dainty teacup. She was simply making up for lost time.
When there was a knock at the door, Cuckoo pursed her lips in thought. Bob was away at one of his classes (sigh-cology, whatever that was) and Rikky was having a nap. She dimly felt his dreamy thoughts nearby, unaffected by the noise.
Well, it looked like it was up to her to play house.
She opened the door and peered out with a smile.
"Hi! I'm Cuckoo, who are you?"
When there was a knock at the door, Cuckoo pursed her lips in thought. Bob was away at one of his classes (sigh-cology, whatever that was) and Rikky was having a nap. She dimly felt his dreamy thoughts nearby, unaffected by the noise.
Well, it looked like it was up to her to play house.
She opened the door and peered out with a smile.
"Hi! I'm Cuckoo, who are you?"
Brahm looked down in surprise. He was expecting the sort of illicit underground den one might expect from someone selling black market contraband. This looked... normal. Too normal. Suddenly he felt very embarrassed.
"Ah! Hallo young lady. I'm sorry. I think I must have knocked on the wrong door. I'm looking for someone called the Capricorn." He took off his hat and gave her a stiff bow. His back still hurt.
"I don't suppose that's you."
"Ah! Hallo young lady. I'm sorry. I think I must have knocked on the wrong door. I'm looking for someone called the Capricorn." He took off his hat and gave her a stiff bow. His back still hurt.
"I don't suppose that's you."
"Oh! No, that's my..." Cuckoo paused to catch her breath, excited to be able to try out a new sentence, "That's my Dad! Although that's sort of a secret name. Most people call him Rikky."
Cuckoo tilted her head and smiled as Brahm gave her a bow, and she returned the courtesy with a little curtsy. She liked this old man immediately. There was something familiar and comforting about him, underneath the bubbling urges and feelings that always seemed to mark out vampires.
"He's not here right now, but you could come in and I can get you some tea!"
Cuckoo tilted her head and smiled as Brahm gave her a bow, and she returned the courtesy with a little curtsy. She liked this old man immediately. There was something familiar and comforting about him, underneath the bubbling urges and feelings that always seemed to mark out vampires.
"He's not here right now, but you could come in and I can get you some tea!"
"Oh, I don't think it's really wise for a stranger to just waltz right into a home with no parents present..."
But.
But what? But the sun would be rising sooner rather than later, but he was hungry and was told this place might be able to get him a ration, but he'd already been invited in to a warm house from the frosty night.
He found himself inside, and took off his hat and shoes politely.
"I am afraid I don't get much mileage out of tea, young lady. Haven't been able to drink it properly for a very long time." Still, he was already intruding. May as well play by her rules. He was too tired and increasingly too embarrassed to argue.
But.
But what? But the sun would be rising sooner rather than later, but he was hungry and was told this place might be able to get him a ration, but he'd already been invited in to a warm house from the frosty night.
He found himself inside, and took off his hat and shoes politely.
"I am afraid I don't get much mileage out of tea, young lady. Haven't been able to drink it properly for a very long time." Still, he was already intruding. May as well play by her rules. He was too tired and increasingly too embarrassed to argue.
"Oh, this tea is ok for vampires! It's just imaginary" Cuckoo smiled, hurrying over to fetch her little plastic teapot and a cup and put it on the coffee table. Despite her words, she poured out a cup of seemingly-real steaming hot liquid and handed it to Brahm.
"I haven't got any proper food you could eat, but I bet Rikky can get you some later. He's asleep right now. Ooh! These are my friends Princess Goo, The Crusher and Dot. They're imaginary too."
Cuckoo motioned to her dolls and wriggled onto a chair opposite Brahm, smiling expectantly. Although she physically seemed to be leaving childhood behind, there was something childlike about her actions and movements.
"I haven't got any proper food you could eat, but I bet Rikky can get you some later. He's asleep right now. Ooh! These are my friends Princess Goo, The Crusher and Dot. They're imaginary too."
Cuckoo motioned to her dolls and wriggled onto a chair opposite Brahm, smiling expectantly. Although she physically seemed to be leaving childhood behind, there was something childlike about her actions and movements.
"Aren't you astute. How did you know? I must be more tired than I realized if I look that..." he paused and watched tea flow from what had to be an empty, plastic teapot. "...obvious."
He glanced at her and down at the cup, and gently picked it up. It felt warm. He sipped it with his pinkie out.
It was good. Very good.
"This is ah... some manner of magic trick, young lady?" He felt very suddenly concerned. The house wasn't too normal anymore. Quite the opposite.
"Do you usually handle the visitors who pass through?"
He glanced at her and down at the cup, and gently picked it up. It felt warm. He sipped it with his pinkie out.
It was good. Very good.
"This is ah... some manner of magic trick, young lady?" He felt very suddenly concerned. The house wasn't too normal anymore. Quite the opposite.
"Do you usually handle the visitors who pass through?"
"No! This is my first time! See the house is brand new and when we lived out in the woods nobody could find us but now we live in the city and now you're here and I'm helping!"
She beamed at Brahm before glancing down at the teacup and shrinking like a scolded puppy. Oh.
"Um. That's sort of a magic, I guess, nearly. It's something I like to do for Rikky's vampire friends, sometimes it's a long long time since they've eaten or drank something they really like and it lets them taste it again. It's safe, I pinkie promise."
Before Cuckoo could continue, the door which led to the hallways of the house opened and a sleepy older man walked in, a blue embroidered robe hastily wrapped around him. He blearily studied the tableau of his daughter apparently having a dollies tea party with a strange, scruffy vampire and gave a long, heavy sigh.
She beamed at Brahm before glancing down at the teacup and shrinking like a scolded puppy. Oh.
"Um. That's sort of a magic, I guess, nearly. It's something I like to do for Rikky's vampire friends, sometimes it's a long long time since they've eaten or drank something they really like and it lets them taste it again. It's safe, I pinkie promise."
Before Cuckoo could continue, the door which led to the hallways of the house opened and a sleepy older man walked in, a blue embroidered robe hastily wrapped around him. He blearily studied the tableau of his daughter apparently having a dollies tea party with a strange, scruffy vampire and gave a long, heavy sigh.
Brahm stood up, content to forget the bizarre yet oddly perfect cup of tea. He'd think about it later. Or not at all if it still felt uncomfortable.
"Sir! Hallo, forgive me for intruding." Given the state of the man in the robe, he was not expecting company. Probably wasn't pleased to have it either.
"I have traveled a very, very long way and was told I may be able to get some guidance from someone who calls themselves Capricorn... though I suppose it's... Rikky, is it?" He extended his hand.
"I am Brahm Visser."
"Sir! Hallo, forgive me for intruding." Given the state of the man in the robe, he was not expecting company. Probably wasn't pleased to have it either.
"I have traveled a very, very long way and was told I may be able to get some guidance from someone who calls themselves Capricorn... though I suppose it's... Rikky, is it?" He extended his hand.
"I am Brahm Visser."
"That's me!", Rikky said sleepily, going to give Brahm's hand a firm shake. Decades of running his little operation meant that an unexpected visitor at an inopportune time wasn't really anything unusual, and Rikky quickly slipped into action.
"Sorry about my daughter, she should know better than to answer the door to strangers and start pulling them into her games. Guess I'm going to have to have a bit of a chat with her about it later", he said with an accusing glance at Cuckoo, although his tone was soft and gentle. Cuckoo pursed her lips and sat down on the floor, her cheeks growing flushed.
"I dunno about guidance exactly, but I'm happy to help if I can. What's your situation?"
"Sorry about my daughter, she should know better than to answer the door to strangers and start pulling them into her games. Guess I'm going to have to have a bit of a chat with her about it later", he said with an accusing glance at Cuckoo, although his tone was soft and gentle. Cuckoo pursed her lips and sat down on the floor, her cheeks growing flushed.
"I dunno about guidance exactly, but I'm happy to help if I can. What's your situation?"
Brahm was visibly relieved. "I am glad you are so accommodating. If you put me out I'm not sure where I'd end up. I just came off a boat from Europe you see. I was stuck on that damned thing for... probably days."
He sighed heavily. "I have never been a wealthy man but I have even less now than what I'm used to. I came looking for relatives of mine but I seem to have quickly run out of rations and I'm not really sure where to look for them. Other than in necks, I suppose."
He smiled sheepishly. "But truthfully sir, that doesn't suit me."
He sighed heavily. "I have never been a wealthy man but I have even less now than what I'm used to. I came looking for relatives of mine but I seem to have quickly run out of rations and I'm not really sure where to look for them. Other than in necks, I suppose."
He smiled sheepishly. "But truthfully sir, that doesn't suit me."
"Heh, glad to hear it, mate!" Rikky laughed. He noticed Cuckoo's glum expression and motioned her over, letting her sit next to him on the sofa as he chatted to Brahm. She cheered up almost immediately.
"I'm afraid I don't have anything in the house, but I can get in touch with some folks and probably get you some supplies by the end of the day. You're welcome to stay here until then, get some rest. The sun is coming up, yeah? P'raps I can even find your relatives. Do they know you're coming?"
"I'm afraid I don't have anything in the house, but I can get in touch with some folks and probably get you some supplies by the end of the day. You're welcome to stay here until then, get some rest. The sun is coming up, yeah? P'raps I can even find your relatives. Do they know you're coming?"
"Well... not exactly." He rubbed his neck shyly.
"You see, I met my grandson under somewhat unexpected circumstances recently. I got to talking to the rest of the family and I hear about this strange American city called Bridgeport. Apparently it's some flavor of haven. Or so I heard."
He fidgeted with his shirt cuffs. "I have never seen America before. When I discovered this city and my grandson in the same convenient corner of it, I had to see it. I am a wanderer by trade. I was curious."
He chuckled warmly. "Too much for my own good."
"You see, I met my grandson under somewhat unexpected circumstances recently. I got to talking to the rest of the family and I hear about this strange American city called Bridgeport. Apparently it's some flavor of haven. Or so I heard."
He fidgeted with his shirt cuffs. "I have never seen America before. When I discovered this city and my grandson in the same convenient corner of it, I had to see it. I am a wanderer by trade. I was curious."
He chuckled warmly. "Too much for my own good."
"Tell me about it, I wandered all over the world until recently", Rikky said, scooping Cuckoo into a hug with a soft sigh. "I guess Bridgeport is kind of a haven, but it's dangerous too. Plenty of people getting territorial. Don't drop your guard too much, yeah?"
"Is your grandson little? Can we play sometime?" Cuckoo said excitedly, half looking to make a new friend.
"There aren't many vampires still in touch with family," Rikky continued," Just lemme know if I can point you in the right direction. I know this city pretty well by now."
"Is your grandson little? Can we play sometime?" Cuckoo said excitedly, half looking to make a new friend.
"There aren't many vampires still in touch with family," Rikky continued," Just lemme know if I can point you in the right direction. I know this city pretty well by now."
"Oh, he's not little any more my dear. In fact he's looking rather older than I am. I actually need your help navigating a church. My grandson is a priest you see, but for obvious reasons I cannot go looking for him on my own. "
Brahm shook his head. "You see how badly planned my adventures are, ja? But it isn't as if I had much to do at home. This is at least different. New. It's been so long since I've seen anything new."
He glanced over at Cuckoo. "And now I feel I've seen a hundred new things in as many seconds."
Brahm shook his head. "You see how badly planned my adventures are, ja? But it isn't as if I had much to do at home. This is at least different. New. It's been so long since I've seen anything new."
He glanced over at Cuckoo. "And now I feel I've seen a hundred new things in as many seconds."
"New in a good way?" Cuckoo said, hoping that she hadn't blown her opportunity to gain another avuncular figure in her life. Rikky's thoughts were elsewhere.
"Wait, a priest?"
How many priests would somewhere the size of Bridgeport have? And if this priest was who he thought he was... and with a vampire for a grandfather...
"You're looking for Johann Von Heusen? Are you totally sure about that? I dunno how well you know him, but he doesn't like vampires. That's a bit of an understatement. Guess now I might know why, now."
"Wait, a priest?"
How many priests would somewhere the size of Bridgeport have? And if this priest was who he thought he was... and with a vampire for a grandfather...
"You're looking for Johann Von Heusen? Are you totally sure about that? I dunno how well you know him, but he doesn't like vampires. That's a bit of an understatement. Guess now I might know why, now."
"Yes! You know him?" Brahm leaned forward in excitement.
"Oh I should have known the lad got around so much, of course you know him. Yes, he's my grandson. We got to know each other a bit this summer and he didn't seem thrilled but..."
He paused and looked away. "I had heard... from my great grandson Kerstan, that Johann is homeless. A vagrant. Mad, even. From what I saw I believe it. I felt wrong leaving him to suffer. Part of it is guilt. Maybe if I were there for his mother this wouldn't have happened."
He shrugged sadly. "I don't know if its fixable. But I had to know for sure he's being looked after. By someone competent if not by family. "
"Oh I should have known the lad got around so much, of course you know him. Yes, he's my grandson. We got to know each other a bit this summer and he didn't seem thrilled but..."
He paused and looked away. "I had heard... from my great grandson Kerstan, that Johann is homeless. A vagrant. Mad, even. From what I saw I believe it. I felt wrong leaving him to suffer. Part of it is guilt. Maybe if I were there for his mother this wouldn't have happened."
He shrugged sadly. "I don't know if its fixable. But I had to know for sure he's being looked after. By someone competent if not by family. "
"I don't know him super well, but yeah, he seems pretty troubled. He doesn't like me at all for helping out folks like yourself, and I tell all the vampires I know to stay clear. He does have a reputation for being a few sandwiches short of a picnic" Rikky nodded sadly, mentally running through all of his interactions with the old priest.
There was something so earnest about Brahm's expression, a genuine show of caring for a younger family member, that he felt compelled to add, "He's complex, though, y'know? Once I got hurt, put me up in the church and cared for me until I was well enough to leave even though he kinda saw me as an enemy. Saved my husband's life once, too. They're pretty close now."
"I like Mr Hoosey," Cuckoo chipped in, "He's always quiet and soft and nice to me. I help him in the garden. His mind is all broken and hurty, but he wants to be happy."
There was something so earnest about Brahm's expression, a genuine show of caring for a younger family member, that he felt compelled to add, "He's complex, though, y'know? Once I got hurt, put me up in the church and cared for me until I was well enough to leave even though he kinda saw me as an enemy. Saved my husband's life once, too. They're pretty close now."
"I like Mr Hoosey," Cuckoo chipped in, "He's always quiet and soft and nice to me. I help him in the garden. His mind is all broken and hurty, but he wants to be happy."
Brahm winced in sympathy at Cuckoo's words. Broken.
"It is as bad as I feared, then. The poor soul." Brahm shook his head sadly.
"I've failed him so terribly. He's set in his ways now too, I have no idea how I could even begin to help him. He's probably richer than I am, too." He laughed.
"Maybe I'm very stupid. I must be a little, coming across the ocean with nothing and expecting to somehow help." He smiled warmly. "But I suppose if I've got a new friend or two I don't have nothing anymore, ja?" He winked at Cuckoo.
"I am glad to hear that he has a good heart, even if he lacks a good head. Maybe that's hereditary. "
"It is as bad as I feared, then. The poor soul." Brahm shook his head sadly.
"I've failed him so terribly. He's set in his ways now too, I have no idea how I could even begin to help him. He's probably richer than I am, too." He laughed.
"Maybe I'm very stupid. I must be a little, coming across the ocean with nothing and expecting to somehow help." He smiled warmly. "But I suppose if I've got a new friend or two I don't have nothing anymore, ja?" He winked at Cuckoo.
"I am glad to hear that he has a good heart, even if he lacks a good head. Maybe that's hereditary. "
Cuckoo giggled at the wink, officially moving Brahm into her 'favourite people' category. She was definitely going to have to ask him if he could turn into a puppy later.
"Hey, family is important, yeah? You've gotta do what you can," Rikky continued, trying desperately to remember every scrap of information Bob had passed on about his former psychic host.
"I know there's a family that Johann is close to. Humans, but they know more about the supernatural than most. They run an antiques shop. If you want to check up on him without going to the church, that'll be the place. I can give you the address. Still gonna advise caution, though. Pretty sure that place is stuffed full of garlic and wards."
"Hey, family is important, yeah? You've gotta do what you can," Rikky continued, trying desperately to remember every scrap of information Bob had passed on about his former psychic host.
"I know there's a family that Johann is close to. Humans, but they know more about the supernatural than most. They run an antiques shop. If you want to check up on him without going to the church, that'll be the place. I can give you the address. Still gonna advise caution, though. Pretty sure that place is stuffed full of garlic and wards."
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