Bridgeport

It couldn't exactly be called a "first date". They'd been places alone together before. But it was the first official outing where there was no pretence: no gardening supplies to be bought, no relatives to visit, no time to kill. Just an opportunity to enjoy each other's company.

If Maria was being honest, Johann's presence was the only thing making the day worthwhile. She was a city-slicker, used to different restaurants with exciting cuisines, art galleries, shows. Bridgeport had a few mom and pop stores and the occasional amateur production of the Sound of Music. It wasn't the height of entertainment. In all honesty the only shop remotely interesting Ariadne's antiques shop.

Then she noticed it nestled in a corner -"Bridgeport Olde Apothecary".. The sign in the window boasted "Potions, charms and talismans to help in many difficult situations!" "Supplies to ease the symptoms of various ailments!" "Delightful aura-cleansing candles and soaps!" and "Really cool knitted garments!" Her inner sceptic was piqued. Humbug healthcare, in HER new city?

"Johann, do you know that place?" she asked.

Johann was snapped out of his reverie by her question. He had been used to being on guard in Bridgeport, as outwardly sleepy as it seemed. However with a newfound sort of uneasy peace, he had begun to become more and more comfortable.

Especially now, with more company to enjoy it with. He paused and squinted at the sign, trying to read the overly beautiful script on the sign.

"Can't say that I know it. I have seen it though, it is new. It is not the sort of place a priest usually shops." He smiled impishly. "But then I'm not a priest anymore, ja? Should we explore a bit?"

"Yes, I think I'd like to investigate", Maria said, with purpose. She slipped her arm around Johann's. "I don't mind that sort of thing if it gives people a bit of comfort, or peace. But I always get worried if people start turning to it instead of going to the doctor, or if it is designed to swindle people out of their money. I've had to stop Rosa falling for that sort of thing... a lot."

The tiny shop was pleasant enough inside, with a friendly bell above the doorway not unlike Ariadne's. The shop floor was slightly smaller and not designed for browsing, with the back wall entirely covered in dark oak shelving containing all manner of strange glass bottles and instruments brimming with dried plants, powders, syrupy liquids and the occasional bone. In front was a large counter showcasing more appealing colourful items like soaps, candles, cosmetics and perfumes. The proprietor stood behind it: a wiry young man in a strange ornately embroidered robe, too luxurious to be a costume. He had the scraggly beginnings of a beard beginning to break through. Perhaps the most notable thing about him was that he was wearing dark shielded goggles that made it impossible to see his eyes.

"Good morning, welcome! How can I help you?" he smiled.

Johann froze. He looked at Maria and at Gil and Maria and Gil again. He started to change colors, not unlike the strange cologne on the shelf next to him.

"I... ah... I think I'll need some smelling salts shortly." He stammered.

"Please tell me your parents aren't here. Never mind, I should be leaving." He carefully backed towards the door.

Maria immediately felt Johann's deep unease and observed his kaleidoscopic complexion with concern. How could one man turn white, red and blue in quick succession? The proprietor responded with mild surprise, but didn't seem to share Johann's fear.

"Father VonHeusen!" he smiled, "It's alright, they aren't here. They'd be asleep right now anyway. This is my shop, not theirs."

Johann sighed heavily in relief with his hand on his chest. "Oh thank God. I suppose it is still technically daylight." He laughed nervously.

"This is ah... your shop? You are business man now? I am surprised to see it! Not become you aren't competent but I didn't think you'd find yourself so far from home. What is this place?"

Gil puffed up with pride, raising his arms to encompass his small kingdom.

"Bridgeport Olde Apothecary! I sell tinctures, ointments, salves and syrups of all kinds, created from natural ingredients and, between you and me, a bit of ancient alchemical knowledge. For my everyday customers I stick to the basics: a candle to create a calming atmosphere, a cream to promote hair growth, a potion to restore a bit of energy. Under the counter, I can supply things that are a little more... potent. My apprenticeship is complete, and this allows me to practice my craft."

"Um... I gather you know each other?" Maria said, trying very hard to pluck out the correct context clues from the strange exchange.

"Your apprenticeship is complete." He glanced nervously to Maria.

"Gilgamesh is... the son of the Vargas. He is... was a vampires apprentice. Though I suppose he's a magician of his own now. Not a necromancer I hope." He asked flatly.

"Please tell me not necromancy, Gil.'

"No, not necromancy", Gil sighed. If he had eyes, he'd probably have rolled them. "I'm sure you'll be pleased to know I've officially given it up, permanently."

Despite his flippant attitude, Gil realised that he was talking to the only person who might understand the Big Important Decisions he'd made lately in that department. He didn't want to hurt Andrei with them, and his human family didn't understand.

"I know that the veil between the living and the dead is a sacred thing. I've seen it, I've felt it. It isn't something that should be tampered with, and definitely not something that someone should be dragged back across. They can never come back whole, complete, undamaged. The admittedly small part I had to play in a resurrection still haunts me, what I did to the man who was Marko Negrelli. So. No necromancy. Ok?"

Maria gave out a small, strangled gasp and gripped Johann's arm very tightly.

Johann held Maria tightly.

"Good. I'd like to introduce you to Maria Negrelli. She is Marko's sister." He said loudly and clearly, inwardly very pleased he got the good news before Maria knew precisely who this was.

"Maria and I were curious about the shop and decided to come in. Maria, this is Gilgamesh. You already know more about him now than I am sure you wanted to."

Gil froze. In the heightened exchange with Johann he hadn't properly stopped to wonder who his companion might be, and now he flushed bright red at the revelation.

"You... resurrected my brother?" Maria said slowly.

"I mean, I mostly did the dirty work. Stirring the cauldron, cleaning the floor. I was very... misguided. I was cruel to him, and I am so, so sorry" Gil stammered.

Maria didn't have the heart to be very angry at the strange young man, at least not in the moment. Perhaps later. It was clear that he didn't need any further fuel to stoke the fires of regret. She just held tight to Johann and gave Gilgamesh a strained smile.

"If you ever find a way to help him, do let me know. He'd love to think more clearly, feel less angry."

"O-of course," Gil stammered. "Perhaps I could help with that. Let me put together a gift hamper for you, on the house. It's just plain old alchemy. Science with a tiny dash of magic. Nothing unnatural. What do you say?"

"It is alright with me. At least as long as Maria is alright with it." He looked at her sadly.

"I mean. In the interest of a new era of peace and all. We can leave if you'd rather. "

"No, no. It's fine. Anything you can provide to help him would be greatly appreciated", Maria said firmly.

Gilgmesh sprung into action, leaping at his shelves and grabbing bottles and boxes with surprising accuracy and dexterity considering that he couldn't see them. He started to place them in a small wicker hamper.

"I've been developing a cream to promote healthy skin in the undead, I'll let you have some. And this one will heal him quicker if he is injured. And this candle might soothe him, it works on humans anyway. This one is designed to aid concentration, it's worth a shot. I... um... I have other news you might be interested to hear," he said, craning his neck around to look at Johann.

"The bond between Andrei and I is broken. I'm not his thrall any more. Just his son. That's why I'm here, doing this. I'm free."

Johann gaped at him in stunned silence. "Broken?! How? Did you defeat him in combat? Blackmail him? Purchase it somehow?" He took his hat off in awe.

"I assume he's still regrettably alive anyway but that. That is a feat. You're truly just an ordinary person then. Isn't that marvelous?"

"Yes! It is all I've ever wanted, deep down," Gil grinned impishly, before returning to his work, mixing a few powders together in a paper packet.

"...But Andrei was the one who instigated it, not me. He wanted me to be free. It's something he can't do for the rest of his family but he could do it for me, and so he did. I'm pleased to report that I don't really feel any different. I know you'll probably never understand, but... I do love him, and Ana, and Dimitri. And they love me. We just have a more natural bond, now."

He emptied the mixed contents of the paper packet into a mason jar and sealed the lid before adding it to the growing gift basket.

"... I have one more thing I'd like to share with you. But you have to promise never to use it as a weapon, to kill. Please. Your word of honour. I don't want to be responsible for any more deaths."

"Forgive me if I have a hard time believing he ever willingly let go of anyone. I will have to assume you defeated him but are trying to spare him the embarrassment." He said in a tone that was joking.

"Well. I am retired now. For good. So I suppose it is safe to tell me anything. I've hung up my hunters cloak."

"Ok. This way", Gil said, beckoning the pair to follow him through to the back room of the shop. It was half kitchen, half workshop: a perfect little laboratory for the wizard of small means. Before they stepped through, Maria leaned in to Johann.

"This 'magic' of his is real, then? Or does he just think it is?"

"His tutor brought your brother back from the dead. I would err on the side of caution and assume it is all very real."

Johann stepped carefully into the space, keeping his arms in so as not to accidentally touch anything.

"Some workshop you have. Is it safe?"

"As long as you don't go around licking things, it's safe enough. I like to keep everything clean and organised", Gil said, rummaging in some cupboards. Maria looked around, disquieted. Real magic. It didn't seem fair, somehow. She'd spent so long exposing fraudsters who espoused such things, and now this boy apparently knew how to resurrect the dead.

"This is what I was looking for," Gil said, removing something from a locked wooden box labelled "DON'T TOUCH" that had previously been inside a locked cupboard. It was a small wooden disc with strange runic writing burned into it, about the size of Gil's palm.

"A while ago I heard tell of a stone imbued with magic that could remove animation from the undead, render them empty corpses while it was in their proximity. I've been working to develop a milder equivalent. This requires direct contact with skin and it should take about ten seconds to work properly, but it will knock out a vampire, or a ghoul."

He held it out towards Johann.

"A way to sleep. Or... shut down."

"You..."

He shakily held out his hand.

"You made another of those rocks. How did. Where did. I. Ach." He stammered dumbly.

"I don't suppose this endeavor was sanctioned by your tutor."

"Well, I haven't exactly told him about it..." Gil mumbled, quickly adding, "I thought it was a useful technology to explore. It's not very powerful. Might even wear off after a day or two. You won't use it to hurt anyone? I won't give it to you if you are going to use it to..."

"... I won't," Maria said, taking the disc from Gil's hands. "I'll let Marko decide what he wants to do with it. Thank you."

"Great. I won't be making another one. It falls under the 'necromancy' category. A dark art."

Johann shuddered. "I'm surprised you made this one. A very bold project on your part. Dare I ask who you tested it on?"

He eyed it carefully. "Here, let me wrap it up for safe keeping. I don't want anyone to accidentally touch it. Ah... or maybe one of you should do it. I am part vampire and I am unsure if I should handle it."

"For goodness sake, you grow garlic in your garden", Maria sighed, although she started to wrap up the disc in a handkerchief and put it away in her handbag. "You spent a considerable percentage of your working career creating stakes, holy water and who knows what else. I think you're fine."

Gil's jaw was slack, hardly hearing Maria's words.

"Sorry... sorry part... vampire?"

Johann flushed. Partially from Maria's flawless logic, but also partially because he forgot that Gil didn't know. His attempts at normalizing it in his own head had gone too far.

"Oh. Ah. I suppose you weren't told. You see as it turns out, my grandfather is still around. Still kicking. Still biting." He sighed.

"Oh. Well, I guess I'll scratch you off my list of entirely human friends, then. I'm running out of those. In fact I don't think I have ANY."

Gil paused, unsure what social protocol was in this kind of situation. What did you say to such a revelation? It did make sense of a lot of things. He'd never encountered a damphyr first-hand, but the literature was pretty clear on the subject. Professional interest took over, his lessons from Andrei surrounding the reproductive capabilities of vampires coming flooding back.

"You should be safe around that device. You've never been beyond the veil, your life force is pure, presumably still attached to your body in a normal way. In some ways I'm probably more part -vampire than you are. But um... do you have any symptoms I could help with?"

"Well. If you have anything for sleeplessness. You mentioned calming candles. Maybe I will try one of them." He glanced sideways at Maria.

"Or maybe if you have any cologne that will make my date think I am particularly handsome today, I wouldn't say no to that either, ha."

Gil paused again.

"... I don't see you for a while and you go from being a celibate priest to a quarter-vampire who is out on a date. That's brilliant! I approve!" he grinned. More rummaging, pouring of liquids and shaking of jars produced a jar of oil with a heady floral scent, which he gave to Johann.

"Put that in a diffuser, keep it by your bedside and you should sleep more easily. Consider it a free sample, if it works then I'll sell you more. As for the second thing, I've decided not to make love potions as such. I don't want to start a load of Midsummer Night's Dream weirdness. But this..."

He produced a small bottle with a spritzer on top filled with a clear liquid.

"... will make the thoughts of those who already love you dwell on that fact a little more. And it smells nice. It's $20."

"Can't I just say that you already look particularly handsome today? You do." Maria said quickly.

"Seems we both have good news for each other." Johann grinned. He gave the little bottle a sniff.

"Oh, I don't know Maria. Give it a whiff. You tell me if it suits me. I havent worn cologne in so long I must say I'm wholly at a loss for where to begin. You're already so out of my league it is a struggle to keep up."

Maria lifted the bottle to her nostrils and gave a cursory sniff. Despite the young man's apparent capabilities she was fairly sure it was just alcohol with smelly substances mixed in with zero magical properties, but if it made Johann feel good about himself...

"Well, it does smell nice. We'll take a bottle."

Before Johann had time to react she'd fished out a fresh bill from her bag and handed it over to Gilgamesh, who in turn handed over the little hamper full of goodies.

"You'll come by again? I... um. You were the first person outside the cult to look out for me. I've never forgotten that."

"Thank you Maria." He said sheepishly. "You know, traditionally I should be the one lavishing gifts on you." He winked.

He turned to Gil with a weary smile. "You know, I think I should like to come in again. I am... proud of you? Oddly enough. Though we have had many ups and downs. I am very impressed with how far you have come. I could stop by with some soup now and then. Need to make sure someone feeds you, don't I?"

"Proud of me?" Gil repeated, marvelling at perhaps the strangest turn of events of the day. "That's... surprising! But... nice. You know I was raised to hunt the supernatural, lied to about who and what I was for so many years. You're the only person I know who might understand exactly how hard that has been. So. I'm pleased you're proud."

He smiled broadly, quickly adding,"... if you do come again, you should probably still make sure it's not after dark. My little brother is terrified of you."

"Not for bad reasons either." He sighed and shook his head.

"I'd say to give the family my regards but it may come across as snide. I suppose I will be seeing you again soon. In daylight. I think Rosa would probably enjoy this place." He rolled his eyes playfully.

"I hope that sort of camaraderie can replace the enmity between the two families more fully."