Loki followed his friend across the city feeling his special herbs taking effect. His muscles relaxed and his concerns edged away as he followed Beryl to Bookworms home, the buildings becoming a blur around him thanks to the new special ingredients in his brownies. Just the thing he needed to take the edge off his meeting with the numpty Professor and the spider situation.
He barely realized they arrived at Books home before figuring out that Beryl was singing in feline. It was a good song to any feline, but the Captain rushed out like most humans looking tired and haggard. Her grave expression made Loki want to do something to lift her spirits so he reached into his pocket and offered her a brownie to take the edge off her day. He smiled as she accepted the treat and put it in her pocket for later.
When Beryl explained why they were there Bookworm appeared to shudder even though Loki felt no breeze. He hoped she enjoyed the brownie soon as he exclaimed, “Owr fren’ is back!”
“Define friend again, Loki?” Beryl asked skeptically while Bookworm sighed and agreed to come with them.
“Oi, she mean’ no ‘arm!” Loki protested strongly, but Beryl continued. “Didn’t she steal your home?”
The Captain was now leading them across the bridges, though Loki did not recognize the route. He wasn’t even sure if they had come this way the first time he had walked it. Their trek came to a halt outside the asylum where Book paused to talk to an angry Mr. Wright and that sullen Captain fellow who yelled at him a few months back. They both appeared to be in an argument.
“Is there not a single happy face in this city tonight? Or is it just my friends?” Beryl mused before looking at Loki. “Your smile doesn’t count. It had help.”
Loki giggled in agreement. His smile did have help and it was found in his special new ‘catnip’ brownie. He greeted the others warmly as Bookworm continued solemnly, “They tell me Itsy the Spider is back. We’re going to Professor Quinn for more information.”
“Ya know, tha’ jerk,” Loki snorted derisively at the man’s name.
“I did not say that,” Beryl replied quietly in response to Bookworm, though she didn’t seem to hear her. “But if that’s what you want to interpret it…”
Russell appeared confused by the unfamiliar names and disdainful of the affair, but Wright took the news seriously. “So she’s the reason you’re all here?”
Beryl chimed in much louder this time, “The Professor said he wouldn’t tell Loki what was happening unless he fetched Book for him. Because she has no phone.” She looked to Bookworm incessantly. “Get a phone.” The woman quietly muttered about the infernal things.
Loki barely paid the adults conversation any mind now that he was thinking of the professor again. “Daft rude childish proffesa! Dun know oo oi am!”
Their argument drew in the attention of several others, including that spindly Professor Rance and another street urchin Loki didn’t recognize. The Professor inquired from the gate, “What are you all gathered out here for?”
Beryl shrugged and repeated, “To sum it up, we’re on our way to see Professor Quinn to find out about a killer spider that is Loki’s best friend.
“Oi dinna say we was besties!” Loki fumed as he defended himself but Beryl didn’t argue. They were too busy watching the adults sharing information with one another boringly. Loki reached for his brownie to munch on it, but forgot that he already ate it all much earlier.
Looking around confused he looked to the cobbles and thought he must have dropped it. He began to lick them until he realized Beryl was staring at him. He quickly dusted himself and his tongue off grinning.
Fortunately the others hadn’t seen him try to lick the crumbs off the pavement, because they had just agreed to go see the nutty Professor. Even the urchin and the skinny asylum man wanted to see what the news was about. This made the Captain fellow upset that Wright was willing to leave his post for some reason, but he came too.
The buildings seemed to melt past Loki as he followed the group back to the Station. The new girl was impressed with the intimidating building, but Loki walked forward confidently following Bookworm. She led them into the telegraph station where that daft Professor was waiting for them.
The Professor examined his guests swarming inside and allowed the urchins to eat from the apple bowl with a wave of his hand. “You might as well. They’re still delivering them for Professor Falcon despite everything.” He paused then stared at Book. “I was not expecting the full Militia, Captain.”
Loki enjoyed his apple for a moment, but then his eyes captured something wondrous sitting next to Quinn’s mechanical hands. Doctor Falcon’s horn. It was just sitting there on the table inches away from him. The wicked professor hadn’t melted it down yet.
The urchin looked up at the Professor with calculating eyes grinning inwardly. He wouldn’t be leaving without that horn in his hands. He’d make a proper monument for his friend with it, or a new clockwork Doctor Avalon.
What do you mean “Sullen”?