FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

They were provided clothing of a

suitable size, even if it was a little outdated. And yet, Maggie had to smile

as she put her's on.

"You know, if I didn't know better,

I'd say these were from the sixties."

"Yeah, I'd have to agree with you.

But the uncanny thing is, they fit like a glove."

Maggie was in a patterned dress

with a hemline that came above the knees. There was a purse that coordinated with

it, and a pair of boots that completed the ensemble.  The only thing she really had to do was

adjust her body to fit into the top of the dress. She was still rather stuck in

her immature form. She grew just a little and looked at Edward.

"Can you tolerate me growing up?"

"Can you tolerate my persistent

rash actions?"

"Yes."

"Then I guess we were made for each

other. But I'm still wondering about these clothes. They are original you know.

This one has a tag that's a little yellowed from a clothing store I've never

heard of."

"I take it you're reading something

into that?"

"Yes I am. I'm thinking that

somehow this lady knew that she was going to meet us and in what manner, and

she knew it a very long time ago."

Maggie shivered. "That's sort of

creepy."

"More than you realize I think.

That means that she probably knew about both of us before we were even born. So

if that's the case, why didn't she intervene before now?"

"I guess you'll have to ask her

once you see her."

"Yeah, finding her... that's going to

be an interesting experience. Do you think it will be worth it?"

"To find out who she is and what

she wants from us? Do you really need to ask? And you can tune into her to find

her now that you know what she looks like."

"I doubt it'll be that easy Mags. I

have a feeling that the face I saw was one of many. Don't ask me why, but I

think she left an impression of herself on my mind."

She snorted. "Are you sure it isn't

something left over of Robert's?"

"Yeah, that. I guess I shouldn't

have done it. But destroying something inherently good is abhorrent to me."

"Well, it looks like you're stuck

with it unless this lady can tell you how to deal with it. Does it bother you?"

"What? The fact that I did it or

the random memories that keep filtering through?"

"That last one."

"It's unnerving to say the least,

seeing things you know you never experienced. He seems to have retained everything he

did as Hyde as well as all of the things from his normal life."

"Ouch! That would be unsettling. I

guess you'll have to find some way of containing it until you can be rid of

him."

"I'm doing what I can. At the

moment it seems to be just enough for me to retain my sanity."

"You mean you still have some left

after all of this?"

"Barely!"

The nurse came in on them again.

"I have gotten word back from your

bank in Italy that they are making you new credit cards. They are sending them

and the cash you requested; in Euros, via a courier to this very address. I am

not happy about that, but they insisted that they have your signature to match

with the one they have on record. But I assume you know all of this."

Edward nodded. "We have a sizable

account there. I'm sorry if I'm putting you in jeopardy by having them meet me

here."

"No jeopardy. It is very difficult

to put us in jeopardy. What you are doing is taking up our time in an

unreasonable manner. Still, the lady said to afford you everything you might

want or need before you leave."

Edward sniffed a little at her tone

and then smiled. "We'll need transport once we're ready to go. Do you have an

automobile we can use?"

"There is only one such vehicle here,

and it is not for your personal use. I would suggest that when the time comes,

you use your own means for conveying yourself away from here."

Maggie was feeling a bit prickly.

"The only means we had was a life boat."

"That was your last means, yes.

When the time comes, you will travel as you have in the past."

Maggie could feel the heat rising

within her. "Look, you sourpuss! We have walked, we have swum, we have flown, and

we have floated down a river. We have used just about every means of locomotion

there is, so maybe you can quit being so coy. "

"I could, but the mistress said to

enlighten you no more than is necessary. Therefore, her words take precedence

over yours."

"Fine! We'll walk. It's not like we

haven't been all over the Russian countryside, or wandered around America, and

Italy, or France or..."

Edward tapped her on the shoulder.

"You're awfully picky for someone who was recently rescued from the open sea.

Even if we were fairly close to shore when she rescued us, we very well might

have drifted on past land without ever knowing it. You should be glad that

you're on dry land to even be able to use your legs for walking. You might

still have your wings to contend with. Be grateful for once and shut up."

Her eyes widened a little before

she turned to the nurse. "I'm sorry. I guess I was getting a little out of

line."

The nurse smiled. "You were. And

you are forgiven. I would suggest you take a little time to reflect on your

present situation. As your husband has mentioned, you have much to be grateful

for. Never let the dark overshadow the light."

"Husband?" The word seemed to be a novel

idea."I guess maybe he is my husband."

Edward smiled. "If you would like

to make it formal, there's still the pope."

"Maybe. But I think that lady was

right. It's what is in our hearts that matters."

"Good thing it's not what is in our

heads, or we'd be in deep trouble."

The snort came this time from the

nurse, who actually cracked a smile on her hardened face. "A sense of humor

will take you far young man. Never lose it."

The courier arrived the next day,

apparently spending all night traversing the seventeen hour trip from Rome. He did look

tired, and Edward handed him a small stack of bills. The man's eyes nearly

popped from his head.

"Signor, non posso accettare

questo!"

"Yes you can, because I just gave

them to you. Now go and get some rest before returning home."

Maggie chuckled as the man drove

away.

"What's so funny?"

"This is Amsterdam."

"So?"

"God, are you that naïve?"

"About what?"

"Prostitution. It's legal here. I'll

just bet he won't be getting any sleep for a long, long while."

"If not, then he deserves what he

gets. I figured I would reward him for his efforts. How he spends his money is

not my concern."

She let the matter drop, but still

giggled now and again as she pictured the driver in bed with a girl of his

choice.  But the fact was, now that there

were intact, clothed and equipped with financial means, their time at the house

was finished. It all happened so quickly that neither of them had much time to

explore it or its location. That may have been part of the plan. No point in

letting them get too cozy. They were intrepid explorers after all, setting out

to find this Lady Lily.

The day after the courier arrived

they were shown to the door. Maggie was still grumbling silently about the

boots she was wearing. She would be better off in bare feet, or better yet, as

a wolf. The boots were fashionable, but hardly suitable for trekking long distances.

Edward's shoes were little better,

being more for dress than for hiking. Brother Carcharoth and the nurse walked

them to the door. It was the first time the old man had reappeared since they

had arrived here. He looked upon them with renewed interest.

"I have been retracing your lines.

Most curious indeed.  The Leeds line has

a certain stigma attached to it, and for this reason I left off attempting to

follow it a very long time ago. In this I have been remiss. From a coal mine a

diamond of exceptional brilliance has emerged."

Maggie choked on whatever words she

had ready. "Thank you."

He looked at Edward. "You are the

one who should never have been. It was written that your fate was sealed by

silver. And yet, here you are. I do not know what the lady thinks in helping

you. It has been a very long time for an animacomedentis to make themselves known."

"A what?"

The old smiled. "What you are. It

is a very old term. You have greater power, and you must use it wisely. Never

allow it to overpower you."

Maggie put her hands on her hips. "Now

wait just a minute! What did you call him?"

"I'll tell you what my dear. You

just go and figure it out. I am sure you know the lady wishes us to tell you

only the minimum information. I have told you just enough to pique your

interest without telling you more than I need to. Go forth and find out more. The

data is out there; you must go and find it. It is what I do with my life. The lady

knows all, but she doesn't tell all. She helps me from time to time, but she

believes in self-reliance."

Edward bowed. "And so we shall abide

by her wishes for now. And yet, a car would be nice to have right at the moment.

I rather dread going across Europe on foot."

The old man opened the door. "On

foot is the best way to see where you have been. But you will have time for

that later."

There, parked right outside was a

red Alpha.

"It can't be!"

"Why not? The lady saw to it that

you might have need for it again, so she made arrangements to have it put away

safely until now. Since it is your car, paid in full, there can be no claim

against it or you. Your lack of a proper driver's license will be your problem to

contend with down the road," he coughed, grinning. "Sorry for the pun. You will

have to deal with your problems as you face them. From here on out you are on

your own."

The door was shut with a dead thud.

They both knew that no amount of knocking was going to get them inside. Edward

opened the passenger door for her and closed it after she got inside. He got

behind the wheel and turned the key. The little engine roared to life.

"You know, these clothes kind of go

with this car."

"Yes they do. Let's just hope that

there isn't going to be any time travel involved with this. I don't think that

is something I could handle right now."

"Time travel is impossible!"

"And so are werewolves. I'm not

putting anything past anyone right now."

He started to put the car into gear

but stopped. "Now don't go saying things like that. We've been through

enough.  Skipping into the past will do

us not a bit of good."

"Maybe not, but it would be an

adventure!"

He sat there, listening to the

engine purr. He was looking to the future. And he was looking to the past. "Nope.

There's nothing there. If there was, I think I would see it."

"Let's hope so. I'm all for doing

something interesting, but I think I'm about tapped out for now."

"Me too."

He pressed the clutch in and ran

through the gears, heading out to the main thoroughfare and off into traffic,

just like he had dealt with this city's congestion as though he had lived here

his entire life.  It failed to dawn on

him that this was the first time he had ever been here, though it wasn't likely

to be the last.