Open: And they're gonna bend their branches down to lay their fruit upon the ground

[vineleaves]

Dionysus is in a kitchen, apron tied over a purple dress with vine details, singing to himself as he uses a melon baller to scoop out a watermelon. The large bowl next to him is already full of honeydew melon and cantaloupe, and he's got a few other ingredients nearby ready to add in once he's done with the watermelon. Mint leaves, some honey, some lemon juice, and some lime juice.

It has been quite an eventful time lately, but overall his life is pretty great right now.

Comments

[greentara]

Constance still feels a touch of trepidation; she is not used to such kindness and warmth, even from those she loves dearly. When she speaks, it is in the vaguest of terms. "There was a pivotal event in my past that I regret dearly and still carry guilt from, though I was merely an indirect cause of it. I have an opportunity to remedy what happened -- but it would be done only with great danger to my life. I cannot leave it be. I'm only wondering if it is madness... or hope."

[vineleaves]

"Did someone die?"

[greentara]

"My sister, Mary. She was part of a medical experiment. It was--" She swallows, showing a small amount of emotion for the first time. "It was my fault. I could not have known it at the time, but it was my fault."

[vineleaves]

"And you're going to try to bring her back to life?"

[greentara]

Constance tilts her head in a small moment of acknowledgement; she is familiar with her classics, after all. "No, I intend to save an alternate version of her and have my revenge on her murderer," she says, grimly.

[vineleaves]

"And you think there's a way to go about doing that?" His voice is quiet and calm. He's not accusing her of wanting something impossible, he's more checking to see how likely it is she would even have ever been able to make an attempt in the first place.

[greentara]

"I have seen it with my own eyes."

[vineleaves]

"And you're sure that -- whatever this is, would work to save her?"

[greentara]

"No," calmly. "That's where I may be mad. I have no plan, I am not certain if any plan would work, and there is no way of returning if my plan fails."

[vineleaves]

"Ah. Well, I don't think it's madness, but I do think it's... saying it's 'ill-advised' is a bit of an understatement, dear." He sighs. "I used to have a very good friend who tried something similar, and when it unfortunately failed he -- he never really... recovered."

[greentara]

"Orpheus," Constance hazards a guess. "What on earth can you do on this earth but catch at whatever comes near you, with both your fingers, until your fingers are broken?"

[vineleaves]

"Not my favorite of Tom's plays, but, yeah, I'm talking about Orpheus. He was sad, of course, of course he was sad, when Eurydice died. But after -- when he couldn't bring her back -- even though he got so close, and got to see her again, which is, for a mortal, an incredible feat -- when he got home, he was still without her, only now he had unimaginable guilt. He couldn't -- couldn't live with it, I suppose." He has been sort of staring off to the side this whole time, but suddenly he directs his attention back to Constance with a strong intensity. "I don't want something like that to happen to you, dear."

[greentara]

Constance gazes back, some of that intensity reflected in her eyes. "The unimaginable guilt that Orpheus felt, of being so close to a loved one and not knowing, of losing her forever, of feeling shame for the rest of his life -- that is a feeling I am very well acquainted with at present."

[vineleaves]

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath - several thousands of years later and it's still not any fun to think about how Orpheus was changed by all that - then he looks at Constance again. He reaches for her hand, if she lets him take it he'll give it a gentle squeeze. "What, exactly, does your plan entail? You can't exactly take the route Orpheus did. Not from here, anyway."

[greentara]

She does let him take her hand but it does nothing to lessen her intensity at the moment. "There is a machine that can create a path. It exists in Savannah, Georgia in 2013. I've walked it once before. I meant to walk it again -- before I arrived here."

[vineleaves]

"A path to... what, exactly?" She already said she isn't planning on bringing her back from the dead, but saving an alternate version, or something like that. "Different universe? The past?" He very specifically does not point out that they are currently a long way from Savannah.

[greentara]

"A different universe. It will be waiting for me, no matter how long I stay here."

[vineleaves]

"How dangerous is it?"

[greentara]

She shakes her head. "The machine itself is not dangerous, the man who waits at the end is. Doctor Enoch Leng. I've already warned Tally about him in case he arrives as a visitor." Though she supposes that if he arrives, that could be when she takes her revenge.

[vineleaves]

"What should we all look out for in case he does show up?"

[greentara]

She hesitates for a moment. "He is experienced at disguises but he would be a well-dressed, charismatic man, though quite old-fashioned in his ways. He would also be specifically targeting young women between the ages of 15 and 20."

[vineleaves]

"He better not show up here," Dionysus says, and there's an intensity to his words. "But if he does, I'm sure all of us here will do whatever we all can to make sure everyone is safe from him. I -- I'm incredibly sorry that you've had to deal with someone like that, dear."

[greentara]

"Thank you. I regret all of the young women he has harmed through the years," Constance says. "At least I have my life."

[vineleaves]

"I'm glad for that much, at least. Too many people come here after losing their lives, you know."

[greentara]

Constance looks at him in mild surprise; this did not seem to be the case with most of the people she has met so far. "Oh?"