video

[rathercommon]

Hi. It's Kitty.

[ She gives an awkward little wave to the camera. She feels ridiculously uncomfortable posting about this right now, and it shows; she looks anxious and displeased. But - ]

I know there was a bit of talk of having a birthday party for me today, but it's been cancelled. For...rather obvious reasons. So just - if you were going to come, do stay home. [ Then, with a quick attempt at some comforting levity: ] Spend the time you would have at my party finding a good cause, and then when all of this is over with, volunteer with them.

[ Okay. Her attempt at a smile fades, and then she continues on: ]

Anyway. That's not...quite it. There've been a few people who've gone. Simon Newton, for one, and John Mitchell. And just recently, John Mandrake. [ This last...She does not look happy about that. ] And I know sometimes people come back without memories, so if you find them back, and they've forgotten something, please let me know. I think - they might not know to contact me, if they lose memories, so I'd like to know if they return.

[ Translation: "Mandrake was my blood enemy, but now we're friends, and won't it just be my luck if he comes back forgetting that second part."

Her next attempt to shake off her gloom looks like almost a physical effort. She just about twitches like a cat shifting its attention. ]

Anyway. While we're avoiding getting each other ill, why don't we do something to keep our spirits up? Has anyone read those books about the vampires falling in love? Billy gave me one, and they are bloody ghastly, aren't they? So, go on, then, tell me about the absolute worst book you've ever read.

Comments

[footnoting]

[Oh come now, Kitty. As if he wouldn't put up with the disruption to his essence, at least for a short while. A little blurring was good for the soul or-- er. Something like that.

The cat's ear flicks back and forth.]

Well. That's more or less what happened. Though with a lot less staff whirling and mighty, inspiring fighting.

Wasn't even much of a fight. Gladstone had afrits, we had about two dozen half-wit foliots and a djinni or three. [He pauses] And the golems, of course. While they lasted. Dealt a blow against the spirits, not a thing against the staff.

[There's a point to this, though. Honest.]

[rathercommon]

[ That's right. She remembers now. Bartimaeus had fought for Prague. She'd sort of had in her head, with him a servant of English magicians now - or him a servant of English magicians at home, she should say - that he was on England's side, but no - she remembers reading now a little footnote about his role working for Czech magicians. ]

I remember when Nathaniel tried to use the staff against that golem those years ago, it gave it pause. So in the hands of a magician like Gladstone...

[ She nods. Then she reaches out to the side for a bookmark she'd set in one of her books - she runs the paper gently over the arch of his back, a gentle petting motion. It probably doesn't give him any comfort, she knows, but...she likes it. ]

It must have been awful. What a senseless loss of life. On both sides. London's spirits dead against the golems, Prague's dead against the staff.