Chapter 19: The Dolls and The Puppeteers

Suits of black, maroon, white, grey and brown, dresses in all sorts of shapes, patterns, and colors, and all sorts of shiny pieces on each of the guests that were almost irresistible enough for a crow to just want to snatch and put in their nest. The types of jewels that were worn on much, bolder people, the ones with money gained from secret places. Who knows what entrance was given for them.

"Welcome to the underworld party Noe!" The lady whispered over her shoulder at the woman. 

As the lady in black led the woman in white across the room, Noemie watched as the room filled, so slowly but such a difference in what it looked like before, everything went by in a blur with the gold-colored walls. 

"Before I have you meet my potential associates," The lady began, snapping Noemie out of her observation of the place. 

"We need you dressed in something more presentable." She said as she looked over her shoulder at Noemie who stopped walking, giving a slight frown as she timidly stepped back. 

It was funny sometimes, how much the lady was able to turn her head to easily look behind her, sort of like an owl, like it was a trick she had built up and used a lot. The lady nonetheless giggled at the woman's reaction; it was the first scared reaction in a while. 

The lady pulled her through a door that led to a room full of shelves of folded clothes and curtains. 

"I am a chef tonight; therefore, I need to look like a chef, there is no need to dress up." Noemie said in nervousness, watching the lady search through the hanging coats and such, feeling a wrong sense of nostalgia. 

She simply tutted and wiggled a finger at Noemie, quickly spinning around and paired her hands up to Noemie's shoulders, the woman's chest rising in response, trying to hide it with the platter. Her eyes followed the lady's hands as they straightened and were put parallel against her left and right, measuring the size of her neck, shoulders, and waist. She spun around again to look at the coats in the same shade of black like her outfit but different material. 

The lady in leather black elegantly pulled a long suit-looking coat, or dress? Human outfits are so hard to name, either way, it looked nice, and it had a high neck collar to it, matching Noemie's style. The woman was one who was more comfortable with dressing modestly, it wasn't a culture thing, just something she chose. 

She made Noemie set the platter down on a nearby small table next to a plush, single person chair under a tall lamp in the room, the only light source, and had her change in one of the smaller rooms in the place, the door being a curtain, like they'd done this tons of times before. Honestly at first glance, almost the entire room looked like it was walled by curtains, but it was certainly solid wall of flower designs.

The lady clearly liked this building, it kept its style from the 1900s, only some structures changed to keep it alive and standing. Noemie would've liked this too, if she weren't busy.

Would it be difficult to believe that this wasn't the first time the lady made this woman dress up for something special she had planned? Back then the lady used to doll her up lots of times, so Noemie simply followed suit like it was instinct.

The woman came out in her black suit gown, it had about the same shape as her chef uniform, but without her regular clothes underneath. Unlike her chef coat, this was an entire two-piece clothing itself, the upper part resembling a suit of long sleeves fitted to the arms and wrist, the high collar perfectly complimenting the shape of her throat, all button from up of the collar, down to the black skirt that made it a dress. All that was left was the corset that came with the dress, Noemie did it herself, not wanting the lady to come near here to tighten something around her waist, not allowing the similar event of the tightening around the neck to happen again. 

Unlike the times where the lady chose something bold, this time she chose something that suited Noemie better, and the woman always looked so beautiful in wearing something that was her.

The lady in leather black smiled a shiny dark red on her lips, happy to be matching with the woman in her black suit dress. They looked like a pair of Ravens, one puffing or revealing her chest out more than the other, who is keeping her feathers tucked in. 

"This, again?" 

The lady looked at her innocently, smiling. 

"What? You don't have to do much, just stand behind me so that I can make sure everyone is looking in my direction." 

The woman sighed, eyes closed and brows furrowing as she folded her hands over her stomach, just like a real lady in waiting. The lady walked up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder as the woman opened her eyes to her face. 

"I have never let anyone defile you, with their eyes yes, but with their hands? No, and that won't start tonight."

They took the tray and left the room and walked down another hallway to a room with heavy curtains again, the brightest scarlet red could ever be. There was the same symbol of two fingers over a mouth atop the arch of the room as the sign, also guarded by two men. 

Noemie kept her doll blank expression as she followed behind the lady into the room, holding the tray of tea with both hands, the guards gave her short glances, but remained in place. 

The lady's smile grew at the sight of the man sitting inside and waiting in the room. 

Noemie raised her head up slightly to look at the man, no words or responses, just a worrisome feeling for whatever the lady in leather black was planning. 

A room blocked from view by heavy red curtains and guards, deep in a hallway, round table in the center, leather single-person chairs for five people, a light in the center of the ceiling. Walls, floors, and ceilings so thick no one will hear them even in a screaming contest.

The first guest looked like any other man, like a normal working-class person in a blue suit and combed over hair, save for the black leather gloves on his hands, and the tired, unamused look in his eyes, far different from the usual stressed or anxious eyes that a normal person would give in a waiting scenario. 

His gaze fell upon the smiling lady, tilting his head a little as he noticed a figure behind her, seeing Noemie, his eyes glinting with a sudden curiosity. Noemie placed the platter of blood and honey tea in the center, and they helped themselves as the lady lifted her hand and gestured for Noemie to move back. The woman was able to understand her so easily without any verbal responses. 

"When are the others arriving?" The lady asked eagerly, leaning her elbows in the table and leaned her face on her hand. 

The man in the blue suit was still letting his eyes wander around the room, a finger tapping against the table. Was he trying to avoid looking at the teacups filled with fingers and blood, or avoiding eye contact with her in a disrespectful manner?

"In a minute, some are skeptical about this you see." Was all he said, not even making eye contact with her. 

"This is an oddly nice place you picked." His head slowly moved left and right, scanning the place. 

"The owner owes me a few favors." The lady replied. 

She sipped from her tea, taking the finger out and placing it on the little pate. The man in the blue suit made a grossed-out expression at the sight. 

"For what? The "meat" you provide?" 

"Course not silly." She waved off his remark. "For covering up his messes." 

More footsteps could be heard, and eventually the other two guests that were expected had entered the room, all in suits, filling up the other two chairs on either side of the man in the blue suit. 

Another man in a black suit, the only shiny object he had was a watch, far too big and heavy for a bird to carry away, the other woman in the room was wearing a dress with a slit opening on one side, a fur shawl wrapped around her shoulders, her hair was wavy. 

They made no response, just making eye contact with one another, and then looking expectantly at the lady in her leather black suit with the deep V opening. She tapped her finger excitedly against the table as the others looked at the tea, each with a finger as a stir stick. They didn't make a move to go near or touch the drinks at all. 

"So, have all of you had enough time to think yet?" 

They all shared looks, some slightly shaking their heads, others avoiding eye contact all together, no one noticed or felt Noemie's gaze as she observed each of them, taking in all of their details the way she normally would behind a camera. Unmoving, standing still in her spot by the wall next to the door like a waiting doll. 

"Lately there have been issues with hiding our murders," The lady began as she leaned her head on her elbow, tapping her cheek. The other hand being used to stir her tea.

"Correction, all of you have been having trouble with cleaning up your murders. I've been fine, because of my business." 

The man who came late frowned a little at her but continued to listen, the lady in fur unable to take her eyes off the finger in her teacup. The man in blue was still being difficult to read, but he did keep his eyes in her direction, or it could be because Noemie was standing behind the lady.

"I can do whatever I please, kill whoever annoys me, and continue to make those annoyances work for me by selling them to the common, unthinking and unaware, making money so easily." She hissed, leaning in a position like she was about to interrogate all of them with those eyes of hers. Hands now folded and in front of her lips. 

The woman in fur pulled her shawl further up her shoulders, and the others stayed silent out of discomfort. 

"Allow me to repeat what I told all of you individually." She planted both hands onto the table.

"Let's be business partners, I have people who will do your hidden jobs, and clean up your messes, I just require that each of you be willing to do favors for me or give me free access whenever I need. And don't think none of you have been getting sloppy, remember your little scandal Mr. Andrews?" She pointed her eyes at the man in the blue suit. He had his arms crossed and cocked a brow at her, still no response.

She stopped speaking and gave each of them time to think, going back to drinking her tea of blood and honey. Still, no one touched the cups on the tray.

"I like the idea of having a place to hide the corpses I've made," Began the woman in the fur shawl, though she too avoided eye contact with the lady, "But I don't know how to feel about working with a cannibal." 

The lady gave the woman wearing fur a wide-eyed look, her lips still not moving as the woman in fur grew uncomfortable under her gaze. The other two men followed with remarks that they didn't like the idea of having her chefs serve human meat at their places. 

"It's gross, and I don't understand the point for it." The man who entered late said. He wore a dark purple suit that matched his brunette hair. He leaned back into his chair, looking unimpressed like the meeting was a chore. 

The lady sat tall in her seat and shifted her eyes at him. "What part do you not understand my good sir?" She tilted her head. 

The man in dark purple sighed and rubbed his tired eyes with both hands, tilting his head back as he spoke. 

"I came here because you gave me a promising offer to make my men easier to deal with, but all I'm hearing is that you want to have your men take our mess to turn into your fantasy meals, along with being given favors for you doing nothing but what you've already been doing. Where's our benefits?" He said, raising his hands up in an open gesture, waiting for her response.

Noemie shifted her eyes to the lady in leather black, as did the other two in the room. She stood up, her smile a little smaller but still curved, walking slowly around the table to him as she asked, "Benefit? You want to know the benefit for working with me?" Her eyes curved with her smile, the metaphorical crows' feet on her face becoming visible. 

The man in the dark purple suit leaned in his chair, arm slung over the arm rest as he raised an eyebrow at her, a bit of a cocky look as he had no respect to give her.  

The lady bowed forward to be on eye level with him, arms crossed behind her well-postured back. 

"The benefit, is you won't be my enemy anymore, and I won't hurt you." She said to him softly. 

The man in the dark purple suit scoffed, grinning at her, his eyes shifting down a little to look at her breasts squeezed into her outfit, not giving her the respectful eye contact as he responded.

"You're gonna hurt me now?"

A click was then heard near the floor, the lady brought it up and twisted her body to slit the man's face. He began to scream in pain as she held her leg up, blood dripping from the blade sticking out of her heeled boot. 

The man reached up to the cut on his face, getting up as his eyes twisted in pain, and he reached for one of the teacups to throw at her. She parried and stabbed him again, stomped her heel back onto his foot, swiftly slipping off one of her gloves and shoving her fingers straight into his cut again, knocking him onto the table.

THUD!

Her other hand slipped the glove off and she grabbed his forehead, pinned him there and stabbed her nails into his neck, pulling out through the side, splashing his blood onto the table and the chair she sat at. His hands fell limp and dropped the teacup, that too making a bloody mess on the floor.

The woman wearing fur had stood up from her chair either out of shock, or to keep the blood from splattering on her clothes, the man in the blue suit, Mr. Andrews had observed the scene keenly, unmoving from his spot or his position.

The lady, the only one in the room smiling, lifted her nails up to her face, looking at the blood that had stained the colorful polish that she likely had recently glued and painted on. Very colorful and with a funny odor. One of them was now missing from her finger. 

Some people will glue longer pieces of plastic that look like nails onto their shorter nails, as what I can only guess is a safer way to decorate their hands without actually damaging them, unlike when they decorate their hair. I don't know whether to laugh or be disappointed; one of the treasures and status symbols used by ancient Chinese royal concubines and empresses, those beautiful nail guards, turned into a friendly fashion and shaved down "to make it safer" and "convenient" for everyday functions, made of plastic and not metal. Oh, but at least the lady is using the poison aspect of those old nail guards.