The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Eighteen

Joy seemed to hang on Amadeo during the meeting. He did seem to fit her type; the ruffled shirt and cut-off denim shorts he'd worn for travel were somewhat femme.

           

Halloween came. Morpheus was in his room, dressing. He thought about the clothes and then formed the draped shapes on his body. He didn't need the mirror - mirrors were for looking at others - but he stood in front of the large wall mirror as he adjusted the textures on his all-black formal wear. Joy's invitation had indicated "White-tie Black", which, Morpheus was pretty sure, was a made-up thing that really meant "don't wear white shirts, because they show blood".

The mirror's image distorted.  Morpheus saw his mother come through, dressed appropriately in a floor-length gown. Mother turned then, and focused the mirror on the Heart of the Allegory, where Maya waited with Dream. Their grandfather touched the glass on his side, and Maya was able to pass through the open portal, although, as usual, her appearance was nearly transparent. Morpheus was flesh in both worlds, but Maya more a spirit, only seemingly matter in The Land.

"Absinthe should be returning through her own room," Mother said, "Call your Djinn as well.  We'll need to keep a tight watch."

Morpheus shook his head, not understanding.

"Murph, your father is concerned as ever about Metro's prophesies and that the one we investigate is somehow the cause of her losing her vision. Now the rest has come to pass, and there are three Jewels in the Palace. Who knows what may happen?"

"I can call them, of course, but Julien doesn't know I have Djinn until the future."

"Do you often base decisions on whether they seem to be in accordance with your perception of what may come?" Maya asked.

"It must be a fixed point, it is my past, intersecting with a future Julien has not yet experienced, which Splendor reported Absidus instigated."

"Fixed or not is irrelevant," Maya told him, "The flaw is in your thinking, Brother. Julien's lack of knowledge does not preclude your mastery or use of your Djinn."

Morpheus nodded, realizing, when Maya spoke, he had included assumption in his thinking. He missed Maya. He forgot how her way of thinking complemented his when he didn't have her with him.

"Sin and Laudy are here," Mother said from the door. Morpheus glanced. Laudanum did not wear a suit, but formal clothing from the era of his birth, a heavy, black chiton, elegantly embroidered in silver thread that drew out the

phases of the moon, and a nightcloak over one shoulder.  Absinthe never wore much, but this evening had a long, glove-tight gown of black net that flounced below the knees, with a long train that pooled at her feet.

Morpheus called softly to his three Djinn, as he removed the stops from their bottles, "Lauren, Evangelista, Hepburn, tonight you are all Lydia." He sent them the image they were to take: half Beetlejuice's human girlfriend, half Psyche's mourning sisters. They appeared before him as women in long black gowns, with veiled faces.

Morpheus took his hat, which River was occupying, and gloves from the console table.

They entered from the second floor and found the ballroom already crowded.  Opium told the others to spread out. "Will you introduce me?" Maya asked.

Morpheus looked over the crowd below, as they began to descend the staircase. At the foot of the stairs he heard, "Finally a gent who understands what White-tie means! It's not one of your bloody Proms!" Ganymede was there, at least a foot shorter than Morpheus, but in immaculate formal evening suit, with white shirt and waistcoat.