Old Friends? Again?

"Nova? Hello? Can you hear me?" Raewyn spoke into her phone.
A crackling sound greeted her, followed by intermittent bursts of speech, unintelligible.
"Nova, could you repeat that?"
The static lessened.
"Hello? Raewyn? Can you hear me clearer?"
"Yes, yes I can."
"Okay. Good. I am currently unable to pass it to you, but the point is that I have already made a medicine for you."
"And you can't pass it to me because?"
"I can't tell you. Not now anyway. I left it with someone trustworthy. Go to my store. I've got a relative helping me with the store. She'll direct you to the person I passed the medicine to."
"A relative? Who?"
"A distant relative." Nova said testily. "I don't really like her. By the way, to prepare you for her appearance, she looks like a kid. Forewarned is forearmed."
"Like Alice..." The words came unbidden to her lips.
"Who?"
"No, never mind. So to your store, from there I'll go to whoever it is that you passed my life-saving drug to."
"Yes. I can't talk anymore, gotta go."
"Wait, you're in a club, aren't you?"
"How'd you know?" Her surprise was evident in her voice.
"Well, it's daylight and only clubs keep it to the level of darkness you like, even though I know aritificial light won't hurt you. Plus, the crazy music blasting in the background."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, gonna have fun now, bye!" Nova closed the connection before Raewyn could say anything else.
What an odd bloodsucker.
"She was always very cheerful. I bet she met her death with joy."
If I had a second form of existence to look forward to, I'm sure I'd meet my own with joy too.
"Uh huh." She replied absent-mindedly as she made her way through the empty street. She reached the shop quickly and stepped into its dark boundaries.
"Hello." The voice of a small child rang. "What may I do for you?"
Raewyn looked down to see a girl, short blue hair, red eyes, a whitish-pink dress and fangs, looking up at her.
"Um, hello. I'm Nova's friend? You're supposed to direct me to someone?"
"Ah. Darling November's acquaintance. Yes. What is your name?"
"Raewyn. Raewyn Aesiflay."
"I see." The girl, though she was probably much older than Nova, walked to the counter and searched about. "Ah, there it is. November asked me to pass to you this note."
"Thank you."
The note was short and simple, stating an address, a name and several words. The words were "I hope you still remember him.". The name was a single word, no last name, just Arguil.
Oh, that guy. I thought you left the whole bunch of them back a long time ago.
"Not that long ago apparently."
"I beg your pardon?"
Raewyn jolted. She hadn't realised that the girl was still looking at her.
"Nothing. Might I know your name?"
"Names are not important. However, you can call me Red."
"In that case, thank you, Red."
"You're welcome."
With the formalities dispensed, she left and headed for the next address. It was quite close and she reached the block quickly. It was decrepit and had an aura of decay. But knowing the man she sought, it was likely on purpose, though only a single apartment belonged to him in the block. The lift was jerky as she rode it up several floors and the machine seemed as if it would fall apart at any moment.
Better take the stairs when you get out.
"Agreed."
I don't like this, Raewyn. Aida said, completely uncharacteristic of her.
"It'll be fine." She ringed the doorbell and waited. The door opened slowly and a hooded and cloaked figure of similar height stood out. The figure held in the right hand a staff, the end of which was the skull of a goat or some other cattle. The figure seemed to be carrying a small bundle on its back.
"Hello, Arguil. Remember me?"
Arguil pulled back the hood, showing a haggard face with a small skull tattooed onto his right cheek. His eyes were black as charcoal and the whites were streaked with red, the result of sleep deprivation.
"Wind? Is that you?"
"Yes, you foolish necromancer. Let me in."
"If not for November's message, I wouldn't have expected you."
"Nor I you, friend. How's the guild been doing?"
"Same old. Slanel's drugs are still selling well, the Shifter's still getting paid for protection, Liryc's off to Necropolis to do some song for undead weddings, Necros, well, I don't really know what he's doing."
"As always, eh? He ever was the mysterious one."
"Yes. And then you left." His disappointment was clear in his posture and tone and evidently persisted for several years.
"Yes. And then I left."
"You had so much potential, Raewyn."
"What as? I suppose I have the guild to thank for the basic knowledge of the criminal side of things, but there was not much else."
"Now you're just another bounty hunter."
"Who is rapidly carving a reputation for being the most efficient and the best, don't forget."
"Of course. However, your visit here today is not just to reminisce about old times, but to collect something." Arguil took out a vial and handed it to her. The vial contained a milky, thick liquid that flowed smoothly. "If I may ask, what's that for?"
In response, Raewyn pulled down the top of her leather garments. There was no embarrassment in the action, they as a guild had all seen each other in various states of nudity before.
"Dark." He cursed. "What's that?"
"A growth. It's somehow caused as a by-product between me and Libys merging."
"Damn. I assume that this then is your medicine."
"Yes indeed. Nova had to make it herself."
A wailing sound originating from behind Arguil came, high-pitched and young.
He reached behind him and then pulled the bundle he was carrying to his front. The bundle was actually a baby. A baby girl. A dead baby girl, to all appearances. A crying, dead baby girl whose tiny arms were wrapped together across its chest and several large needles stuck out of its sides at odd angles. It's grey pallor and unmistakable signs of some horrid infestation in between its discoloured teeth showed its true nature as one of the living dead. Arguil cooed to it and hushed it in a manner that was common to all parents, full of love and caring, extremely weird to see in this odd situation.
"Hush now, my sweet, go to sleep, this is a friend of mine. I'll wake you up when need be, dearest."
The thing stopped its crying and, as if dully obeying orders, closed its glassy eyes.
"Huh. Your kid?"
"My grave child."
"Oh so you got your license then."
"Of course. I am an established necromancer and no proper necromancer is without a grave child. They increase our powers to heights which we could only imagine without these lovely creations."
"I see. Have fun with your kid. I guess I'll make a move now then."
"Good luck then. I do hope you'll get better."
"Thanks, Skully."
"You're welcome, Wind. No problem. Do drop by the guild when you're free, will you?" He gave her a kiss, a kiss she gladly returned. The guild had been like the elder brother she never had and her heart ached slightly as she thought of what she had left behind so very long ago.
"Oh yes, before I forget, Nova said to tell you that it's to be applied, so don't drink it, okay?"
"Got it, boss." She smiled. "Thanks again."
"Like I said, do try to meet up with the rest of us."
"I'll try." She pulled her shirt back up and left, unwillingly and reluctant, remembering her own words, took the stairs this time. It wasn't that much better. The dirt and dead pests reminded her of her time in the slums and she felt slightly claustrophobic.