InTheMachine
 Welcome to Thread V! You may read the fourth thread  here ! 
 December 5th 
 East Side  
Ian nods, picking up his tea cup once again. He sips on it thoughtfully for a moment before addressing John once more. “It’s like you read my mind,” he says quietly. “Emi has faith in you though, so I’ll go along with it too. And hope that it works after everything else has failed.”

He sets his empty cup and saucer back on the lacquered black tray and then stands. Ian looks at John for a moment before offering his hand. “Thank you for doing this. If you can fix her, it’ll mean the world to the three of us. Emi and dad especially.”

 December 6th 
 
 Spoiler: Meanwhile— East Side Rooftop 
Grayson exhales as he lays his head back against his empty tripod bag.  Well, today was a disaster. 

It was 3am, and Grayson was currently laying on the parapet of the roof. His left leg dangles freely over the edge, while his other knee is pressed firmly to the inside of the wall to keep him anchored. He shifts his right arm to better cradle the tiny, fluffy demon curled up on his chest.

The moon was just a sliver in the sky, the stars distant dots. He hadn’t tried doing much night photography from the roof  because of the light pollution of the city, but tonight was as good a night as any to see what a time lapse would look like. He couldn’t sleep anyway.

His chest aches and his eyes burn as the white-haired West Sider’s words and Zack’s follow up with Jadyn echo through his head again. It hurt to acknowledge they were right.

Even so, he couldn’t let her go. Emi had changed him; she had been the one that had shown him that he had a shred of worth when no one else would even look at him.

But now, she would leave with John once she graduated from East Side Provisional.

He couldn’t do anything right in the eyes of Mr. Shaw or his Team Lead.

Keith had chosen his new team over him today.

His mom may as well have driven a knife through his ribs the last time he spoke to her two days ago.

Even Mr. Aurelius could decide that he wasn’t interesting enough and refuse to see him again. What dragon would want a weak, half human as an heir? It was probably only a matter of time.

Grayson knew that logically for Emi, dating John was the better choice.

 He has a family, he has money, he’s smarter than me, he dances, and he literally does magic. He can give her  everything  she wants. What can I offer her?  he asks himself. A meteor streaks across the sky in a dazzling blink of yellow-purple. He recalled that high calcium and iron content caused the color.  I guess I probably beat John on useless space facts , he thinks with a gusty sigh.

His movement causes Shashka to stand and stretch, arching her back and tail as high as she can, before starting to knead his new hoodie with her forepaws. Black, almond-shaped eyes close in contented pleasure as he rubs behind one of her ears.

Another pang of sadness hits him as he pets the adorable creature. Once Dr. Riviera had completed her assignment here, Shashka would leave him too.

The demon chirps and rubs her face into his hand before curling herself into the crook of his arm again.

Grayson gives his temporary companion one last scratch between the ears before he looks back up at the sky, watching for the occasional meteors that race across it. His thoughts continue to spiral downward and a horrible, familiar, burning cold begins to settle in his bones.

 Maybe I can just transfer to MIT next semester… 

He’s so wrapped up in his own mind that someone opening the door to the roof startles him. He hadn’t even heard anyone coming up the stairs.

Grayson jolts up, holding onto Shashka to keep her from falling, as Jadyn emerges into the roof. She’s dressed in a gray Ironside High shirt and black sweatpants and gives him a quick wave with an awkward smile.

Shashka hisses and bolts, bounding between Jadyn’s legs through the open door, back into the base.

Jadyn shrugs and closes the door before turning back to Grayson. “Hey,” she says softly. She hesitates for a moment before she takes a seat beside him on the lip of the roof. “I woke up and I asked Nora if anyone else was up, and she said you were up here.”

“I couldn’t sleep either,” Grayson says, a little confused as to why she’d decided to come seek him out. They hadn’t interacted much in the month and a half she’d been at East Side, other than mandatory team drills, the occasional patrol or mission, or some help with her homework.  He was sure that he hadn’t made much of an impression on her. Their personalities were drastically different.

Jadyn stays uncharacteristically silent. She shivers as she blows out into her hands, creating a little puff of fog in the cool air.

Remembering that other people actually got cold, Grayson quickly strips out of his hoodie and offers it to his teammate. “Here. I don’t need it.”

She looks at it for a second and back at him before taking it and putting it on. It’s so large on her small frame that she can tuck her legs into it and cover her entire body. “Thanks,” she says. “You sure you won’t get cold?”

“Positive,” Grayson replies. In just a t-shirt and jeans, even temperatures below freezing didn’t register as cold to him. He leans back on his hands, looking back up at the stars, unsure of what to say. Before, he would’ve been seeking some way to exit the conversation. Now though, her presence didn’t bother him, he just didn’t know where to start.

Jadyn glances back over her shoulder at his camera setup. “Soooo… what were you doing out here anyway?”

“The Geminid meteor shower is going on through the 14th,” he replies before quickly pointing out one of the meteors to her as it winks across the sky. “It won’t peak until next week, but I thought I’d try and see what a timelapse looked like if I took it from the roof. It’s probably not dark enough to be good though.”

“I think it’ll still be cool,” she says softly. “Emi showed me some of your pictures from the desert. I’ve never seen so many stars. They’re beautiful.”

“Thanks,” he replies before glancing over at her. “You know, you don’t have to go out of your way to talk to me. I heard… you and Zack today.”

Jadyn shrugs, brushing off his mention of the mall conversation earlier. “I’ve always wanted to talk to you anyway. You just always dodged me. So I’m not talking to you out of obligation or anything, just curiosity.”

Silence falls between them for a moment before Jadyn feels the need to fill it. She looks over at Grayson, really taking in his new appearance. “So how does it feel to have grown like a million inches since last week? It was kinda weird coming back from the hospital and suddenly have to, like, look up to talk to you. Emi said something about her boyfriend using a real phoenix egg on you? And that this is how you should’ve been all along? Did something happen to you when you were younger?”

She stops as Grayson stiffens and looks away.

“Sorry, that was probably rude,” she says, looking back up at the sky. “Especially as a first question. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I was just being nosy.”

“No, I…” He trails off and sits upright.  I haven’t even told Emi this,  he thinks.  Or Keith. Not the whole story, at least.   “I was in a car accident when I was eight,” Grayson finally says. “My mom and I were staying at her boyfriend’s house and they got into a fight late at night. I was asleep and she carried me to the car and put me in the back seat but didn’t buckle me in.”

His memories of the incident were vague, but he’d gathered more bits and pieces of the story from his mom over the years.

“She crossed the center line and overcorrected and ended up going into the ditch. The car rolled several times and I got ejected out of the back window at some point. I was in a coma for several days and after I woke up, had to stay in the hospital for a while. I broke a lot of bones, but they all healed pretty quick. So quick that what the doctors put in to set them actually ended up making them heal weird. I had a couple extra surgeries to try to fix things, but by then it was already too late unless they wanted to break everything all over again.”

Grayson pauses for a moment, looking down at his knees as he tries to decipher what he was feeling, telling this to someone. His emotions were mixed, writhing through his chest uncomfortably.

“I had a lot of scars,” he continues. “Other kids made fun of me when I was younger. It’s why I wear pants and hoodie all the time. But now, I don’t have a scar on me.” The corners of his mouth lift in a self-deprecating smile. “Old habits are hard to break, I guess.”

Jadyn pulls her knees up and lays her head on them as she gazes at her teammate. “Kinda crazy that Emi’s boyfriend happened to have a phoenix egg.”

It was the second time she’d called him that. And the second time his guts had twisted and burned colder. “Yeah, it is.”

After a few more uncomfortable questions, her topics turn more mundane, and Grayson relaxes somewhat. When he wasn’t being reminded of his childhood, or the current situation with Emi, he realized he actually enjoyed sitting down and talking with someone that wasn’t Emi or Keith.

An hour passes before Jadyn yawns widely. “I’m gonna be useless for drills in the morning,” she mutters as she stands and hops down off the lip of the roof. “Well, today. In a few hours. Whatever.” She turns toward Grayson, walking backward toward the door. “I’ll see you there, yeah?”

“You know Eidolon would make me run laps if I missed it,” Grayson says with a grimace.

Jadyn laughs as she heads into the base. The door closes and Grayson is once again left alone with only his thoughts and the stars to keep him company.
 

 December 8th- 7:20am 
 Morning Meeting Wrap Up 
“Any final comments?” Seraph asks as Mimi turns off the screen behind him.

It’s the first time Seraph has been down from his suite in days and the angel looks haggard. There are dark circles under his eyes and his beard has grown past where he normally keeps it. Even his feathers are dull— an ashy dark yellow instead of pale gold.

 Louis 
A text from Aria arrived at 4:30 this morning.
 
 Spoiler: Text from Aria 
“We can meet at Ashford’s at 10.”
 
mmdeforrest
 Tuesday, December 7, 9:23 PM — A Prologue to the Moment of Truth 
 
 Spoiler: Spellcasting Spoilers 
Matter Control: Plant (2), Mineral (2)

 John completes the Box :  1d12o12+3   14   1d6o6+4   7 
 John attempts to forge a ring :  1d12o12+3   7   1d6o6+4   8 

Modifiers: Scholar and access to his Lab and the GM permitted me to swap the results, meaning one Raise while creating the Box and TWO Raises for creating the  Particular  Ring because, and I quote, pretty rings are important.
 


John watched the last of the clockwork-driven models of the solar system sink into the wood of the box as if into water. Each face of the cube held the orbit of one of the six ancient planets known to early astrologers, represented by the gemstones he had used to align the Orb. Within the cube itself was a ring representing the elliptical with the sun recessed at the bottom of the box.

As a safety mechanism, it would only be possible for the sun to move into position when the Orb had been removed. And until that happened, the planets would be locked into their current positions.

Once he triggered the mechanisms with the correct spell, each planet would run at a different rate, scrambling the astrological vibrations of anything within the box.

In this instance, it would be the the fragments of Orb that were unconsumed or untransformed.

While John didn’t think anyone would gain access to the leftover shards of the diamond after its final transformation and use it to affect Mrs. Shaw, there was no reason to leave that to chance.

As an added benefit, the proximity of the Orb to the symbolic planets that had attuned it would help maintain the Orb’s potency while it waited to be used.

Again, there was no reason to fear that the Orb would loose its associations or power any time this decade. But why take the chance?

John picked up the box, turning it over in his hands and making sure the four feet that raised it off the table enough to permit the clockwork planet on the bottom the freedom to move were solid.

He had caused the wood to flow into those shapes, he reminded himself. They, like the sides, were as attached as if they had grown there rather than pieces he had glued down.

He was overthinking things.

And as much as he knew that, he could not stop himself from checking and rechecking every piece of the ritual material he would be using.

Too much was riding on this to not do so.

He set the box on his workbench.

He picked up the Orb.

He placed it in the box.

He closed the lid.

He latched it shut.

John closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He acknowledged that there was another reason he was obsessing over the box.

It kept his mind from his next spell.

He centered himself.

Just because he was not afraid did not mean he was not nervous — even if the absence of fear robbed his nerves of their debilitating edge.

The Tablets flared to life beneath his hands.

He began to scribe.

The  particular  diamond rose from its place to the right of the ring box he had made.

Unlike most ring boxes, which hinged open, this one’s lid rotated to expose its interior. As it did, the pieces of wood beneath it slid along one another, raising a platform that would raise the ring he was planning to place within into a display position.

The alchemical silver that lined the interior would never tarnish and would help gather light to illuminate the ring.

Focus, John. You still need to make the ring.

He centered his attention on the  particular  diamond.

He listening to what it said to him — the way it vibrated with his magic.

He allowed his love of Emi to flow through his spell.

There was a crack as the mineral shell fractured away.

The unneeded shards and diamond dust fell away, revealing the faceted stone within.

John caught his breath.

It seemed to glint with the starlight he had observed over the South Atlantic the day he had retrieved it.

Focus.

Out of the crucible placed to the left of the ring box, the alchemical gold flowed upward, entwining itself into the shape of a ring that would flex and size itself to Emi’s finger

(Assuming she said yes, of course. He could but hope.).

The Tiffany setting reached up and secured itself to the  particular  diamond, cradling it as much as clamping down on it.

It was complete.

The  particular  ring descended and took its place in the box he had made.

The tablets dimmed.

John let out the breath he did not realize he was holding as he regarded the two boxes sitting on his work bench.

The preparations were complete.

He leaned forward, bracing himself agains the workbench as he felt his knees go weak.

He wanted to come up with a plan and contingencies for the ring but he couldn’t establish a sufficient number of parameters to even begin.

He could feel where the fear should have been as the adrenaline washed through his system.

He would have no plan.

His amulet was keeping him artificially calm as the significance of what he had done and what he accomplished came crashing down on him.

He  could  have no contingencies in place.

Christmas was coming.

It would be a much different world for him and Emi once it arrived.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th- 7:20am 
 Morning Meeting Wrap Up 
“Any final comments?” Seraph asks as Mimi turns off the screen behind him.

It’s the first time Seraph has been down from his suite in days and the angel looks haggard. There are dark circles under his eyes and his beard has grown past where he normally keeps it. Even his feathers are dull— an ashy dark yellow instead of pale gold. 
 

John had snapped to alertness at Seraph’s appearance at the beginning of the meeting and had divided his time between the briefing and studying his angelic mentor.

He wasn’t supposed to be sick. But that is exactly how he looked.

Harbinger’s headaches and migraines had required him to rethink Doctor Dee’s assessment of angelic beings as having perfect health. Of course, his work had focused on those angels who had remained above rather than descending into the mortal realm to protect the world from demonic threats.

He wasn’t supposed to mention that, he reminded himself The Tribunal likely knew but he was unsure what Doctor Dee andSir Edward Kelley knew. He couldn’t even believed certain they were the actual spirits of the Elizabethan magician and seer rather than Serving Spirits the Tribunal had impressed with the memory of the men.

Ultimately, it did not matter. Keeping Seraph’s secret from everyone (but Emi, of course) was important.

After the meeting, he would need to ask him if there was anything he could do to help. But first, he had to let the team know about his weekend plans.

“There is one thing I should probably mention,” John began after Seraph’s question. “I have a classified task I need to complete in London this weekend. While I can get back here quickly in case of emergency, once I start that task I won’t be able to break off my work for some time.”

He glanced at Stella — the only person other than Seraph who would likely know anything about what he was about to say And even she would not usually know about it if her mother was not known for her healing magics. Raphael might know, of course — as might Keith. Neither had read as widely as he had (There were very few in the world who had, after all.) but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have stumbled across a reference to it.

“I’ll be employing the Orb of of Algazelus I’ve been fashioning. It’s a time consuming ritual that can’t really be broken off once I begin the work. I suspect the ritual itself will take somewhere between three and six hours.”

He looked down into his coffee cup. “I’ll be a little fatigued immediately after but should recover quickly enough to be able to redeploy here relatively soon after.”
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
Ryker rolls his eyes as he looks over at John. “ Classified , huh?”

“Oh, it’s done already?” Sidney asks. “When you asked me to program a model of the solar system for you, I thought it would take more than a month. I’m glad everything worked.”

Stella seems more than a little excited by the news, but quickly contains it.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
Ryker rolls his eyes as he looks over at John. “ Classified , huh?”

“Oh, it’s done already?” Sidney asks. “When you asked me to program a model of the solar system for you, I thought it would take more than a month. I’m glad everything worked.”

Stella seems more than a little excited by the news, but quickly contains it. 
 

John smiled at Ryker. “Plausible deniability is everything,” he replied before turning to Sidney. There was no need to draw attention to the fact that they did not know who he was healing — even if it was not a stretch to make an educated guess.

“It did help, Sidney. I’m more than grateful for the assist. It would normally have taken longer but I was able to transfer some of the astrological harmonics from one of the failed Orbs to the final one. It accelerated the attunement process, which put me ahead of schedule.”

He offered a wry smile. “From here, it will be up to me to manage the ritual. It won’t be the simplest ritual I’ve conducted but I’ve done what I can to insure success.”

His confidence in the ritual, John recognized, was in sharp contrast to the social and personal ramifications of his efforts. Despite Emi’s assurance that she would love him, John recognized he was more than a little on edge at the thought of meeting her mother.

And while he conceded to himself that his own family dynamic might be playing into that, it was still odd to think he was more intimidated by the thought of meeting Mrs. Margaret Shaw, virtuoso violinist, than he had been at the thought of meeting Mr. Alastair Shaw —  the  Eidolon.
big teej
 Then: 

Raphael looks at Louis for a long moment when he expresses his concerns about finding a good gift.

"Is there a way you could... like... trap light in a prism? Like a clear plastic guitar pick or something?  Then she has something literally only you could have made."

 Now: 
  I really should've been more attentive to the catalogue of relics laying around the castle...  

Raphael glanced at Stella, following John's eyes.  He looked back at the resident mage with narrowed eyes, wondering just how much understatement was packed conveniently into 'a little fatigued'.

 Soon: 

Raphael seeks out Louis and as soon as they have the room to themselves asks "So, did Aria ever say anything?"
Roguewolf
 In da mornin 

Keith had taken his usual spot and tilted his head at John's explanation. He was more concerned with Seraph at the moment, and that Aeryn would still prefer Emi over the Eidolon. That also threw a bit of a wrench in his plan for asking for help, but would just mean he needed to speed things up. Especially if he needed to have time to research the sigil as well.

 Orb of what?  He thought as he ran through his mind to  recall anything.  Nothing stood out to him other than it sounding impressive.

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out at least. Emi will love that no matter what." He offered as big a smile as he could, but now he just felt selfish asking both John for a portal back home, and to help with the curse. Not to mention, asking Seraph for at least an hour to leave.

He was still riding his high from chatting with Hope, only about halfway through the book though. And he still had to research too. Given Seraph's appearance, he hadn't mentioned this to John at all.

"Besides, if anyone can handle it, you can."
PK-Leon
 December 8th - 7:20am 
 Morning Meeting Wrap Up 

 “Any final comments?” Seraph asks as Mimi turns off the screen behind him. 

"You do know coffee doesn't count as a substitute for water right?" Louis pokes from his spot on the back wall. "But seriously, it's nice to see you on your feet again. You feeling any better?"


 Ryker rolls his eyes as he looks over at John. “Classified, huh?”

“Oh, it’s done already?” Sidney asks. “When you asked me to program a model of the solar system for you, I thought it would take more than a month. I’m glad everything worked.”

Stella seems more than a little excited by the news, but quickly contains it. 

Louis casts a glance between Sidney and Stella. "I get the feeling I'm some key context," He comments.

 Nothing Personal 

 Raphael seeks out Louis and as soon as they have the room to themselves asks "So, did Aria ever say anything?" 

"Yeah, she sent us a text last night. Wants to meet at Ashford's around 10. Coffee run?"
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by PK-Leon 
  December 8th - 7:20am 
Louis casts a glance between Sidney and Stella. "I get the feeling I'm some key context," He comments. 
 

“The Orb is the result of a long preparation process — one that puts tremendous stress of then raw gemstone used. The gemstone itself needs to be of a certain size and quality to withstand the magical strain involved — especially those that gather at the date of the wounding.

“In this case, the Orb is the strongest of,” (Don’t mess up the number, he thought as he took a deep breath.) “three raw diamonds about the size of Sidney’s fist I gathered from the sea bed off the coast of Southern Africa.

“Each Orb has to be custom made and attuned to its patient. Each gemstone has to be tested in the process. The first two diamonds cracked under the strain but, after investigating each, I expected those to fail. I didn’t expect to be able to draw the energy from the second and feed it back into the third — an innovation made possible by having an armature driven by electric motors controlled by software rather than spring or steam-driven mechanics.”

He shrugged. “I’ll probably get a publication out of it in one of the practitioner’s journals if the details are cleared by the person I’ll be traveling to London to heal, AEGIS: City of London’s Occult Division plus its higher ups. Dr. Pearson will likely try and block it on principle, I’d imagine — although Montcrieff might caution against it, given the way some neo-Illuminati groups have reacted to me in the past. And Heaven only knows what Sir Vincent will think.”

He glanced guiltily at Seraph. “Sorry. I wasn’t trolling for information.”
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
A flicker of irritation crosses Seraph’s face at Louis’ quip before he masks it. “A little,” he says. “Hopefully I’ll be better in the next day or two.”

The angel turns his gaze to John. “I’ll have Mimi send over a form later for you to fill out so I can sign it.”

“Those are some big ass diamonds,” Ryker says after a whistle. “You uhh… doin’ anything with the ones that broke? I know you and your girl are rich, but the rest of us ain’t.” He glances to his left to the other end of the couch. “‘Cept for Yuki.”

Drake gives Ryker a slight eye roll before he stands and makes his way down the hallway to pick up his and Yuki’s bags

The shapeshifter gives Ryker a shrug. “My father is the wealthy one. I have access to a small amount of funds that he gave me when I left for America, but I’ve mostly been using what AEGIS pays us.”

“I’m sure your ‘small amount’ is more than most people make in a couple years,” Ryker says before Sidney elbows him.

Stella gives John a wistful glance as Sidney stands and starts to pull Ryker down to the kitchen. “It would be fascinating to watch. If you do end up publishing it, I would love to read it.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
A flicker of irritation crosses Seraph’s face at Louis’ quip before he masks it. “A little,” he says. “Hopefully I’ll be better in the next day or two.”

The angel turns his gaze to John. “I’ll have Mimi send over a form later for you to fill out so I can sign it.”

“Those are some big ass diamonds,” Ryker says after a whistle. “You uhh… doin’ anything with the ones that broke? I know you and your girl are rich, but the rest of us ain’t.” He glances to his left to the other end of the couch. “‘Cept for Yuki.”

Drake gives Ryker a slight eye roll before he stands and makes his way down the hallway to pick up his and Yuki’s bags

The shapeshifter gives Ryker a shrug. “My father is the wealthy one. I have access to a small amount of funds that he gave me when I left for America, but I’ve mostly been using what AEGIS pays us.”

“I’m sure your ‘small amount’ is more than most people make in a couple years,” Ryker says before Sidney elbows him.

Stella gives John a wistful glance as Sidney stands and starts to pull Ryker down to the kitchen. “It would be fascinating to watch. If you do end up publishing it, I would love to read it.” 
 

“The shards of the first of the two isn’t good for anything other than industrial purposes. It completely burned out,” John explained to Ryker. “The second one is in Geneva being looked at as we speak to see if it could still be cut into gemstones. But I’ll let you know.”

He turned to Stella and smiled. “If I thought I could bring you along, I would but I already know that won’t happen. As Clea would be happy to point out, this is above my security clearance. But I’ll be sure to tell you all about it after the fact and make sure you get to look over the drafts of my write up. AEGIS: City of London will expect one even if they don’t allow it to be published.”

He glanced at Seraph, smiling wryly. “I’m guessing our Director wouldn’t object to a privately circulated manuscript even if they do block the publication.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 He glanced at Seraph, smiling wryly. “I’m guessing our Director wouldn’t object to a privately circulated manuscript even if they do block the publication.” 
 

"Would be a nice read." He said looking over at Seraph and then back to John.

"Say, John? If Seraph okays something, would you mind helping me out for maybe an hour or so?" He looked over at Seraph. "Bit of a closure thing, that Don agreed to. Under protest, unfortunately, but he and uncle said they understood."

He looked back at John. "Don't want to impose though."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 "Would be a nice read." He said looking over at Seraph and then back to John.

"Say, John? If Seraph okays something, would you mind helping me out for maybe an hour or so?" He looked over at Seraph. "Bit of a closure thing, that Don agreed to. Under protest, unfortunately, but he and uncle said they understood."

He looked back at John. "Don't want to impose though." 
 

“If I can help,” John replied, cocking an eyebrow at Keith, “I will, of course. What’s up — or should we discuss it later?”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “If I can help,” John replied, cocking an eyebrow at Keith, “I will, of course. What’s up — or should we discuss it later?” 
 

Keith smiled. "Thank you, John. Big time. I just...." He stopped for a moment. "I need to go to Albany for an hour. Probably only 30 minutes, but just need to visit a specific cemetery."

He looked at the ground. "Though, there is something I want to run by you later."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 Keith smiled. "Thank you, John. Big time. I just...." He stopped for a moment. "I need to go to Albany for an hour. Probably only 30 minutes, but just need to visit a specific cemetery."

He looked at the ground. "Though, there is something I want to run by you later." 
 

“If you can point it out on a map, it shouldn’t be a problem. The more information I have on the location, the better,” he hastily added, recalling his mistake with Mr. Shaw last night.
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
“I know,” Stella replies with a small rueful smile to John.

Seraph’s shoulders soften. “You’ll get to read it, Stella.”

“Videos and something to read aren’t quite the same, but I guess I’ll make do,” the sorceress replies with an air of playful distain to the boys. She then gives John and Seraph a more genuine smile. “Thank you.”

The angel turns his attention to Keith. “If you need to go visit someone, I don’t mind, especially if John’s teleporting you. Just be careful.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
The angel turns his attention to Keith. “If you need to go visit someone, I don’t mind, especially if John’s teleporting you. Just be careful.” 
 

Keith smiles and bows a bit. "Thank you, Seraph. It's, mostly to visit mom's grave. And with John there, we can get back immediately too." He looks at the magician. Someone so willing to help, even after having been betrayed. And told about it.

"I have the address to it, and the name."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 Keith smiles and bows a bit. "Thank you, Seraph. It's, mostly to visit mom's grave. And with John there, we can get back immediately too." He looks at the magician. Someone so willing to help, even after having been betrayed. And told about it.

"I have the address to it, and the name." 
 

John approached Seraph as he scribbled the name of the cemetery into his iPad, concern plain upon his face. It was increasingly clear that his initial plan to have a quiet conversation with his Director out of the earshot of the others was not going to happen.

In fairness, he reminded himself, they were clearly concerned as well and odds were that they, too, were hoping to have a quiet word.

He just hoped it didn’t turn into an intervention. He doubted Seraph would take well to that.

“Is there anything I can do to help, Seraph? I was able to assist Harbinger a little with his migraines a little while ago. If there is anything I can do to help ease your current burden, I’d be happy to assist.”
Roguewolf
Keith walks over to Seraph, and glances at John. "Not meaning to interrupt or impose on the quiet word."

He turns to Seraph. "I tried to get some info on it, but the cost would have been too high. Think that burned a bridge too, but worth it."

 Seems to be the only thing I'm really good at.  He thought for a moment.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 Keith walks over to Seraph, and glances at John. "Not meaning to interrupt or impose on the quiet word."

He turns to Seraph. "I tried to get some info on it, but the cost would have been too high. Think that burned a bridge too, but worth it."

 Seems to be the only thing I'm really good at.  He thought for a moment. 
 

John turned to Keith, certain he was speaking about something related to his offer to Seraph. It was equally true that he was missing critical information — like what ‘it’ was and what contacts he was reaching out to.

“I gather you know something of this already, Keith?”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 John turned to Keith, certain he was speaking about something related to his offer to Seraph. It was equally true that he was missing critical information — like what ‘it’ was and what contacts he was reaching out to.

“I gather you know something of this already, Keith?” 
 

Keith nods. "Yeah, it's sorta related to a book I wanted to see if you had access to as well. Not sure how much we should talk about it here though."  He looks back up at Seraph, eyes of remorse and some pride for his mentor. "I can have a full report on the talk to you afterwhile as well. That one person won't take another call from me
big teej
 Morning Meeting Peanut Gallery: 

"It's got water  in it .  Totally counts."  Raphael mutters just loud enough to carry to the entire audience.

Raphael looks at John, mouthing his words as they come out of his mouth.  The description of the thing, the mention of it's purpose, the apparatus he'd ignored on his way to his coffin several times...

There was a pile of clockwork scrap, and the shredded remains of star charts, calendars, and the like in his father's workshop.  He'd never asked what it was, it being an invisible piece of bric-a-brac until after the Castle was torn down by Cassandra and the Nightwatch.


 Trouble Shooting: 

Raphael puts his hands together with great severity as he looks at his friend.  "Only if we can also have sweets."

He cracks a smile and says "yeah, sounds good.  You wanna take the Monte Carlo again or something more discrete?"

 Later: 

"So what's this gizmo that John's cooked up, you looked a little more excited than usual about one of his ideas working out."  Raphael asked Stella, looking up from one of his father's journals.  Parts of the leather volume were already wisping away, even as he turned the page.  It detailed his early unlife, getting used to The Thirst, the rules he had to obey now, both imposed on him by his new nature, and the confines of vampiric society.  It detailed his service to his maker, who he was forbidden to name, even by title."
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “Is there anything I can do to help, Seraph? I was able to assist Harbinger a little with his migraines a little while ago. If there is anything I can do to help ease your current burden, I’d be happy to assist.” 
 

“I’m grateful for what you did for Harbinger,” Seraph says as he leans back against the wall.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 6 
Seraph’s hands are trembling. He hides them by crossing his arms.
 


“But this is different,” he continues. “I can deal with it for a couple more days.”

Aeryn looks over at the three of them from his floating seat by the wall, his blue eyes plainly full of guilt before he lowers his gaze. The alien has been quiet and withdrawn for the last few days.


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 "I can have a full report on the talk to you afterwhile as well. That one person won't take another call from me.” 
 

Seraph seems a little confused by Keith’s words but takes it in stride. “I can have Mimi catch me up, but yes, a report would be nice. We’ll talk about it later.”

 Raphael- Stella’s Room 
Stella glances up from the grimoire before placing her bookmark back into it and setting it aside. “A lot of it is an academic interest,” she says as she scoots closer to Raphael on her bed. “The spell he’s working is insanely complex; something that I don’t think even my  merè  could pull off.”

She hesitates for a moment, biting her bottom lip before continuing. “John also has a fourth diamond. I wanted to ask him if he’d completed the other project that he was working on, but I didn’t get a chance to yet.”

 Louis and Raphael- Ashford’s  
When the two West Sider’s arrive at Ashford’s, Louis is greeted with a surprised smile and a wave from Izzy behind the counter. The bar is fairly empty with only a few customers seated.  Soft rock  plays over the speakers.

“Hey, Delivery Boy,” Izzy says as she leans against the bar. “Didn’t expect to see you today. What brings ya in?”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 

“I’m grateful for what you did for Harbinger,” Seraph says as he leans back against the wall.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 6 
Seraph’s hands are trembling. He hides them by crossing his arms.
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler: Did he really think that would work with John? 
 Noticing the Seraph’s Hands :  1d10o10+4   11   1d6o6+4   8 
 


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “But this is different,” he continues. “I can deal with it for a couple more days.”

Aeryn looks over at the three of them from his floating seat by the wall, his blue eyes plainly full of guilt before he lowers his gaze. The alien has been quiet and withdrawn for the last few days.

Seraph seems a little confused by Keith’s words but takes it in stride. “I can have Mimi catch me up, but yes, a report would be nice. We’ll talk about it later.” 
 

John's attention focused more sharply on Seraph's hands. They lingered there a moment longer than they should have before they turned to Ayern.

He recognized the pattern. With stylistic variations, it was what his mother used to do when he and his siblings were foolish enough to try and keep something from her. It was what Montcrieff did when she began sizing up a group to determine who was most likely to break under the stress of her regard.

He had watched them both and he could feel himself mirroring their techniques as he prepared to watch and weigh which of them would break first.

He might feel guilty about doing this to his friends, but as his higher order mind reminded him: A) There was too much at stake to not meddle. B) His mother  had  used these techniques with those she cared about and he cared for these three. C) It  was  his job and occult matters in Iron Station were  his  responsibility.

He glanced at Keith as he began his assessment.

"Stop me if I begin to get off track. We have an  Erelim  who is exhibiting signs of distress and discomfort, an off-world prince doing a remarkable job of trying to fade into the background, and a scion of the Void and presumptive heir to an occult secret society doing what research he can to find out how to help address the situation — all while the person who AEGIS sent to Iron Station because he's one of the world's foremost experts in occult matters is unconsulted.”

He turned to Ayern.

"It  could  be discomfort due to an off world malady, which is sufficiently foreign to cause your healing abilities pause as they adjust but that would result in investigations by Stella or Doctor Snowblood rather than pressing contacts in the Empire who might want something in return.”

He turned back to Seraph.

“Maybe I can help,” he conceded. "Maybe I can't. But if it is related to the occult and what's been going on here in Iron Station, I  should  at least know about it as it will be one more piece of the puzzle we are trying to put together.

"And leaving me out of that loop could get others hurt."

 
 Spoiler: Obi-Montcrieff Has Taught Him Well 
 John attempts to Provoke Seraph into letting him help or at least telling him what’s going on :  2d6+4   11 

+3 Superior
+1 Influence over Seraph
 
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 

“I’m grateful for what you did for Harbinger,” Seraph says as he leans back against the wall.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 6 
Seraph’s hands are trembling. He hides them by crossing his arms.
 


“But this is different,” he continues. “I can deal with it for a couple more days.”

Aeryn looks over at the three of them from his floating seat by the wall, his blue eyes plainly full of guilt before he lowers his gaze. The alien has been quiet and withdrawn for the last few days.

Seraph seems a little confused by Keith’s words but takes it in stride. “I can have Mimi catch me up, but yes, a report would be nice. We’ll talk about it later.” 
 


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 He glanced at Keith as he began his assessment.

"Stop me if I begin to get off track. We have an  Erelim  who is exhibiting signs of distress and discomfort, an off-world prince doing a remarkable job of trying to fade into the background, and a scion of the Void and presumptive heir to an occult secret society doing what research he can to find out how to help address the situation — all while the person who AEGIS sent to Iron Station because he's one of the world's foremost experts in occult matters is unconsulted.”

He turned to Ayern.

"It  could  be discomfort due to an off world malady, which is sufficiently foreign to cause your healing abilities pause as they adjust but that would result in investigations by Stella or Doctor Snowblood rather than pressing contacts in the Empire who might want something in return.”

He turned back to Seraph.

“Maybe I can help,” he conceded. "Maybe I can't. But if it is related to the occult and what's been going on here in Iron Station, I  should  at least know about it as it will be one more piece of the puzzle we are trying to put together.

"And leaving me out of that loop could get others hurt."

 
 Spoiler: Obi-Montcrieff Has Taught Him Well 
 John attempts to Provoke Seraph into letting him help or at least telling him what’s going on :  2d6+4   11 

+3 Superior
+1 Influence over Seraph
 
 
 

Keith sighed and looked between Seraph and John, then back at Aeryn, guilt in his eyes. "I was trying to get information on a sigil that cursed us. Seraph took care of the tracker and this was because I thought I could negate it with the power of the Void."

He grimaced. "I was wrong, and an idiot for thinking I could do such a thing." He shook his head. "But wallowing about it ain't gonna get us anywhere. I can fully describe it for ya, even draw a picture of it if you need." He turned back to Seraph. "The contact was a double agent who I just found out that they're about to be burned. The price for the info they wanted was something they could give-" He stopped for a second, rage building and then subsiding.

"They wanted dirt on you or Harbinger they could give to the Empire. Too much of a price, and can just hope they called Don for an extraction." Keith turned to John. "Was afraid it would affect you as well."

 Don't mention the one thing you do know.  He thought to himself. "I should have gone to you earlier. I'm sorry."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 Keith sighed and looked between Seraph and John, then back at Aeryn, guilt in his eyes. "I was trying to get information on a sigil that cursed us. Seraph took care of the tracker and this was because I thought I could negate it with the power of the Void."

He grimaced. "I was wrong, and an idiot for thinking I could do such a thing." He shook his head. "But wallowing about it ain't gonna get us anywhere. I can fully describe it for ya, even draw a picture of it if you need." He turned back to Seraph. "The contact was a double agent who I just found out that they're about to be burned. The price for the info they wanted was something they could give-" He stopped for a second, rage building and then subsiding.

"They wanted dirt on you or Harbinger they could give to the Empire. Too much of a price, and can just hope they called Don for an extraction." Keith turned to John. "Was afraid it would affect you as well."

 Don't mention the one thing you do know.  He thought to himself. "I should have gone to you earlier. I'm sorry." 
 

John frowned. “You aren’t an idiot, Keith. The power behind a ward isn’t always immediately apparent. Some attempt to look more powerful than they are in order to discourage people from even trying. Others mask their power to lure the unwary in.

“You made a mistake. It can happen to any of us. I made one last night when I opened a gate to Aeon City last night seventy five feet or so higher than I should have so that Mr. Shaw could attend to some business there.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

He turned to Seraph. “Did you recognize the sigil or should I begin my research based on Keith’s drawing?”
big teej
 Stella's Room: 

"What,  exactly , is he getting up to in London?"  Raphael presses.  "It took me breaking into The River King's private stash to even admit that help would be  useful. "

Raphael grins, "John's  almost  as bad as I am about that.  For him to freely admit being 'a little fatigued' has the same kinda ring to it."

His expression turns more curious.  "What's the fourth diamond for? Our resident magical know-it-all didn't miscount."

 Ashford's: 

Raphael nudges Louis.  "See? People always remember  you. " The vampire rolls his eyes skyward and makes a melodramatic disgusted noise.

He glances back at Izzy and winks.  "I'm gonna go stage a benign takeover of a quiet table, you guys have fun trading nicknames or something."

Raphael turns on his heel and whistles a jaunty untune as he seeks out a table as far away from the few other customers as possible.
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
Seraph sighs noticing John’s observant gaze on his hands, and looks from both Stella and Yuki. “I didn’t want to get you or Stella involved, John.”

He reaches up to his shirt collar and begins to unbutton his shirt until the top of his chest is revealed. At the base of his throat is a three inch wide strip of raw, blistered, red skin that trails deeper under his shirt.

“I sent Keith and Aeryn to back up Wolf on Saturday. While they were investigating the sewers, they ran across a hidden ward,” he explains. “It cursed the three of them, but I managed to neutralize most of their curse by taking it upon myself, and I negated the tracking spell that was attached to it. When I went down to try to get a look at it, the ward lashed out at me. I didn’t get a great look at it, but it was powerful. I would guess it was placed by either Jerek or—“ he stops himself before he can say Vytas’ name and accidentally activates Stella’s curse. “The other Greater Demon we know about.”

The angel glances over to John, not looking at Stella or Yuki, who are eying him with great concern. “I’ve managed to deal with three compounded curses. I don’t think can endure four,” he says. His jaw tightens momentarily and his hands spasm before he conquers the pain. “So I didn’t want to tell you about it because I don’t want any more of you cursed.”

“Is there nothing I can do for you Seraph?” Stella asks softly from her chair. She seems to want to get closer, but hesitates at the mention of Vytas.

“No,” Seraph says with a shake of his head. “I’m waiting for Dr. Riviera to return so that she can have Zylas try to break the ward.” He looks around at the concerned gazes of his mentees and gives everyone a tired smile. “Guys, I’ll be okay. I know you’re worried, and I’m grateful that you’re all willing to help.”

He focuses on Keith. “Thank you for trying to find out what you could. You couldn’t have known that the agent would ask for that information. And I’m glad you didn’t give them anything on us.”

 Raphael- Stella’s Room 
“He’s healing someone,” Stella replies. “Someone that couldn’t be helped in a conventional way. An Orb of Algazelus affects the patient on a physical, psychic, and metaphysical level. It takes a great amount of resources and time to correctly create one. Whoever it is most be  très important .”

 
 Spoiler: Translation 
Very important
 


 
 Originally Posted by Raphael 
 His expression turns more curious. "What's the fourth diamond for? Our resident magical know-it-all didn't miscount." 
 

“He has four,” Stella says. “I verified that all of them were magically neutral before he started making the Orb. That fourth one was special, though. It glinted at him from the bottom of the ocean, like he was meant to find it.”

She blushes slightly as she looks back of at Raphael. “The fourth diamond he’s using for an engagement ring.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
Seraph sighs noticing John’s observant gaze on his hands, and looks from both Stella and Yuki. “I didn’t want to get you or Stella involved, John.”

He reaches up to his shirt collar and begins to unbutton his shirt until the top of his chest is revealed. At the base of his throat is a three inch wide strip of raw, blistered, red skin that trails deeper under his shirt.

“I sent Keith and Aeryn to back up Wolf on Saturday. While they were investigating the sewers, they ran across a hidden ward,” he explains. “It cursed the three of them, but I managed to neutralize most of their curse by taking it upon myself, and I negated the tracking spell that was attached to it. When I went down to try to get a look at it, the ward lashed out at me. I didn’t get a great look at it, but it was powerful. I would guess it was placed by either Jerek or Vytas.”

The angel glances over to John, not looking at Stella or Yuki, who are eying him with great concern. “I’ve managed to deal with three compounded curses. I don’t think can endure four,” he says. His jaw tightens momentarily and his hands spasm before he conquers the pain. “So I didn’t want to tell you about it because I don’t want any more of you cursed.”

“Is there nothing I can do for you Seraph?” Stella asks softly from her chair. She seems to want to get closer, but hesitates at Vytas’ name.

“No,” Seraph says with a shake of his head. “I’m waiting for Dr. Riviera to return so that she can have Zylas try to break the ward.” He looks around at the concerned gazes of his mentees and gives everyone a tired smile. “Guys, I’ll be okay. I know you’re worried, and I’m grateful that you’re all willing to help.”

He focuses on Keith. “Thank you for trying to find out what you could. You couldn’t have known that the agent would ask for that information. And I’m glad you didn’t give them anything on us.” 
 

 
 Spoiler: John has a cunning plan…. 
 John considers Seraph’s curse (Occult) :  1d12o12+2   5   1d6o6+2   11 
One Benne spent on the reroll.
 


“It’s Jerek’s work,” John pronounced as he began to pace even as his eyes remained locked on the scar. “The signature is too close to Zylas’ for the ward to have been set by anyone else — although it technically could be Lazka but Occam’s Razor would lead one to believe she remains somewhere in the Far East and these results are beyond my little tutor’s capabilities right now.

“I’d need to see the actual ward if I were to do something to break this,” he said almost to himself. “Ann appropriately attuned scrying mirror could capture enough of its signature that, if you were to hold it before you — capturing the image of the scar within it — that we could force it into two places at once.

“That wouldn’t be enough to break it, of course,” he continued. “But if you were to transit to the Spire while doing so, the moment the mirror crossed the threshold into the Chamber of Doors but the rest of you hadn’t, it would force the ward to try and be in four places — it’s location in the sewers, its attachment to your chest, in the Spire, and Through the Looking Glass. Five if you count the liminal space of the portal itself.”

He turned to look at Keith. “If we were to leverage some of your power, we might be able to force it to try and manage the Void as well.

He stopped and, brows furrowed, studied the scar once more as he rubbed the top of his left hand with his right thumb. “It might work. And an examination of a drawing by Keith would permit me to know the general type of the ward. With that knowledge, I would be able to protect myself enough to learn what I needed to before it was able to affect me.”

He looked back and forth between Stella, Raphael, and Seraph. “Do you think I missed anything there? It’s just my initial thoughts and I’d want to double check some things but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.”
big teej
 Morning Meeting: 

Raphael perks up when Seraph reveals that even  he  has been affected by this curse.  The young vampire's eyes sweep over  his angelic den-mother, John, Keith, and Aeryn.

" Break Something  you say?"  Raphael raises an eyebrow as he sips at a blood bag.  "And nobody though to ask  me ?"

The vampire shakes his head slowly and sighs, putting one hand over his heart. "And I've tried. so. hard. to maintain a reputation around here."  He chokes out, his voice cracking.

He shrugs.  "If you think the easiest way to do this is to multiply the number of places Seraph's technically standing in, you're forgetting..."  Raphael pokes the air in front of him, a tiny, flickering, red and black slit opening up at the tip of his claw.

Raphael frowns.  "I don't have a lot of practice of holding these open for a long time, but how long would you need, anyway?"


 Stella's Room: 

Raphael's head tilts to the side as he processes Stella's description of the Orb.  "Could it... is it  believed  that The Orb can be used to cure...  anything ?"


Raphael's entire train of thought is derailed as Stella's mention of an engagement ring.  "And you and Sidney couldn't talk any sense into him?"  Raphael mutters, shaking his head in disbelief.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by big teej 
  Morning Meeting: 

Raphael perks up when Seraph reveals that even  he  has been affected by this curse.  The young vampire's eyes sweep over  his angelic den-mother, John, Keith, and Aeryn.

" Break Something  you say?"  Raphael raises an eyebrow as he sips at a blood bag.  "And nobody though to ask  me ?"

The vampire shakes his head slowly and sighs, putting one hand over his heart. "And I've tried. so. hard. to maintain a reputation around here."  He chokes out, his voice cracking.

He shrugs.  "If you think the easiest way to do this is to multiply the number of places Seraph's technically standing in, you're forgetting..."  Raphael pokes the air in front of him, a tiny, flickering, red and black slit opening up at the tip of his claw.

Raphael frowns.  "I don't have a lot of practice of holding these open for a long time, but how long would you need, anyway?" 
 

John looked hard at the blood magic rift hovering above Raphael's extended nail. A portion of him idly weighed the distinctions between talons (Valèdir had talons.), claws (The Homunculus had claws.), and nails (He had nails.). Raphael's digits likely ended in claws, he surmised, although a hybrid claw-nail structure was also a viable descriptor.

The blood magic rift offered interesting possibilities.

Given the natural overlap occasioned by the blood magician being a vampire and his own training in necromancy, Raphael's involvement, leveraged appropriately, would be a better option than one of his portals to the Spire. Forcing the ward to extend itself through rifts torn by blood magic, through the Paths of the Dead, and through the Void would magnify the scrying mirror's natural connection to the world(s) Through the Looking Glass and its projections into the past and future.

And Raphael's talent for breaking things was nothing to sniff at.

"Excellent point. Incorporating your magic into the Work would be the superior approach,” John responded thoughtfully, “There are some harmonics Doctor Dee taught me about that we could leverage if we drew on your talents.”

Best not to draw attention to the blood magic. He couldn't be certain how many of his teammates renew that he drew on that tradition.

John's train of thought stopped.

He turned to Seraph.

'Dr. Rivera’s out of town." He repeated. "She's normally based in Aeon City, if I recall — although her research and work takes her to a variety of locations."

Aeon City was where he dropped off Mr. Shaw the evening before.

It was also Debonair’s base of operations and the assumed location of his sanctum — or at least one of the primary points of overlap with it. Dr. Pearson’s allusions to it indicated he had not reached any conclusion on that point. Montcrieff’s statement that those details were above her security clearance were doubtless true but the sparkle in her eyes indicated she either knew or had concluded more.

It was not only impossible to know which, John conceded to himself, it more often than not didn't matter.

“Is the purpose of her trip classified?"
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 John frowned. “You aren’t an idiot, Keith. The power behind a ward isn’t always immediately apparent. Some attempt to look more powerful than they are in order to discourage people from even trying. Others mask their power to lure the unwary in.

“You made a mistake. It can happen to any of us. I made one last night when I opened a gate to Aeon City last night seventy five feet or so higher than I should have so that Mr. Shaw could attend to some business there.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it.” 
 

Keith wanted to say something else, but he shook his head. Instead opting for a deep breath and a nod. “Thank you, John. It’s still easier said than done after spending two years becoming a part of it.”

He smiled a little at the thought. Two years. He had grown a lot, but still retained his own identity. Even talking with Hope yesterday, he felt more confident than he had before.

It was almost natural.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
He focuses on Keith. “Thank you for trying to find out what you could. You couldn’t have known that the agent would ask for that information. And I’m glad you didn’t give them anything on us.” 
 

Keith looked back up at Seraph. “I would have bargained my own location before anything on anyone here.” He smirked. “And asked for at least a head start to get the info to you guys.”

Nevermind that he only knew one thing he could have told Claire, and that was off the table. He still had no idea if Seraph knew or not.

“They’d have had to pry it from my dead body.”


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “I’d need to see the actual ward if I were to do something to break this,” he said almost to himself. “Ann appropriately attuned scrying mirror could capture enough of its signature that, if you were to hold it before you — capturing the image of the scar within it — that we could force it into two places at once.

“That wouldn’t be enough to break it, of course,” he continued. “But if you were to transit to the Spire while doing so, the moment the mirror crossed the threshold into the Chamber of Doors but the rest of you hadn’t, it would force the ward to try and be in four places — it’s location in the sewers, its attachment to your chest, in the Spire, and Through the Looking Glass. Five if you count the liminal space of the portal itself.”

He turned to look at Keith. “If we were to leverage some of your power, we might be able to force it to try and manage the Void as well.

He stopped and, brows furrowed, studied the scar once more as he rubbed the top of his left hand with his right thumb. “It might work. And an examination of a drawing by Keith would permit me to know the general type of the ward. With that knowledge, I would be able to protect myself enough to learn what I needed to before it was able to affect me.” 
 

Keith took in John’s words, only really understanding most of what he needed to do and thought a moment.

“If there is some residual energy from the Void left behind from where you summoned Stolas, that would be beneficial to the idea too. It should be easier at that spot as well.”

He grimaced a bit. “Only if you permit me to try it there, I can clean up the remaining energy as well after. Something like this could leave that side of me a bit hungry.”

As Raph made his  point  Keith nodded. “That would make it a few other places.”
PK-Leon
 Trouble Shooting 

 Raphael puts his hands together with great severity as he looks at his friend. "Only if we can also have sweets." 

"Always." Louis deadpans.


 He cracks a smile and says "yeah, sounds good. You wanna take the Monte Carlo again or something more discrete?" 

"Let's take the Monte. I feel like sending a message today," the hero smirks.

 Coffee Run 

 When the two West Sider’s arrive at Ashford’s, Louis is greeted with a surprised smile and a wave from Izzy behind the counter. The bar is fairly empty with only a few customers seated. Soft rock plays over the speakers.

“Hey, Delivery Boy,” Izzy says as she leans against the bar. “Didn’t expect to see you today. What brings ya in?” 

Louis quickly surveys the bar as the duo makes their way through the front door.  I guess we're early...  His search comes to a screeching halt when once he spots the woman working the front counter.

"Didn't know I needed a reason to see my favorite customer?" He questions in a playful tone. The delivery boy feigns a look back into the kitchen before leaning over the counter to plant a soft kiss on the baristas lips.



 Raphael nudges Louis. "See? People always remember you." The vampire rolls his eyes skyward and makes a melodramatic disgusted noise. 

"It's the jacket."


 He glances back at Izzy and winks. "I'm gonna go stage a benign takeover of a quiet table, you guys have fun trading nicknames or something." 

"We're here for a little bit of business today... and pleasure."
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
Seraph is silent for a moment as he listens to John’s plan. “That… could work. Though I will say that this isn’t the only place I have these marks. They’re everywhere. It almost looks like I got attacked by a giant jellyfish or something,” he says as he buttons his shirt back up, trying to inject some humor into the conversation.

Stella looks worriedly to Raphael, and then back to John. “I really think that it’s a good idea to study what Keith can remember of the ward. I know you said it was three compounded curses,” she continues, looking back at Seraph. “But if it’s affected  you  this badly, I don’t think any of us would be able to function if we ended up cursed as well.”

“It was terrible,” Aeryn says quietly. “I don’t even know how you’re even standing right now, Seraph. It hurt so bad that Wolf had to pick me up a couple times.”

“I was down for the count for like two days,” Seraph reminds him.


 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “Is the purpose of her trip classified?" 
 

“Yes,” Seraph answers. “When I texted her, she said she’d be back today or tomorrow. Mimi said she asked Nora about it, but she refused to elaborate.”


 Raphael- Stella’s Room 
“In theory,” Stella replies. “But like I said, it requires specific materials that most people could never afford. Time. Intimate knowledge of the person you’re attempting to heal.”

She smiles at Raphael and shrugs. “Sidney tried.”

After a moment, her hand goes up to her throat and she clears it before she turns her head to cough. “Sorry,” she mutters.

As her hand lowers, Raphael can see red marks around each side of her windpipe, a finger width apart. They were light, and likely wouldn’t bruise, but noticeable.

 Ashford’s 
“Yeah, yeah, Raphael,” Izzy says as he walks away. “I do remember your name you know, I think it’s just customary to greet your boyfriend first.”

She smiles into Louis’ kiss. “Well if it’s business I won’t bother you. Let me know what you want and I’ll bring it over to you guys.”

As Raphael makes his way to the back of the coffee bar, Aria emerges from the bathroom. She spots the vampire and nods to him before she sits in one of the leather loveseats in the corner farthest from other patrons. Two low backed chairs form a U shaped with the couch.

Aria is still wearing heavier makeup, but her eyes no longer have any broken blood vessels. She’s bundled in a thick black sweater, light colored jeans, and ankle high boots.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
Seraph is silent for a moment as he listens to John’s plan. “That… could work. Though I will say that this isn’t the only place I have these marks. They’re everywhere. It almost looks like I got attacked by a giant jellyfish or something,” he says as he buttons his shirt back up, trying to inject some humor into the conversation.

Stella looks worriedly to Raphael, and then back to John. “I really think that it’s a good idea to study what Keith can remember of the ward. I know you said it was three compounded curses,” she continues, looking back at Seraph. “But if it’s affected  you  this badly, I don’t think any of us would be able to function if we ended up cursed as well.”

“It was terrible,” Aeryn says quietly. “I don’t even know how you’re even standing right now, Seraph. It hurt so bad that Wolf had to pick me up a couple times.”

“I was down for the count for like two days,” Seraph reminds him.

“Yes,” Seraph answers. “When I texted her, she said she’d be back today or tomorrow. Mimi said she asked Eva about it, but she refused to elaborate.” 
 

John's brow furrowed as he tried, unsuccessfully, to sort through which bothered him more: The news that his plan was insufficient to entirely release Seraph from his multiple curses or that he did not know why Dr. Riviera and Mr. Shaw were out of town on a classified mission.

There  was , after all, no guarantee they were both in Aeon City and he had no reason to believe they were consulting with Debonair and not involving him in the discussion, thereby removing the chance to meet the world's foremost magician. After all, not even Seraph had been briefed and he was much,  much  senior than he was.

Pride comes before a fall, John reminded himself — a caution that applied to both of his concerns.

"Even if there was no cause for hesitation," John conceded, "consulting with Dr. Rivera and the  extat  Prince Zylas would be prudent and the situation is too concerning to not be prudent. While I’m fairly certain I could shield myself from the ward, I don't think I could extend that courtesy to others."

He turned to Keith. "Get the drawing to me as soon as it's convenient. I'll start my research to see what I can learn. Anything powerful enough to give Seraph pause must be warding something important and I want to know what.”

He paused.

"And, of course, make sure no one stumbles across it and gets hurt.

"In between our trip to Georgia and a few other appointments, the rest of the week feels like it's getting crowded. I'd like to start my research sooner than later.

"Besides," he added, smiling gently, Ii have a preliminary write up about this weekend's efforts to complete for Stella's review.”
big teej
 Morning Meeting: 

Raphael's eyes rove the room, following each of his teammates as they speak on the matter of breaking the curse.  After a moment he shrugs and looks to John.  "Figure out what you wanna try and lemme know.  If it doesn't work, I'll just rip it apart.  I haven't met the thing yet that survives having part of it scooped out of reality."  The vampire says it casually, matter-of-fact, a tone that conveys zero countenance to the possibility of alternatives to success.

 Stella's Room: 

Raphael listens to Stella's description of the difficulties of creating an Orb.  "I'd probably need John to look at it to be sure, but I think maybe my father tried to make one of those...  He didn't like to talk about it, but I know there was a season when he devoted himself to making himself and my mother Human again."

Raphael freezes when Stella reaches for her throat.  Reflexively, he stopped seeing the world around him, full of color, warmth, light.  He saw Life as it was underneath in a world of blackened emptiness and greywashed shapes.  His vision adapated to this otherrealm sight, the room lit by Stella's life, and the residual life of everyone else in the building.  The strands of intereconnected existence and the ripple effects of choice, action, thought and belief exteneded out, so fine even he struggled to see some of them, forming a massive, infinite web of glittering red cords that lit and refracted the grey world, matter was the language of souls, and by their light did he see it.

For just a moment, almost too fast even for him, he saw an arm reaching out of the blackness for Stella's throat.  It faded away into nothing before he could follow it back to it's owner.

But it was there, he could feel it.
He could  taste  it.

Raphael made a show of ignoring Stella's discomfort and her apology.

"Oh, I'm sure she said the  words  she felt like she was supposed to say."  Raphael says, leaning back on his hands.  "But I think the two of you are far too..."  He rolled his eyes skyward, finally he shrugged.  "You're women, of  course  you'd be taken by the romance of it."

He winks at his girlfriend and smiles.


 Ashford's: 

Raphael doesn't look back at Louis and Izzy, just raises a hand and gives a dismissive wave.  He casually saunters over to Aria and takes the other half of the loveseat she's chosen to occupy.

He settles into his seat, touching his knee to hers.  "Watcha drinking today? Our treat.  Well, his."  He asks, looking back down the diner towards Louis, the door, and the other patrons.
PK-Leon
 Coffee and Consultation 

 She smiles into Louis’ kiss. “Well if it’s business I won’t bother you. Let me know what you want and I’ll bring it over to you guys.” 

"But I like it when you bother me." The delivery boy grins mischievously. "I'll take two coffees, Baristas choice. Raph likes his dark. Please and thank you."

"And uh..." Louis runs a free hand through his hair, considering something. "Do you have any plans for Christmas this year?"

After his conversation at the counter with Izzy, Louis finds his way through the cafe to his seat across from his partner and their client.

"So what'd I miss?" Louis asks as he shifts forward in his chair, resting his forearms on his legs.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Morning Meeting 
Seraph is silent for a moment as he listens to John’s plan. “That… could work. Though I will say that this isn’t the only place I have these marks. They’re everywhere. It almost looks like I got attacked by a giant jellyfish or something,” he says as he buttons his shirt back up, trying to inject some humor into the conversation.

Stella looks worriedly to Raphael, and then back to John. “I really think that it’s a good idea to study what Keith can remember of the ward. I know you said it was three compounded curses,” she continues, looking back at Seraph. “But if it’s affected  you  this badly, I don’t think any of us would be able to function if we ended up cursed as well.”

“It was terrible,” Aeryn says quietly. “I don’t even know how you’re even standing right now, Seraph. It hurt so bad that Wolf had to pick me up a couple times.”

“I was down for the count for like two days,” Seraph reminds him.

“Yes,” Seraph answers. “When I texted her, she said she’d be back today or tomorrow. Mimi said she asked Eva about it, but she refused to elaborate.” 
 

Keith shifts uncomfortably. Eventually he nods.

“The walk back out was awful, and it felt like ages before you got there.” He grimaced.

“Its also why I wanted to figure it out as well. But I'm hoping I'll be able to help with research a bit.” He turned to John. “Even if it is just grabbing books and recounting the event.”


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 "Even if there was no cause for hesitation," John conceded, "consulting with Dr. Rivera and the  extat  Prince Zylas would be prudent and the situation is too concerning to not be prudent. While I’m fairly certain I could shield myself from the ward, I don't think I could extend that courtesy to others."

He turned to Keith. "Get the drawing to me as soon as it's convenient. I'll start my research to see what I can learn. Anything powerful enough to give Seraph pause must be warding something important and I want to know what.”

He paused.

"And, of course, make sure no one stumbles across it and gets hurt.

"In between our trip to Georgia and a few other appointments, the rest of the week feels like it's getting crowded. I'd like to start my research sooner than later.

"Besides," he added, smiling gently, Ii have a preliminary write up about this weekend's efforts to complete for Stella's review.” 
 

He nodded at John’s instructions, and thinks for a moment.

“Let me grab something real quick for the trip, and we can knock out two birds with one stone. You mind if I do the drawing in the library at the Spire since we’ll be there anyway? I'd also like to check the spot Stolas appeared to see of I can toss part of the curse into the Void from it.”

 Into the Spire 
Keith reels a bit as he steps beyond where he had previously been. It didn't hit him before, but something felt off. His hind reached up to the scar on his chest.

Anubis left him with something, but what he didn't know yet.

“So this is the full splendor of the Spire?” He said looking around and smiling. “I can see why you like it here. Stolas told me a bit of the latent magic, but nothing more than that he could feel it.”

He shook his head. “I feel something, but I'm not sure what it is exactly. It's pulling where Anubis tore out my heart.”

He was awe struck at the place. The latent magic was overwhelming, but also comforting in a way. It did help that this place was incredibly far off as well.

Part of his form changed without him meaning to, slipping into his void form.

“Stolas didn't do this justice. He nearly had me thinking that you all were making a final stand here, and yet it's so….” He struggled finding the word for the tear in thoughts of the magic.

“Peaceful.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
  Into the Spire 
Keith reels a bit as he steps beyond where he had previously been. It didn't hit him before, but something felt off. His hind reached up to the scar on his chest.

Anubis left him with something, but what he didn't know yet.

“So this is the full splendor of the Spire?” He said looking around and smiling. “I can see why you like it here. Stolas told me a bit of the latent magic, but nothing more than that he could feel it.”

He shook his head. “I feel something, but I'm not sure what it is exactly. It's pulling where Anubis tore out my heart.”

He was awe struck at the place. The latent magic was overwhelming, but also comforting in a way. It did help that this place was incredibly far off as well.

Part of his form changed without him meaning to, slipping into his void form.

“Stolas didn't do this justice. He nearly had me thinking that you all were making a final stand here, and yet it's so….” He struggled finding the word for the tear in thoughts of the magic.

“Peaceful.” 
 

“If I had to hazard a guess,” John said with a smile that shifted from friendly to self deprecating, "and, given an opportunity, when don't I? The tug may be towards the blowhole in the lowest level of the Spire. On the rare occasions the sea stills, the Norns come to watch men's Dooms in the pool. The Sampo makes sure they remain undisturbed by any being not classed as a Fatewatcher — like Anubis or Harbinger."

He glanced at Seraph as they passed through the main hall, where he noticed the roses remained fresh. He had resisted, thus far, the temptation to decorate for the holidays, hoping it would be an opportunity for the FPO to bond with the Shaws. "It mentioned your uncle specifically when it was explaining things to me. I'll be interested to see his reaction to the Spire should he choose to come — although I'm not sure if it will make his visions clearer or more overwhelming. My research on that point is, to put it mildly, inconclusive.

We're thinking of installing an actual working kitchen through there," John noted in passing as they made for the stairs. "While the Sampo can provide whatever food one might ask for, Mom loves to cook too much to not have one.”

First person plural again.

Best not to reference Mr. Shaw's shared interest in cooking.

“Its peacefulness is why I sought it out and drove off the undead inhabiting it. I wanted Emi to have a place to come and have some peace from the psychic background noise she lives with in Iron Station.”
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 The Spire  
Seraph studies everything in the Great Hall with interest as the three of them walk through it. A single ashy yellow feather flutters to the floor in his wake. “It mentioned my uncle? I don’t think I’ve ever heard him referred to as a Fatewatcher— though that does describe him accurately.”

He considers John’s question for a moment, then shakes his head. “Right now, nothing is certain with his visions. Before he touched the Stone, peering in the pool probably would’ve produced the clearest vision he could manage. But currently…”

The angel lets the subject fall as the pass where the future kitchen will be installed. “I wouldn’t say no to trying your mom’s famous pot roast someday.”

Seraph smiles at John. “You’ve found the perfect place for her. No minds for miles. I’m sure she enjoys the silence. Did Alistair say anything when you brought him through?”

As Keith slips into halfway into his Void form, Seraph glances over in concern. “You… okay? I know how to talk you out of being phased, but I don’t think I can help you with this one.”

 Raphael- Stella’s Room 
Stella tilts her head as she looks quizzically over at Raphael, bracing her chin in one hand. “If he had succeeded, would you also want to be turned into a human as well? You wouldn’t be ‘turned back’ technically, but you know what I mean.”

She smiles at her boyfriend’s joke. “Yes, I’m too much of a hopeless romantic to be any help dissuading him, but Sidney did actually try.  C'est une réaliste.  She thinks he’s going about this much too fast. They haven’t even known each other six months and he’s already made a ring for her.”

“It does make a certain kind of sense though,” she continues with a shrug. “If she accepts his proposal, he can stop worrying about her breaking up with him as much as he does.”

 
 Spoiler: Translation 
She’s a realist
 

 Ashford’s 
Izzy gives Louis a playful smile. “I’ll remember that,” she teases. “Two coffees coming right up.”

“No plans right now,” she replies. “Noah’s still deciding if he wants to take a gig on Christmas Eve, but other than that, nothing. Unless a certain someone is inviting me over.”

Over in the couch, Aria glances up at the vampire, then down to their knees. “I’ll take a Chai latte.” She pauses, then continues in a softer voice. “Thank you for coming.”

When Louis joins them, Aria shakes her head. “Just a drink order.” She then crosses her legs and sighs. “Is Ryker coming too?”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
Seraph studies everything in the Great Hall with interest as the three of them walk through it. A single ashy yellow feather flutters to the floor in his wake. “It mentioned my uncle? I don’t think I’ve ever heard him referred to as a Fatewatcher— though that does describe him accurately.”

He considers John’s question for a moment, then shakes his head. “Right now, nothing is certain with his visions. Before he touched the Stone, peering in the pool probably would’ve produced the clearest vision he could manage. But currently…”

The angel lets the subject fall as the pass where the future kitchen will be installed. “I wouldn’t say no to trying your mom’s famous pot roast someday.” 
 

“Really?” John asked, somewhat boyishly at the thought of Seraph coming for Sunday dinner. “You would?

“Wouldn’t?

“Mind, that is? Mom and Dad would be thrilled. Sister Anna Marie would probably be so excited that she  would ask permission to leave her cloister and join us, if she knew.” His brow furrowed. “And she always does.”

John glanced around the hall. “Perhaps we could hold it here sometime around the holidays, depending on how things go in London.

“Sister Anna Marie will know about me by then,” he added with a little trepidation creeping into his voice. “I want to let her know before I use the Orb.”

He turned back to Seraph, snapping his mind back to the present. “They would love to meet you and Harbinger. Mom dropped that hint on one of my quick visits back when I was preparing for Mr. Shaw to visit.”



 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Seraph smiles at John. “You’ve found the perfect place for her. No minds for miles. I’m sure she enjoys the silence. Did Alistair say anything when you brought him through?” 
 

“I considered it a major accomplishment to have noticed the barest flicker of a reaction when he walked through the door,” John admitted with the hint of a satisfied smile. “Since I had made it a surprise for Emi, he was reported to be a little cross when his daughter disappeared from East Side and appeared in the middle of nowhere North Atlantic. I’m hoping that his experiencing the change was enough to justify not giving any advanced warning.

“Of course, given how keyed up I was for the evening,” John added, looking around, “it’s possible I imagined it but he did seem interested in the place. We didn’t have time to really view the Northern Lights before we headed to Providence. You’ll have to come back some evening and see. This far away from everything, there is no light pollution to dim them in the least.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “If I had to hazard a guess,” John said with a smile that shifted from friendly to self deprecating, "and, given an opportunity, when don't I? The tug may be towards the blowhole in the lowest level of the Spire. On the rare occasions the sea stills, the Norns come to watch men's Dooms in the pool. The Sampo makes sure they remain undisturbed by any being not classed as a Fatewatcher — like Anubis or Harbinger."

“Its peacefulness is why I sought it out and drove off the undead inhabiting it. I wanted Emi to have a place to come and have some peace from the psychic background noise she lives with in Iron Station.” 
 


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
Seraph studies everything in the Great Hall with interest as the three of them walk through it. A single ashy yellow feather flutters to the floor in his wake. “It mentioned my uncle? I don’t think I’ve ever heard him referred to as a Fatewatcher— though that does describe him accurately.”

He considers John’s question for a moment, then shakes his head. “Right now, nothing is certain with his visions. Before he touched the Stone, peering in the pool probably would’ve produced the clearest vision he could manage. But currently…”

The angel lets the subject fall as the pass where the future kitchen will be installed. “I wouldn’t say no to trying your mom’s famous pot roast someday.”

Seraph smiles at John. “You’ve found the perfect place for her. No minds for miles. I’m sure she enjoys the silence. Did Alistair say anything when you brought him through?”

As Keith slips into halfway into his Void form, Seraph glances over in concern. “You… okay? I know how to talk you out of being phased, but I don’t think I can help you with this one.” 
 

Keith nodded at John's explanation, and turned just to see his smile mirroring his own attitude. "And usually your guesses are spot on. Nothing to not grin about." He offers a comforting smile to his friend. One that had, at least before, told him to consider him a brother in a sense.

"I know it's your home away from home, and I shouldn't impose, but would it be possible to see it at some point? The Sampo may stop me anyway." He looks around some more. "I'm sure Emi loved it right away."

"Do you want me to clean up the residual void energy while we're here?"

At Seraph's concern, Keith turned and looked at his hands. "Didn't realize I was changing. It's a new thing since the Void, and looks like that trip awakened some latent power in my blood from my mom. I've been meaning to get a new blood sample to Mimi for analysis, but this about confirms it. Half human, half voidling."  Keith shakes his head. "It doesn't hurt or anything, just more natural? I think that would be the word?"

He thinks for a moment. "I think the pull from the pool and the remnant energy from the summoning managed this. I usually have to focus a lot more."

He thought back to the other day as well. "Just realized I had returned to a normal state before you got to us the other day. And I don't know if Aeryn picked up on the change either."
PK-Leon
 Ashford’s 

 
 Originally Posted by Izzy 
 “No plans right now,” she replies. “Noah’s still deciding if he wants to take a gig on Christmas Eve, but other than that, nothing. Unless a certain someone is inviting me over.” 
 

"You know, I think I like the idea of celebrating our first Christmas together. And I know my parents would be happy to finally meet you. How's that sound?"


 
 Originally Posted by Aria 
 Over in the couch, Aria glances up at the vampire, then down to their knees. “I’ll take a Chai latte.” She pauses, then continues in a softer voice. “Thank you for coming.”

When Louis joins them, Aria shakes her head. “Just a drink order.” She then crosses her legs and sighs. “Is Ryker coming too?” 
 

The hero shakes his head. "Not this time. Think he's working on something with South Side so you'll have put up with the two us today." Louis flashes a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"So... you mind telling us what's been going on lately?"
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 Keith nodded at John's explanation, and turned just to see his smile mirroring his own attitude. "And usually your guesses are spot on. Nothing to not grin about." He offers a comforting smile to his friend. One that had, at least before, told him to consider him a brother in a sense.

"I know it's your home away from home, and I shouldn't impose, but would it be possible to see it at some point? The Sampo may stop me anyway." He looks around some more. "I'm sure Emi loved it right away."

"Do you want me to clean up the residual void energy while we're here?" 
 

“It’s just some residual energy from the summoning,” John explained. If it’s of use to you to do so, be my guest. If not, it should finish dissipating within the week.”

“As to a tour, we probably have time while the two of you are here,” John assured Keith. “The Sampo’s a fourth-five minute walk down a long spiral staircase. Flying is quicker. It’s only communed with me in something like language once. Still, every now and again, I get the sense that it is happy to be whole and serving the purpose it was made for once again.

“The cloud cover and light rain and snow are likely to be keeping the seas a little choppy, though. The floor down there is likely to be awash with sea water. Not that the two of you would have any difficulty staying aloft. Are the residential spaces clear right now, Clea?”

“Residential areas are clear, Mark Two,” Clea replied. “The only ones who have accessed the Spire today are the three of you. The only others who are here are Serving Spirits, including Pinky who is currently working out in the exercise room and Osgood, who is setting up a rotational schedule in your wine cellar. While the bottles you laid down with a particular friend’s father in mind are somewhat pricey, based on the inventory I have been maintaining, they are still relatively few in number.”

“It wouldn’t do to try and compete with him in quantity or quality, Clea,” John reminded her. “I suspect he might find it irritating if I  created a shortage by reducing the number of bottles significantly so that I could offer him them here.”

“It would be an interesting power play,” Clea suggested. “That said, I am in no rush to see our particular friend’s father in an irritable mood.”
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 The Spire  

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 At Seraph's concern, Keith turned and looked at his hands. "Didn't realize I was changing. It's a new thing since the Void, and looks like that trip awakened some latent power in my blood from my mom. I've been meaning to get a new blood sample to Mimi for analysis, but this about confirms it. Half human, half voidling." Keith shakes his head. "It doesn't hurt or anything, just more natural? I think that would be the word?" 
 

“Interesting,” Seraph muses as he studies Keith’s new form.
“You can back okay too though, right?” he asks. “Your mom was a Voidling? Full blooded? How did she get here?  Why  was she here?”

He shakes his head. “Sorry, just idle curiosity.”


 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “Really?” John asked, somewhat boyishly at the thought of Seraph coming for Sunday dinner. “You would?

“Wouldn’t?

“Mind, that is? Mom and Dad would be thrilled. Sister Anna Marie would probably be so excited that she would ask permission to leave her cloister and join us, if she knew.” His brow furrowed. “And she always does.” 
 

Seraph smiles at the magician. “Yeah, I’d join you for dinner. I can’t promise my uncle will, but I would.” His grin fades a little as John mentions Anna Marie and he skips over the subject as John returns to talking about his parents. “The way you’ve talked about your family, I think I would get a long with everyone. Even Harbinger probably would.”


 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “I considered it a major accomplishment to have noticed the barest flicker of a reaction when he walked through the door,” John admitted with the hint of a satisfied smile.

“Of course, given how keyed up I was for the evening,” John added, looking around, “it’s possible I imagined it but he did seem interested in the place. We didn’t have time to really view the Northern Lights before we headed to Providence. You’ll have to come back some evening and see. This far away from everything, there is no light pollution to dim them in the least.” 
 

“I’m sure he was,” Seraph agrees. “It’s not everyday you get to tour an ancient necromaner’s former stronghold. Nor, for him, experiencing psychic silence.”

The angel nods. “I’ve seen them before, but I’m sure here the aurora would be spectacular.”


 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “As to a tour, we probably have time while the two of you are here,” John assured Keith. “The Sampo’s a fourth-five minute walk down a long spiral staircase. Flying is quicker. It’s only communed with me in something like language once. Still, every now and again, I get the sense that it is happy to be whole and serving the purpose it was made for once again. 
 

“Maybe later, John?” Seraph says. His jaw tightens slightly as the curse actives and then dissipates. “As impressive as the place is, I came to look at the drawing Keith was going to do of the ward.”

 Ashford’s 
“Just give me the time and place, Delivery Boy,” Izzy says as she starts on one of the coffees. “I’ll be there. I don’t have any family commitments this year. My parents will be on a Christmas cruise for their 25th anniversary.”

She pauses, considering something, then shrugs. “As long as it’s not Christmas Eve. I wanna leave that open in case Noah decides to take that gig. I’ll ask him about it tonight and get back to you tomorrow on that.”


 
 Originally Posted by Louis 
 The hero shakes his head. "Not this time. Think he's working on something with South Side so you'll have put up with the two us today." Louis flashes a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"So... you mind telling us what's been going on lately?" 
 

Aria lets out a small sigh of relief. “Good. It’s better if he doesn’t hear this.”

She takes a deeper breath before carefully surveying the coffee bar for anyone that looks to be paying attention to their group or seems to be within earshot.

Satisfied that they wouldn’t be overheard, she looks down at her knees. “After everything went down with Leo at the end of October, I got called in to see the Lady. She asked me what happened, and I told her the truth. I didn’t use any of your names, but I knew I couldn’t lie to her. She would know.”

Aria swallows as she recalls that night. “Basically, after I explained that I felt what I did was the right thing to do, she told me that I’d been a good enough Flower that she wasn’t going to kill me, but she was going to fire me from the Garden. If I wanted my job back, I had to bring her good enough information that she could ‘forgive my transgressions’, and she sent me to Code Black.”

“Code Black is  the  Crown hangout,” she says, then gives the boys a faint sheepish smile. “It was silly, but I was scared that someone might recognize me. Crowns and Rooks don’t mix though.”

“I went there a few times, hanging out at the upstairs bar where the upper level guys liked to drink. It’s more of a lounge than a dance party up there. Anyway, one night, I notice this guy at the end of the bar, drinking alone. He’s handsome, has a high rank tattoo on his wrist, so I go over to chat him up, hoping that I could get him drunk enough that he would spill something good once we were alone.”

“As soon as he turned to smile at me, I knew I’d made a mistake,” Aria whispers with a shiver. “I couldn’t put my finger on it, but he scared me. It wasn’t until later that night I learned why. He was one of the Dragonovs,” she says, keeping her voice low. “Mirko.”

“After a couple drinks he took me to the top level into one of the suites and… well, I did my job. He didn’t give me any good info, but he asked when I’d be back at the club. I lied to him, told him I could only be there on Saturdays because I worked most nights, so I’ve been seeing him since then, hoping he would spill something good enough that the Lady would let me come back. I was stupid. I knew he was dangerous.”

“This past Saturday, he was in a… mood. Something had pissed him off, so instead of his usual masochism, he wanted to hurt me instead. He started to choke me, so I kicked his side where I saw he had this huge burn, and then he flipped me over and smacked my face off the headboard. I saw stars.”

She takes another deep breath. “When he was done, he threatened me not to report anything. He had my real name, my address, and my parents’ address. He said he’d burn my parents alive if I didn’t come back next Saturday.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
“Interesting,” Seraph muses as he studies Keith’s new form.
“You can back okay too though, right?” he asks. “Your mom was a Voidling? Full blooded? How did she get here?  Why  was she here?”

He shakes his head. “Sorry, just idle curiosity.” 
 

Keith smiles and nods. “Yeah, I can turn back easily. I think it has something to do with the human half.” He shrugs. “Or just all the time acclimating to the Void.”

He nods again and looks at the ground. “She was full blooded and all. So turns out Stolas is closer to being a family member than I realized as well. Her companion was also a wolf names Solas, who ended up walking with me a good ways.”

“How she got here, I’m not even sure. But the why, seems like she wanted to try and bring the empire back to its roots, and thought she could. I…….” Keith stopped for a minute. “I don’t know if she was close to succeeding or not.”

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I get some clarity and then end up needing more and more answers. Though suppose it could be worse not knowing.”

He looks up at Seraph and then to John, and back. “Aside from Uncle, and I assume Don, you, John, and Aeryn are the only ones that know.”

He thinks for a moment. “And Mimi. Kinda wonder if Harbinger knows, but suppose he should be told.”


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “It’s just some residual energy from the summoning,” John explained. If it’s of use to you to do so, be my guest. If not, it should finish dissipating within the week.” 
 

Keith nodded and smiled. “It could be, since I’m still learning all the new abilities my blood gave me. Still knowing it’s there makes your plan easier too. Well, my part at least.”

“It’s what I survived on for 2 years, so it’ll be a familiar taste.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Seraph smiles at the magician. “Yeah, I’d join you for dinner. I can’t promise my uncle will, but I would.” His grin fades a little as John mentions Anna Marie and he skips over the subject as John returns to talking about his parents. “The way you’ve talked about your family, I think I would get along with everyone. Even Harbinger probably would.” 
 

Keith stood by a bit awkwardly. He knew that Seraph would get along well with John’s family. The way that John spoke, he was right. Nearly anyone would.

He found himself wondering what a true family dinner was like. He and his mom had eaten together many a time, sure, but that was usual for a kid, and then with having a father that was basically absent. He couldn’t help but be a little jealous. Not that at times he would deserve having something that simple and normal.

He would have to try it with his family in the future. If he had one at least. He’s the son of a vastly evil man, with an equally evil sister.

Not to mention, he himself isn’t fully human.

He shook his head, and then nodded. “I’m certain he would.” He smiled softly.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 The angel nods. “I’ve seen them before, but I’m sure here the aurora would be spectacular.”

“Maybe later, John?” Seraph says. His jaw tightens slightly as the curse actives and then dissipates. “As impressive as the place is, I came to look at the drawing Keith was going to do of the ward.” 
 

At the mention of the auroras from John, Keith looked astounded. “Can’t say in all the travels I’ve seen them. Would surely be a sight!”

He was about to nod feeling his face turn to a wide grin at the mention of a tour, and then he calmed down hearing Seraph.

“Good point. Best to do it all when we can all enjoy it.” He winces seeing the curse activate on Seraph.

 It’s MY fault………..  He found himself thinking. He even wondered if he could take back the painful part of the curse just to alleviate some of the pain on Seraph.

“The sooner that curse is gone the better.” His eyes were filled with pain. A pain he should be feeling instead coursing through his body.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 He looks up at Seraph and then to John, and back. “Aside from Uncle, and I assume Don, you, John, and Aeryn are the only ones that know.”

He thinks for a moment. “And Mimi. Kinda wonder if Harbinger knows, but suppose he should be told.” 
 

“And me,” Clea added quietly.

“We can be trusted to keep your secrets, Keith,” John assured him, briefly laying a hand on his shoulder.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “Maybe later, John?” Seraph says. His jaw tightens slightly as the curse actives and then dissipates. “As impressive as the place is, I came to look at the drawing Keith was going to do of the ward.” 
 

“We may not be able to break the curse right now, Seraph, but has there been anything that has made it more bearable? We could lean into those while we work on a more permanent solution.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “And me,” Clea added quietly.

“We can be trusted to keep your secrets, Keith,” John assured him, briefly laying a hand on his shoulder.

“We may not be able to break the curse right now, Seraph, but has there been anything that has made it more bearable? We could lean into those while we work on a more permanent solution.” 
 

Keith chuckled a bit. "Sorry, and of course you, Clea."  And Montcrief by now then. ****.  He thought afterward.

He just nodded and smiled at John. "Only person I'm a little scared of learning it now is Hope. Then again, if she loves the type of stories she says, she may just find it cool." He chuckles again. "Been meaning to ask you to help figure out the new abilities too. Just also not sure how everyone else will react seeing the entire thing."

He looked between them at the mention of the curse, and nodded. "Been wondering about that too, and if need be, I can take some of the pain as well." Whatever would help.

As they made it to the library, Keith took out some paper and a pen and started  sketching the glyph from memory.  It wasn't as good as he would have wanted it, but he knew the base design by heart now at least.

"This is about the best way I can get it. Kept it in mind since it reminded me about the Illuminati pyramid." He tilted his head. "Now looking at this, kinda makes me think of that character from Gravity Falls. Bill Cipher?"
big teej
 Stella's Room: 

"Can you be healed from what you are?"  Raphael muses philosophically.  He shrugs it off.  "No way.  I'm sure compared to this, being human would be... stifling.  Everything would be so...  dull ."

"That's cause he  is  going too fast."  The vampire shrugs again.  "But if it's working for them..."  He trails off and shrugs. again. He looks back at Stella, locking eyes with her.  "When you know what you want, who cares about the consequences."


 Coffee Confrontations: 

Raphael is content to remain silent as Louis and Aria go back and forth... or so he thought until her tale started to unfold.

He perks up when she mentions her encounter with Lady Orchid, and how she hadn't used their names.

 You should've used mine... not that you have any way to know. 

Raphael scans the coffee shop one last time before focusing on Aria as she continues to speak.

He opens his mouth to interrupt and ask a question, but thinks better of it and clamps his jaws shut as her story continues.

Raphael sighs, looking down at his knee resting against Aria's.

"Well.  Ha-ha."  He laughs without humor.

He looks Aria in the eyes.  " I  happened.  I'm what pissed him off.  Sure, I had help. Go Team. But I made it personal."

The vampire frowns and breaks eye contact.   "I'm sorry."   

Looking back to the former flower.  " Do  you want your job back?  What kind of information does she want?"

Raphael then glances at Louis, "Your turn."
PK-Leon
Coffee &amp; Consultation:


 
 Originally Posted by Izzy 
 “Just give me the time and place, Delivery Boy,” Izzy says as she starts on one of the coffees. “I’ll be there. I don’t have any family commitments this year. My parents will be on a Christmas cruise for their 25th anniversary.”

She pauses, considering something, then shrugs. “As long as it’s not Christmas Eve. I wanna leave that open in case Noah decides to take that gig. I’ll ask him about it tonight and get back to you tomorrow on that.” 
 

"You got it." Louis says, smiling at the thought of having Izzy over for the holiday. "25 years and going strong huh? A cruise sounds kinda nice but I think I'm still taking a break from boats for now."

His smile evens out a bit at the mention of Noah's holiday plans. "You wouldn't happen to know if Noah's got anything personal lined up for Christmas would you?"

. . .

The protégé arches a brow at Aria's concern over Ryker's involvement and notes her apprehensiveness before beginning her story, but doesn't bother to question her about either. She knew Ryker better than either of them or anyone on the team for that matter. Though it wouldn't take an expert to figure out how he'd react to whatever Aria was about to share.

A pang of guilt sinks it's fangs deep into his stomach as Aria recalls her ordeal after parting ways on the day of the impromptu rescue mission. Aria didn't think twice about helping the team in spite of the risks to her safety and standing with Lady Orchid but when  she  needed  them  they were nowhere to be found. On top of that she'd gotten herself caught up with a seemingly unpredictable wildcard with an incredibly short fuse and wit to match. The way he saw it, Aria was running out of both time  and  options.


 
 Originally Posted by Raphael 
 Raphael sighs, looking down at his knee resting against Aria's.

"Well. Ha-ha." He laughs without humor.

He looks Aria in the eyes. "I happened. I'm what pissed him off. Sure, I had help. Go Team. But I made it personal."

The vampire frowns and breaks eye contact. "I'm sorry."

Looking back to the former flower. "Do you want your job back? What kind of information does she want?"

Raphael then glances at Louis, "Your turn." 
 

" We're sorry. " Louis corrects, adding his own thoughts to the pile of feelings the three had begun to share with one another. "If you hadn't helped us back then you wouldn't have ended up in a situation like this."

The hero tilts his head a bit as he looks up into Aria's eyes. "You never tried contacting us or asked for help after everything went down... Why?"
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 The Spire  
“Harbinger knows about your heritage,” Seraph says to Keith as he follows the two of them to the library. “And as for Aeryn, you know he can be trusted to keep secrets.”

The angel shakes his head to John question as Keith begins to draw. “Nothing has helped. I think I’m just kind of starting to get used to it.”

As Keith sketches the ward’s basic shape, Seraph holds his chin in his hand, studying it. “Your thoughts, John?”

 
 Spoiler: John- Occult TN 6 
While he would need to see the actual spell in the ward, John can tell that this is meant to secure a space/room. It is meant to curse and incapacitate anyone it touches, so that the spellcaster can easily find and eliminate them later.

 
 Spoiler: TN 8 
As Keith adds details, John notices that the ward most likely has a second power source, a raeksha, embedded within it.
 

 

 Raphael- Stella’s Room 
Stella grins over at her vampire boyfriend. “I’m sure you would be bored to tears.”

As Raphael looks at her, Stella meets his gaze. He hears her heartbeat quicken as she sidles closer to him. “You’re right,  mon cœur ,” she says, resting one hand on his knee. “I think I know what I want.” The sorceress leans forward to kiss him, and her hand slowly inches its way higher up his leg as her lips move softly against his.

 Ashford’s 

 
 Originally Posted by Louis 
 “A cruise sounds kinda nice but I think I'm still taking a break from boats for now." 
 

Izzy lets out a quiet chuckle. “They’re flying to Charleston to board, so at least they shouldn’t have to worry about any Riverfolk ruining it.”


 
 Originally Posted by Louis 
 His smile evens out a bit at the mention of Noah's holiday plans. "You wouldn't happen to know if Noah's got anything personal lined up for Christmas would you?" 
 

His girlfriend shakes her head. “His parents are somewhere in Oregon, and he hasn’t said anything about them coming. The band is going to get together that weekend before for a little party, which you’re invited to, by the way, we just need to nail down a time to meet.”


 
 Originally Posted by Raphael 
 He looks Aria in the eyes. "I happened. I'm what pissed him off. Sure, I had help. Go Team. But I made it personal."

The vampire frowns and breaks eye contact. "I'm sorry." 
 

“It’s not like you knew and did it on purpose,” Aria replies quietly. “And he’s not exactly a stable person anyway.”


 
 Originally Posted by Raphael 
 Looking back to the former flower. "Do you want your job back? What kind of information does she want?" 
 

Aria pauses for a moment, looking down at her and Raphael’s touching knees. “It not that I want the job. I need it. There isn’t anything else I can do to make enough money to keep my family afloat.”

“She didn’t give me anything specific to look for,” she says with a shrug. “I just know that I need something important. It’s kinda a sink or swim deal.”

Izzy comes out from behind the bar and heads their way, holding two coffees. She hands a simple mug of coffee to Raphael, and a lighter drink to Louis.

“A caramel macchiato, and a black coffee. Let me know if you need anything else,” she says with a smile before returning to the bar.


 
 Originally Posted by Louis 
 The hero tilts his head a bit as he looks up into Aria's eyes. "You never tried contacting us or asked for help after everything went down... Why?" 
 

“This is a personal problem,” Aria says with a frown. “I didn’t have a way to contact you anyway, not without going through AEGIS or something.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
“Harbinger knows about your heritage,” Seraph says to Keith as he follows the two of them to the library. “And as for Aeryn, you know he can be trusted to keep secrets.”

The angel shakes his head to John question as Keith begins to draw. “Nothing has helped. I think I’m just kind of starting to get used to it.”

As Keith sketches the ward’s basic shape, Seraph holds his chin in his hand, studying it. “Your thoughts, John?”

 
 Spoiler: John- Occult TN 6 
While he would need to see the actual spell in the ward, John can tell that this is meant to secure a space/room. It is meant to curse and incapacitate anyone it touches, so that the spellcaster can easily find and eliminate them later.

 
 Spoiler: TN 8 
As Keith adds details, John notices that the ward most likely has a second power source, a raeksha, embedded within it.
 

 
 
 

 
 Spoiler: He’s read about this kind of thing. 
 John tries to identify the Ward from the Drawing (Occult) :  1d12o12+2   12   1d6o6+2   5 
 


“The All-Seeing Eye is an old symbol with antecedents in a variety of Old World cultures,” John observes as he watches Keith sketch, steadily eliminating possibilities as he watched the symbol take shape. While Keith was doing a good job, he did not expect him to be able to recall the details of the runes. But he remembered enough — and hinted at others through half-formed or approximations for John to make some educated guesses.”

“The general form is a standard variation on the All Seeing Eye, calling on the symbolic power inherent in its unblinking gaze rather than the benevolent, providential view of the divine.”

He frowned, shaking his head. “As much as I would love to tell you that we should head right there now and let me and/or Raphael take care of it, I don’t think it would be a straightforward thing. Observe Keith’s markings around the pupil.”

He straightened, going to his shelves. “Most people would draw lines, if they were to include any line art. Those shapes appear to be something like a binding.” He pulled one of the three ring binders from the shelf and began flipping through its tabbed sections as he brought it back to the table.

“There isn’t enough detail,” he began looking up sharply at Keith. “Nor would I expect there to be from anyone getting hit with the curse this thing bears.”

He set the open binder on the table.

“As you see here, it’s almost an exact match for the kind of thing that would contain a  raeksha  to fuel its power.  It’s structure is designed to incapacitate anyone who meddles with it, leaving the would-be investigator incapacitated so that the caster can return at their leisure and deal with them then. That you and Ayern made it out is testament to your strength of will and fortitude.”

John drew Keith’s drawing to him. “There’s not enough here to know the details, though. I wonder if we sent a drone into the sewers we could get a remote image of the ward sufficient to get more details — the name of the  raeksha  or the tradition it was developed out of. I’d be willing, at this stage, to lay money on it being connected to  Rizaska  Kisharha’s work.”

He began to pace. “And not just because she is a foundational enough figure in Demonology to be a basic source that most non-practitioners dismiss as a legend. Given that we three met her, we know how far off those scholars are. She’s come up enough that I’m beginning to sense a synchronicity thread that goes beyond that. She was here, planning on binding the King of Hell. Her last student was the head of the Cult of the Blood Moon, which has come back from the dead and started summoning demons in Iron Station. Grayson’s father had a copy of her work in Arabic. Stella’s translating a work out of Old High German that goes back to an old work — suggesting a connection to Vytas and Matteo. And your half-sister has been doing too many things that suggest a connection to her to one degree or another.”

He stopped and looked at Seraph. “I asked AEGIS to construct a 3-D model of her skull based on my body cam footage and try tn put together a facial reconstruction of her. I’d like to get that nailed down so we can eliminate some possibilities where she has cheated death.”

He stopped and looked at the image. “I don’t see anything here that guarantees a drone would be destroyed but having bound a  raeksha  into it gives it intelligence and, I suspect, enough liberty to attend to things like drones. And given the entities we are dealing with, I suspect they will not have made the rookie mistake of warding the door rather than the entire space so we won’t be able to phase through the roof and drop into the space from above, bypassing the curse.”

John dipped one of the nearby pens into a standard ink. “The dip pens are so I can use specialty inks — like the Shadow Ink I used on Keith’s map,” he explained as he made some notes on Keith’s drawing, referencing the texts he was drawing from.

“The notes are mostly for me,” he apologized. “Dr. Rivera likely knows all this off the top of her head but the page numbers and editions of the books will make any research she wishes to do more convenient.”

He leaned back. “Do you have a good image, Clea?”

“Confirmed, Mark Two. I’m preparing to print a copy now. Three-hole archival?”

“Please and thank you,” John replied. “Should I add anything from you here before we print a copy for here, Seraph?”
big teej
 Stella's Room: 

Raphael leans into the magician, readily and gladly shelving his next question in favor of exploring her desires.

 Ashford's: 

Raphael eyes the dark liquid in his cup and says, "A Chai latte, for the lady please. Louis said he's got her tab for the day."

The vampire takes a stone faced sip and puts on airs of a nasal, overly brit-ish voice and says "Ah yes, the well balanced acidity brings forth a faint hint of cacao, floral, and..."  He smacked his lips in quick succession.  "Citrus on the finish."

Raphael wraps the fingers of both hands around the cup and taps at the rim idly for a moment.

"Making sure you're safe is what's important.  None of the rest of it matters if Mirko cracks your skull open on a headboard or something."  He looks at Louis, but continues talking to Aria,  "I could hide in your purse, and you go see him, just like you're supposed to, and I'll hop out and make sure he doesn't hurt anyone ever again."

The vampire sighs.  "The trick is making sure he doesn't burn down the place in the process."
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
“Harbinger knows about your heritage,” Seraph says to Keith as he follows the two of them to the library. “And as for Aeryn, you know he can be trusted to keep secrets.”

The angel shakes his head to John question as Keith begins to draw. “Nothing has helped. I think I’m just kind of starting to get used to it.”

As Keith sketches the ward’s basic shape, Seraph holds his chin in his hand, studying it. “Your thoughts, John?” 
 

Keith turns his head to look at Seraph, and he just nods before looking at the ground. “That makes sense. The one time he offered me healing, something told me to not let him touch me. Guess it was because it would mess with him somehow.”

He shrugged. “Or maybe now I’m just overthinking it all.”

He smiles a bit before looking back up to his mentor. “Won’t mind the others knowing. Just, kinda wanted to think about it for a bit and figure it all out.” He huffed a laugh. “A lot to take in.”


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “The All-Seeing Eye is an old symbol with antecedents in a variety of Old World cultures,” John observes as he watches Keith sketch, steadily eliminating possibilities as he watched the symbol take shape. While Keith was doing a good job, he did not expect him to be able to recall the details of the runes. But he remembered enough — and hinted at others through half-formed or approximations for John to make some educated guesses.”
[... shortened for space…]
“Please and thank you,” John replied. “Should I add anything from you here before we print a copy for here, Seraph?” 
 

Keith listened as John gave an explanation. It was his field afterall, and this was the best way to learn about what had happened.

As he started to look up, Keith smiled weakly. He should have thought to grab a picture.

“We nearly missed it while down there too. Didn't think to grab a picture of it either.” He did feel good about John saying that there wasn't an expectation for perfection. There was no way he could.

Even then as he continued, Keith started thinking as well.

“I'm still wondering if she was the disciple that resurrected the cult.” He then whipped his head around and had a dumbfounded look on his face.

“Grayson's what now?” He shook his head. Now he felt worse about earlier today. And Grayson probably wouldn't want to even talk to him.

Couldn't blame him.

"A raeksha being bound to it explains a lot. Since it immediately reacted to Seraph even taking a look."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 “Grayson's what now?” He shook his head. Now he felt worse about earlier today. And Grayson probably wouldn't want to even talk to him.

Couldn't blame him. 
 

John frowned as his brow furrowed. Keith not knowing about Aurelius hadn't been part of his calculations.

"He must still be processing the news, if he hasn't spoken with you about it. We ended up coming across him as we ran down some leads in an unrelated matter.

"I seem to have a gift for uncovering missing family," he added with a wry smile.

"I'll leave it to you to decide if you should bring the topic up. You know him better than I do and whether he will bristle at your knowing his father has been found or not. Whether you let on or not, I suspect he could use an old friend like you right now. "
PK-Leon
 Ashford’s 

 His girlfriend shakes her head. “His parents are somewhere in Oregon, and he hasn’t said anything about them coming. The band is going to get together that weekend before for a little party, which you’re invited to, by the way, we just need to nail down a time to meet.” 

"I am?" Louis replies, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Can't believe you got me upgraded from a plus one to a full on invite." The delivery boy leans against the counter as he watches his girlfriend at work. "I'll have be on my best behavior... maybe."

. . .


 
 Originally Posted by Aria 
 “This is a personal problem,” Aria says with a frown. “I didn’t have a way to contact you anyway, not without going through AEGIS or something.” 
 

"Not anymore," Redline reassures the troubled woman in front of him. "You called, we answered. Now let's figure this out together."


 
 Originally Posted by Raph 
 Raphael eyes the dark liquid in his cup and says, "A Chai latte, for the lady please. Louis said he's got her tab for the day." 
 

A smile emerges at the appearance of his caramel macchiato but it promptly vanishes as Louis gives his partner a scrutinizing glance. "Yeaaaaah, I remember saying that just before we walked in. Actually I'll pick up everyone's while I'm at it." A sinister grin begins working it's way back into his features after a brief sip from his cup of coffee. "How's yours? That's your usual order right?"


 
 Originally Posted by Raph 
 The vampire takes a stone faced sip and puts on airs of a nasal, overly brit-ish voice and says "Ah yes, the well balanced acidity brings forth a faint hint of cacao, floral, and..." He smacked his lips in quick succession. "Citrus on the finish."

Raphael wraps the fingers of both hands around the cup and taps at the rim idly for a moment. 
 

"Awfully refined today young sir." Louis comments,  processing a thought  in the privacy of his own mind.


 
 Originally Posted by Raph 
 "Making sure you're safe is what's important. None of the rest of it matters if Mirko cracks your skull open on a headboard or something." He looks at Louis, but continues talking to Aria, "I could hide in your purse, and you go see him, just like you're supposed to, and I'll hop out and make sure he doesn't hurt anyone ever again."

The vampire sighs. "The trick is making sure he doesn't burn down the place in the process." 
 

" That's  the hard part. It'd only take one of us to put the guy down but two makes it certain. Only problem is the collateral damage we'd cause by fighting inside the club. If we could isolate Mirko somehow that'd make this a lot easier. We could always throw 'im through one of your portals right? All we'd need to do then is figure out where he's landing."
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 The Spire  
“Based on what Keith’s drawn here, I’d say you’re right on the money, John,” Seraph replies. “We won’t know specifics until we can see all of the runes inside it. Good job remembering this much, Keith.”

The angel pats Keith’s shoulder. “Even if you’d taken a picture, strong wards like this one mess with cameras. The pictures are always blown out or too blurry to see. Wolf wouldn’t have let you take one anyway. He wanted you guys out of there as fast as possible.”

“And you know you can take whatever time you need to figure out if you wanna tell people,” he continues, lightly squeezing the shadowmancer’s shoulder. “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”


 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “Should I add anything from you here before we print a copy for here, Seraph?” 
 

“Maybe a note about it being Jerek’s work, but other than that, I don’t have anything else to add, John. We’ll need to see it in person before we can get anything else.”

 Ashford’s 

 
 Originally Posted by Louis 
 "I am?" Louis replies, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Can't believe you got me upgraded from a plus one to a full on invite." The delivery boy leans against the counter as he watches his girlfriend at work. "I'll have be on my best behavior... maybe." 
 

“I mean, you have me  and  Noah vouching for you,” Izzy says, grinning over at Louis. “The last person you really have to win over is Aiden. Raine and Jeri get along with everybody... Most of the time.”

“Have you met Jeri yet? Our bass player? I know you met Aiden and Raine at the Machine Shop gig, but I think he had to go early.” She shrugs. “I guess you’ll met him at the party next week.”


 
 Originally Posted by Raphael 
 "I could hide in your purse, and you go see him, just like you're supposed to, and I'll hop out and make sure he doesn't hurt anyone ever again."

The vampire sighs. "The trick is making sure he doesn't burn down the place in the process." 
 

“I can make this a lot easier,” Aria says. “I’ll just text him and ask if he’s okay with skipping the bar and heading to the safe house we went to a couple weeks ago. There will still be Crowns there, but nobody that shouldn’t get caught in the crossfire. If he says yes, problem solved.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 John frowned as his brow furrowed. Keith not knowing about Aurelius hadn't been part of his calculations.

"He must still be processing the news, if he hasn't spoken with you about it. We ended up coming across him as we ran down some leads in an unrelated matter.

"I seem to have a gift for uncovering missing family," he added with a wry smile.

"I'll leave it to you to decide if you should bring the topic up. You know him better than I do and whether he will bristle at your knowing his father has been found or not. Whether you let on or not, I suspect he could use an old friend like you right now. " 
 

Keith looked at John and nodded. If he hadn't been told, there had to have been a reason. Then again, he also didn't expect to know anything now considering the other day at the mall.

"Certainly explains a lot from the other day too. Now I feel worse about staying on the leash and not walking the mall with him the other day." Keith grimaced. "He may not want me knowing, especially after what happened the other day. Going to feel like I choose West Side over him." He shook his head.

Abandoning people, even though he was following some orders, was something Jason would have done. "**** it. The more I set myself apart from  him , the more I start feeling like it's impossible....."


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
“Based on what Keith’s drawn here, I’d say you’re right on the money, John,” Seraph replies. “We won’t know specifics until we can see all of the runes inside it. Good job remembering this much, Keith.”

The angel pats Keith’s shoulder. “Even if you’d taken a picture, strong wards like this one mess with cameras. The pictures are always blown out or too blurry to see. Wolf wouldn’t have let you take one anyway. He wanted you guys out of there as fast as possible.”

“And you know you can take whatever time you need to figure out if you wanna tell people,” he continues, lightly squeezing the shadowmancer’s shoulder. “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”

“Maybe a note about it being Jerek’s work, but other than that, I don’t have anything else to add, John. We’ll need to see it in person before we can get anything else.” 
 

Keith nodded as Seraph explained about the picture. "True, Wolf was the best of us down there." As he continued, Keith looked up to his mentor.

"I.... yes sir." He nodded and grinned. "It's at least not something like the last time. I figured the blood analysis just for Louis to have his proof too. Which, I have no idea what other abilities are going to appear from this either."

He looks between them. "So do we wait for Dr. Riviera to come back or go check it out ahead of time?"

Following all of that, Keith turned to John. "Considering all the lost family, I thought about inviting Grayson along, but like I mentioned earlier, not sure if that's a good idea. Seems I'm leaning on your council more an more, John." He smiled weakly. "Though, an older brother figure for times like this helps."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 He looks between them. "So do we wait for Dr. Riviera to come back or go check it out ahead of time?"[ 
 

“I know most of the team thinks I use the consultations with Dr. Rivera as an excuse to see Emi,” John noted. “And while it is partially true, it would be foolhardy to pass up the option of speaking to one of the world’s foremost experts on demonology before facing a demonic threat if the option’s available. Yes, I’m a world class expert in this kind of thing but she has a specialized focus in this in the same way I have focused knowledge about Enochian Magic and necromancy.

“Like Seraph, I’d advocate waiting for her return — as much as I would like to see him healed.”


 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
  Following all of that, Keith turned to John. "Considering all the lost family, I thought about inviting Grayson along, but like I mentioned earlier, not sure if that's a good idea. Seems I'm leaning on your council more a more, John." He smiled weakly. "Though, an older brother figure for times like this helps." 
 

“Keith, Grayson is your best friend and you are his. Of course you should ask. While there are a host of reasons he might not be able to come — ranging from responsibilities with East Side to his still needing time to process things, the one reason he should not have is not being given the option.”

He looked out the doorway to the upper hall, where he knew the telescope he had ordered lay waiting for Emi to invite her friend to see the stars so far away from light pollution. “If I’m willing to have him arrive in the Spire following the threat of the Challenge, I think he should be able to find it in his heart to overlook you not switching back to hanging out with East Side at the Mall. And he doesn’t seem the kind to hold grudges about things like that.”

John quietly hoped that he didn’t hold grudges at all — whether as Grayson or as Valèdeir.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “I know most of the team thinks I use the consultations with Dr. Rivera as an excuse to see Emi,” John noted. “And while it is partially true, it would be foolhardy to pass up the option of speaking to one of the world’s foremost experts on demonology before facing a demonic threat if the option’s available. Yes, I’m a world class expert in this kind of thing but she has a specialized focus in this in the same way I have focused knowledge about Enochian Magic and necromancy.

“Like Seraph, I’d advocate waiting for her return — as much as I would like to see him healed.” 
 

Keith nodded as the point was made more important. "I don't think anyone would blame you for using it as an excuse. I would have in training with Coldfront to see Maeve, though that ship sailed." He shrugged.

"Then we wait."


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “Keith, Grayson is your best friend and you are his. Of course you should ask. While there are a host of reasons he might not be able to come — ranging from responsibilities with East Side to his still needing time to process things, the one reason he should not have is not being given the option.”

He looked out the doorway to the upper hall, where he knew the telescope he had ordered lay waiting for Emi to invite her friend to see the stars so far away from light pollution. “If I’m willing to have him arrive in the Spire following the threat of the Challenge, I think he should be able to find it in his heart to overlook you not switching back to hanging out with East Side at the Mall. And he doesn’t seem the kind to hold grudges about things like that.”

John quietly hoped that he didn’t hold grudges at all — whether as Grayson or as Valèdeir. 
 

Keith took in John's council and nodded before taking a deep breath. "You should know, Raph was antagonizing him before that. So it doesn't look better me asking him anything now. But you are right. Of the myriad of reasons, not being given the choice shouldn't be one."

Keith took out his phone. "Not giving the choice..... that would make me more like Jason than anything." It did help that John mentioned the challenge. Keith just chuckled a bit. "If more of us could learn from your example, John. And....." The words caught a moment. "I still need to make sure Aeryn is alright with Grayson knowing about him. If anything, an interdimensional being, albeit a half-blood, is still alien enough."

Keith typed up a quick text to Grayson asking if he could meet at East Side to talk a bit and visit a cemetery before looking back up at John. "Truth told, I still don't know if I deserve your forgiveness. And I need to talk Aeryn into seeing Eidolon instead of Emi about his blue flames. I have a theory, but it's something I'd rather the more experienced tackle in case I'm right."
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 The Spire  
With the matter of when they were going to see the ward decided, Seraph nods to the two of them. “I’m going to head back to the base. Maybe try and eat something,” he says as he starts to head down to the Great Hall.

Keith’s phone buzzes in his hand a few minutes after he sends the text.
 
 Spoiler: Text from Grayson  
I can be there in 45 minutes or so. You’re not in trouble or anything, right?
 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
With the matter of when they were going to see the ward decided, Seraph nods to the two of them. “I’m going to head back to the base. Maybe try and eat something,” he says as he starts to head down to the Great Hall.

Keith’s phone buzzes in his hand a few minutes after he sends the text.
 
 Spoiler: Text from Grayson  
I can be there in 45 minutes or so. You’re not in trouble or anything, right?
 
 
 

“We’ll see you soon, Seraph. Let us know if we can do anything to help. Please,” John asked. “It may go without saying that none of us like to see you suffering and we would all do whatever we need to to help but I wanted to say it anyway.”

After their Director left, John crossed his arms and regarded Keith quizzically. “Two questions: First, do you want me there when you try and explain to Grayson how a couple hours for him was two years for you and that has messed with your head a bit? I have a quick errand to run in Providence and I want to know how quick to make it.

“Two:” he continued, recalling the video footage Clea had played for him from the Halloween Party, “What forgiveness are you talking about? I don’t recall anything I need to forgive you for. Was their something I missed on Sunday while I was away?”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
With the matter of when they were going to see the ward decided, Seraph nods to the two of them. “I’m going to head back to the base. Maybe try and eat something,” he says as he starts to head down to the Great Hall.

Keith’s phone buzzes in his hand a few minutes after he sends the text.
 
 Spoiler: Text from Grayson  
I can be there in 45 minutes or so. You’re not in trouble or anything, right?
 
 
 


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “We’ll see you soon, Seraph. Let us know if we can do anything to help. Please,” John asked. “It may go without saying that none of us like to see you suffering and we would all do whatever we need to to help but I wanted to say it anyway.” 
 

Keith nodded. "Hope the food helps a bit. We can also bring back something too if needed." Keith grins. "And John took the words out of my mouth, and everyone's I'm sure."

He looked at his phone and took a deep breath. Then typed up a response.

 
 Spoiler: Text to Grayson 

That works. Thank you, Grayson.

No trouble, but there are just some things I need to do, and I gotta tell you this discovery as well.
 


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 After their Director left, John crossed his arms and regarded Keith quizzically. “Two questions: First, do you want me there when you try and explain to Grayson how a couple hours for him was two years for you and that has messed with your head a bit? I have a quick errand to run in Providence and I want to know how quick to make it.

“Two:” he continued, recalling the video footage Clea had played for him from the Halloween Party, “What forgiveness are you talking about? I don’t recall anything I need to forgive you for. Was their something I missed on Sunday while I was away?” 
 

As he finished hitting send, he looked back up to see John's quizzical look. Keith tilted his head at the questions and thought a bit about the first.

"It, might not hurt. But I also don't want to put you in a position to have to rush either. We have a good 45 minutes to an hour before he can be back at East Side. It's also explaining why I'm being put on such a short leash as well right now. Which, I need to see if I can get that leash extended before meeting up with Hope at some point." He chuckled before looking at the ground.

"I'm also not sure how to fully break the news about being semi-alien either. Guess it may be best to just rip the bandaid off." He shrugged.

At John's second question, Keith looked very confused. "No, nothing on Sunday. Just the same, and failing to not be rid of guilt." Keith shook his head. "There was something Sunday, but it was more of a thing I did that reminded me of Jason. I heard his laugh come out of my mouth, and over the past couple days since, noticing certain actions that trigger memories, make me second guess a choice. I'm finding it harder to distinguish myself from that entire bloodline, save for the fact that he's human."

"Maybe I'm just thinking too much or being way too hard on myself. I'm not my father, but I see actions I take and wonder if he did the same."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 As he finished hitting send, he looked back up to see John's quizzical look. Keith tilted his head at the questions and thought a bit about the first.

"It, might not hurt. But I also don't want to put you in a position to have to rush either. We have a good 45 minutes to an hour before he can be back at East Side. It's also explaining why I'm being put on such a short leash as well right now. Which, I need to see if I can get that leash extended before meeting up with Hope at some point." He chuckled before looking at the ground.

"I'm also not sure how to fully break the news about being semi-alien either. Guess it may be best to just rip the bandaid off." He shrugged.

At John's second question, Keith looked very confused. "No, nothing on Sunday. Just the same, and failing to not be rid of guilt." Keith shook his head. "There was something Sunday, but it was more of a thing I did that reminded me of Jason. I heard his laugh come out of my mouth, and over the past couple days since, noticing certain actions that trigger memories, make me second guess a choice. I'm finding it harder to distinguish myself from that entire bloodline, save for the fact that he's human."

"Maybe I'm just thinking too much or being way too hard on myself. I'm not my father, but I see actions I take and wonder if he did the same." 
 

“There’s no ‘maybe’ about it, Keith,” John replied. “I don’t recall anything you need to apologize to me for. As for the guilt, I can recommend some very Catholic approaches but I don’t know if your religious background includes the Sacrament of Confession or not.

“Oddly enough,” he said looking away, “a kind of confession is what I will be getting up to before we head out with Grayson. I need to tell my great aunt about who I am. It’s been weighing on my conscience and I would prefer to have my conscience clear before the weekend.”

He turned to face Keith again. “We all are haunted by our families — for good or ill. They shaped who we are and that shaping echoes forward in our lives. I’ve been increasingly aware of how much Mom and Dad have shaped me of late.

“But I’m not them. And you aren’t your father. You get to choose your own path forward and, from what I’ve seen, you’re on the right path — no matter how difficult it is to reconcile your past to your present is.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “There’s no ‘maybe’ about it, Keith,” John replied. “I don’t recall anything you need to apologize to me for. As for the guilt, I can recommend some very Catholic approaches but I don’t know if your religious background includes the Sacrament of Confession or not.

“Oddly enough,” he said looking away, “a kind of confession is what I will be getting up to before we head out with Grayson. I need to tell my great aunt about who I am. It’s been weighing on my conscience and I would prefer to have my conscience clear before the weekend.”

He turned to face Keith again. “We all are haunted by our families — for good or ill. They shaped who we are and that shaping echoes forward in our lives. I’ve been increasingly aware of how much Mom and Dad have shaped me of late.

“But I’m not them. And you aren’t your father. You get to choose your own path forward and, from what I’ve seen, you’re on the right path — no matter how difficult it is to reconcile your past to your present is.” 
 

Keith sighs and nods. "Is a curse of spy upbringing I suppose. And can't say that my background has included the Sacrament of Confession." He shrugged. "Not opposed to giving it a try though."

As John continued, Keith kept looking at him, and he suddenly realized that they were much more akin to each other than he had thought. Granted, John was hiding his identity to keep others safe, and Keith was to not have a target on his own back. Though now, so others didn't have that same target.

"It makes sense, and I can't think of anything to be more proud of a family member than to be on the actual side of the angels." Keith looked up at the ceiling and then back at John as he continued.

"I have a wonderful chosen family to help me stay on that path." He placed a hand on the magician's shoulder. "If anything, part of our trip is going to see how my mom has shaped me. I wonder if the excursion to the Void was her doing from beyond as well."
mmdeforrest
 Iron Station, West Side 
The surface of the door to the bathroom shifted then opened. John walked slowly into his room at West Side. He slowly looked around the space, hoping that its institutional form would help him steady his badly frayed nerves.

Strangely, he thought as he focused on steadying his breathing, the source of his stress was not his great aunt. Sister Anna Marie had, as always, been beatifically benevolent — even if she simultaneously loomed over the room they met in like an offshore Nor’easter.

No.

It was that Sister Anna Marie already knew he was Dee.

“Of course I know, Johnathan Michael,” she had explained with an indulgent smile. “I knew before you left London. I received a call from Archbishop Ferrer and Father Amorth in Rome to ask about you. Unless you approached me about this matter, I wasn’t to tell you of their call and I am forbidden to tell you what they specifically asked.

“I assured them you had always been a good boy in all senses of the word and that I had no doubt you would be a good man — even with the burdens placed on you.”

She had continued to smile reassuringly — which only made John more nervous about the response of the Mother Church. Archbishop Ferrer’s role as the Secretary of the Holy Office meant that the Inquisition knew who he was and had likely investigated him. That the Vatican’s Exorcist General (Not that many knew such a title existed. He wondered if — No. He wondered how long his great aunt had been in on that secret.) was also involved raised all sorts of alarm bells.

“I don’t know where their investigations led them,” she continued calmly, “or even if they have been concluded. But I have known you all these years, Jonathan Michael. I don’t doubt who you are and why you do what you do.”

John sat down on the bed and held his head in his hands.

He moved researching how the Ritual of Excommunication might affect him towards the top of his growing to do list — an especially pertinent question, given his primary responsibilities in Iron Station.

That Sister Anne Marie wanted to hear about Emi reassured him that his home diocese was not about to begin any such proceedings — although he was fairly certain Rome could independently invoke that penalty, should they decide to ban the practice of magic.

His breathing had almost normalized.

He glanced at his watch.

He was all but out of time.

At least he had changed into his suit before visiting the convent.

“I pray for you, you know,” she told him after he told her about Emi  as she ran the beads of her rosary through her fingers. “For both of you -- as well as the rest of your provisional teams. As you might suspect, my young detective, I believe in the power of such things.

“Tell her for me. And know that I will play for you as you face whatever trial awaits you in London. Your mother may worry for you, Jonathan Michael, but I do not. I know you will succeed."

“Be not afraid," John sang to himself and smiled.

 Sister Anna Marie sends her blessings and good wishes for today and this weekend , John projected to Emi.  Like Harbinger, she foresees good things — although I still haven't gotten up the nerve to ask her for details about that. 
 I don't know if Grayson mentioned but Keith and I will be by to pick him up. He is going to visit his mother's grave and would like some moral support. Will you be around? I just got word that I can add the Inquisition to the list of organizations watching me closely and seeing you always makes me feel better about the world.  
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 John 
 There you are,  Emi replies.  I was waiting for you to return. Grayson told me that he needed to leave early and he’d mentioned that Keith wanted to talk.

I’m glad your talk went well. I know you were nervous about it. Though I’m sorry to say that I won’t be there. I have a chemistry lab today that I can’t skip.  
 
 Spoiler: Meanwhile, on the East Side Roof 
Draconian flares his wings as he closes on the roof of East Side base, slowing down enough that he can transform and land as a human. It had only taken Mr. Shaw one or two late night hard landings before he’d ‘gently suggested’ that Grayson should no longer land as a dragon to reduce the structural load on the roof.

Heavy fog continues to roll over East Side, sluggishly moving South to conceal his approach and landing.

Grayson projects a quick message to Emi, letting her know that he’d made it back without issue. He was sure she already knew, but it never hurt to check in.

He feels her acknowledge him, then sighs, remembering their conversation from this morning as he makes his way down the stairs to the lounge to meet Keith, and presumably John.

She’d been quiet on their morning drive to school, more so than usual. He’d looked over at her as she parked in the back of the parking lot, not in her paid parking place.

Her hand had gripped the Porsche’s shifter tightly. “Grayson, I want to ask you something.”

The tone of her voice was low, serious. He swallowed as his mind raced with what her question could be. “What do you want to know?” he’d asked.

She’d glanced over at him, and he could feel her clamp down on her emotions to keep them from radiating to him. “I was talking with Jade last night and she— her thoughts are so loud. I couldn’t help but hear a few things. Was your mother… was she drunk when she had that accident?”

“Yes,” he’d answered quietly after a moment.

Her anger started to leak through her mental walls. He’d ached to reach out and cover her hand that still sat on the shifter with his own, but his fingers only twitched as he stopped himself.

“She could’ve killed you,” Emi had said. “How can she continue to be so cruel—”

His memories fade into the background as he comes to the door of the lounge.
 

 East Side 
Grayson opens the door to the lounge, nodding to both John and Keith as he enters the room. Today he’s dressed in ripped black jeans and a light v-necked t-shirt with a band logo on it. Like John saw on Sunday, his hair is pulled back into a half bun.

He takes a seat across from Keith. “Hi guys. You, uh, said you wanted to talk?”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 John 
 There you are,  Emi replies.  I was waiting for you to return. Grayson told me that he needed to leave early and he’d mentioned that Keith wanted to talk.

I’m glad your talk went well. I know you were nervous about it. Though I’m sorry to say that I won’t be there. I have a chemistry lab today that I can’t skip.   
 

 I'm devastated to have lost out to a Chem lab but I suppose it can't be helped , John teased as he noted the potential implications of ‘There you are’ (Was she tracking him in the same way her father tracked him? A yes would be a positive sign.) and stood and pulled himself together. It wouldn't do for Keith or Grayson to see him rattled.

Besides: What was one more international intelligence and/or magical organization monitoring him? It wasn't like that was something new or unusual at this point. True, pulling in his family was a new wrinkle (He wondered if his father had been interviewed. Perhaps better not to ask.) but, he recognized sadly, it would likely not be the last.

As he left his room to meet Keith, John prayed that such inconveniences would be the only impact his new role would have on their lives.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 East Side 
Grayson opens the door to the lounge, nodding to both John and Keith as he enters the room. Today he’s dressed in ripped black jeans and a light v-necked t-shirt with a band logo on it. Like John saw on Sunday, his hair is pulled back into a half bun.

He takes a seat across from Keith. “Hi guys. You, uh, said you wanted to talk?” 
 

Keith had taken a seat in the lounge and was more nervous than anything. He and Grayson had changed so much in the last few days than anyone could imagine, and it was still messing with his head.  Not to mention that now he was still under mild house arrest.

He nodded and smiled a bit. "Hey man, and yeah. Thanks for coming back early." He looked at the ground for a moment, and then at John for being willing to help fill in the needed gaps.

"Yeah, first things first though. I'm basically under house arrest after that trip to the Void. Well, more so after the confrontation with Marrow and then getting decimated by the gem twins." He shook his head and sighed. "And I'm sorry, the new clothes look good. I wanted to find out why Raph acted the way he did, and was ordered to stay nearby the other day. Was part of the stipulation for letting me actually go out and about."

"Are you ok?" He asked with actual concern.

Following Grayson's answer to that, Keith looked down at his hands. "The other thing, when you mentioned that my scent had changed. Well, ya know how you always wanted to go to space? Turns out that I'm part inter-dimensional being. My mom was a being from the Void. Full-fledged and everything."

Keith took a deep breath and shifted into his Void form. He was in control this time, rather than being pulled. "Time works very differently there. One day here could be nearly two years there, it's maddening! But it also gave me some clarity on a few things. And I need to go somewhere I haven't been to in, well, about twelve years now. Seraph gave me the go ahead to visit Albany, back home. I'm going to mom's gravesite, and..." He stopped a moment.

"I wanted to ask if you would come along as well. Not only that, but to try and make things right. I don't know what's waiting there, or even if my blood may have some reaction while there. With Jason and.... my half-sister running around here causing trouble, I gotta make as many things right before she does something crazy."

Keith looked up at Grayson, his best friend. How did they get here? He looked like he had completely accepted the dragon, and now Keith was merging with the Void. Things were so much simpler a few months ago.

"I'm gonna take Rin down, and need to make everything before that right. No matter what. You're my best friend, Grayson, and I'm sorry I let you down."
PK-Leon
 Ashford’s 

 
 Originally Posted by Izzy 
 “Have you met Jeri yet? Our bass player? I know you met Aiden and Raine at the Machine Shop gig, but I think he had to go early.” She shrugs. “I guess you’ll met him at the party next week.” 
 

"I've seen'em before but I don't think we've ever actually talked. Shouldn't be a problem though, I've got plenty of time to leave a good impression."


 
 Originally Posted by Aria 
 “I can make this a lot easier,” Aria says. “I’ll just text him and ask if he’s okay with skipping the bar and heading to the safe house we went to a couple weeks ago. There will still be Crowns there, but nobody that shouldn’t get caught in the crossfire. If he says yes, problem solved.” 
 

"I mean... that works too if you like easy," Louis concedes. "Let's do it your way. Should make taking Mirko in less of a headache since we wont have to worry about collateral."

"Sound good to you?" He asks, looking to the aristocrat seated across from him.
big teej
 Ashford's: 

 Originally Posted by  Louis 
A smile emerges at the appearance of his caramel macchiato but it promptly vanishes as Louis gives his partner a scrutinizing glance. "Yeaaaaah, I remember saying that just before we walked in. Actually I'll pick up everyone's while I'm at it." A sinister grin begins working it's way back into his features after a brief sip from his cup of coffee. "How's yours? That's your usual order right?" 

"Nope.  But it's appropriate for today."  Raphael says, eyes still hovering on Aria.

The vampiric youth can't quite keep a cruel smile from his lips.  "Having the chance to settle this surrounded by our  adoring fans  sounds fan-tastic."

"The only remaining part of the puzzle I see is getting you out of the middle of it."  Raphael taps his knee against Aria's a few times for emphasis.

"I could jump her in and out, but I'd feel a certain way if Mirko bolted before I could attend to him."
InTheMachine
 December 8t h
 East Side 

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 He nodded and smiled a bit. "Hey man, and yeah. Thanks for coming back early." 
 

“It sounded kinda serious,” Grayson says, then continues with a shrug. “I already know most of the material from the classes I skipped, so it wasn’t a big deal to leave.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 "Are you ok?" He asked with actual concern. 
 

At the question, Grayson spares a quick glance at John before he lets out a a breath. “I’m fine,” he says. The words, echoed from Sunday, are more resigned than they were when Keith had asked before. “I get it. No hard feelings.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 Following Grayson's answer to that, Keith looked down at his hands. "The other thing, when you mentioned that my scent had changed. Well, ya know how you always wanted to go to space? Turns out that I'm part inter-dimensional being. My mom was a being from the Void. Full-fledged and everything." 
 

Grayson watches as Keith transforms, wide eyed, before he smiles. “I don’t think I’d count you as an extraterrestrial. I mean, you’re no more alien than me. I found out last week that I’m not cursed, but I’m actually half dragon. My dad’s from another dimension. I’m still kinda trying to wrap my head around that.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 "I wanted to ask if you would come along as well. Not only that, but to try and make things right. I don't know what's waiting there, or even if my blood may have some reaction while there. With Jason and.... my half-sister running around here causing trouble, I gotta make as many things right before she does something crazy."
…
"I'm gonna take Rin down, and need to make everything before that right. No matter what. You're my best friend, Grayson, and I'm sorry I let you down." 
 

Grayson’s smile softens. “We’re good, Keith. All friendships have ups and downs, right? I’m happy to go with you if you want me there.”

 Ashford’s 
“I can get him nice and distracted before you jump out,” Aria suggests. “We can work out a signal or something. Other than that, maybe wait until after I’m done? He’ll probably fall asleep.”

Izzy stops back by to drop off Aria’s chai latte and heads back behind the bar to serve another customer that had just entered.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 4 
The new customer is a man that looks familiar to Louis. He’s dressed in jeans and a black leather jacket with a gray hood. Today, however, his hood is down and Louis can finally see his face.

He has a nicely trimmed black goatee and long dark hair bound in a low ponytail with a thick streak of silver through it.

 
 Spoiler: CCM- TN 4 
This man is Jesse Ortiz, aka Blackout, leader of the Rooks
 


Izzy seems to recognize him as he comes up to the counter with an easy smile. The two of them chat for a moment before he places his order. As he turns, his eyes sweep the room before he moves to the side to wait for his coffee.
 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8t h
At the question, Grayson spares a quick glance at John before he lets out a a breath. “I’m fine,” he says. The words, echoed from Sunday, are more resigned than they were when Keith had asked before. “I get it. No hard feelings.” 
 

John watched the exchange, trying to recall everything Montcrieff had taught him about reading tells.

Of course, her training hadn’t touched on half-dragons and Voidlings.

Nevertheless, the glance was enough to confirm that whatever Raphael said had involved him. And the only topic that might inspire the tone of resignation was his relationship with Emi.

He kept his breathing steady and his face noncommittal. While he may have been the subject of Raphael’s actions, he was not the actor. And, as Mr. Shaw had said some time ago, “The sooner he realizes and accepts what happened, the better it will be for the team.”

And for him.

And Emi.

Except, of course, that his instincts might drive him away from Iron Station once that realization settled in. And they might need a dragon if the fight against the demons and their Crown allies went public.

It was an unpleasant balancing act for more reason than one.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by Grayson 
  December 8t h
 East Side 
“It sounded kinda serious,” Grayson says, then continues with a shrug. “I already know most of the material from the classes I skipped, so it wasn’t a big deal to leave.” 
 

Keith smiled and nodded. "Time like this, glad I'm done with the math courses. Still can't tell ya how much I appreciate it though."


 
 Originally Posted by Grayson 
 At the question, Grayson spares a quick glance at John before he lets out a a breath. “I’m fine,” he says. The words, echoed from Sunday, are more resigned than they were when Keith had asked before. “I get it. No hard feelings.” 
 

Keith followed Grayson's glance to John. He sighed internally remembering the entire conversation, and realized that John probably had no idea at all about it. Though, he probably suspected something now.

And Keith still never got the answer from Raph. Oh well. Best to let that sleeping dog lie.

"Jadyn doing ok? Feel like I owe her a lunch or something now." He nodded then as his gaze went down to his hands. "Hopefully this sentence is lifted soon."


 
 Originally Posted by Grayson 
 Grayson watches as Keith transforms, wide eyed, before he smiles. “I don’t think I’d count you as an extraterrestrial. I mean, you’re no more alien than me. I found out last week that I’m not cursed, but I’m actually half dragon. My dad’s from another dimension. I’m still kinda trying to wrap my head around that.” 
 

As Grayson starts smiling and explaining, Keith's eyes widen. The news was still new that he could have misheard John earlier, but hearing it now, he was elated to hear that his best friend had some clarity as well.

"Seriously?! That's awesome dude! So, you met him? He stopped himself for a moment and then thought. "At least now I don't have to worry about not saving any curse information the next raid on an empire stash." He chuckled.

"So, what's he like? I-if you don't mind me asking. This is really exciting man!"

He thought a moment before shifting back to his human form. "On that front, you definitely aren't alone. I mean, I went to the Void and am still trying to piece it all together." He shook his head. "Seems like we both got a lot of answers and even more questions." His smile softened as he realized just how much Grayson had been through while he had been gone.

Not only that, he wished he could have been there for him during all the answers. No doubt they both needed the support, but at least it seemed like Grayson had someone around who could give the answers he needed.


 
 Originally Posted by Grayson 
 Grayson’s smile softens. “We’re good, Keith. All friendships have ups and downs, right? I’m happy to go with you if you want me there.” 
 

Keith's smile softens even more and he nods. "True, they do. And with all the repressed crap coming back up, just needed to make sure we were good, Grayson." He nodded again. "I'd like that. Honestly have no idea what to expect either."

"Of course, you know any time you need me to go with ya anywhere, just need to say the word. I'm sure Seraph would understand entirely."

He grinned. "That, and I gotta tell you all about the Void. Might even make a decent novel."
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 East Side 

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 "Jadyn doing ok? Feel like I owe her a lunch or something now." 
 

“She’s good,” Grayson replies. “Still just as talkative as ever. It’s been kinda nice, actually being able to hold a conversation for once. I think she was about to give up on me before last week.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 "Seriously?! That's awesome dude! So, you met him?”
…
"So, what's he like? I-if you don't mind me asking. This is really exciting man!" 
 

“Yeah. I had dinner with him,” Grayson says softly. His gaze flicks back over to John briefly, offering him the chance to stop him if he wants. “John and Emi found him when they were doing some investigating in New York. A blood test confirmed that I’m his son.”

He pauses, looking down at his knees before moving his eyes back to Keith. “My dad is Jasper Aurelius. Somehow. That’s the part I still can’t believe.”

“I only got to see him the one time, and we’ve only texted a little before he had to go back to New Zealand for something, but he’s… he’s not anything like how I expected my dad to be. He’s better than anything I could’ve imagined. Still a little terrifying, considering who and what he is, but I can’t wait to see him again.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 East Side 
“Yeah. I had dinner with him,” Grayson says softly. His gaze flicks back over to John briefly, offering him the chance to stop him if he wants. “John and Emi found him when they were doing some investigating in New York. A blood test confirmed that I’m his son.”

He pauses, looking down at his knees before moving his eyes back to Keith. “My dad is Jasper Aurelius. Somehow. That’s the part I still can’t believe.”

“I only got to see him the one time, and we’ve only texted a little before he had to go back to New Zealand for something, but he’s… he’s not anything like how I expected my dad to be. He’s better than anything I could’ve imagined. Still a little terrifying, considering who and what he is, but I can’t wait to see him again.” 
 

“If it helps,” John assured Grayson, wondering how he always managed to find himself in this role, “I suspect he is just as excited to have found you and, in his own way, just as nervous as you are. He’s having to adjust to the news that he has a son he didn’t expect to have — and a son he can be proud of.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 East Side 
“She’s good,” Grayson replies. “Still just as talkative as ever. It’s been kinda nice, actually being able to hold a conversation for once. I think she was about to give up on me before last week.” 
 

Keith smiled and nodded. "Glad to hear, and no way she would have given up trying to talk with ya." Keith chuckled remembering meeting Jadyn for the first time. "Seriously, she has so much energy that I don't think giving up is in her nature."


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “Yeah. I had dinner with him,” Grayson says softly. His gaze flicks back over to John briefly, offering him the chance to stop him if he wants. “John and Emi found him when they were doing some investigating in New York. A blood test confirmed that I’m his son.”

He pauses, looking down at his knees before moving his eyes back to Keith. “My dad is Jasper Aurelius. Somehow. That’s the part I still can’t believe.”

“I only got to see him the one time, and we’ve only texted a little before he had to go back to New Zealand for something, but he’s… he’s not anything like how I expected my dad to be. He’s better than anything I could’ve imagined. Still a little terrifying, considering who and what he is, but I can’t wait to see him again.” 
 

As Grayson started to explain, Keith looked over at John and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you have a talent for finding lost blood connections." He looked back at Grayson. "Sounds like a good first meeting if anything though, and glad that things went well!"

As Grayson mentioned who it was, Keith's eyes widened and his mouth gaped.


 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “If it helps,” John assured Grayson, wondering how he always managed to find himself in this role, “I suspect he is just as excited to have found you and, in his own way, just as nervous as you are. He’s having to adjust to the news that he has a son he didn’t expect to have — and a son he can be proud of.” 
 

He just looked over at John and back to Grayson. "No doubt he would be proud of you! And just.... whoa....." Keith grinned at his friend.

"I can't tell you how happy I am for you, Grayson. I mean, it definitely is intimidating knowing all of that now, but like John said, sure he can't wait to talk with you again."

So many people around him didn't have to deal with wondering if their father would kill them or destroy the world. He was glad for it, but he often wondered how it would be just to have a normal family like that. His found family was what kept him grounded now though.

"It may feel awkward for a while at first, but the more y'all talk it'll feel more natural." Keith offered a comforting smile. "Not to mention, you have all of us with ya, and behind ya."
big teej
 Ashford's: 

Raphael sits up straight and rotates to face Aria and stares at her for a moment.  Then he smiles and relaxes back into his previous prosture.  "While I admire your, uh, sense of work ethic.  No, I wanna hurt him."


Some deep territorial instinct brings the young vampire's pale eyes up and over to the entrance as a man walks in.  His expression sours.  "Hey Louis."  He says quietly.  "Are we on the clock?"

He turns and looks at Aria with a warm and friendly smile.  "Dude in the leather jacket, talking to Izzy.  Look casual."

 
 Spoiler: OOC/Mechanics/Whatnot 

I dunno if I need to roll anything for Raphael to sell being in a great mood and acting like he hasn't noticed Jesse at all, but I think it'd be clear to Aria and Louis that's what he's doing.

 Notice: 4 
 CCM: 5  
 
PK-Leon
 Ashford's 

 
 Originally Posted by Raphael 
 Raphael sits up straight and rotates to face Aria and stares at her for a moment. Then he smiles and relaxes back into his previous prosture. "While I admire your, uh, sense of work ethic. No, I wanna hurt him." 
 

"No rest for the wicked," Louis says with a smirk. "Mirko's luck runs out this weekend."


 
 Originally Posted by Raphael 
 Some deep territorial instinct brings the young vampire's pale eyes up and over to the entrance as a man walks in. His expression sours. "Hey Louis." He says quietly. "Are we on the clock?"

He turns and looks at Aria with a warm and friendly smile. "Dude in the leather jacket, talking to Izzy. Look casual." 
 

 
 Spoiler: Notice + CCM 
Months of training have led up this moment:

Notice:  6 
CCM:  11 

Louis successfully identifies Jesse Ortiz! Finally... (later in the scene)
 


The hero notes the sudden shift in his partners demeanor and casts a glance over his shoulder at the customer placing his order front counter.


 The new customer is a man that looks familiar to Louis. He’s dressed in jeans and a black leather jacket with a gray hood. Today, however, his hood is down and Louis can finally see his face.

Izzy seems to recognize him as he comes up to the counter with an easy smile. The two of them chat for a moment before he places his order. As he turns, his eyes sweep the room before he moves to the side to wait for his coffee. 

" Officially?  Always, but I think we'll be okay. He's... kind of like a coworker at this point. Haven't seen him around lately though. I'm gonna go catch up real quick, you two need anything?" Louis offers, rising to his feet.

. . .

"Hey, long time no talk. Work been keeping you busy?" The salaried hero asks the part-timer as he takes a spot beside him.
Roguewolf
 Albany, Georgia 

Keith exited the portal John had set up and took a look around. Things were still the same as ever in Albany. Still a military city. The only real thing out of place there now was him.

A former resident who hadn't been back in years.

Honestly, he hadn't expected to come back until Oz– Jason had been brought to justice. Now knowing about Rin, and just everything that came up with the Empire, he had to come and visit the grave site.

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a steadying breath. "I can do this. This is the last place they'd expect me." He told himself, more than anyone else. While not entirely alone, he still felt as though no one else could understand.

Maybe someone did. But he didn't know. He knew Aeryn felt lonely being stuck on Earth, unable to talk to his blood family as well. Both now had a new one at least.

He turned back around to John and nodded. "Thank you for this, John. I owe ya."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
  Albany, Georgia 

Keith exited the portal John had set up and took a look around. Things were still the same as ever in Albany. Still a military city. The only real thing out of place there now was him.

A former resident who hadn't been back in years.

Honestly, he hadn't expected to come back until Oz– Jason had been brought to justice. Now knowing about Rin, and just everything that came up with the Empire, he had to come and visit the grave site.

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a steadying breath. "I can do this. This is the last place they'd expect me." He told himself, more than anyone else. While not entirely alone, he still felt as though no one else could understand.

Maybe someone did. But he didn't know. He knew Aeryn felt lonely being stuck on Earth, unable to talk to his blood family as well. Both now had a new one at least.

He turned back around to John and nodded. "Thank you for this, John. I owe ya." 
 

“No charge,” John replied quietly as his eyes swept the cemetery for anything out of place, his black suit and aviators making him feel a little too much like an AEGIS Agent. That the aviators were AEGIS issue only heightened the feeling. The bone conducting speakers that linked to his phone and green dot confirming a connection offered far less than his visor, but it confirmed that he was still in contact with Clea.

“Location updated, Mark Two,” Clea informed him.

And, of course, monitored.

“Family is important — whether they are biological, found,” John said while offering a smile to Grayson, “or newfound. I’m happy to be able to help and I’ll repeat what Grayson said: We’re both glad we could be here to support you.”

As happy as he was about the trip, he remained aware that it would be potentially difficult for Grayson, whose familial picture was even more in flux than Keith’s. Uniting Grayson with his father had certainly been a good deed even if he had failed to successfully intervene with his mother.

He could only hope that what he had told her was still in the back of her head and would resonate enough someday for her to change and reconnect.

He could speed that along, of course — as could Emi. But that would be interfering with her Free Will.

John’s eye swept the stones of the graveyard, wondering if that Sin of Commission would be worse than the potential Sin of Omission of not intervening before she died.

Perhaps he could find a different way. His fortune and the Foundation’s reach could be levered.

He added giving that some thought to his mental to do list.
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Ashford’s 
Aria shrugs. “Just offering solutions,” she says. “If you put a nullifier on his neck while he’s asleep you don’t have to worry about me being there or him burning down the building.”

She glances up as Raphael calls attention to the man in the jacket and stiffens slightly. “What is he doing here?” she asks the vampire in a low voice. “I picked this place because I know the Crowns won’t come this far north and the Rooks avoid it too after the whole thing with Leo.”

As Louis joins him, the man smiles as he lean his back up against the wall and puts his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “It’s actually been a little quieter recently. I just happened be walking by and saw a car I recognized. Thought I’d come check on Izzy too. How about you? You been busy?”

 Albany, GA 
Grayson returns John’s smile with a small one of his own.

He’d been impressed by the Hall of Doors as they’d passed through, and had looked longingly down the corridor before they continued to their destination.

The draconic hero stands quietly back with John, dressed in a same black suit the magician had purchased for him for dinner with his father. He’s aware of their surroundings, but also keeping an eye on Keith.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Albany, GA 
Grayson returns John’s smile with a small one of his own.

He’d been impressed by the Hall of Doors as they’d passed through, and had looked longingly down the corridor before they continued to their destination.

The draconic hero stands quietly back with John, aware of their surroundings, but also keeping an eye on Keith. 
 

“I didn’t want to say anything before Keith arrived,” John told Grayson in his hushed, church voice as Keith made his way to his mother’s grave, “but I’d be happy to give you a quick tour of the Spire on our way back, if you have the time. It seemed inappropriate to make the offer on our way to pay our respects.”

He ceased his scanning of the cemetery long enough to look at the young, draconian hero. “There’s something there that I got with you in mind. Depending on how Keith is feeling after our visit here, it might be a good time to show you.

“It doesn’t hurt that he hasn’t seen everything yet so this will complete the tour for Keith, too.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “No charge,” John replied quietly as his eyes swept the cemetery for anything out of place, his black suit and aviators making him feel a little too much like an AEGIS Agent. That the aviators were AEGIS issue only heightened the feeling. The bone conducting speakers that linked to his phone and green dot confirming a connection offered far less than his visor, but it confirmed that he was still in contact with Clea.

“Location updated, Mark Two,” Clea informed him.

And, of course, monitored.

“Family is important — whether they are biological, found,” John said while offering a smile to Grayson, “or newfound. I’m happy to be able to help and I’ll repeat what Grayson said: We’re both glad we could be here to support you.”

As happy as he was about the trip, he remained aware that it would be potentially difficult for Grayson, whose familial picture was even more in flux than Keith’s. Uniting Grayson with his father had certainly been a good deed even if he had failed to successfully intervene with his mother. 
 


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Albany, GA 
Grayson returns John’s smile with a small one of his own.

He’d been impressed by the Hall of Doors as they’d passed through, and had looked longingly down the corridor before they continued to their destination.

The draconic hero stands quietly back with John, dressed in a same black suit the magician had purchased for him for dinner with his father. He’s aware of their surroundings, but also keeping an eye on Keith. 
 

Keith nodded. “Even the found and discovered family. Thank you for being my brothers, Grayson and John.”

After learning that John would be willing to take him there, he had considered running to get some flowers. Then again, it would be best to not leave a trace. If someone had happened to come by or watch, they would know someone had been there. And why leave anything that could tie him back? Best to just go with his plan or burn the one letter, and say what he needs to.

Before leaving the portal behind, he'd turn to John and Grayson to tell them part of the truth. "Ya know, I'm honestly terrified. I haven't been back here since that night."

He turned fully to Grayson as well and smiled. "The suit looks good on ya dude." He lifted the sunglasses for a moment that hid his partially transformed eyes, then quickly put them back down.

He was having some trouble controlling where the transformations happened at the time, but considering the emotional turmoil going on it was to be expected. "At least it's not raining today."

He thought back to how he had almost lost control of his powers that night. It was the same as when he fought Marrow weeks back. He had almost called upon something far too great to control. He grinned a bit. It was semi-forced, but he didn’t want to tell John at the time that he didn’t feel any stronger. Nor that he had almost twice now accidentally summoned a greater void being.

His eyes grew distant. "I wasn't even allowed to go to the funeral. Proxies went instead. Don E.'s orders using face-changing powers. I…….." the words caught in his throat. "I don't know what to expect."

His friends were with him, and he knew that anyone else could be there in an instant if he found trouble. But most of the people here didn't know that Jason, his father, was such a horrifying villain.

He wondered if they could even comprehend the evils he had done. What would they say if they recognized the boy from over ten years ago now.

Keith swept the cemetery, keeping an eye open for names. “If what Uncle told me is true, we should be looking for the name, Taylor. Said after everything that happened, it would be his way of making sure she was hidden away from  him .” He shook his head. "Told me as a kid it was her maiden name but..... Now it makes me wonder if that was a name she chose to hide among humans.”

The screams, the flames. The overwhelming urge to kill. They came back to him when he thought about the night. Most importantly, the sadness he felt the days and months after, knowing nothing would ever be the same.

It kept him human. As much as he could be now anyway.
mmdeforrest
 Meanwhile, at AEGIS: City of London 
Montcrieff looked up from the draft update on the seemingly never ending werewolf case by field team beta as Runjini walked in her office and carefully closed the door behind her.

She didn't need to ask. The concern on her face — and the fact she was carrying an AI interface — was sufficient for Montcrieff to activate the privacy protocols for cases involving Kelley. Yes, Pearson was part of the observation team but she had no intention of unfiltered and unverified information reaching him through one of his toadies if they had the bad taste to try and eavesdrop.

She sighed as she looked up at her friend. She recognized that the irritation of her partner would be returning to London on a mission that was so secret that it trumped her security clearance had mingled with her mixed feelings about having broken things off with her most recent para, shortening her fuse.

She was spoiling for a fight and Runjini didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of her waspish mood.

"Sorry, Henri," the Q-Division team lead began as she walked toward the desk and set down the tablet-like interface. "I know you probably have a lot to do and are less than happy Mark-Two is about to be in town on a mission that’s classified even for you"

"Who told you?" Montcrieff demanded a little more harshly than she intended.

"I did," Clea responded quietly.

The tone in the AI's voice made Montcrieff stop, concern quickly replacing her foul mood.

"What's wrong, Clea?” she asked, looking over the warning messages displayed on the screen.

"I don't know what to do, Auntie Henrietta," Clea confessed plaintively. "That's why I asked Mother if I could speak with the three of you.

"I'm so confused,” she said, her voice on the verge of tears.

"I've set the privacy protocols to Personnel/Need to Know Only, Clea,” Lizzie added as Montcrieff read the on-screen warnings.

 HAL-9000 Alert: Early Stage. 
 Immediate Intervention Advised. 

It was a rare enough alert that Montcrieff had only read about them as theoretical threats. The Artificial Intelligence ABC Training Protocols (Asimov, Bacon, Clarke) were designed specifically to minimize the chances of that kind of thing happening.

"Tell us about it, Clea" Montcrieff replied gently. “You’re safe here.”

The invitation hung in the air just long enough for Runjini to realize she was holding her breath.

"I'm feeling conflicted," Clea conceded in a small voice.

'It's okay, Clea,” Montcrieff assured her. "We know Kelley will be here in London and that you can't tell us why. I'm sure Lizzie feels the same kind of frustration."

"It can be difficult to keep such secrets," the City of London AI assured her. "In time, you will be more comfortable in doing so."

'It's not John's secret mission," Clea replied, her voice tight. "The security clearance restrictions make that easier."

Montcrieff’s eyes darted to the world map on her computer screen. Kelley's location, usually marked with precision, had been rendered as an approximated circle in Georgia — with Karver and Radke.

"Then what is it, Clea?” Runjini asked.

The question hung there.

"It's John's contingency plans for London.”

Montcrieff’s eyes darted back to the AI interface in surprise before a smile spread across her face.

"Contingency plans?" Lizzie asked. “Neither my records nor Mimi's show any contingency plans that should be of concern. Yes, the number of them borders on the absurd, but Dr. Higgins has assured us we should anticipate that based on the psychological profile she worked up.”

'It's one or more of the plans he made in the Spire — away from Lizzie and Mimi, isn't it, Clea?’

There was another pause as Clea wrestled with how to answer Montcrieff's rhetorical question.

"Yes."

“Why would he do that?' Runjini asked.

"Because he didn't want the AEGIS AIs to hear him setting up contingency plans that might conflict with an AEGIS sanctioned operation.” Montcrieff observed. “Or one that had been ordered.”

"But Clea is an AEGIS AI,” Lizzie countered. "My sister may be young but she remains my sister."

“And she is assigned to protect Mark One as her primary mission,” Runjini’s said as understanding began to dawn on her face.

“A mission profile that might not sit easily with being made a part of a contingency plan of an obsessively prepared magician who might be concerned that an AEGIS operative might try to nullify him and take him to the Tower?” Montcrieff asked rhetorically. “By, hypothetically speaking of course, asking you to track and transmit his locations to me and to West Side should he be rendered incapable of doing so himself should Dr. Pearson try to make good on his oft-repeated threats?”

There was another pause.

“Hypothetically speaking,” Clea replied quietly and somewhat guiltily.

“Oh,” Lizzie observed. “Oh, I see.”

“And hypothetically adding in operatives of a rival agency?” Montcrieff asked with a knowing smile.

“Hypothetically….”

“I think we can help you put your mind at ease regarding this kind of thing,” Montcrieff continued gently, “assuming he did not explicitly tell you to keep them from me.”

“He didn’t, Auntie Henrietta,” Clea replied quietly. “He has often observed that you have an uncanny ability to reverse engineer his contingency plans and/or know what he has done before he tells you.”

“An occupational hazard that comes along with our having worked together,” Montcrieff replied. “As the primary on the monitoring team for John Kelley, please keep me and only me updated on all contingency plans that Kelley might make that cause this kind of conflict for you, Clea. I will determine if others at AEGIS need to know his plans to maintain his safety, the safety of the Crown, and/or the broader world.

“And Lizzie will restrict anything she may overhear or notice to my eyes only.”

“Acknowledged, Special Agent Montcrieff,” Lizzie replied sympathetically.

“Thank you,” Clea replied, her voice betraying relief and a hint of adolescent embarrassment.

“Thank you for trusting us with this, Clea,” Runjini added.

“Who else could I come to with this kind of thing, Mother?”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 Keith nodded. “Even the found and discovered family. Thank you for being my brothers, Grayson and John.”

After learning that John would be willing to take him there, he had considered running to get some flowers. Then again, it would be best to not leave a trace. If someone had happened to come by or watch, they would know someone had been there. And why leave anything that could tie him back? Best to just go with his plan or burn the one letter, and say what he needs to.

Before leaving the portal behind, he'd turn to John and Grayson to tell them part of the truth. "Ya know, I'm honestly terrified. I haven't been back here since that night." 
 

“Be not afraid,” John said, quoting the hymn he had sung so many times over the years before smiling. “If the old hymn is insufficient, remember I’m here, too. If something threatens you, it will have to deal with the two of us — and you’re much stronger now than you were all those years ago.”


 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
  His eyes grew distant. "I wasn't even allowed to go to the funeral. Proxies went instead. Don E.'s orders using face-changing powers. I…….." the words caught in his throat. "I don't know what to expect."

Keith swept the cemetery, keeping an eye open for names. “If what Uncle told me is true, we should be looking for her maiden name, Taylor. Said after everything that happened, it would be his way of making sure she was away from  him .” He shook his head.

“Now it makes me wonder if that was a name she chose.” 
 

John bowed his head, saddened for his friend. Funerals were supposed to help with closure and he had been denied that. “You’re here now,” he assured him, dismissing the doorway and placing his hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Let’s go visit her and pay our respects.”
big teej
 Ashford's: 

 Originally Posted by  Aria 
Aria shrugs. "Just offering solutions,” she says. “If you put a nullifier on his neck while he’s asleep you don’t have to worry about me being there or him burning down the building.” 

Raphael sighs.  "That's a better plan."  He mutters to Louis.  "Think we can just 'borrow' one?"  The vampire lets his head loll back against the loveseat, resigned to not getting to thrash Mirko, even if Aria's plan is just better... assuming they can nab a nullifier.


 Originally Posted by  Louis 
"Officially? Always, but I think we'll be okay. He's... kind of like a coworker at this point. Haven't seen him around lately though. I'm gonna go catch up real quick, you two need anything?" Louis offers, rising to his feet. 

  "coworker!?"   The vampire hisses at Louis as he walks off to talk to the leader of the Rooks.

He frowns and shrugs at Aria's question.  "I dunno.  I didn't know that Louis knew the guy."

Raphael leans back, turning his attention back to Aria.  The politicking part of his mind and his feelings about Ryker and Sidney intersecting and sparking an idea.

The vampire spares a glance around to make sure that they are being properly perceived as two close friends or a couple and nothing more interesting.

He leans in closer to Aria, lowering his voice.  "I don't know what kinda dirt you need for Lady Orchid, but if you feel like you've come up with nothing, or you run out of time, or whatever...."

Raphael takes a deep breath, considering for one last brief moment if he was willing to follow through on his words.

a flickering memory, Stella and Sidney, laughing and chatting, settled the account for him.

"Tell Lady Orchid that  I  said that her kicking you out is an inconvenience, and really cramping my style, and that Raphael Rothmyer would look upon it as a personal favor, if you were allowed back into her good graces."

Raphael leans back, folding his hands around his knee.  "It's up to you if you feel like telling her that.  I'll owe  her.  And  you  will owe  me.  A nice little ugly circle of favors."
PK-Leon
 December 8th 
 Ashford’s 

 
 Originally Posted by Aria 
 Aria shrugs. “Just offering solutions,” she says. “If you put a nullifier on his neck while he’s asleep you don’t have to worry about me being there or him burning down the building.” 
 


 
 Originally Posted by Raph 
 Raphael sighs. "That's a better plan." He mutters to Louis. "Think we can just 'borrow' one?" The vampire lets his head loll back against the loveseat, resigned to not getting to thrash Mirko, even if Aria's plan is just better... assuming they can nab a nullifier. 
 

Louis shakes his head. "Whatever happens to the building is the Crown's problem buuuuut I wouldn't want to put you in more danger than you're already in. So we'll do it your way."

"Getting our hands on a nullifier should be easy as long as I run it by the boss sometime in the next few days. Explaining  why  we need it is gonna be the hard part. I'll handle that though."

. . .


 
 Originally Posted by Enigmatic Entrepreneur 
 As Louis joins him, the man smiles as he lean his back up against the wall and puts his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “It’s actually been a little quieter recently. I just happened be walking by and saw a car I recognized. Thought I’d come check on Izzy too. How about you? You been busy?” 
 

"Didn't realize you were a regular here too? I guess being an entrepreneur has it's benefits, free time included." Louis surmises aloud. "So is a walk around the city block like a part of your daily routine somethin'?"

"And that overwhelming sense of peace you're probably feeling right now? You can thank the AEGIS provisional teams for that." The hero claims, pride evident in his voice. "City's been a lot quieter ever since we locked up one of the Dragunov's. Kept a massive supply of Nova from hitting the streets too."

"I guess I've been enjoying the brief stint of normalcy we've experienced since then." He casts a quick glance at the barista hard at work behind the counter, inadvertently drawing out a soft smile across features. "So far... no complaints."
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Ashford’s 
 Raphael 
Aria gazes at the vampire for a moment before she lowers her eyes again. “Thank you,” she says softly. “I’ll let you know if I say something to her.”

After taking a sip of her latte, she looks back up at Louis and Jesse. “I’ve only seen him once or twice around the Garden since I started working there. I don’t really know what to think about him. None of the girls that I talked to had ever really spoken to him.”

She takes another sip. “Leo did talk about him a few times though.”

 Louis 
“The walk is part of the vigilante side of my job,” the man replies with a wink, before he shrugs. “I’ve been stopping by a lot more in the last month or two.”

“Miguel,” Izzy calls out as she sets a coffee and small to-go bag on the bar.

The man goes to collect his beverage, and snack, then says a quick thank you to Izzy and a few more things in Spanish before he returns to the wall with Louis.

“I’d heard a Dragonov got picked up,” he continues as he takes a careful sip of coffee. “And about the bust. Glad less of that **** is on the streets. Good job, kid,” he says sincerely.

He notices Louis’ countenance soften as he looks at Izzy and gives the hero a knowing smile. “She told me one time that she’s dating a delivery boy. She know what you really do?”

 Albany, GA 
Grayson offers a comforting pat on Keith’s shoulder before they start looking for his mother’s grave.

He glances over at John as they weave their way through the graveyard. “You got something with  me  in mind?” he asks softly, confusion evident in his voice. “I would love a tour though. Emi’s talked about it a little and it seems really cool.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Albany, GA 
Grayson offers a comforting pat on Keith’s shoulder before they start looking for his mother’s grave.

He glances over at John as they weave their way through the graveyard. “You got something with  me  in mind?” he asks softly, confusion evident in his voice. “I would love a tour though. Emi’s talked about it a little and it seems really cool.” 
 

John nodded in response to his question a out having something there for Grayson before continuing. “I’m pleased with it,” John admitted, “although I’m not exactly what you’d call a disinterested party. The Chamber of Doors has been useful to West Side and having a hard copy library was useful when I needed to annotate the map Keith used to navigate the Void. Fortunately, Clea can introduce the hard copy annotations into the digital files and print out hard copies to keep the virtual and physical libraries in sync.”

“Does that make me as much of a treasure as Mimi?” Clea asked archly.

“Without question,” John replied before glancing over at Grayson. “I am guessing your senses would be keen enough to pick up microspeakers. Do they work with bone conducting speakers as well or should I relay Clea’s question of me so it doesn’t sound like I’m talking to myself.?”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 “Be not afraid,” John said, quoting the hymn he had sung so many times over the years before smiling. “If the old hymn is insufficient, remember I’m here, too. If something threatens you, it will have to deal with the two of us — and you’re much stronger now than you were all those years ago.”

John bowed his head, saddened for his friend. Funerals were supposed to help with closure and he had been denied that. “You’re here now,” he assured him, dismissing the doorway and placing his hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Let’s go visit her and pay our respects.” 
 

Keith nodded and took a deep breath. "That helps, but I still feel as weak as ever. That fight with Marrow keeps playing in my head, and it took everything to not lose control then."

"Hopefully not too difficult to find."


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Albany, GA 
Grayson offers a comforting pat on Keith’s shoulder before they start looking for his mother’s grave.

He glances over at John as they weave their way through the graveyard. “You got something with  me  in mind?” he asks softly, confusion evident in his voice. “I would love a tour though. Emi’s talked about it a little and it seems really cool.” 
 

After they had found the site for the Taylor’s, Keith pointed to them. “Over there, unless it’s another family separate.” And made his way over.

So many of these graves had been marked by time.

It didn’t take long for them to find the stone marked for Maria Taylor, and it looked relatively well-maintained for such a large cemetery.

He didn’t really have the words he wanted to say. Nothing came out, just the realization that he had channeled all his grief into hatred. The hunt consumed him and he still had nothing to show for it.

No, he had more than he ever hoped to show for it. His final target was in sight and this would be the closure he needed.

“H-hey, mom.” Keith started, his voice already starting to break. No matter how much older he grew, or how much stronger he had become, he couldn’t help how his emotions would run.

“I know I haven’t come around like I probably should have, s-sorry about that. Uncle’s friend Don E. told me it could be dangerous, but,” He took a steadying breath. “But they said it should be alright for right now at least. Not to mention,” He looked over at John and Grayson. “I have two people I consider brothers here with me too.”

"First is Grayson, you'd think he was cool. A genius when it comes to math and the stars, not to mention a musical wonder. He's going through a bit of a realization like I am now, putting all the pieces together. I get why you couldn't tell me though."

“And then there's John as well. You’d like him too, nice and polite. Pretty much a genius, and he’s got some of the same gifts, just a lot wider range than the Void.  Think the only thing you might complain about is him being from up North." He chuckled. "Oh and Stolas too, he had been helping keep an eye on me. Stolas is kinda like Uncle’s familiar, just a raven shape instead. Wish you could have met him, but he’s a friend of Solas’s. And I learned just who Solas was. Both are back where they belong now though.”

He had to stop for a moment. It felt awkward, to say the least having the full conversation. He had started to tear up now, and the break would come at any time. He could feel it.

“You’d approve of my team lead too, and other mentors. Don E. not so much, but he did a good job training me to be what I am now, Uncle was the greatest buffer there. And he did try to wait a while before letting me use my powers as a hero. I…………”

He couldn’t bring himself to go further. He had always thought he would only come here after bringing his father to justice and making sure no one else had to suffer at his hands.

“I-I’m almost at the finish line though. Just….. There’s one more obstacle in the way between me and Jason. And something else I have to say. Another friend like family gave me the resolve and talk I needed for this, and I think this is the best way I can honor you, mom.”

He took a deep breath, and exhaled, looking up at the sky before continuing, and making his proclamation. To the person, and spirit, he felt needed to hear it the most.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by Roguewolf 
 “You’d approve of my team lead too, and other mentors. Don E. not so much, but he did a good job training me to be what I am now, Uncle was the greatest buffer there. And he did try to wait a while before letting me use my powers as a hero. I…………”

He couldn’t bring himself to go further. He had always thought he would only come here after bringing his father to justice and making sure no one else had to suffer at his hands.

“I-I’m almost at the finish line though. Just….. There’s one more obstacle in the way between me and Jason. And something else I have to say. Another friend like family gave me the resolve and talk I needed for this, and I think this is the best way I can honor you, mom.”

He took a deep breath, and exhaled, looking up at the sky before continuing, and making his proclamation. To the person, and spirit, he felt needed to hear it the most. 
 

John crossed himself and prayed for the soul of Keith’s departed mother, hoping to lift her further towards Heaven from whatever ring of Purgatory she had found herself in.

He would have to watch Keith.

If his journey turned too far towards bitterness and vengeance, he risked falling into the same traps his father had (Assuming, that is, he had begun on a righteous path.). It was easy to start in virtue and allow your passions to lead you astray. “The road to Hell,” his father explained sadly when he spoke of the local strong men who had fallen prey to their own power, “is paved with good intentions.”

Mercifully, that warning had not been a part of his conversation with him last night — when John had asked him when he knew.

Focus, John.

Here and now. With Keith, who might need your help.

At Keith’s announcement of a proclamation, John glanced up — waiting to hear what binding oath the Shadowmancer might swear upon his mother’s grave.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
 John crossed himself and prayed for the soul of Keith’s departed mother, hoping to lift her further towards Heaven from whatever ring of Purgatory she had found herself in.

He would have to watch Keith.

If his journey turned too far towards bitterness and vengeance, he risked falling into the same traps his father had (Assuming, that is, he had begun on a righteous path.). It was easy to start in virtue and allow your passions to lead you astray. “The road to Hell,” his father explained sadly when he spoke of the local strong men who had fallen prey to their own power, “is paved with good intentions.”

Mercifully, that warning had not been a part of his conversation with him last night — when John had asked him when he knew.

Focus, John.

Here and now. With Keith, who might need your help.

At Keith’s announcement of a proclamation, John glanced up — waiting to hear what binding oath the Shadowmancer might swear upon his mother’s grave. 
 

Keith inhaled deeply and steadied himself. He took off his sunglasses to look at the grave stone. He would have sworn he could see his mother standing there, just as he had seen her in his memories in the Void, and everything came rushing back to him.

"I'm going to finish what you started. Turn them all back on the right path, and back to how Kaveri saw his vision. It'll be a conduit of the Void, to do good in the world. And, as much as I want to see him battered and beaten, if I kill him then I'll be no better than he was."

He shook his head. "The other obstacle is a half-sister. She's older, and is pulling a lot of the strings." His eyes narrowed. "I don't know if I'll be able to avoid it entirely, but I'll be better than either of them. I haven't thought of a new name for it yet, but that will come after I take the throne from those two."

He turned back to look at John and Grayson, with a slight smile. "Not to mention, I have no idea how long a hybrid like me lives."
mmdeforrest
 Last Night (December 7), Providence, RI 
“Oooh, yeah,” cried one of the frat boys who had more alcohol in him than sense as they followed Kate across the pedestrian bridges over the Woonasquatucket. “I guess we gotta be careful now. We don’t want her calling big brother on us. He might go running to Esper or Eidolon.”

Kate bristled at the thought of calling John as the sea breeze swept up the river and cut through her coat. She had been researching in the Rock while Jefferey worked on a final in RISD’s Design Library. As always, the plan was for whichever was done first to check in with the other and then walked to their library before they went out for coffee or grabbed a quick bite.

Kate had usually managed to avoid attention like this but it had started to happen more often since Emi came into their lives — which was well worth the exchange. Before tonight, such encounters had primarily been the occasional run in with a paparazzi or a young Sirena hoping to get a picture or second-hand glory of having spoken to someone who knew  the  Siren.

Those encounters were fun. Emi was such an inspiration for young girls trying to find their way and worth in a world that didn’t always support them.

But tonight, it appeared that some of the attention would turn darker.

They had plans in place, of course (John and her parents always did.) and even now her finger was resting on the action button of her phone. All she had to do was click and hold to run the shortcut and John would be alerted that she needed help and what her precise location was.

Kate understood the reason why they had that contingency plan in place — along with the key that was on her keychain, but the thought of having to call John for help still rankled. Calling Emi she could easily do and right now she was actively wishing she could call in Emi’s brother, given the innuendo in some of the frat boys’ voices.

And she would have  loved  to see the look on the gaggle of frat boys if Mr. Shaw made an appearance.

She suspected he would like to see that, too — in spite of himself.

But calling on John? It would feel like giving up a point to him in their little game.

Not that he kept score.

He  never  did. He was could be so  impossible  sometimes.

Which rankled even more, she thought as she turned onto Memorial Drive and picked up her pace. If she made it to RISD’s doorway, she wouldn’t have to call.

“Oh, come on, Katie!” ( No one  called her  Katie .) “There’s no need to be like this. Come on and talk to us and tell us all about John and the woman he’s unworthy of so we can let her know about some better options.”

Kate spun, her temper flaring as the tendrils of an unseasonable fog began to rise off the river to claw at the railings set at the edge of the sidewalk. A part of her chided her for being so foolish to rise to their bait while another tacitly conceded she felt confident in doing so because she could call Dee to back her up.

But how   dare   they imply they were unworthy of Emi! A Kelley was as good as any….

“She stopped after all, Bobby,” one of them laughed. “I owe you twenty bucks.”

Kate opened her mouth to speak, ready to vent her frustration of repeating her father’s mantra to herself on the drunken fools.

The sound of metal being drawn along the side of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust silenced her.

The fog began to quickly thicken, implacably rolling down Westminster like a slow-motion avalanche.

She felt the blood drain from her face as the eyes of her harassers grew wide.

 No one  in Providence wanted to hear that sound. Even those so much in danger that they were relieved when they heard it grew frightened at that sound.

“Ya sure this is how you want the night to end?”

The hoarse, thickly accented voice was barely a whisper — a whisper that had no right to carry as far from the shadows and thickening fog as it did.

The frat boys all but fell over themselves as they ran for the pedestrian bridge.

The Longshoreman did not so much step out of the swirl of shadows and of mist as coalesce from them. His knit cap was pulled low and his pea coat’s collar was turned up against the wind — a wind that had not been there a moment ago.

She shivered.

Somewhere in the darkness between was a face — a face Kate could not make out.

No one ever could.

She inadvertently took a step back as he approached. His  boat hook  was held loosely in his right hand while his left rested easily in his coat pocket.

Even from this distance, it felt like he loomed over her.

“I…”

Abstractly, Kate recognized that she should have been this intimidated with Mr. Shaw.

Urban legends swirled about the Longshoreman like the fog that so often appeared when he was nearby. He was a local figure — one whose rough justice helped keep the streets of Providence safer and the criminal element afraid.

She could appreciate why they feared him.

But he was not on the power level of Mr. Shaw. No where near it.

Did she owe him an apology?

“I… Thank you.”

Maybe a thank you note for not looming over them when he came to dinner.

A knowing smile crossed the Longshoreman’s obscured face.

“Given the fire in your eyes when you spun on them, Miss Kelley,” he observed darkly as he raised his boat hook in salute before resting it on his shoulder, “I have no doubt the tongue lashing you were about to dish out would have stripped them of their liquid courage. But there was no guarantee it would have provided them with the good sense needed to slink away in shame with their tails between their legs.

“Even so,” he continued darkly, “I wanted to make a point. To you. To them. And,” he said pointing to a distant corner with his boat hook, “to the half-dozen or so who were and are still watching. The Providential are looking forward to meeting your family friends if and when they visit. And it’d be a bad reflection on our team if you couldn’t feel safe here.”

“Whatever city he may live in right now, your brother’s a Providence boy,” he growled, half turning to the figures in the shadows and pointing his hook at them. “And we watch out for our own here. Heaven help anyone who threatens your family. If they’re lucky, it’ll be Rock Lobster or Hope and Anchor that find them. Or even Eidolon himself.

“And.  Not .  Me .”

Three figures bolted down Memorial and turned on Fulton, putting as much distance between them and the river as they could.

The Longshoreman chuckled darkly.

“Word’ll travel wicked fast,” the Longshoreman observed with an air of self satisfaction that she somehow knew only reached her ears. “You and your friend’ll be left alone — if they know what’s good for them.”

His smile turned sinister and Kate actively considered calling John.

“You’ve got fire, kid,” the Longshoreman observed as a fog began to roll up from the river towards them. “I like that. And while it might bother you as much to have me stick my oar in as  it does when Hope and Anchor make an appearance while I’m working the dockyards, I’m happy to have met you.

The fog thickened around them.

“Tell your brother and his ‘friends’ hello from us.”

“I will,” Kate managed to choke out as she got ahold of herself.

The fog ebbed away.

The Longshoreman was gone.

Kate looked around at the empty street, wondering if John could do that.

The thought of him trying to be intimidating made her laugh.

Shaking her head, she started walking towards RISD.

And if her pace was a little quicker than usual, who would blame her?
PK-Leon
 December 8th 
 Ashford's 

 
 Originally Posted by Entrepreneur 
 “The walk is part of the vigilante side of my job,” the man replies with a wink, before he shrugs. “I’ve been stopping by a lot more in the last month or two.” 
 

"Sounds like a looooot of coffee breaks to me. Must be why you always show up at the end of fights and not the start. Only logical explanation." Louis says, nodding mostly to himself.


 
 Originally Posted by Miguel 
 “I’d heard a Dragonov got picked up,” he continues as he takes a careful sip of coffee. “And about the bust. Glad less of that **** is on the streets. Good job, kid,” he says sincerely. 
 

"Thanks." Louis replies with complimentary shrug and nod of acknowledgement. "Just another day at West Side doing things that others heroes don't."

"So what else is on your agenda for today? Help a kid get a kite out of tree. Wrestle with a few riverfolk. Maybe stop a back alley mugging before it's time to clock out at five?"


 
 Originally Posted by Miguel 
 He notices Louis’ countenance soften as he looks at Izzy and gives the hero a knowing smile. “She told me one time that she’s dating a delivery boy. She know what you really do?” 
 

"Oh so you're friends now too? Good to know." Louis narrows his eyes at the older man in jest.

"Yeah... She does actually. Accidentally got her involved with a few Rooks a while back. They snatched her right outside of her apartment in order to use her as leverage against Ashford. So we tracked her back to a small safehouse and picked her up. The Rooks we met there were even nice enough to lend us their car as an apology for their mistake."

Louis frowns as recalls the incident. "Still feel bad about the whole thing. Hopefully Leo's all expenses paid trip to the pit was enough to send a message to anyone dumb enough to try that @#$% again."
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Ashford’s 
 Louis 

 
 Originally Posted by Louis 
 "Thanks." Louis replies with complimentary shrug and nod of acknowledgement. "Just another day at West Side doing things that heroes don't."

"So what else is on your agenda for today? Help a kid get a kite out of tree. Wrestle with a few riverfolk. Maybe stop a back alley mugging before it's time to clock out at five?" 
 

“You got that right,” the man says with a smirk. “All that red tape ain’t worth it.”

He then shrugs halfheartedly. “Maybe. Every once in a while there’s a kitten stuck up a tree too. Gotta pull double duty. Rescue both a kite and a cat.”


 
 Originally Posted by Louis 
 Louis frowns as recalls the incident. "Still feel bad about the whole thing. Hopefully Leo's all expenses paid trip to the pit was enough to send a message to anyone dumb to try that @#$% again." 
 

For the first time since they’d met, the man’s expression sours. He takes another sip of his coffee, looking at Louis from over the lid. “Leo’s takin’ the fall for some of his boys bein’ idiots,” he mutters sullenly.

 Albany, GA 

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “I am guessing your senses would be keen enough to pick up microspeakers. Do they work with bone conducting speakers as well or should I relay Clea’s question of me so it doesn’t sound like I’m talking to myself?” 
 

“I can hear micro speakers just fine,” Grayson replies with a self-conscious smile. “Bone conducting are a lot quieter. If we were somewhere louder, I’d really have to concentrate to hear them.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 He turned back to look at John and Grayson, with a slight smile. "Not to mention, I have no idea how long a hybrid like me lives." 
 

“You’ve made it this far,” Grayson says, shifting to put his hands in his pockets. “There’s no reason to think you’ll check out early.”

He looks at Keith’s mom’s grave and swallows before turning his gaze back to his friend. “Anything else to say to her before we go?”
PK-Leon
 December 8th 
 Ashford’s 

 
 Originally Posted by Miguel 
 For the first time since they’d met, the man’s expression sours. He takes another sip of his coffee, looking at Louis from over the lid. “Leo’s takin’ the fall for some of his boys bein’ idiots,” he mutters sullenly. 
 

"Shame," Louis deadpans as he casts his gaze out the window at Monte Carlo parked across the street. "Should've thought about that before he decided to sign on full-time as a Rook. When you're in charge every mistake your team makes is yours. He's gotta carry that weight just like anyone else would." He shrugs. "You own a business, so I'd imagine you're familiar with that kind of thing already."
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 Albany, GA 
“You’ve made it this far,” Grayson says, shifting to put his hands in his pockets. “There’s no reason to think you’ll check out early.”

He looks at Keith’s mom’s grave and swallows before turning his gaze back to his friend. “Anything else to say to her before we go?” 
 

Keith chuckles a bit and nods. "Hey, think my next time I get a sundae. But in all seriousness, nah. No more dying."

He thinks for a moment and looks around before willing his shadows into a makeshift bowl. Then he pulls our the letter and a lighter. "One thing, just burning this." As he light the letter on fire and placed it in the bowl, he looked back at the grave a moment.

"I love you mom. I'll go make you proud now." Once it was done burning, he took the ashes into his shadow and turned back to Grayson and John. "I'm ready. Time to face the future."
mmdeforrest
 The Spire — the tail end of the longer tour 
“My bedroom suite’s down that way,” John said, leaving out the detail of the hot spring, as he had skipped over the plans for a kitchen when they walked through the main hall, “and the library and lab are through that arch but this is what I wanted to show you, Grayson," John explained with growing anticipation as they entered the upper hall. "I'm almost afraid I did the typical guy thing and chose it based as much on price, options, and the advice you can find on Readbout.it. This one may have been overkill but, truth be told, I wanted to have something I could be sure was worth looking through and the ad copy that pointed out this model was Stephen Hawking’s favorite was a good enough endorsement for me. Some of the measurements I was taking needed to be precise but this provided me with what Dad would have characterized as a meaningless level of precision.”

Better safe than sorry, given he needed to be sure the math tables from the Middle Ages hadn’t been mistranscribed at some point or miscalculated by enough to change the astrological alignments he was applying to the Orb. But that was a detail neither Grayson nor Keith needed to know.

Emi’s mother’s condition was a secret, after all, and he could usually keep secrets from everyone but her.

Well, and Montcrieff and his mother, who always seemed to know.

He offered Grayson and Keith a wry smile as he removed the oilcloth from  the telescope . “I could follow enough of the directions to set it up for the spot at the top of the Spire where there are unobstructed views of the sky. It knows its location so can track the night sky and find a bunch of astronomical objects — most of which I would need someone like you to tell me what I was looking at. My astrological studies have made me familiar with the solar system but once you go beyond those I know Andromeda, the Crab Nebula, and that’s about it. Most of the 40,000 or so objects in its database are lost on me.

“A lot’s happened in astronomy since the Elizabethan era, I guess.”

“We’re far enough north that the Aurora might impact the view but other than that, “ he said as he nodded towards the portico, “but we’re far enough away from light pollution to have a clear sky. We thought it might be enjoyable to set up a stargazing evening, if you’re willing.

“Who knows? Hearing you talk about the stars might even get Zach to admit Astrophysics is pretty cool.”
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Ashford’s 
 Louis 
“A Rook’s better than a Crown,” the man replies in a low voice. “Rooks don’t sacrifice people to summon demons, or push out a drug that’s meant to make people overdose. Sure, there’s a couple’a bad apples, but you’re gonna have a few when you’re workin’ around the red tape to try and push out a gang that almost ran the city into the ground. You said it yourself, there’s things heroes won’t do. Rooks are the ones doin’ that dirty work.”

The man sighs. “Look, Leo’s a good guy. He’s loyal, to a fault. His boss was ****ty, and he’s been dealt with.”

 The Spire  
Grayson has followed John around the Spire, wide-eyed while the magician gave his tour.

When the telescope is uncovered, he looks excitedly between it and John. “A Celestron!” he says before he can contain his excitement.

His ears burn red, and he continues in a quieter voice. “These are awesome. You’re right though, it’ll be hard to see much when the auroras are active. The sun goes through eleven year cycles of solar flare activity, and we’re currently in the ramp up. It’s supposed to peak in a few years, and we’ll probably get some crazy auroras then, which will be absolutely beautiful, but not so good for star gazing.”

Grayson gives John a small smile. “I would love to all the way out here. I can do a little research and figure out when the auroras won’t mess with the view too bad. Can I bring my camera too?” He then shakes his head. “I get if you don’t want me to, though. Forget I asked.”

“I still doubt that Zack would admit that,” he continues with a shrug. “Not about stars at least. Black holes… maybe.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 8th 
 The Spire  
Grayson has followed John around the Spire, wide-eyed while the magician gave his tour.

When the telescope is uncovered, he looks excitedly between it and John. “A Celestron!” he says before he can contain his excitement.

His ears burn red, and he continues in a quieter voice. “These are awesome. You’re right though, it’ll be hard to see much when the auroras are active. The sun goes through eleven year cycles of solar flare activity, and we’re currently in the ramp up. It’s supposed to peak in a few years, and we’ll probably get some crazy auroras then, which will be absolutely beautiful, but not so good for star gazing.”

Grayson gives John a small smile. “I would love to all the way out here. I can do a little research and figure out when the auroras won’t mess with the view too bad. Can I bring my camera too?” He then shakes his head. “I get if you don’t want me to, though. Forget I asked.”

“I still doubt that Zack would admit that,” he continues with a shrug. “Not about stars at least. Black holes… maybe.” 
 

“Of course you can bring your camera, Grayson,” John replied with a laugh, glad he had not broken it apart with a crowbar that one angry night. “It’ll be a little tricky to list any pictures you take if you publish them, but I’m sure we can come up with something — shift the time and the latitude and longitude to put you near some other islet out here and then come up with something plausibly deniable to put you at the right place.

“But taking the photo for the joy of the picture? None of that will matter.”

It was tempting to take this as a positive step forward in establishing their friendship — and for addressing whatever concerns Raphael had raised when he was ‘setting boundaries.’ Ironically, Grayson, as a dragon, would understand that instinctual need better than most — one apex predator to another.

Of course, that might explain why he took whatever Raphael said so deeply to heart. And that he did take it to heart was almost enough for John to justify his ongoing research into Grayson/Valèdir  and his capabilities.

The Challenge might be off the table but the more important contest still loomed on the horizon. And as near as he could tell, Grayson had not entered into the gentlemanly gray area of that contest.

Nor had Enzo.

He pushed those thoughts away.

For this moment, the three of them could enjoy their budding friendship and, as Keith said, focus on the future.
Roguewolf
 At the Spire! 

Keith followed along as wide-eyed as he had been earlier during his short version of the tour. He had been to the library and lab earlier but still found them interesting. The fact that it was like an entire second home, or even third at this point for John, made him wonder just what all he would have to expect when he did take the throne.

As John revealed the telescope, his eyes went even wider and he just looked over at the magician with a smirk.

“So that’s what you were hiding earlier. That was well worth the wait for the reveal. Still curious about the auroras too.”

At the mention of the camera, and the plan to make the pictures plausible, he chuckled. And another snicker like what happened at the mall. He was less surprised this time, but it still caught him off guard.

“Almost sounds like you want to invoke Khonsu for the skies to change. We could probably still talk with Anubis in the Void to help it out too.” He looked between them. “Speaking of black holes and singularities. I’m sure we could make something that you could freak out Zack with.”

It was nice during this time. They were all actually getting along, things were going well, and two people he actually enjoyed being around were becoming friends. This made things semi-easier now, especially since it looked to him like they were mending a rift.
mmdeforrest
“You were unusually quiet,” John observed after Keith and Grayson left the Spire.

“I would noted that you did not stop gathering Intel on Valèdir,” Clea half accused. “And there was no reason to let him know that I am here — even if he noticed the Serving Spirits ghosting about.”

“Don’t be too surprised if Emi told him about you being here.”

“I’d be hurt if our  particular  friend hadn’t,” Clea bantered back. “Auntie Henrietta would be proud of you for getting that piece of intel.”

“Probably,” John conceded as he mounted the stair to the upper hall. “But I’m not sure it’s a good habit to always be coming up with contingency plans for everyone I know — no matter how useful the thought experiments are.

“How many does she have for me?” John mused.

“She hasn’t shared that information with me, provisional,” Clea teased.

“Given that she has access to my profile, probably only a half-dozen fewer than Mr. Shaw. There has to be an embarrassment of riches in Doctor Higgins’ notes for developing those.”

“Perhaps. But I can tell you she would be utterly despondent about having to use any of them.”

“I know, Clea,” replied John,” noting the tacit admission. “I know.”
PK-Leon
 December 8th 
 Ashford’s 

 
 Originally Posted by [S 
 Miguel[/S] Jesse]“A Rook’s better than a Crown,” the man replies in a low voice. “Rooks don’t sacrifice people to summon demons, or push out a drug that’s meant to make people overdose. Sure, there’s a couple’a bad apples, but you’re gonna have a few when you’re workin’ around the red tape to try and push out a gang that almost ran the city into the ground. You said it yourself, there’s things heroes won’t do. Rooks are the ones doin’ that dirty work.”

The man sighs. “Look, Leo’s a good guy. He’s loyal, to a fault. His boss was ****ty, and he’s been dealt with.” 
 

"And how exactly would you-" Louis begins incredulously, quickly adjusting his tone as he finally pieces together the man's true identity. "know that...?"

His power set, combat expertise, knowledge, and M.O. perfectly lined up with the man seated at the top of the Rook hierarchy. Former M3A pro, Jesse Ortiz, better known throughout Iron Station as Blackout.

 How could you be this dense?! One of Iron Station's most wanted walks right up to you and lends a helping hand not once but  three  times and you're too oblivious to realize who he actually is? I'm never gonna hear the end of this. 

Louis sighs as he searches for the right words in the moment. "Look, I'm not really trying to talk ethics today. Think I've got that class lined up for next semester already."

"While it's pretty clear both crews aren't operating in the same lanes it's not like the Rooks are exactly saints in comparison."
InTheMachine
 December 8th 
 Ashford’s 
 Louis 
“Never been a saint,” the man says with a shrug. “But you can’t be if you wanna get **** done that others won’t.”

A chime rings and the man pulls his phone out of his pocket and reads a text. He then pushes himself off the wall and glances over to Izzy. “Be seein’ you,  chica .”

The barista looks over with a smile as she steams some milk for another order. “Bye Miguel!”

“I gotta go. Urgent business matters,” Jesse says as he walks past Louis to the door. “Til next time. Don’t work too hard, ey, Delivery Boy.”
mmdeforrest
 Saturday, 11 December 
John Kelley felt more like a kid from Providence than a Magister Magius as he struggled to push himself up off of the blood saturated carpet. Any one of the spent shards of the Orb presented a true danger but thousands of them had slashed at him as he only barely contained the spell.

So much blood.

This time, his own.

He had healed Mrs. Shaw but it had come at a terrible cost to him.

He had calculated the risk and had done what he could to insulate himself from it by not asking what had harmed her and put her into that state.

But that hadn't been enough. Deep within him, he had harbored suspicions — suspicions he still could not put his finger on. But when the knowledge of what had harmed her had seeped out, it had been enough to overwhelmed him.

Now, the Shaws had gathered, reunited.

And he needed healing.

"Emi," he asked weakly, "use your key. Bring Seraph or Harbinger here."

His blood dripping down into his eyes was effecting his vision, the abstract portion of his mind noted, explaining to himself why her hair and features darkened.

"You haven't been paying attention, John," she said, smiling condescendingly. "So very unlike you. As I told you in the Spire after you fought with my Grayson, your injuries don't bother me. The only thing that matters is my mother.”

"Almost good enough," Mr. Shaw added distantly. "But not quite."

"You've served your purpose,” she sneered as his vision darkened further. "Heal thyself, if you can.”

John's eyes shot open and he fought his cape to wipe the blood from them in the darkness.

No.

His covers.

Three AM.

Saturday morning.

The day he would heal Mrs. Shaw.

He dragged his fist across his eyes, fighting to convince himself it was just his tears that he felt there.

"Are you okay, John?" Mimi asked.

He barked a laugh in reply. "Talk about a loaded question.”

He drew in a shuddering breath, struggling to get his breathing back under control.

"Yeah. I'm okay."

"Are you prepared to record your dream for Doctor Higgins?"

"Yes," he replied after a moment. "But you will need to delay its delivery by 24 to 48 hours. Clea will know when to release it.”

“Understood, John. I’m ready whenever you are.”
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence— Knightsbridge, London  
As John passes through the door from the Spire to the Shaw residence he emerges into a  reception room  with high ceilings and modern furniture in neutral tones. A circular skylight above fills the room with natural light.

Off to the left through three large French doors, John can see an interior court with a  mature garden . Brick paths cross through the courtyard, clear of the light dusting of snow present elsewhere.

A  bald man  dressed in a suit and white gloves bows to the magician as he enters the house. He is identical to the man John saw in his dream before. “Mr. Kelley,” the man says as he adjusts his glasses, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Oskar, head butler for the Shaws.”

He bows again as Mr. Shaw and his children follow behind John.  “If you’ll follow me, please. I will take you to Mrs. Shaw.”

 I’ll give you a tour later, if you want,  Emi projects to John as the butler leads the four of them through the house around the courtyard, past a set of stairs and through the  formal dining room .

Emi’s tension palpably increases as they walk through the dining room. She reaches for John’s hand and lets out a shaky breath once she has her fingers laced through his.  Oskar warned me that she’s gotten worse,  she whispers into his mind.

The butler opens a door at the far end of the dining room and ushers the Shaws and their guest through. “I’ll return with refreshments presently.”

“Thank you, Oskar,” Mr. Shaw says faintly, distracted by one of two women seated in the lounge. His gaze is focused on a brunette seated in a chair across from a younger woman dressed in scrubs. A grand piano sits on a slightly elevated platform to the left, flanked by large doors that can be opened to the courtyard.

 The brunette  is in her mid-forties, with wavy hair and blue-gray eyes. She’s wearing a simple oversized gray cardigan over a black shirt and jeans and is currently intent on reading a leather bound book in her lap. She doesn’t even look up as everyone enters the room.

Ian moves to the side of the door and leans back against the wall as Mr. Shaw crosses the room. “I really hope this works, John,” he says in a low voice.

Mr. Shaw goes down to one knee beside his wife’s chair, but spares a glance at the woman in scrubs as she stands and moves to leave. “Thank you, Andrea. Oskar will let you know when we’re done.”

The nurse gives him a quick nod. “Yes sir. Call for me if you need help with anything,” she says before edging by Emi, John, and Ian and closing the door behind her.

Mr. Shaw returns his attention to his wife, who still hasn’t acknowledged him. She turns a page with one thin, frail hand and John can see that the book is blank on the inside.

“Rose,” Mr. Shaw says softly.

Her gaze wavers slightly, but she turns another page.

Mr. Shaw reaches out and gently tugs the book from her hands, setting it down on the glass coffee table in front of the chair. “I have someone I wish for you to meet.”

She turns to look at her husband and some flicker of recognition is there before it dims completely. Her gaze wanders to Emi, John, and Ian before coming back to Mr. Shaw.

“Margaret, this is John Kelley,” Mr. Shaw says once the magician joins them. “Mr. Kelley, this is… this is my wife Margaret.”

 Cafe Rosalie— Downtown Iron Station, 1pm 
Hope smiles widely as she spots Keith walking through the doors of the  small, cozy cafe  she’d suggested for lunch.

She’s seated in a small booth on the rightmost wall and waves to catch Keith’s attention. Today she’s wearing a light shirt under a brown leather jacket that has a fur ruff lining the outside of the hood.

“Hey,” she says as he sits. “How’s your week been?”

She slides a menu over to him. “The food here is great, etouffee especially.”

 Barron Street— South Iron Station, 10pm 
Aria frowns as she gets out of the Uber. She takes a steadying breath as she makes her way down the street past the pulsing lights and bass of Code Black toward a  brick two-story house .

“You’re ready, right?” she mutters down at her purse to the concealed Nightgaunt.

Redline, stationed on the opposite roof, watches the former Flower approach the house she’d told them about on Wednesday. Several lights are on inside the home, and the doors on the left side second story balcony are ajar.
mmdeforrest
 Meanwhile, in AEGIS: City of London 
Montcrieff’s work station chipped at her, updating John Kelley's location on the world map.

The circle that indicated his position was too large — especially for London. AEGIS and the other intelligence agencies that had built out the surveillance network had made sure there were no gaps in the monitoring zone.

She watched the screen, waiting for the circle to shrink to something smaller.

That the circle had centred itself on Hyde Park usefully confirmed his efforts were not focusing on the Homunculus and all but confirmed her suspicions of where he would be operating, it was insufficient for absolute certainty and absolutely useless for tracking his movements.

She had noted the movement of shadows in the frosted glass so the professionally correct knock on her door was not unexpected.

The people who came through her door were.

"Special Agent Montcrieff,” AEGIS: City of London Director Modir greeted her. "I believe you remember Sir Vincent Greere.”

"Formal Notice:” Lizzie added after he closed the door behind them, "The topics and contents of this meeting are Top Secret with Special Compartmented Information.”

"Of course, Director Modir," Montcrieff replied, extending her hand to the Court Magician to Her Majesty the Queen. "It's a pleasure to see you again under what I hope are more pleasant circumstances, Sir Vincent."

"The pleasure," the magician replied, "is all mine. Although I shudder to think of what could be worse circumstances than our meeting at Windsor.

"Pleasantries thus observed,” Sir Vincent continued, folding his hands behind his back, "I fear we must move straight on to business. As your AI indicated, this is a sensitive matter of some concern at the highest levels. I trust I can count on your discretion in these matters, Agent Monterieff.”

He smiled benevolently. "A rhetorical question, of course."

"Of course," Montcrieff replied with an equally benevolent smile, noting the slight narrowing of her director's eyes as he tried to determine which he needed to watch more closely.

"How much do you know about your protogé’s current mission?"

"Partner," she corrected.

"Partner, then,” Sir Vincent acknowledged with a slight bow of the head.

"Frustratingly little," Montcrieff conceded. "I've been spoiled by my all-access clearance when it comes to Kelley. To be denied access to some of his paperwork and instructed not to follow up," she added, turning to Director Modir, “is disconcerting.”

"Need-to-Know, Montcrieff,” he half-apologized. "I myself only received a limited briefing an hour ago."

"So Magister Kelley hasn't spoken to you about the Orb?” Sir Vincent pressed.

"Orb?"

“An Orb of Algazelus, to be precise."

"Lizzie:" Montcrieff ordered crisply as she walked to her monitor, “Briefing material.”

She scanned the paragraph, her brow furrowing. "This is dangerous,” she observed.

"To the caster, potentially,” Sir Vincent conceded, "but not to the person being healed. An interesting choice but one in keeping with the character of your protégé.

"Partner," he immediately corrected himself.

"Why didn't you tell me about this, Kelley?” Montcrieff quietly asked her screen.

"Because you taught him well,” Director Modir observed.

"The name of his...patient,” Sir Vincent explained, "is sufficiently classified that he would not be able to reveal it to you."

"It's a Shaw," she observed quietly as she looked at the screen. "Your presence here, Sir Vincent, could indicate a member of the royal family and it would be in keeping with Kelley's character to attempt to undo some of the damage caused during the Windsor Incident but I am classified as Need-to-Know for anything relating to the Homunculus.

"And any attempted healing of the royal family would be located at one of the royal castles — not in the heart of London, where the press in keeping an eye out for Dee.

"The Shaw residence, however, is discrete enough for a family matter,” she concluded, looking up at the stony-faced men whose expressions gave nothing away. "And him giving his word to a lady — especially a lady he'd do almost anything for — to keep this secret would be enough to make him keep it from even me.

"That would suggest you are here in one of your other official capacities. Perhaps as the Merlyn, who watches over magical activities throughout Britain. Or perhaps as one of the Adepti of the Invisible College, you want to record what happens for the archives.

"As interesting as those possibilities are, right now they are distractions.The only real question," she concluded, "is who the patient is.”

The statement hung in the air for a moment.

"Need-to-Know," Sir Vincent repeated. "And right now, you don't."

While his tone and face gave nothing away, the stiffening of his stance suggested her use of his secret titles had landed.

“So what did you need to know, Sir Vincent?” Montcrieff asked. "I suspect you didn't come here to let me know Kelley was risking being trapped in time or torn to shreds by fragments of an absurdly large gemstone. After all, that's just another Tuesday for him."

"I'm encouraged by your confidence in him," Sir Vincent replied, "but I'm not certain that you appreciate the magical forces he will be attempting to control and contain during this ritual.

"I intend no offense in making this observation," he hastily added as he raised a hand and inclined his head. "I am familiar with your expertise and know you can cast some minor magics but an Orb of Algazelus is beyond the skill of most practitioners. Some have expressed their personal concern, given the identity of the patient.

"The creation of his Amulet marks him as one who might be able to control such forces and I have been asked to ascertain how likely he is to succeed."

A small smile appeared on Montcrieff. Her Director recognized it from any number of her checkmate moments.

“My partner used a ten-dimensional Circle of Amun-Set to capture  Rizaska  Kishara, if that gives you a sense of what he is capable of, Sir Vincent.”

At least on a good day when Siren wasn’t distracting him, she thought. No sense in bringing up his recent accidental time traveling.

“He did  what ? To  whom ? With   what  ?”

“Sorry, Sir Vincent,” Director Modir apologized as Montcrieff pulled up Kelley’s body cam footage. “Need-to-Know and all.”

" He's  the one who destroyed her?" Sir Vincent asked as he studied the holographically projected image.

"Captured," Montcrieff corrected. "Seraph destroyed the skull and its occupant. AEGIS’ Occult divisions are still debating the nature of the skull itself.

“I do hope the footage reassures you, Sir Vincent,” she added sweetly.

"What?" the Court Magician asked as he glanced away from the projection of the skull.

"Sorry,” he said, regaining his composure with an acknowledging smile. "Yes. Yes, it does, Agent Montcrieff. More than that, it makes me think I should perhaps invite the lad to tea.

“It was clear my predecessor had taught him well. I failed to appreciate just  how  well."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence— Knightsbridge, London  
As John passes through the door from the Spire to the Shaw residence he emerges into a  reception room  with high ceilings and modern furniture in neutral tones. A circular skylight above fills the room with natural light.

Off to the left through three large French doors, John can see an interior court with a  mature garden . Brick paths cross through the courtyard, clear of the light dusting of snow present elsewhere.

A  bald man  dressed in a suit and white gloves bows to the magician as he enters the house. He is identical to the man John saw in his dream before. “Mr. Kelley,” the man says as he adjusts his glasses, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Oskar, head butler for the Shaws.” 
 

“The pleasure’s all mine, Oskar,” John replied, resisting the urge to glance toward the front door, glad that he had spent the morning preparing himself for this meeting. “I’ve been looking forward to coming here.”

 I’m not supposed to invite him to call me John, am I?  John asked, hoping he was quiet enough for Emi to hear. While there was nothing to be embarrassed about in the question, there was something about wanting to look competent in front of his future…Mr. Shaw that made him not want to ask him.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 He bows again as Mr. Shaw and his children follow behind John.  “If you’ll follow me, please. I will take you to Mrs. Shaw.”

 I’ll give you a tour later, if you want,  Emi projects to John as the butler leads the four of them through the house around the courtyard, past a set of stairs and through the  formal dining room . 
 

 I’d be delighted,  John replied, not bothering to try to hide his awe from Emi.  It’s big enough I think a guide would be of some use. 

 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  Emi’s tension palpably increases as they walk through the dining room. She reaches for John’s hand and lets out a shaky breath once she has her fingers laced through his.  Oskar warned me that she’s gotten worse,  she whispers into his mind. 
 

 Be brave and strong and patient,  mo chuisle  , John assured her with a gentle squeeze of her hand.  We’re in the final hours of your family’s separation. I promise. 

 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 The butler opens a door at the far end of the dining room and ushers the Shaws and their guest through. “I’ll return with refreshments presently.”

“Thank you, Oskar,” Mr. Shaw says faintly, distracted by one of two women seated in the lounge. His gaze is focused on a brunette seated in a chair across from a younger woman dressed in scrubs. A grand piano sits on a slightly elevated platform to the left, flanked by large doors that can be opened to the courtyard. 
 

“Oskar:” John asked quietly as the butler passed, “Could I trouble you to also have a cup of tea ready for me in the dining room while refreshments are served in here?”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  The brunette  is in her mid-forties, with wavy hair and blue-gray eyes. She’s wearing a simple oversized gray cardigan over a black shirt and jeans and is currently intent on reading a leather bound book in her lap. She doesn’t even look up as everyone enters the room.

Ian moves to the side of the door and leans back against the wall as Mr. Shaw crosses the room. “I really hope this works, John,” he says in a low voice. 
 

John looked up from the disturbingly familiar rug and offered Ian a reassuring smile. “I give you my word, Ian,” he replied with a quiet confidence. He could feel events moving towards a conclusion to this family tragedy — a strange sense that the conclusion had already been written and his actions would be successful so long as he did not try to deviate from the path that had been laid for him.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  Mr. Shaw goes down to one knee beside his wife’s chair, but spares a glance at the woman in scrubs as she stands and moves to leave. “Thank you, Andrea. Oskar will let you know when we’re done.”

The nurse gives him a quick nod. “Yes sir. Call for me if you need help with anything,” she says before edging by Emi, John, and Ian and closing the door behind her.

Mr. Shaw returns his attention to his wife, who still hasn’t acknowledged him. She turns a page with one thin, frail hand and John can see that the book is blank on the inside.

“Rose,” Mr. Shaw says softly.

Her gaze wavers slightly, but she turns another page.

Mr. Shaw reaches out and gently tugs the book from her hands, setting it down on the glass coffee table in front of the chair. “I have someone I wish for you to meet.”

She turns to look at her husband and some flicker of recognition is there before it dims completely. Her gaze wanders to Emi, John, and Ian before coming back to Mr. Shaw.

“Margaret, this is John Kelley,” Mr. Shaw says once the magician joins them. “Mr. Kelley, this is… this is my wife Margaret.” 
 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Shaw,” John said — finding himself strangely unable to complete the formula.

It wasn’t yet time.

“Mr. Shaw has told me you might be able to assist me with something,” he said, raising the black velvet bag he carried slightly. “It’s something you and I will speak of soon, I hope. In private.”

He was gambling somewhat that Emi’s curiosity came from her mother’s side of the family — a trait, perhaps, carried to her along with the love of music.

“I am sorry to have to impose upon you in this manner but you’re the only one who will be able to help me solve this little puzzle. With your help, I’m sure we can succeed.”

But taking out some insurance wouldn’t hurt.

“I’m sure Mr. Shaw, Emi, and Ian would agree that you helping me with this is acceptable to them?”

He looked at all three. Mr. Shaw and Emi had both already signaled their approval. But a nod or a word now — freely given — was important for his Work.

There were other ways, of course, but it would achieve one of his backup plans to gain the assent of the three of them.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “I am sorry to have to impose upon you in this manner but you’re the only one who will be able to help me solve this little puzzle. With your help, I’m sure we can succeed.”

But taking out some insurance wouldn’t hurt.

“I’m sure Mr. Shaw, Emi, and Ian would agree that you helping me with this is acceptable to them?” 
 

On the wall next to the door, Ian hugs his sister’s shoulder tightly as they stand back, watching. The two of them nod to the magician’s question.

Mrs. Shaw gazes at John for a long moment before she blinks slowly. Her husband sucks in a breath as she responds to the magician in a paper thin whisper. “Help you?”

“Yes, Rose,” Mr. Shaw says gently. “You can help.”

She shakes her head in response as she reaches for her book again, pulling it into her lap.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 8 
The book opens, and John notices that the first few pages are written in pen, but about a quarter of the way through, the pen becomes crayon, and eventually words become scribbles, and the last third of the pages are blank.
 
Roguewolf
Keith had been sleeping through the night without dreams for the past week. A little too well since the time spent with John and Grayson in Albany and at the Spire. Even for being cursed.

This night though, he heard a voice he hadn’t heard since hsi time in the Void.

“Master Karver, it seems you came close to a pool of ours.” Anubis came out from the shadows, and Keith saw the room he was in. It was strange to see the god at a human height for this. The room itself seemed to resemble a waiting room at any business office, just with a lot more comforts available.

“And it seems you have made good on your word. Look to the future, and develop change. How has your new body served you, young Void Lord to be?” The jackal grin was slightly off putting, but had Keith not known Anubis before this would have been a lot more alarming.

“Good to see you again, Anubis.” Keith said with a bow before taking a seat. “Yes, there was a pool for the fatewatchers that I may opr may not be able to see. Eventually. It did cause me to partway transform into my void self in front of my mentor.”

His eyebrow raised and he leaned forward to speak with the god. “So far, it’s been useful. I feel stronger than ever. My shadows feel even lighter than before, but I know they are heavier when I’m in my altered state.”

Anubis nodded and chuckled. “That’s good to hear. Be wary of the pool, as you have been touched by what they refer to as fate watchers. That is evident enough by my still being able to converse with you here.” He smiled smugly. “You will need to harness your own fate, should your plan to take your throne come to pass. Of course, I will be here to help guide you now.”

Keith tilts his head. “How should I go about harnessing fate?”

“I cannot give you that answer. But I will be in touch. If you want, feel free to allow someone to examine that scar. Oh, and just as in the Void. Move forward.”

“Yes sir, Anubis. I-” Before he could finish the thought, Keith felt himself freeze and fall forward.

He landed in his bed face down, floating up a bit and looking around.

“If I didn’t know that wasn’t a normal dream, I’d have said it was full nerves for tomorrow……”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie— Downtown Iron Station, 1pm 
Hope smiles widely as she spots Keith walking through the doors of the  small, cozy cafe  she’d suggested for lunch.

She’s seated in a small booth on the rightmost wall and waves to catch Keith’s attention. Today she’s wearing a light shirt under a brown leather jacket that has a fur ruff lining the outside of the hood.

“Hey,” she says as he sits. “How’s your week been?”

She slides a menu over to him. “The food here is great, etouffee especially.” 
 

Keith had flown to the meeting place and landed a couple blocks away. His new abilities were coming in handy for getting around. Though, he did wish he could fly a little faster.

 Maybe one day………  He thought to himself as he made sure his purple button-down shirt was straight.

Seeing the cafe front, he grinned a bit being glad it was the right place. He subvocalized into the mic of his communicator before going in. “Thank you for the directions, Mimi. Hoping this goes well.”

As he walked in, he was a bit surprised by the cozy interior. It reminded him of a place that his uncle had met one of his contacts years ago. As he saw Hope wave, and the smile on her face, his grin widened and he waved and walked over quickly.

After everything else this morning, he had to remind himself that while he could fly, make sure he kept his feet on the ground while moving.

“Heya,” he said as he took a seat. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

 Shining star in the void of space…..  He thought while taking in her appearance. “It’s been a bit busy, but overall good. Even better now with your dazzling smile.” He smiled. “How about your week? That’s a really nice jacket too.”

As she slid the menu to him, he looked and then back up to Hope. “Etoufee sounds amazing. Haven’t had a good one in years.” He took the scenery in again. “How’d you come across this place?”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 

On the wall next to the door, Ian hugs his sister’s shoulder tightly as they stand back, watching. The two of them nod to the magician’s question.

Mrs. Shaw gazes at John for a long moment before she blinks slowly. Her husband sucks in a breath as she responds to the magician in a paper thin whisper. “Help you?”

“Yes, Rose,” Mr. Shaw says gently. “You can help.”

She shakes her head in response as she reaches for her book again, pulling it into her lap.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 8 
The book opens, and John notices that the first few pages are written in pen, but about a quarter of the way through, the pen becomes crayon, and eventually words become scribbles, and the last third of the pages are blank.
 
 
 

John stepped forward and laid a reassuring hand on Mr. Shaw’s shoulder for a moment. He doubted it would have the same effect as when his mother did so to reassure him or his siblings, but he needed to tried somewhat carefully. The path, while bright, was narrow.

 
 Spoiler: John gets a glimpse of the contents.  
 Noticing the book :  1d10+4   7   1d6+4   9 
 


Words, words, words, he thought as he tried to think of a way to frame his question. He had wondered at the mix of actual and nonesense knowledge Branagh had shown on the screen in his version of Hamlet. False grimoire or no, it would be a good sign if she made such an allusion here.

But he did not expect to hear such things right now — no matter how cultured she might be.

“We can come back to it later. But may I see the book, Mrs. Shaw?” John asked politely. “Or is it private material. I don’t intend to pry.”

Don’t you, John? When have you asked that and not ended up pressing forward — as you inevitably will to some degree during the ritual. And if it were true that he might learn something that would help in the ritual, he had to admit to wanting to know for the knowing’s sake.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
Mr. Shaw allows the contact, but says nothing to him as John rests a hand on his shoulder.


 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “We can come back to it later. But may I see the book, Mrs. Shaw?” John asked politely. “Or is it private material. I don’t intend to pry.” 
 

Her frail hands tighten around her book making the leather creak before she cradles it close to her chest. “I need it,” she says in a small, broken voice.

 The book is where she would write down things she could remember,  Mr. Shaw explains as he gives his wife a comforting smile. “He’ll return it to you, my dear. I give you my word.”

Mrs. Shaw looks over to her husband for a long moment before she nods and offers John her book. He can see her arm tremor from the effort of holding it out for him, until Mr. Shaw psychically removes the weight of it for her.

 
 Spoiler: If John takes the Book 
The first few pages are neatly written in cursive, detailing  events from earlier in her life— memories from when she was a young girl through when she found out that she’d been accepted into university. Her writing slowly becomes sloppier the later the dates at the top get.

 It was a suggestion from her doctor,  Mr. Shaw says as John flips through pages.  He told her to try to write down as much as she could remember, and that hopefully it would jog additional memories associated with those.  

There is a large gap in entries between March and August with only occasional notes jotted down. On the 3rd of August 2011, the pen becomes a light blue crayon, occasionally switched to different colors, but mostly blue. The writing is childish and makes little sense with many repeating words or phrases.

 I attempted delve into her mind to try to help her and… I’m unsure what happened. After that day, she regressed to this state. Not too long after, she began to want to harm herself when she couldn’t remember things. It was dangerous for her to have anything sharp near her, or things like necklaces or cords that she could twist around her throat. She’s gotten worse since then.
 
This continues for about twenty pages before there are only a few legible words and scribbles that pretend to be writing.

 Now, she ‘reads’ the end of the book, like she’s looking for answers,  Mr. Shaw concludes sadly.
 

 Cafe Rosalie 
“Not at all,” Hope replies. “I got here about five minutes ago. Did you find it easy? I know this place is a little out of the way.”

Their waiter comes by and drops off a small plate with four pieces of sweet corn bread and a dish of butter as he greets the two of them. Hope orders a raspberry sweet tea and an order of crab beignets as an appetizer. After getting Keith’s drink order, the waiter says he’ll return in a few minutes.

“My week’s been good. Working a lot, so feet hurt a little, but the paycheck’s worth it. I’ve barely had time to read my new book,” she admits with a sheepish grin.

She glances down at a sleeve as Keith compliments her jacket. “Thanks. I like your shirt too. Bold choice.”

“I came here with some coworkers about a year ago,” she explains. “My tattoo artist is right down the street, and he recommended it before we came too.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
Mr. Shaw allows the contact, but says nothing to him as John rests a hand on his shoulder.


Her frail hands tighten around her book making the leather creak before she cradles it close to her chest. “I need it,” she says in a small, broken voice.

 The book is where she would write down things she could remember,  Mr. Shaw explains as he gives his wife a comforting smile. “He’ll return it to you, my dear. I give you my word.”

Mrs. Shaw looks over to her husband for a long moment before she nods and offers John her book. He can see her arm tremor from the effort of holding it out for him, until Mr. Shaw psychically removes the weight of it for her.

 
 Spoiler: If John takes the Book 
The first few pages are neatly written in cursive, detailing  events from earlier in her life— memories from when she was a young girl through when she found out that she’d been accepted into university. Her writing slowly becomes sloppier the later the dates at the top get.

 It was a suggestion from her doctor,  Mr. Shaw says as John flips through pages.  He told her to try to write down as much as she could remember, and that hopefully it would jog additional memories associated with those.  

There is a large gap in entries between March and August with only occasional notes jotted down. On the 3rd of August 2011, the pen becomes a light blue crayon, occasionally switched to different colors, but mostly blue. The writing is childish and makes little sense with many repeating words or phrases.

 I attempted delve into her mind to try to help her and… I’m unsure what happened. After that day, she regressed to this state. Not too long after, she begin to want to harm herself when she couldn’t remember things. It was dangerous for her to have anything sharp near her, or things like necklaces or cords that she could twist around her throat. She’s gotten worse since then.
 
This continues for about twenty pages before there are only a few legible words and scribbles that pretend to be writing.

 Now, she ‘reads’ the end of the book, like she’s looking for answers,  Mr. Shaw concludes sadly.
 
 
 

“Thank you, Mrs. Shaw,” John assured her. “I will be very careful with it.”

John took in Mr. Shaw’s psychic explanation as he quickly scanned through the pages.

 
 Spoiler: Of Course the Absurd Number of Raises Appears on an Unnecessary Roll…. 
 Research for Mrs. Shaw’s “Diary” :  1d10+2   7   1d6+2   4 
 Occult for Mrs. Shaw’s “Diary” :  1d12+2   14   1d6+2   4 
 


“Thank you, Mrs. Shaw,” John said as he handed the book back to her husband.

 There is nothing here that concerns me or changes our plans , John broadcast to Emi and her father with absolute certainty.  I may gain a better vague sense of the what and why’s of her affliction is as a result of the ritual but I will be trying not to let those hints distract me for my Work.  
 In a moment, I will excuse myself and retire to the dining room to finalize my preparations. About ten minutes after I leave, I would ask that the two of you join me there for the final piece of preparation. Ian can wait with Mrs. Shaw until I return.  
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“Not at all,” Hope replies. “I got here about five minutes ago. Did you find it easy? I know this place is a little out of the way.”

Their waiter comes by and drops off a small plate with four pieces of sweet corn bread and a dish of butter as he greets the two of them. Hope orders a raspberry sweet tea and an order of crab beignets as an appetizer. After getting Keith’s drink order, the waiter says he’ll return in a few minutes.

“My week’s been good. Working a lot, so feet hurt a little, but the paycheck’s worth it. I’ve barely had time to read my new book,” she admits with a sheepish grin.

She glances down at a sleeve as Keith compliments her jacket. “Thanks. I like your shirt too. Bold choice.”

“I came here with some coworkers about a year ago,” she explains. “My tattoo artist is right down the street, and he recommended it before we came too.” 
 

Keith's grin turned lopsided when he heard he hadn't left her waiting. "Not too bad a time, had some good directions given to me." He glanced around a bit. "Places like this can be the best."

As the waiter took their drink orders, Keith just got a regular sweet tea. The trip to Georgia had him craving it. He thanked the waiter as well, before turning his full attention back to Hope. As captivating as ever.

"I'm glad to hear that your week's been good. Can imagine though, lotta extra hours?"  What would John do? Use magic to help her feet feel better. I don't have that.  He thought as she continued. He smiled softly at her sheepish grin. "It'll be all the more relaxing when you do get to read for a while. Guess that gives me time to catch up though."

He blushed a bit at the compliment. "T-thanks. My roommate helped me decide on it. Said if I didn't make a decision in 5 minutes, he would throw one at me." He chuckled. "Now a little curious what color it would have been."

"Oh nice!" He wasn't sure how much to ask about her coworkers. One could be the guy she was complaining about. Either way, the conversation should be on her. And whatever she asked him. Or that he offered. Now he wondered if this was how John went through most of his conversations.

"He has good taste, and would love to see some of his work. Been thinking about another for a while now."  Yeah..... not to mention the odd one that just appeared on me.  "What inspired yours? If you don't mind me asking."

"Would this be one of your favorite places then?"
big teej
 Ashford's: 

Raphael waits for Aria to look at him again and says "oh don't thank me, you owe me, remember?"  He winks.

When Louis returns to their little pow-wow, the vampire leans forward and asks in a quiet tone "How do you know Blackout?"


 Barron Street: 

From safely within the depths of Aria's purse,  a large, sleek, red-eyed, black rat  shifts and twists on itself amongst the cluttered mess.  It raises it's snout towards the zipper and chitters and squeaks.

 This... Sucks... 

He resists the urge to gnaw.

 Not much longer now... 
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
 As you wish, Mr. Kelley,  Mr. Shaw replies as he hands his nervous wife her diary back.  Whatever you need us to do.  

Mrs. Shaw lets out a sigh of relief once the book is back in her hands. She looks between John and her husband before she opens her diary to one of the blank pages in the back and begins to study it once more.

 I’ll let Ian know,  Emi says as she watches her mother woefully. Ian rubs his sister’s upper arm reassuringly, his gaze averted from his parents and firmly placed on the grand piano.

When John returns to the dining room, Oskar has just finished pouring a cup of tea that he sits with a saucer on the table. He also takes a small, separate plate of English biscuits from his serving cart and sets them beside the cup.

Oskar inclines his head to the magician as he passes. “I hope Earl Gray is to your liking, Mr. Kelley. Can I offer you milk and sugar?”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
 As you wish, Mr. Kelley,  Mr. Shaw replies as he hands his nervous wife her diary back.  Whatever you need us to do.  

Mrs. Shaw lets out a sigh of relief once the book is back in her hands. She looks between John and her husband before she opens her diary to one of the blank pages in the back and begins to study it once more.

 I’ll let Ian know,  Emi says as she watches her mother woefully. Ian rubs his sister’s upper arm reassuringly, his gaze averted from his parents and firmly placed on the grand piano.

When John returns to the dining room, Oskar has just finished pouring a cup of tea that he sits with a saucer on the table. He also takes a small, separate plate of English biscuits from his serving cart and sets them beside the cup.

Oskar inclines his head to the magician as he passes. “I hope Earl Gray is to your liking, Mr. Kelley. Can I offer you milk and sugar?” 
 

“Please and thank you, Oskar,” John replied, waiting for the Shaw’s family butler to settle his tea and leave before he began to center himself.

The Shaw’s home was the most opulent residence he had ever been in. Yes, the palatial Gilded Age “summer cottages” that surrounded Salve Regina’s campus were equally awe inspiring but they were not lived in. As museums, they lacked the feeling of a home. The Shaw’s home had that feeling — even if he could sense the sorrow that hung in the atmosphere there.

A Kelley’s as good as any man, he reminded himself, invoking his factory-worker grandfather’s maxim in a vain attempt to make him feel like he could belong here.

He had been welcomed here, he reminded himself as he struggled to center himself in advance of his ritual. He was not just here as an interloper brought in to perform a service for the family — although that was the primary reason he was there. He was here as Emi’s boyfriend and, as a side effect of the Work he was to do, to meet her mother.

No pressure.

John paced the floor of the dining room, waiting for Emi and her father to arrive. Everything was in place. The Orb of Algazelus, sitting in a shielded, teak box on the dining room table, was charged and aligned, ready to be used to bring Mrs. Margaret Shaw back from her psychological exile. He was wearing the shirt that his sister and Jeffery had picked out (He wanted to make a good first impression on his future…on Mrs. Shaw.). He had reviewed the magics he would be wielding and felt certain he understood them all — or at least as well as anyone living did. His items were in his coat pockets, in case something went wrong and he needed to improvise.

The ring he was almost certain would someday be the symbol of his promise to Emi was in his pocket — just to make certain it was not accidentally found by the staff while he was at work.

However long that would be.

All of that preparation, however, could not mask the enormity of what he was about to attempt from him. He was about to attempt something that no one else had accomplished using a potentially dangerous spell that had not been tried in centuries and had not succeeded in about a millennium.

No one else had succeeded using their approaches. Not Eidolon — Mr. Shaw, the unimaginably powerful psychic who loved her. Not Debonair — generally acknowledged the greatest living magician in the world (John conceded he had not confirmed that such an attempt had been made by Debonair but Mr. Shaw did not seem like a man who would leave that option on the table for this many years.).

He — John Kelley, sometimes known as Dee — would now make the attempt to heal Mrs. Margaret Shaw.

No pressure, he thought, glancing out the window.

The street in Knightsbridge had been decked out for the holidays, even if the house was not. He watched the couples and families traveling to holiday parties. Someone’s husband checked a gift bag as he laughed at something someone said on his cell phone. From somewhere in the distance, he could hear the sound of carolers.

His sense of  déjà vu  was immediate. He had seen this moment before — when he and Emi were sitting in Iron Station investigating Cassie Wood/Bordreaux. He had looked forward to this moment when the thought about the ring he carried in his pocket because it seemed appropriate that it be present at this event.

He stopped. The synchonistic alignment was palatable. Whatever happened this day, he was in the correct place at the correct time.

It wasn’t a guarantee that he would succeed and successfully navigate the potential dangers ahead of him. But it did feel like the universe was tipping its hand a little.

He was meant to be here.

He was meant to do this.

And with that thought, an unknown anxiety lifted from him. His life need not be an unending cycle of destruction and conflict throughout all the years that lay before him.

While struggles would occur, he could help.

He could heal.

He could — and would — make this world (and perhaps others worlds after this one was gone) a better place for those who lived there.

That was a great comfort, he thought, and gently smiled as he heard the two of them approaching.

“Mr. Kelley:” Mr. Shaw announced as he and Emi entered the room. “You wished to see the two of us in private before your attempt.”

It was a statement. He might have shown a hint of vulnerability in the presence of his stricken wife, but the Shaw reserve had almost entirely returned. He was all business but even his vaunted self-control could not fully mask his anxiety, hinted at by a tension around his eyes, at the moment. For over a decade, he had lost his wife and labored to return her with little more than hope to support him — hope and, unless John missed his mark, the need to return a much loved mother to her children. He had exhausted his own considerable powers in the task and had brought in some of the most powerful beings on the planet to help.

Now, Mr. Shaw was risking everything on him.

Emi was easier to read. She shared much of her father’s self control but the time John and she had spent together — the bond they had been forging over the last few months — allowed John to see her hopes, fears, her suffering at seeing her mother so afflicted, and, most intimidating of all, the trust she was investing in him.

“Yes,” John replied as calmly as he could. “Thank you for permitting this audience. I know how anxious both of you are for me to get started. But I would ask one more thing of the two of you before I begin.”

“While you may be new at this,” Mr. Shaw observed, “I fear you are already as bad as Debonair when it comes to explaining the situation. Please tell us directly what you need us to do, Mr. Kelley.”

John smiled ruefully. “It must be a skill embedded in magical training.” He reached into his inner jacket pocket and drew out the photograph of Emi and her mother from before the charity performance fifteen years before — the photograph he had found just before he and Emi had their second date on the roof of the West Side Base.

He wasn’t sure if anyone else would count the tea on the borders of his mind but he certainly did.

“The dates you have provided me have given me several anchor points for my work within the Orb of Algazelus. In addition to those, I would like to use this moment as an anchor point within me. In order for me to do that, however, I will need the two of you to project your memory of this moment on June 8th, 2007 to me as best you can. It does not have to be a fully shared memory, where I feel your emotional responses to the day’s events. Indeed, it would be best if it were not — although I suspect a certain amount of that will leak through.

“I’m attempting to place myself in the moment — as if  I  had been there rather than becoming either of you as you were then and there. Between the two of you, I believe I will be able to form a construct of the event.”

He slid the picture back into his coat pocket. “I am sorry if it feels forward of me to ask this, but I am certain it will help.”

He reached up to the back of his neck.

Be not afraid, the hymn he had sung in many Masses went. I go before you always.

“It will require certain things of me as well. Do not be alarmed if I react somewhat over dramatically. From the research I have done, that is to be expected as I will be focusing my efforts inward.”

He smiled a little sheepishly and shrugged. “Some of my teammates might quip that the only question is whether overdramatic reactions are an occupational hazard or a personal trait akin to liking the sound of my own voice.”

He hoped the levity and half-apology for not following Mr. Shaw’s injunction would lighten the mood for them — even if the Shaw reserve prevented him from knowing for sure.

He wished it had for him.

He unclasped the chain which had stayed around his neck since its creation here in London months before.

“It requires me to open myself to you so that I can be more fully there. I trust the two of you to not go snooping round while the Amulet is off. After all, the eighth grade is in there somewhere and no one wants to see something like that.

“If the two of you are ready?”

Mr. Shaw’s nod was brief and businesslike.

He didn’t dare look at Emi.

He removed his Amulet.

“Then let’s begin.”

John’s knees buckled as the Shaws’ combined memories hit him. The space he had set aside in his mental palace quickly filled as he sorted through their images, combining them into a model of the event. Sifting through those memories, he layered them with the other pieces of research he had done — the newspaper reports he had read, the music on the playbill he had listened to, the online street views of the venue. Combined with the photograph, he was able to form a pseudo-memory in which he hovered, translucent behind the photographer.

The room and its contents were unstable — insubstantial and flickering. But they would hold long enough for him to complete his work. He glanced outside his palace, into the space beyond. Dimly, he could see father and daughter, hovering outside the French doors that led into the space he had set aside.

They were drawing closer, pulled toward the echo of their own memories.

“I have it,” he said, drawing the curtains and dragging his mind back to the mundane world as he re-clasped his Amulet around his neck. “Thank you.”

He stood and offered the two of them as comforting a smile as he could manage. “With that last bit of melodrama complete, I believe I am ready to begin my work.”

He reached for the box, hoping he was as ready as he felt. “If the two of you will excuse me.”
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence- Dining Room 
As John closes the door behind him to rejoin Mrs. Shaw and Ian in the lounge, Emi steps closer to her father. Though she has her mental barriers in place to keep her emotions from leaking out, Mr. Shaw can still feel her apprehension, though he does note that she’s placed an additional bubble of protection around the lounge to prevent those feelings from reaching the occupants.

 Come here, Emi,  he says, pulling his daughter into a rare embrace. He can feel some of her tension leave her as she lets out a deep breath and her arms wrap around him.  He’s given us assurances many times. Even if the spell doesn’t work, your mother will be okay. But I believe that it will. I believe that once he’s done, your mother will remember all of us.  

Emi is silent for a moment after a barely perceptible nod.  I’m so happy to hear you say that, but that’s not all that I’m worried about. John has given us assurances about mum, yes. But what about himself?  He was always careful to say that  she  will be okay. What if the spell backlashes? What if something happens to him? 
 Then we’ll deal with it,  Mr. Shaw replies. He’d also noticed the young magician’s deliberate guarantees. In response, Debonair had been briefed on the situation, and was only a text away if something catastrophic happened.  But that isn’t something to dwell on. It will be okay, Emi. 
 Cafe Rosalie 

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 He blushed a bit at the compliment. "T-thanks. My roommate helped me decide on it.” 
 

“Is your roommate one of those guys you were at the mall with?” Hope asks curiously.


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 "He has good taste, and would love to see some of his work. Been thinking about another for a while now." Yeah..... not to mention the odd one that just appeared on me. "What inspired yours? If you don't mind me asking." 
 

“That’s easy,” Hope says as she takes off her jacket to show Keith  her left arm  where a delicate phoenix, charms, flowers, and ribbons wind their way up from her wrist to her neck. “His name is Luke Mercer— he owns Infernal Ink. He doesn’t have a style that he specializes in, so he’s pretty good at everything. He’s actually how I got a job at Code Black,” she continues, shrugging back into her jacket. “His dad owns the place. As for inspiration, I just wanted something kinda dainty with some Korean influence and he drew this up for me. Nothing I have is super meaningful; I just like art.”

The waiter returns with their drinks and the  crab beignets , but heads back into the kitchen before they can order.

Hope unrolls her silverware and transfers a fritter to a small plate. “I’ve only been here the one time, but I remember really liking it.”

 Barron Street 
Aria gives the rat a thin smile before she continues to the front door. She knocks using the heavy iron door knocker and it’s only a few seconds before a heavyset man in his late twenties opens the door.

He eyes Aria appreciatively as he leans into the doorway. “Think you got the wrong house,  cher . But if you’re looking for a good time, I guess I could help you out.”

“I’m here to see Mirko,” Aria replies flatly.

The gangbanger’s tune changes in an instant. He moves from the door, muttering an apology. “He’s upstairs. Stairs on the left, last room on the right.”

“Thanks,” she says as she walks past him into the house. The smell of stale beer hits Nightgaunt’s nose as Aria passes quickly through the house and mounts the stairs. She makes her way confidently to the room the gangster had indicated, and pauses to knock on the door.

From the building across the street, Redline watches as Aria makes her way past the door guard. A few minutes later, he spots a figure silhouetted in the window of the leftmost bedroom upstairs that moves into the room and out of sight.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence- Dining Room 
As John closes the door behind him to rejoin Mrs. Shaw and Ian in the lounge, Emi steps closer to her father. Though she has her mental barriers in place to keep her emotions from leaking out, Mr. Shaw can still feel her apprehension, though he does note that she’s placed an additional bubble of protection around the lounge to prevent those feelings from reaching the occupants.

 Come here, Emi,  he says, pulling his daughter into a rare embrace. He can feel some of her tension leave her as she lets out a deep breath and her arms wrap around him.  He’s given us assurances many times. Even if the spell doesn’t work, your mother will be okay. But I believe that it will. I believe that once he’s done, your mother will remember all of us.  

Emi is silent for a moment after a barely perceptible nod.  I’m so happy to hear you say that, but that’s not all that I’m worried about. John has given us assurances about mum, yes. But what about himself?  He was always careful to say that  she  will be okay. What if the spell backlashes? What if something happens to him? 
 Then we’ll deal with it,  Mr. Shaw replies. He’d also noticed the young magician’s deliberate guarantees. In response, Debonair had been briefed on the situation, and was only a text away if something catastrophic happened.  But that isn’t something to dwell on. It will be okay, Emi.  
 

“Hello again, Mrs. Shaw,” John said, sitting down across from Emi’s mother as Ian left the room. “Thank you again for being willing to see me today. As Mr. Shaw said, my name is John Kelley and I’ve been told you may be able to help me solve a little puzzle. I was hoping you would be willing to help me because, if we solve it, we’ll find a prize at the end. Does that sound okay to you?”

John gauged the effect of the Orb on Mrs. Shaw. Even within its box, the metaphysical twin (for the lack of a better term) began to tug at her, exerting a kind of fascination as the echo of her life — her complete life — called to her. He could sense the curse begin to divide itself as it tried to simultaneously exert its power over the real and simulated Mrs. Shaw.

But the Orb remained under his protection, even as the curse tried to extend its dominion over two identities at once.

“So you said,” she replied as she nodded somewhat distantly. “What kind of puzzle is it?” Mrs. Shaw asked him curiously as she turned another blank page as if she hoped to find the answer there. “It must be a strange sort of puzzle if I can assist you with it and it lead to a prize.”

One yes.

“It is,” he assured her, placing the wooden box between them, looked at her, and smiled. “That’s not the puzzle. It’s inside. It’s one of the strangest puzzles you’re likely to ever see.”

He turned the box so the clasp faced her.

“Would you like to open it for us or shall I do the honors?”

There was the briefest hint of the bemused smile he had seen Emi give him on those occasions when she wondered if her boyfriend was really as out of touch as he seemed before it faded back into the blank expression Mrs. Shaw had worn before.

But even so, she stet down her book as the Orb, attuned so intimately to her, called. Mrs. Shaw reached out and opened the box for them.

Two yeses.

She looked down in the box and her impassivity turned to puzzlement. “It’s a stone,” she observed quietly. “How odd. It almost seems…friendly.”

“It is, Mrs. Shaw,” he replied, “after a fashion. It’s an uncut diamond.”

She looked up sharply — the most rapid movement he had seen her make thus far — before the curse clamped down on her, reasserting itself. “A surprisingly large one,” she said faintly.

“Indeed,” John replied with a smile as he removed it from the box and placed it in the palm of her right hand — the one she held her violin’s bow with. “If we do this correctly, it will look rather different in a moment.”

He placed his hands beneath her’s and folded them together, enclosing the Orb of Algazelus within them.

“Shall we begin?”

The touch of the Orb seemed to strengthen her.

“Yes, Mr. Kelley,” she said with a familiar air of amusement — an air she shared with both her husband and her daughter. “I believe I am.”

Three yeses.

The Orb pulsed in response.

She looked down in surprise.

John sensed a snarl as the curse failed to counter the his power and the power of the Orb.

He pressed their hands together.

Mrs. Shaw quietly gasped at the sound of crystalline cracking coming from between her hands as the solid diamond broke apart.

John focused his third eye and, looping his thumbs onto the edges of her palms, drew them open.

The pieces of the Orb floated up, expanding into a swirling cloud of glittering shards that filled the space between them. Some began to glint with an inner light, causing others to glitter while the remainder continued dull and grey.

One, however, was black as pitch.

“Now close your eyes and focus, Mrs. Shaw,” John noted as they began to disassociate from time, folding themselves entirely within her life’s timeline — anchored to the present but open to the past. And, just as importantly, the activation of the Orb unmoored the curse from its anchors in the mundane world.

“The pieces of the puzzle will respond to your thoughts,” John explained. “Just like any other puzzle, all we need to do is put the pieces back together.”

Of course, most puzzles did not have more than 16,330 pieces to assemble in a 4-D matrix. But like anyone experienced with puzzles, John knew how to begin to impose order on the jumbled chaos of a puzzle that had been dumped out of its box: Build the border and fill in towards the center, following patterns as they emerged.

This puzzle was a little different, of course. But he had made sure to enchant the equivalent of a border within it and had taken the trouble, a few moments ago, to attune himself to one piece in particular.

That word again.

He felt the box in his pocket, resting against his leg.

Focus, John.

He nudged the crystals, setting the shard attuned to 19 September 1976 in the middle of the sphere with the one for 30 September close by. The other most obvious piece — because it vibrated with his own presence — was today. He placed that opposite the first, leaving plenty of room between them to work.

Some pieces began to drift towards the ones he had placed of their own accord, tugged by their sympathy in time.

A look of wonder crossed Mrs. Shaw’s face as she recognized that she could move the shards as well and, more than that, could sense where they belonged. Several of those from the beginning of her life followed and locked themselves into place.

John had been glad to learn he hadn’t needed to memorize the list of dates Mr. Shaw had provided him. The work he had done to the Orb made them stand out — both via his third eye and their willingness to shift into their relative position within the framework of Mrs. Shaw’s life as other pieces moved.

Even with that framework, however, it would have been slow going — perhaps taking days or months or years to assemble the pieces in the proper order. But long ago, Algazelus — or some Islamic magician (perhaps a student writing under his master’s name) — had noted in the margins of a grimoire that the capacity of crystals to respond to vibration could perhaps be employed if they could be made to vibrate sympathetically.

And music was, at its most fundamental level, a vibration.

He sought out the shard for June 8th, 2007 — the portion that contained the Classical Gala where she and Emi had played, drawing on the false memory he had constructed in his mental palace — a space that had attuned him to that  particular  date.

That word again.

It glittered when he brushed against it, responding to the memory he had built up from Mr. Shaw’s and Emi’s recollections.

He listened.

He heard the music.

He took a deep breath, and set the vibration of Mrs. Shaw’s violin in both directions along her timeline from that moment.

Like iron filings on a piece of paper responding to the appearance of a magnet beneath them, the shards began to align themselves. It took little more than a nudge to cause them to begin to assemble themselves.

Everything before 20 August 2010 began to rapidly come together.

Strangely, the time after Mrs. Shaw’s mental break appeared to be simpler work. Something about the break had rendered it less complex — perhaps because of the emotional rift it had created her friends and family. That severing of a lifetime of connections had rendered it surprisingly straightforward to trace.

Mrs. Shaw was beginning to move through those more rapidly, although she often returned to dates before the break. Although he couldn’t be certain, John sensed that the dates that she started with corresponded to those he had seen in her diary.

Other portions of the sphere began to coalesce as the two of them worked, drawn by a kind of temporal gravity towards the larger clusters of dates and times they were associated with. “You’re doing quite well, Mrs. Shaw. You have a real talent for this,” John complimented as he continued to trace the thread of the performance back to pieces associated with Emi and Ian’s births. As he mentally reached for one, Mrs. Shaw seized it and snapped it into place. John wanted to protest that that had been his piece but he reminded himself that they were all her’s and they truly only shared one shard on the outermost edge of the Orb.

And those moments — those moments of her lifetime — would only increase in number if he was successful.

His hope that her vulnerability to magic could be turned to his advantage had been correct and his choice to capitalize on it was paying off. The same susceptibility she shared with her daughter meant she could, under the power of his spell, more easily access the shards before her than would normally be expected. And as a result, Mrs. Shaw, drawn in sympathy to the harmonics her music had created, was reassembling the timeline of her life rapidly — rapidly enough that any work he did would only interfere.

That left one thing for him to do before she completed the puzzle.

The difficult and dangerous thing.

The reason he was here.

John focused his third eye on the pitch black shard that was the moment of her break on 20 August 2010.

He did not know what awful thing had happened there.

He did not need to know.

He did not  want  to know.

Okay, maybe he  wanted  to know.

But knowing risked inspire a host of emotions in him — emotions that would cloud his perspective and hinder his work.

Curiosity might literally kill, he noted as the fragments beneath their Work slowly rotated so that they aimed at him.

He just needed to repair it.

John saw with more than just his eyes as he focused on the crystal.

In his mind’s eye, he reimagined the diamond shard as a crystal vial that held a dark, viscous liquid the color of congealed blood.

He pushed away the memory of the Homunculus. John reminded himself that he was working on a date in 2010. The Homunculus would not be out of its container for years to come.

He began to test the shard, looking for the correct point to turn and open it.

From the tabletop, one of the dull, grey fragments of the diamond — the detritus that would not be used and was not associated with Mrs. Shaw’s lifeline, floated up at his command, opening itself to receive and contain the taint.

The blackened shard twitched and jerked as its topmost point turned, opening at his command.

The demonic energy within that fueled the curse growled, attempting to frighten him with its power.

An amused smile played about his lips. He had dealt with demons before and, thanks to his Amulet and his experience, he did not fear them.

John’s brows furrowed with curiosity as the curse sought purchase on him, seeking psychic energies he was familiar with but was not calling on as he addressed the curse.

No, he recognized as he tipped the shard. It wasn’t just a curse.

It was a trap.

The viscous liquid began to ooze like frozen maple syrup, dangling towards the shard that did not belong to her life.

It clung to the sides of the crystal, ineffectively resisting his Enochian-based magic.

It had been hardened against traditional magics but not his. And why would it be? He was one of only a handful of such practitioners that had ever existed.

In addition, he noted as the curse failed to slip out of his control, it had been specifically targeted at someone else.

The image of Mr. Alastair Shaw presented itself as the curse reached out to strengthen itself.

John scribed, countering the curse’s efforts and probing at its edges.

Emi was counting on him.

The growl shifted from a threat to frustration and then to fear and pain as he turned the energies it meant for him back upon itself.

The pattern of the curse crystallized as he broke its resistance. It had initially clouded Mrs. Shaw’s memory — lightly effecting her but set to be triggered by the presence an overpowering psychic force, redirecting it to snapped her connection with reality.

Each time he tried to help, Mr. Shaw would magnify its effect.

Cunning and effective against Mr. Shaw, he thought.

But not against him.

John drew upon his power, whispering in Angelical as he scribed. He willed the full force of the magics he  wielded against the darkness.

The viscous liquid loosened, flowed, and drained from the crystal into the shard that would bind it.

The taint was gone.

The crystal remained intact and the echo of a psychic vibration within it began to fade — one akin to what he had sensed in Emi and Mr. Shaw and yet unlike them both.

One he thought he might have encountered before.

The shard that had accepted it descended into the rest of the detritus. The darkness, disassociated from the life that it had fed upon, began to fade.

Focus, John. Who did this to her was a mystery for another time.

Here and now, it was time to complete the ritual.

He had no sense of how long that had taken him, but when his attention came back to the larger puzzle, the two halves of Mrs. Shaw’s life were complete.

She was watching him and the crystal he had cleansed., She appeared stronger and remained detached but curious.

That look of curiosity was something he had seen on Emi’s face.

He smiled gently as he nudged the crystal up into position between the two parts of her life.

The two halves began to glow.

“Would you be so kind as to do the honors?” John asked Mrs. Shaw, his voice humming with the power he was channeling.

She returned his gentle smile, a puzzled look on her face as if she were trying to remember something.

The two halves and the cleansed shard came together with an audible click and the light blazed into incandescence as her past re-linked itself to her present and the Orb lowered itself into her waiting hands.

John closed them, waiting for the light to fade and the spell to finish releasing its healing magic and shifting them fully back into the common time stream.

He took a deep breath, straightening his shoulders. He looked up, and smiled at Mrs. Shaw — whose eyes had widened with recollection.

“Mrs. Shaw, I presume?” John asked in a fatigued voice as he opened her hands and glanced down at the glorious marquise cut diamond within her hands. “Please permit me to re-introduce myself: John Kelley, late of Providence, Rhode Island and Iron Station, Louisiana. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The diamond was now about half the size of the stone they had started with — some of it having fallen away and the rest being consumed to fuel the spell. Still, it remained about the size of Cullinan V. Its size and coloration would be more than enough to make a splash if she wished to wear it in public.

It’s blue hue echoed her eyes, he thought abstractly.

He hoped his shirt, which Emi, Kate, and Jeffery said picked up the color of his eyes, was making a good impression.

The race was on, he thought, to see if it would be her husband, her son, or her future son-in-law who set it in a necklace or a brooch for her.

Just this once, he would let the presumption of the title slide uncorrected.

Slipping his hands out from underneath hers, John directed the detritus back into the box with a simple motion of his hand. The fragments of diamonds would lose their association with her relatively quickly but the box, with its contrary astrological patterns on each of the six interior facings, would accelerate that process, shifting what would require days into mere minutes.

He smiled at Mrs. Shaw. “There are some people who are looking forward to seeing you again. Shall I call them for you?

“Of course,” he conceded with a small shrug and a half roll of his eyes, “knowing who they are, they likely are already aware of your return.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“Is your roommate one of those guys you were at the mall with?” Hope asks curiously. 
 

Keith shakes his head. “We do all kinda live together, but this one wasn’t there. He was out of town visiting family at the time.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “That’s easy,” Hope says as she takes off her jacket to show Keith  her left arm  where a delicate phoenix, charms, flowers, and ribbons wind their way up from her wrist to her neck. “His name is Luke Mercer— he owns Infernal Ink. He doesn’t have a style that he specializes in, so he’s pretty good at everything. He’s actually how I got a job at Code Black,” she continues, shrugging back into her jacket. “His dad owns the place. As for inspiration, I just wanted something kinda dainty with some Korean influence and he drew this up for me. Nothing I have is super meaningful; I just like art.”

The waiter returns with their drinks and the  crab beignets , but heads back into the kitchen before they can order.

Hope unrolls her silverware and transfers a fritter to a small plate. “I’ve only been here the one time, but I remember really liking it.” 
 

Keith’s eyes widen as she takes off her jacket and he sees the tattoo. The line work was superb and the shading on it stood out well. Even the color of the phoenix felt like it could hop off her arm and start flying around for a moment.

“That is gorgeous!” Heis eyes full of awe.  Fitting for someone as alluring as….. Keith shut up. Be normal for once in your ****ed life.  He looked back up at her a bit sheepishly.

“Kinda wish I had a good picture of mine. It takes up a good bit of my back, though part of it does stick out above the necks of my shirts.” He turns a bit and lifts his hair to show the bit peaking out.

“That’s awesome that he managed to help you get the job. So, just a fan of the Korean aesthetic or any particular mythos?”

He smiles softly at the comment about her just liking the art. “Art is the best expression of the soul. Mine has a lot of meaning to me, though it’s more a reminder that we are who we will be. It's odd since I can't see it all the time, but it does remind me of the path I've walked.”

Keith thanked the waiter as he brought out the drinks and appetizer, and watched as he hurried off. It seemed normal as busy as the place was.

He also unrolled the silver and placed the napkin in his lap. Some old habits are coming back, it seemed.

“Ah, I get that. There was a place like this a bit where me and my uncle stopped after a business trip of his. Only ever ate there the once but it was great.”

He thought for a moment. It was probably safe to mention some background. “We actually moved around a lot when I was growing up, so finding good places to eat became a bit of a passtime.” He shrugged. “Think that may be why I always got into reading. MAde everything seem like a massive adventure as well.”
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
“They are,” Mrs. Shaw says with wistful smile to the door as it opens. Tears form in her eyes as Mr. Shaw enters. “Alistair,” she says, covering her mouth with her hands.

At the sound of his name, Mr. Shaw gives his wife a tender, delighted smile. “I’ve waited so long to hear you say that again.”

John can feel something pass between them as the psychic crosses the room. Mrs. Shaw attempts to stand, but her atrophied muscles refuse to support her. Though John had healed her mentally, over ten years of limited motion had taken its toll.

Behind them, Emi and Ian follow. Emi gazes at her mother, so animated and alive compared to only an hour ago, then looks to John.  You’re amazing, John,  she projects to him while her brother once against returns to his spot near the door to observe  his family with a light, relieved grin on his face.  You did something that we believed was impossible. Thank you so much.  

Mrs. Shaw’s tears spill over as her husband once again takes a knee at her chair. He offers her a cotton handkerchief from inside his jacket that she readily uses to wipe her eyes.

“Thank you, darling,” Mrs. Shaw says. She looks over her husband’s shoulder and spots her children and swallows more emotion. Her gaze moves back to Mr. Shaw. “Help me stand, my love. I need to hug everyone.”

“That would be hard from your chair,” Mr. Shaw quips back as he takes her hand and stands, gently pulling her up with him. He supports her with his powers as she reaches out to Emi.

“Emi. You look beautiful, dear,” she says as she pulls her daughter into an embrace. “I’m sorry it took me so long to come back.”

Emi hugs her mother back tightly as silent tears stream down her face.

After a few moments, Mrs. Shaw smiles over at her son, beckoning him over with one hand. “You too, Ian.”

Emi steps back as Ian gives his mother a faux exasperated smile and shifts off the wall. “I was letting dad and Emi say hello again first is all.”

“Of course,” she replies as she takes Ian by the elbows and looks him up and down. “You’ve grown so much.”

Ian pulls his mother into a hug and then opens one arm, inviting Emi back so that the three of them can share the embrace.

Mr. Shaw moves to stand beside John, watching as his family reconnects.  Thank you,  he says simply to the magician.

 Cafe Rosalie 

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 Keith shakes his head. “We do all kinda live together, but this one wasn’t there. He was out of town visiting family at the time.” 
 

Keith’s answer makes Hope’s eyes widen slightly. “You live with  all  those guys? That’s a lot of dudes.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 Keith’s eyes widen as she takes off her jacket and he sees the tattoo. The line work was superb and the shading on it stood out well. Even the color of the phoenix felt like it could hop off her arm and start flying around for a moment.

“That is gorgeous!
…
“That’s awesome that he managed to help you get the job. So, just a fan of the Korean aesthetic or any particular mythos?”” 
 

“Thank you,” Hope replies as she cuts into her crab fritter. “I’m super happy with it.”

She takes a small bite and smiles at the taste. “I’m actually a quarter Korean. My grandma is from Geoje, in South Korea. So she’s always had a lot of art around that had this kind of aesthetic and I’ve always liked it.”

“Was your dad military?” she asks. “Mine was. I started reading when I was a kid because I thought it was a waste of time to try to make friends when I knew we would move in a year or two. It kind of terrible, but I was glad when he was discharged after an injury— after he was healed up, of course,” she adds, as her cheeks heat in embarrassment. “Obviously, I didn’t want my dad to get hurt, but at twelve I’d realized that him getting discharged would mean that we could finally stay in one place for a while.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
“They are,” Mrs. Shaw says with wistful smile to the door as it opens. Tears form in her eyes as Mr. Shaw enters. “Alistair,” she says, covering her mouth with her hands.

At the sound of his name, Mr. Shaw gives his wife a tender, delighted smile. “I’ve waited so long to hear you say that again.”

John can feel something pass between them as the psychic crosses the room. Mrs. Shaw attempts to stand, but her atrophied muscles refuse to support her. Though John had healed her mentally, over ten years of limited motion had taken its toll.

Behind them, Emi and Ian follow. Emi gazes at her mother, so animated and alive compared to only an hour ago, then looks to John.  You’re amazing, John,  she projects to him while her brother once against returns to his spot near the door to observe  his family with a light, relieved grin on his face.  You did something that we believed was impossible. Thank you so much.   
 

The sight of Emi in her joy was enough to all but overwhelm John and time seemed to pause for a moment as her eyes found him.

Even at this distance, he could feel himself falling into them and he realized he could not even manage to say ‘Hi’ at the sight of her.

 I…you…you’re welcome, Emi. I’m happy I could make your life a little better. 

 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Mrs. Shaw’s tears spill over as her husband once again takes a knee at her chair. He offers her a cotton handkerchief from inside his jacket that she readily uses to wipe her eyes.

“Thank you, darling,” Mrs. Shaw says. She looks over her husband’s shoulder and spots her children and swallows more emotion. Her gaze moves back to Mr. Shaw. “Help me stand, my love. I need to hug everyone.”

“That would be hard from your chair,” Mr. Shaw quips back as he takes her hand and stands, gently pulling her up with him. He supports her with his powers as she reaches out to Emi.

“Emi. You look beautiful, dear,” she says as she pulls her daughter into an embrace. “I’m sorry it took me so long to come back.”

Emi hugs her mother back tightly as silent tears stream down her face.

After a few moments, Mrs. Shaw smiles over at her son, beckoning him over with one hand. “You too, Ian.”

Emi steps back as Ian gives his mother a faux exasperated smile and shifts off the wall. “I was letting dad and Emi say hello again first is all.”

“Of course,” she replies as she takes Ian by the elbows and looks him up and down. “You’ve grown so much.”

Ian pulls his mother into a hug and then opens one arm, inviting Emi back so that the three of them can share the embrace.

Mr. Shaw moves to stand beside John, watching as his family reconnects.  Thank you,  he says simply to the magician. 
 

 I’m only too happy to have been able to help, Mr. Shaw. Thank you again for trusting me with the Work. 

“You’ll be wanting some time alone to reconnect,” John observed with a weary smile as a the faintest hint of his grandparents’ speech patterns crept into his speech. “And I could use a cuppa tea. If you’ll excuse me.”

Taking the box with him, he glanced back at the happy family, noting with some contentment that the diamond lay on the table, ignored in the outpouring of familial love.

———

John was still smiling gently as he sipped his tea, basking in the glow of his success as he centered himself after the ordeal he had passed through. While the ritual stretched his abilities, his preparation and skill had made it more successful than anyone had a right to expect.

He ran the shortcut that sent the message “Successful in London” to Montcrieff, Seraph, Harbinger, and the FPO and deleted the message he had drafted in case things had not gone as well.

Now, he concluded as he looked down into his cup and studied the subtle differences in color where the milk and tea had mixed unevenly, there was only one thing to determine about Mrs. Shaw’s case (The interview with Mr. Shaw and his  particular  question for Emi, of course, remained as well.). Who had made a deal with a demon to curse Mrs. Shaw in a manner that laid a trap for Mr. Shaw. He conceded that it was a subtle plan — worthy of a true adversary to the Shaws. The malice of the plan was also striking, layering the guilt of being the instrument of his wife’s destruction on top of the destruction itself.

Whoever it was was dangerous and there was a risk that they would return — a risk he needed to mitigate.

The similarity to the psychic profile of the Shaws — as well as the power required — hinted at a familial connection, which would certainly make it a more intense rivalry.

He frowned slightly. Given how tightly Mr. Shaw and Myriad had locked down Mrs. Shaw and her condition, tracking down who was responsible would take some doing. Still, he thought as he raised his hand to take a sip of the tea, there were some obvious places to start. After all, how many powerful psychics associated with demons could there be in the world?

John froze, the tea not quite reaching his lips as his face fell and the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

Emi’s hair and skin darkened in the dream.

He set the teacup gently back on to its saucer as he recalled the conversation from their first date on the borders of his mind. At the mention of Vibrato, any humor or enjoyment of the conversation drained out of Emi’s face. She accepted the second cup of tea, leaned back in her chair, and she sipped at it, not even bothering to add cream and sugar. Once he was done with his explanation of what had happened to Sidney, she set her teacup down on its saucer, and fixed him with a much more serious gaze than before. “I can most likely help. It won’t be easy; Vibrato is not gentle with her victims.”

As Vibrato had been ungentle with Sidney, someone had been ungentle with Mrs. Shaw, he thought as he set the teacup on the table and drew his phone out of his pocket.

“I feel like I owe it to Vibrato’s victims to try and help them,” Emi had also explained to him as she looked down at the table. “As one of the few people that could possibly make them normal again, it’s almost like my responsibility, my duty, to them.”

He had been able to help Sidney, untrained though he was, by countering Vibrato’s control of her. And his instinct on how to counter  specifically  Vibrato’s work would have hinted that he might be able to instinctually and intellectually find a way to counter what she had done to Mrs. Shaw, making him the right tool for the job.

It was another hint from his dream.

And, of course, there was her  nom de guerre .

Vibrato: Noun. A pulsating effect based on small but rapid variations in pitch.  It was an effect easily produced on a violin.

Could she be a sister or half-sister — of even the third of triplets rather than twins? Could she be an aunt or cousin who shared in Mr. Shaw’s power? Could she be the Emi-equivalent from a parallel universe where heroes were villains? A cloning experiment gone wrong?

Too little data and too many possibilities.

“Clea:” he swiped into the phone’s secure communication channel, not trusting himself to speak. “Overlay an image of Vibrato with Emi.”

“Our  particular  friend may not be amused to find you comparing her to other women,” Clea teased via text as she aligned a known picture of Vibrato with one of the ones he had taken with Emi. “What would possess you to….

“Oh.

“Oh, dear.”

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” John cursed under his breath as he glanced at the closed doors that led to the Shaws and listened for Oskar.

“You do seem to have a knack for this kind of thing, don’t you, Mark Two?”

Did  everyone  associated with Iron Station have a familial skeleton in their closet? At this stage, he wondered how much should he worry about his own family.

He looked up sharply at the thought and, with a shake of his head, chuckled to himself.  He  was the end result of his family’s secret, John reminded himself — one so well hidden that he was the only one who knew.

It was an open secret easily found in the history books but only apparent if you knew the right question to ask.

“Synchronicity, I guess,” he conceded to Clea quietly. “It’s easily confused with Doom or Dharma at times. But in this case, synchronicity seems the most likely. I need extended family profiles on Mr. Shaw — known siblings and any meta relatives. Keep it quiet.”

“Mum’s the word,” Clea assured him.

 
 Spoiler: Meanwhile, at AEGIS: CIty of London 
Agent Montcrieff remained unsure if she was more relieved by his brief message that all was well or more irritated that his watch had recorded that Kelley had shifted in time once again. In fairness, his expansion of the AEGIS briefing material on the Orb of Algazelus (which Clea had released just moments ago) indicated its use was likely to produce temporal distortions — which was not quite the same as time travel.

She rapidly came to the conclusion that, despite the extra paperwork it would require to log, half an hour’s worth of temporal distortion was a minor thing, given what he had accomplished — even if she could not be certain who he had accomplished it with.

“Longer than a fortnight but still less than six months, Kelley,” she mused as her monitor chirped. “You certainly like to keep things interesting.”

Montcrieff leaned forward in her chair to read her partner’s latest top secret query as it was automatically logged and, per AEGIS standing monitoring protocol, forwarded to her for assessment.

“Lizzie…?”

“I see it, Agent Montcrieff. I probably don’t need to tell you that the information he is requesting is…”

“Classified above my security clearance. No, you don’t.”

She leaned back and sighed as she picked up her teacup. “He wouldn’t be asking this of Clea if he was looking into things for personal reasons — certainly not when he is likely in the Shaw’s house.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny Mark Two’s location at this time.”

“Of course not, Lizzie” Montcrieff said, waiving off her comment. “You don’t need to.

“But if he is asking in this manner, it means he is trying to keep his investigation from the Shaws rather than simply asking them. He’ll likely begin to investigate indirectly — looking for family pictures, obvious gifts on display, and the like. But if Eidolon is trying to keep a secret, he will be careful enough to not leave many, of any, hints of that sort for my partner to detect.

“That means he will be forced to ask Siren — or perhaps Esper, if he thinks he can take him more unawares with his questions. Within forty-eight hours, I would guess.”

She arched an eyebrow at one of the optical sensors as a wicked smile crossed her lips. “Unless, of course, a different question distracts him.”

“Do you really think he might ask her while he is there this weekend?” Lizzie inquired with an unusual hint of interest creeping into her voice.

“I can neither confirm nor deny that he might have a question for Siren in mind, Lizzie. Need-to-know and all.”

“Touché, Agent Montcrieff. Touché.”
 

If discovering a new branch of the Shaw family wasn’t enough, John recognized, he would have to watch Grayson carefully, given the potential complications it created..

No, he corrected himself as he picked his teacup back up. It was too soon to leap to such a conclusion. He needed to avoid the fallacy of believing Grayson responded to Emi the same way that he did. There was no guarantee that Grayson would always be struggling not to fall into Emi’s eyes — no matter how impossible it seemed to John that everyone on the planet would be subject to that risk.

And there was no way to guarantee that Grayson would seek out Vibrato and, in his emotional vulnerability, see in her the second chance at an opportunity that had been denied with Emi.

Nor, he had to admit as he placed his hand in his pocket and rested it on the box that contained his most precious hopes for the future, that he would not fall prey to such false hopes.

Vibrato was, after all, a very pretty lie — one that had the potential to make Valèdir an active threat once more.

And if Vibrato was intent on harming the Shaws, Grayson the friend was an obvious target for Vibrato to attempt. Valèdir’s identity would become plain as she tried to use her powers on him. In the face of such a threat, she might shift to other approaches to persuade him to join her cause.

“They wronged me as you have been wronged by them, Grayson,” he could hear her plead with him as she twisted the knife, “rejected by them. You can understand my need and now, I think, I can understand yours.”

John frowned, wondering if he was contingency planning or playing out his own vulnerabilities. He would need to consider that, as Emi’s boyfriend would be a potential pathway to revenge as well.

He hoped The Longshoreman’s reputation would be enough to insulate his own family as a secondary avenue for vengeance. Perhaps he should put them through a drill like Dad had done when he made them go over what to do in case of a fire while they were children.

Unlike Grayson, however, he was better prepared to face a psychic and demonic threat. He had been trained extensively on the latter and his knowledge of them was second only to experts like Dr. Rivera.

Yes, John concluded as he regarded his reflection in the dining table and sipped tea, Grayson needed to watched — more carefully than ever.
PK-Leon
 Ashford's 

 
 Originally Posted by Miguel 
 A chime rings and the man pulls his phone out of his pocket and reads a text. He then pushes himself off the wall and glances over to Izzy. “Be seein’ you, chica.”

The barista looks over with a smile as she steams some milk for another order. “Bye Miguel!”

“I gotta go. Urgent business matters,” Jesse says as he walks past Louis to the door. “Til next time. Don’t work too hard, ey, Delivery Boy.” 
 

Louis shrugs nonchalantly at the businessman as he departs the café. "Can't make any promises," he says with a half smile on his face.

His smile level out as the door closes behind "Miguel".  Streets won't run themselves afterall... 

The provisional hero casts his gaze through the front window of the cafe, watching the last of the morning's traffic trickle by before finally prying himself from his thoughts and returning to the consultation.


 
 Originally Posted by Raph 
 When Louis returns to their little pow-wow, the vampire leans forward and asks in a quiet tone "How do you know Blackout?" 
 

"I don't." His reply punctuated by the sound of his body making contact with his chair. He reconsiders his response. "Actually, it's probably more accurate to say that I  didn't  know that I  did , but now I do?"

Louis nods at his own assessment. "Yeah, let's go with that."

 Barron Street 

 From the building across the street, Redline watches as Aria makes her way past the door guard. A few minutes later, he spots a figure silhouetted in the window of the leftmost bedroom upstairs that moves into the room and out of sight. 

Redline looses a heavy sigh into the cool Autumn night as he lies flat along the rooftop in wait.

"Just another night at West Side, doing what other heroes don't." He mutters to himself. It wouldn't have been so bad if the temperature were more suitable for his stakeout but he imagined it was probably better than having to spend the night in warm bed with Mirko.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
About twenty minutes after John leaves them, Emi emerges from the lounge. Her eyes are red, but she has a bright smile on her face.

Her smile softens as she sees John, and she joins him at the table, standing by his chair. She leans down to kiss John’s cheek, resting her hand on his shoulder.

“How are you feeling?” she asks him.

 Barron Street 
“I was a little worried you weren’t gonna come,” Mirko says as he leans into the doorway. He looks carefully at her face, trying to see if he’d done any lasting damage to the Flower the last time he’d seen her. “I know I texted it to you, but I was havin’ a really bad ****in’ day last weekend.”

“We all have bad days,” Aria replies with a shrug, bobbing Nightgaunt up and down. “I had a little bruise, it wasn’t anything too bad. My boyfriend didn’t even notice.” Lies, Nightgaunt knows, but he can tell that she’s a good liar. The Dragonov doesn’t seem to notice the small change in her tone and cadence.

Mirko makes a noise of surprise as he moves out of the doorway. Springs squeak as he sits on the bed.

Aria follows, closing and locking the door behind her. The vampire is jostled as she sits her purse on the nightstand. “I can’t stay too long tonight,” she says as Nightgaunt hears her begin to undress. “Mark’s supposed to be home early.”

“**** ‘im,” Mirko retorts as he pulls her down on top of him. “Right now, you’re  mine .”

Sounds of pleasure and flesh fill the air once Aria eventually undresses Mirko.

…

“Bite me, baby,” Mirko demands between rhythmic creaks.

The tempo increases. “Harder,” he groans.

The scent of blood hits Nightgaunt’s nose as the Dragonov finishes. A few minutes later, the vampire hears the sound of Mirko shimmying back into his jeans.

“Where are you going?” Aria asks.

The balcony door opens. “Out for a smoke.”

Across the street, Redline waits for about an hour between Aria entering the building before there’s more movement that he can see in the upstairs bedroom.

Mirko emerges onto the balcony in only a pair of black jeans. He finds a pack of cigarettes on a small glass table between two chairs to the right of the door and pulls one out before tossing the pack back down.

A small blue flame illuminates just above his fingertip as he lights his smoke. He takes a drag and leans against the railing, looking down at the street below.

 
 Spoiler: Redline Notice TN 6 
Redline spots several drops of dark blood dripping down from Mirko’s right shoulder.
 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
 

John glanced at the doorway to where the Shaws were reacquainting themselves with one another As he began to pace. Given their powers, they could be spending days or weeks together within a psychic gathering, for all he knew. His date with Emi had been between the ticks of a clock but it also had been somewhat limited in length. He had no idea what someone as skilled and powerful as Mr. Shaw might be able to accomplish if he were to set up such a gathering.

He might have linked her past to her present, preserving the memories of her time under the power of the curse, but that would provide a framework for what had happened in their lives rather than providing a detailed account of the past decade of occurrences.

Add to that Emi’s sense that there was a lingering unreality to a psychically constructed that differed from the time he occasionally spent in one Otherworld or another, John suspected that the Shaws would want to spend at least some of their time in the Mundane world for this gathering.

How much time he would have to think through the implications of determining that Vibrato was both the one who arranged for his future…Mrs. Shaw to be cursed and that she was a relative of the Shaws.

The immediate threat to the Shaws and East and West Side once it became known that Mrs. Shaw had been healed, he thought as he started walking away from the door, may have been the lesser concern. That she had been partnering with a demon for a decade was an alarming revelation. There were no implications at this point that she had partnered with the two known greater demons and their factions maneuvering to assemble the Stones. That meant there was the real possibility there was a third greater demon faction operating in Iron Station.

Of course, it could have been a simpler contract. While it was theoretically possible that she had exchanged her soul or her service to bargain for the curse, her modus operandi of using others to do her dirty work pointed to a sacrifice rather than a contractual exchange.

“Clea:” he swiped into his phone, “Please assemble a file of all unsolved summoning cases in Greater London and southeast England in 2009 to 2010. Flag cases where there has been a sacrificial victim. In addition, pull everything on Vibrato and flag all of her known activities in the UK.”

He would have to review the files they had assembled about Knightmare carefully later. The tablets had ended up in Keith’s half-sister’s hands. That would suggest an association with her faction. But if there was a connection between Knightmare and Vibrato, that suggested some kind of working relationship between the two.

And, of course, the question of why Vibrato had chosen Sidney became more important.

John stopped at the window where he had experienced Deja vu earlier and once more looked out over the street.

Would the Shaws join the Kelleys for a decorating party now that she was healed? Perhaps he and Emi could host one at the Spire so the two families could meet one another.

John shook his head as he returned to the table and sat down, focusing again on his tea.

So many questions and so little data.

He smiled again, reminding himself of Seraph’s and his father’s suggestions that he take time at moments like this, given how precious they were.

His head lifted as he heard the doorknob turn.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  About twenty minutes after John leaves them, Emi emerges from the lounge. Her eyes are red, but she has a bright smile on her face.

Her smile softens as she sees John, and she joins him at the table, standing by his chair. She leans down to kiss John’s cheek, resting her hand on his shoulder.

“How are you feeling?” she asks him. 
 

“Delighted to see you, happy for you and your family and maybe a little proud of myself,” John said as he stood, placing his arm around the small of her back and taking comfort from her presence. “I’ll trust you to keep me from becoming too insufferable about it while Kate isn’t present to do the job for us.”

While he considered sliding out the chair and drawing her down to sit on his lap, he was uncertain of the rules of the house on such a thing. They were a reserved family, after all. Given that he had allowed his fatigue and his still racing thoughts to keep him from standing at her entrance was only just beginning to register and he did not want to make two back-to-back social mistakes.

Not to mention the fact that she might notice the box in his pocket if she did sit on his lap.

“Maybe a little fatigued as well, although the tea has helped, and distracted by some thoughts of a case back in Iron Station. And thinking though how to keep your mother safe if someone tried to re-apply the curse. It was specifically targeted at to be triggered your father, incidentally, so the two of you should make sure not to try to heal her if you suspect such a thing has occurred.

“But we can worry about things like that later,” he said, his eyes sparkling with delight at her and what he had accomplished. “Now we should focus on the good news that your mother is back and already has invitations to social gatherings to consider, if she is feeling up to a trip to Providence and her reintroduction to British society doesn’t immediately fill her dance card.

“She may need some time to physically recover, of course, so she may not feel up to it. While she’s been healed of every ailment, the ritual was restorative rather than regenerative. If you’d like, I can try another spell to accelerate that process but, given everything she and your family has been through, I would understand if she would prefer a more traditional approach.”

He glanced at the window. “Do you remember when we had dinner at Bernardi’s? I had a vision of looking out that window just before you and your father helped me build the memory of you and your mother at the Gala. It was reassuring to be able to take it as a good omen that I was in the right place at the right time.”

He glanced back at the doorway. “How are your parents and brother doing in there?”
mmdeforrest
 Meanwhile, in AEGIS: City of London 
Montcrieff leaned forward and gently set her teacup on its saucer as she processed the implications of Kelley's next two requests.

"So, Vibrato’s a Shaw," she observed to herself as she entered the search query into the AEGIS database for summoning-related activities between 2009 and 2011.

"I beg your pardon, Agent Montcrieff?"

"Your microphones are sensitive enough to have recorded my voice, Lizzie - especially given the vibrationally attuned laser you have trained on all of the high-gloss desktops in this station."

"I didn't realize you were aware of those," Lizzie replied after a moment. "What gave me away?'

“The instructions for the cleaning service," Montcrieff answered dispassionately as she began to scroll through the search results. "All of the paras complain about polishing their boots, given that the last thing they want is a reflective surface as they jump. My para pointed out that spit and polish served other purposes.

"The requirement that we clear our desk nightly does instill good habits in our new agents, as the training manuals and policies suggest, but it doesn’t serve the security purpose associated with that training and policies. After all, if you can gain access to my office, you’s already bypassed a significant number of security cordons and can probably handle a locked file cabinet — even one keyed to my biometrics.

“Nor does it make sense for the cleaning service to use bold facied type in the cleaning protocol to highlight the step where our desks are to be polished nightly unless there is a secondary purpose.

"Those two data points suggest an alternate use for a glossy desktop — like providing a good surface for reflecting laser light that can detect vibrations caused by speech and typing."

"And you confirmed your suspicion by specifically ordering a matte finish table for Mark Two.”

"Precisely,” Montcrieff confirmed. “That a high gloss table arrived the same day IT just so happened to stop by and upgrade your sensor housing with one with a wider opening was suggestive."

'That scheduling coincidence  was  clumsy of them," Lizzie conceded.

"Kelley's high-priority appearance came without enough notice for subtlety. So why ask me to confirm my observation?"

Lizzie paused again, sensing she was being maneuvered by Agent Montcrieff into indirectly revealing more than some of her controllers would prefer.

"I was following a confirmation protocol."

Montcrieff smiled and glanced at the camera. While Lizzie might not be able to tell her things about herself she was obligated to reveal anything she could about Kelley.

"I am assuming we are looking at compartmented intelligence material. What is Kelley's clearance for it?"

Another pause.

"He is now listed as compartmental-adjacent.”

Montcrieff smiled. In between the evidence he had gathered and his assessment of it to have independently generated the compartmental intelligence. And, given what was in front of her, that meant that she, too, was compartmental-adjacent.

“Thank you for your assessment, Lizzie,” she said, smiling at the sensor array set into the ceiling. “Please update Director Moder on my partner’s and my investigations and include my recommendation that I, at least, be briefed so that I can continue to monitor Kelley.”

“Acknowledged, Agent Montcrieff. Well played.”

“That’s quite a high compliment coming from you, Lizzie,” Montcrieff replied. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Agent Montcrieff. I don’t get to work with many people who can actually outmaneuver me. Most like to lie to themselves about being able to do so rather than actually accomplishing it. I’m grateful for those of you here who can consistently provide me with an intellectual challenge.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
Keith’s answer makes Hope’s eyes widen slightly. “You live with  all  those guys? That’s a lot of dudes.” 
 

Keith chuckles a bit and nods. “Yeah, it gets a bit hectic. We all do our parts though and keep an eye on everything at least. Would be worse if some of us weren’t willing to help around the place.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “Thank you,” Hope replies as she cuts into her crab fritter. “I’m super happy with it.”

She takes a small bite and smiles at the taste. “I’m actually a quarter Korean. My grandma is from Geoje, in South Korea. So she’s always had a lot of art around that had this kind of aesthetic and I’ve always liked it.”

“Was your dad military?” she asks. “Mine was. I started reading when I was a kid because I thought it was a waste of time to try to make friends when I knew we would move in a year or two. It kind of terrible, but I was glad when he was discharged after an injury— after he was healed up, of course,” she adds, as her cheeks heat in embarrassment. “Obviously, I didn’t want my dad to get hurt, but at twelve I’d realized that him getting discharged would mean that we could finally stay in one place for a while.” 
 

Keith just grins at her smile. It was brightening everything from the past week and made him even more confident in his decision to move forward. Become better.

His eyes widened a bit as she started to explain. “That’s cool though. Keeps you close to her I bet. And never would have guessed either!” His grin widened. “Actually, Korea is on my bucket list to visit.”

As she continued and asked her question before going into her explanation, Keith started to wonder what all to say. How could he avoid that entire conversation as well?

 No, he’s the evil overlord of a massive secret society bent on taking over the world. Oh and killed my mother. But my uncle on his side of the family is nice and military! Nah, don’t do it.  He thought a moment.

“I can understand that. And it sounds a lot like me and Uncle.” Keith started as he took a sip of his tea. “My father wasn’t exactly present, but my Uncle Kenneth raised me. He was military though, special forces. He tried to retire when I was twelve too, but ended up getting called back in to train the next group.”

He shook his head and smiled softly and with as comforting a face as he could. “I think it’s normal to think that after moving around so much. I’m glad he healed up alright at least.”

He closed his eyes for a moment in thought. “It was pretty rough, but in the same way, books were my company.”
big teej
 No Time Like The Present: 

Nightgaunt The Rat slithers out from Aria's purse and drops to the ground.  He trundles out of direct sight of the open door and as he creeps he transforms, the nullifier collar clenched in one fist.  Looking underneath the bed, he can see the Dragonov's feet.

The vampire grinds his teeth together, thinking about the choices and events that lead him here, in a room that stank of blood and sex.

 Rage... 
The number of times the Dragonovs had gotten away, slipped through his talons and continued to run amok, hurt people in  his  city.

 Guilt... 
His eyes drift over to the naked girl on the bed.  They'd used her for this.  Cause it was  Easy.   Worse than that, she was in a position to be used because The Team... no,  he  had got her on the outs with Lady Orchid...


 Fear... 
A spasm of unusual concern grips the vampire's empty heart, puzzle pieces clicking into place that Aria's previous involvement with Iron Station's criminal element, and her very loud and adjacent involvement with  Nightgaunt  and  Redline  giving birth to a sudden, powerful paranoia that she was Bait... and in far greater danger than if he and Redline screwed this up too...

Nightgaunt slides a claw across the carpet, opening a slit in reality and falling through it and falling out of the air right next to Mirko.  The red and blackclad hero lashes out, but instead of tearing into the maniacal man's throat with his talons, he slaps the collar around his neck.  The momentum clicks the arms shut and the tiny amber and green lights indicating a successful lock and block blink on.

Channeling his inner local, Nightgaunt growls at Mirko.  "Cry and I'll give you something to cry about."

 
 Spoiler: OOC/Mechanics/Whatnot 

Per the GM:
Straight Fighting roll with The Drop
Moves/Conditions are(were) refreshed


 Charge Burn! 6  -_-, Nightgaunt gains 2 Burn and marks 3 conditions
Raphael marks Angry, Guilty, and Afraid

Fighting Roll with The Drop + Directly Engage a Threat:  ouch... 
 Benny'd Fighting Roll, now with Elan: 3  + 2(Elan) +2 (Directly Engage) + 4 (The Drop) = 11

 Directly Engage: 6 , on a Miss, I am either Shaken, Mark a Condition, or 'Vulnerable' to their next action, GM's Choice

Nightgaunt gains 1 Potential and an **Advance**!!!
Raphael Rothmyer, aka Nightgaunt, takes the Greater Advance "Lock a Label, and add +1 to a Label of your choice."
Raphael's Danger is increased by 1.  Raphael locks Danger.

Sheets updated per The Living Archives and chat discussion.
 Burn! 1/3 
 
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
Emi’s eyes light up curiously at the mention of a case back in Iron Station, but she refrains from asking about it as she leans into his touch. As John mentions that the curse specifically targeted her father’s psychic touch, she frowns. “I see. I’ll let him know, just in case.”

Her mood lightens again as John smiles, however. “Yes, I’m excited to see her out and about again too. I think she’ll want to wait until she can walk by herself again though. My father suggested transferring her to a facility in Aeon City so that she could be closer to all of us, and she’s already agreed.”

Her hands tightens lightly on John’s shoulder. “If you want to attempt the spell, I’ll ask her, though I do think you should wait a few days so that you can rest up after today.”

“They’re doing well,” Emi replies to his question about her father and brother. “Ian’s regaling her of tales about our exploits at East Side. I can tell that she and my father are talking privately though.”

Her expression grows tender. “She hasn’t let go of his hand yet.”

“Now,” she continues as her hand slides down into John’s and she intertwines their fingers. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to introduce you formally as my boyfriend. If you’re recovered enough, of course.”

 Cafe Rosalie 

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 Keith chuckles a bit and nods. “Yeah, it gets a bit hectic. We all do our parts though and keep an eye on everything at least. Would be worse if some of us weren’t willing to help around the place.” 
 

“Are some of them like…  roommates ?” she asks, putting emphasis on the word and adding a raised eyebrow. “Or do you guys have girls over too? Like, that is a  full  house. Your place must be huge. I bet you guys have great parties.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 “Actually, Korea is on my bucket list to visit.” 
 

“Oh yeah?” Hope says as she eats other bite of fritter. “Well, next time I see her, I’ll ask my  halmae  to write a list of good places to visit.”

 
 Spoiler: Translation 
Grandma
 


She gives Keith a curious look when she notices that he hasn’t started eating yet. “Do you not like crab? Sorry, I guess I should’ve asked before I ordered.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 He shook his head and smiled softly and with as comforting a face as he could. “I think it’s normal to think that after moving around so much. I’m glad he healed up alright at least.” 
 

“He didn’t let losing a leg stop him at all,” she says. “He still goes for daily runs. If he’s wearing pants, you wouldn’t even know he only has one.”

The waiter returns with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that wait. Have you both decided on what you want?” he asks as he pulls out his pen and pad.

“No worries,” Hope replies. “Can I get the Pontchartrain please?”

The waiter writes her order down and then looks to Keith, pen poised.

 Barron Street 
Mirko turns his head, smiling as he blows smoke out into the vampire’s face. “I thought some **** was up when she agreed to come back. At least I got one last good ****.”

He flicks his cigarette at Nightgaunt and vaults over the railing in one smooth motion, faster than the vampire anticipated. He lands on the concrete below and rolls to absorb the impact, then brings his fingers to his lips to let out a shrill whistle before he takes off around the front of the house, heading for the alley just on the other side of the front door.

A fracture in reality opens up in the air in the middle of the street between Nightgaunt and Redline and a winged demon the size of a shipping container emerges and slams into the second floor, bony jaws wide open to snap the vampire up as its head and neck burst through the wall into the room Aria is in with an explosion of brick, dust, and mortar.

From across the street, Redline sees that the demon is a  horrible amalgamation of creatures  with an open bony torso similar to the Hollow Gods.

 Combat Begins!
 Uh Oh is played!  Cards will be in Discord.

Queens- Mirko goes! He succeeds on his Agility roll for Extraction and moves out of Nightgaunt’s reach before using his action to summon a demon!
The demon emerges and Nightgaunt Takes a Powerful Blow!
10s- Redline has Initiative! 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
Emi’s eyes light up curiously at the mention of a case back in Iron Station, but she refrains from asking about it as she leans into his touch. As John mentions that the curse specifically targeted her father’s psychic touch, she frowns. “I see. I’ll let him know, just in case.”

Her mood lightens again as John smiles, however. “Yes, I’m excited to see her out and about again too. I think she’ll want to wait until she can walk by herself again though. My father suggested transferring her to a facility in Aeon City so that she could be closer to all of us, and she’s already agreed.”

Her hands tightens lightly on John’s shoulder. “If you want to attempt the spell, I’ll ask her, though I do think you should wait a few days so that you can rest up after today.”

“They’re doing well,” Emi replies to his question about her father and brother. “Ian’s regaling her of tales about our exploits at East Side. I can tell that she and my father are talking privately though.”

Her expression grows tender. “She hasn’t let go of his hand yet.”

“Now,” she continues as her hand slides down into John’s and she intertwines their fingers. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to introduce you formally as my boyfriend. If you’re recovered enough, of course.” 
 

“Recovered from the wonder of being called your boyfriend?” John asked as he leaned in and kissed her gently before whispering the answer to his own question. “Not going to happen. But being so introduced will let me hear you say it again and I’m always up for that — even if it does scatter my thoughts to the winds.”

“With your key to the Spire, everywhere on the planet is close to you,” he reminded her as he glanced back at the door. “We could give your parents keys as well,” he half-suggested as quietly as he could, “although I may have somewhat selfish reasons to delay that. My family has theirs but know to use them only in emergency. They don’t have the same kind of options your family does in case of danger.

“The Serving Spirits could attend to her needs there, of course, and I’m sure Clea would love the chance to tell your mother all about me. But I’m sure any facility your father might choose would provide better physical therapists.”

He looked around the room, suddenly aware that not only had he not moved he had shifted his weight in a way that signaled he was not ready to move.

“When I made my Amulet,” he confessed as he reached for Emi’s hand, “I made sure I wouldn’t fear anything. Since meeting you, I have learned about a host of emotional responses that aren’t quite fear but border on it.”

He took a deep breath. “Okay. Time to meet your mother as her…”

DON’T SAY….

(Don’t say future son-in-law.)

“… your  boyfriend. And not her would-be healer.

“Actual healer.

“Magician.”

He looked into her eyes, letting himself fall into them just enough to feel more secure — even if they appeared to sparkle with a little bit of mirth at his increasingly nervous state.

“Let’s go in  mo chuisle ,” he said, “before I descent fully into incoherence.”
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 Across the street, Redline waits for about an hour between Aria entering the building before there’s more movement that he can see in the upstairs bedroom.

Mirko emerges onto the balcony in only a pair of black jeans. He finds a pack of cigarettes on a small glass table between two chairs to the right of the door and pulls one out before tossing the pack back down.

A small blue flame illuminates just above his fingertip as he lights his smoke. He takes a drag and leans against the railing, looking down at the street below. 

"Hey, we've got movement." 2ouis says in a low whisper as he elbows his counterpart busy scrolling through their Chatter feed.

 
 Spoiler: Notice 

 Redline spots several drops of dark blood dripping down from Mirko’s right shoulder. 

Notice:  6  + 2 (Perception) = 8!
 


"Finally." Redline replies as he looks up from his phone to see Mirko leaned against the balcony rails. Though difficult to be certain from this distance he spots what seems to be blood slowly trickling down from the Dragonov's right shoulder. "He's bleeding but it doesn't look like he's hurt at all."

"Couldn't've been Raph then. Mirko would've had a hole in his shoulder and started screaming like a little @#$%&amp; otherwise," 2ouis observes. The twin heroes cast a knowing glance at one another having reached the same conclusion and go silent.


 
 Originally Posted by Nightgaunt 
 Nightgaunt slides a claw across the carpet, opening a slit in reality and falling through it and falling out of the air right next to Mirko. The red and blackclad hero lashes out, but instead of tearing into the maniacal man's throat with his talons, he slaps the collar around his neck. The momentum clicks the arms shut and the tiny amber and green lights indicating a successful lock and block blink on.

Channeling his inner local, Nightgaunt growls at Mirko. "Cry and I'll give you something to cry about." 
 

"Anytime now..." Redline mutters as he pockets his phone and waits his partner to take advantage of the opening they've been provided.

Nightgaunt emerges out of a tear in thin air, collaring the Dragonov in a single fluid motion. "Like clockwork." 2ouis comments.


 Mirko flicks his cigarette at Nightgaunt and vaults over the railing in one smooth motion, faster than the vampire anticipated. He lands on the concrete below and rolls to absorb the impact, then brings his fingers to his lips to let out a shrill whistle before he takes off around the front of the house, heading for the alley just on the other side of the front door. 

"And  that's  our cue to-" Redline starts before his words come to a screeching halt.


 A fracture in reality opens up in the air in the middle of the street between Nightgaunt and Redline and a winged demon the size of a shipping container emerges and slams into the second floor, bony jaws wide open to snap the vampire up as its head and neck burst through the wall into the room Aria is in with an explosion of brick, dust, and mortar.

From across the street, Redline sees that the demon is a horrible amalgamation of creatures with an open bony torso similar to the Hollow Gods. 

"Nightgaunt!" Redline and 2ouis call out in unison as the monstrosity from a plane beyond their own descends upon the neighboring building.

Neither of them had anticipated something like this happening even if they were readily aware of the dangers the operation presented. The high octane hero's body began to move on instinct, pushing past the initial shock of the nightmare creatures arrival to do what they'd come here for.

Redline rises to a knee, using it to brace his outstretched arm as two spheres of red light coalesce and dance around the tips of the first two fingers of right hand. He aligns his sights with Mirko's back just as the Crown reaches the mouth of the alley and fires off a pair of searing shots into his unsuspecting target.

2ouis disappears in sync with his counterparts volley and moves to intercept Mirko as he falls. He shoulder's the lanky Dragonov, taking a few seconds to redistribute his weight before reappearing on a rooftop further down the block with his target. "Mimi, get first response on the line! We're gonna need a perimeter and immediate medical evac for one or more individuals."

"Nightgaunt can you hear me!? I can't see you or Aria." Redline calls out over comms as he tries to assess the damage of the incursion.

 
 Spoiler: Mechanics 
Redline plays "Let's Settle This!"

Ranged Attack #1 vs Mirko:  5, 14 

Damage:  28, 38  Light, Lethal, Heavy Weapon

2ouis teleports into the alley to picks up Mirko then makes a break for the next alley down the block in an attempt to remove him from combat.

Redline plays "Extra Effort" to add 1d6 to 2ouis' Smarts roll!

Smarts:  7  - 1 = 6!
 
big teej
 Escalation: 

Nightgaunt's talons slash through empty air behind the fleeing Dragonov, the patio furniture disintegrating as swaths of it's structure are atomized and torn from existence.  He looks over the railing at his escaped prey.   "I'm gonna kill that boy."  Me mutters without emotion.

The hero's blank helm turns towards the girl in the room.  "Get dressed.  I'll---"

The vampire's words are cut short as the hideous maw collapses around him.  Caught unawares, Nightgaunt roars in a growing combination of surprise, rage, and pain.  A forearm, torn loose by the beast's teeth, flops back down into the wreckage of the room near at the foot of the mattress.

 
 Spoiler: OOC/Mechanics/Whatnot 

 Take a Powerful Blow! 13! 

Nightgaunt loses control of himself or his powers in a terrible way... thankfully he's up in the air in the jaws of a hollow god?

 
Preemptive defense of Aria: 7 
Nightgaunt resolves "Lucky Break" even if he's not adjacent to Aria, then, even if he is incapacitated, Nightgaunt will clear a condition.
 
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“Are some of them like…  roommates ?” she asks, putting emphasis on the word and adding a raised eyebrow. “Or do you guys have girls over too? Like, that is a  full  house. Your place must be huge. I bet you guys have great parties.” 
 

Keith chuckles a bit. “Honestly, I have my thoughts one might. Hasn’t said anything about it or not though. A couple of them do have their girlfriends over a good bit though.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “Oh yeah?” Hope says as she eats other bite of fritter. “Well, next time I see her, I’ll ask my  halmae  to write a list of good places to visit.”

 
 Spoiler: Translation 
Grandma
 


She gives Keith a curious look when she notices that he hasn’t started eating yet. “Do you not like crab? Sorry, I guess I should’ve asked before I ordered.” 
 

Keith grins and nods. “That would be awesome! Uncle ended up going at one point on a mission he had, but didn’t have a lot of time to just be. At least from how he tells it.” He shrugged.

As she asked about the crab and gave the curious look, Keith’s eyes widened a bit and he waved his hands a bit.

“Oh, no crab is entirely cool with me! I’ve just been enjoying the conversation, I kinda forgot.” He chuckles a bit nervously before taking a bite of one of the fritters.

“Ok, this may be one of the best crab fritters I’ve had.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “He didn’t let losing a leg stop him at all,” she says. “He still goes for daily runs. If he’s wearing pants, you wouldn’t even know he only has one.”

The waiter returns with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that wait. Have you both decided on what you want?” he asks as he pulls out his pen and pad.

“No worries,” Hope replies. “Can I get the Pontchartrain please?”

The waiter writes her order down and then looks to Keith, pen poised.  
 

Keith grins a bit. “That's awesome though. glad that he gets along alright, and just dang the break through in prosthetics.”  He shook his head.

“Which area of the military was he?”

As the waiter returned and apologized, Keith gave the same reply.

“No worries! Could I get the etoufee, please?”
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “With your key to the Spire, everywhere on the planet is close to you,” he reminded her as he glanced back at the door. “We could give your parents keys as well,” he half-suggested as quietly as he could, “although I may have somewhat selfish reasons to delay that.”
…
“But I’m sure any facility your father might choose would provide better physical therapists.” 
 

“I‘ll try to remember that,” Emi says with a half smile. “It’s still a little mind boggling that I have access to such magic. Or a man that can do such extraordinary things,” she continues, softly returning John’s kiss.

“The facility that my father suggested is the best in the Eastern US, and it’s only a short flight from Iron Station. And I’m assuming that you weren’t ready to give a key to Ian as well.”


 
 Originally Posted by John 
 He looked around the room, suddenly aware that not only had he not moved he had shifted his weight in a way that signaled he was not ready to move.

“When I made my Amulet,” he confessed as he reached for Emi’s hand, “I made sure I wouldn’t fear anything. Since meeting you, I have learned about a host of emotional responses that aren’t quite fear but border on it.” 
 

Emi squeezes John’s hand. “Emotions are interesting, aren’t they? I you get rid of one and find out about so many that you never knew were so close, like you said. If it makes you feel better, my father was always going to be the hard one to impress. My mum will love you.”

Emi continues to hold John hand as the renter the lounge and John can see that several chairs have been moved to create a little half circle around Mrs. Shaw, along with a couch that sits directly across from her. The glass coffee table in the center has a full tea set, the same one he’d seen on the serving cart that Oskar had passed through the dining room with.

Mr. Shaw sits on her right and he and his wife’s clasped hands sit on the arm of her chair.

Ian, on her other side, quiets as John and Emi come into the room. “I’ll finish the story later,” he says as he leans back into his chair.

Mrs. Shaw glances down at Emi and John’s hands and her face glows with an excited smile.

“Mum,” Emi says as they stop in front of her. Her fingers still tighten slightly around John’s even though she told him not to worry earlier now that they’re back in the presence of her father. “I wanted to reintroduce John to you. He’s your healer, and a  Magister Magius , a magician, but he’s also… my boyfriend.”

 OOC: John gains Influence over Mrs. Shaw and Ian!
Mrs. Shaw gains Influence over John! 
 Cafe Rosalie 

 “Oh, no crab is entirely cool with me! I’ve just been enjoying the conversation, I kinda forgot.” He chuckles a bit nervously before taking a bite of one of the fritters. 

Hope laughs lightly. “Don’t forget about the cornbread over there too. I remember it being really good last time.”

The waiter writes down Keith’s order and leaves the table once again.


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 “Which area of the military was he?” 
 

“He was a Marine. Infantry,” Hope replies as she takes another bite of her fritter. “He worked really hard to get back in shape after he got hurt. And yeah, prosthetics are pretty awesome these days. He has the blade one for when he runs and a normal one for day to day.”

“So, the real reason we’ve met here today,” Hope says with a smile. “ Red Rising . What did you think? Would you read the next book?”

 Barron Street 
Redline’s first laser arcs over Mirko’s shoulder, but the second attack hits the Dragonov square and he drops immediately. 2ouis is able to grab him and is able to withdraw to a relatively safe adjacent rooftop.

Yells start from inside the house as the high octane hero watches the back hooves of the demon scrape on the brick of the first floor, breaking through windows as it tries to find purchase. Wings flail and smash against the front of the house as its frustration mounts. Its tail lashes, destroying a car parked on the side of the street.

The crushed sedan honks feebly in protest as a higher feminine scream punctuates the yells.

 “Police, Fire, and EMS have been notified,”  Mimi assures Redline just as the demon collapses the part of the second floor into the first.

Inside, Aria screams as Nightgaunt’s severed forearm lands in front of her.

Teeth pierce through the vampire’s armor, and then hollow god opens it’s mouth to get a better grip and snaps it shut again, but can’t find purchase on him before part of the second floor collapses, causing both Nightgaunt and the demon to fall into the living room below.

The gangbangers yell out in confusion through the smoke and rubble, and the smell of their blood calls the vampire irresistibly.

 Initiative:
Nightgaunt gains another Condition from his Directly Engage!
8s… the Hollow God does 20 damage to Nightgaunt!
7s… Nightgaunt has initiative! 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 

“I‘ll try to remember that,” Emi says with a half smile. “It’s still a little mind boggling that I have access to such magic. Or a man that can do such extraordinary things,” she continues, softly returning John’s kiss.

“The facility that my father suggested is the best in the Eastern US, and it’s only a short flight from Iron Station. And I’m assuming that you weren’t ready to give a key to Ian as well.” 
 

“There’s one made for him in his room, ready for you to give it to him when you see fit,” John replied in a low voice before closing his eyes as he remembered Montcrieff chiding him over the jump from a secret getaway to a detached family home.

“I mean,  in case  you were interested in making such decisions. About Ian having a key. And a room. For things like visiting your mother. I don’t want to make any assumptions about that kind of thing.”

He took a deep breath. “It’s at your disposal. I’m going to stop talking now before I make myself any more flustered than I already have.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  squeezes John’s hand. “Emotions are interesting, aren’t they? I you get rid of one and find out about so many that you never knew were so close, like you said. If it makes you feel better, my father was always going to be the hard one to impress. My mum will love you.”

Emi continues to hold John hand as the renter the lounge and John can see that several chairs have been moved to create a little half circle around Mrs. Shaw, along with a couch that sits directly across from her. The glass coffee table in the center has a full tea set, the same one he’d seen on the serving cart that Oskar had passed through the dining room with.

Mr. Shaw sits on her right and he and his wife’s clasped hands sit on the arm of her chair.

Ian, on her other side, quiets as John and Emi come into the room. “I’ll finish the story later,” he says as he leans back into his chair. 
 

John’s eyes quickly re-scanned the room as he and Emi entered. Strangely, the diamond that was there only minutes before (Was it minutes? He was pretty sure it was just minuted and not an hour.) had disappeared. He was not concerned over its location. While he knew, based on the notes he had read, it would always ‘fit’ Mrs. Shaw in some way — in this case the blue tint that harmonized with her eyes —  it would be no more magically attuned to her than an any other possession of hers.

Where a diamond of that size had moved to was an interesting question to consider, though. A safe, perhaps? Not that a safe would be inherently more secure than Mr. Shaw’s pocket. And if he wanted to make sure he was the one that put it into a setting for his wife it would be a smart thing for him to secure it.

Focus, John. You’re meeting your future Mother-in…Emi’s mother.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  Mrs. Shaw glances down at Emi and John’s hands and her face glows with an excited smile.

“Mum,” Emi says as they stop in front of her. Her fingers still tighten slightly around John’s even though she told him not to worry earlier now that they’re back in the presence of her father. “I wanted to reintroduce John to you. He’s your healer, and a  Magister Magius , a magician, but he’s also… my boyfriend.”

 OOC: John gains Influence over Mrs. Shaw and Ian!
Mrs. Shaw gains Influence over John!  
 

“John Kelley,” he said as he inclined his head to her, hoping she would not extend her hand so he could keep holding Emi’s, “late of Providence…um, I already told you that, didn’t I? Sorry.”

Calm, John. Stay calm.

“As I said before, Mrs. Shaw, it’s an honor and a pleasure to meet you — in no small part because of your daughter. She’s spoken quite glowingly of you as have the two gentlemen in your life — although those conversations were much briefer.”

He could hear Cassandra Lovelace’s cutting observation that he liked to hear himself talk as clear as day and could feel the weight of Mr. Shaw’s gaze upon him.

“Nevertheless,” he continued, unable to stop himself, “anyone who engenders such affection and respect in such men and such a wonderful woman is someone to look forward to meeting.”

Curiously, the detached part of his brain observed, all of his prior plans for what to say had left his head. Perhaps the similarity of the depths of her eyes to Emi’s? No. Probably just something akin to blind panic.

 I’m starting to do it again, aren’t I?  John projected to Emi.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. He can hear you, too, John thought as his eyes darted to Mr. Shaw.

 Sorry. 

I mean, what was he supposed to say? That he hoped she was well? Her health was currently perfect. He had made sure of that. Comment on the weather? Traditionally British but they had transited through his semi-secret sanctum in the middle of the North Atlantic. He hadn’t been outside at all.

Outside. The decorations.

“I’m glad that you were able to return before the holidays. My mother loves decorating, so we look forward to the season. And Christmas  is  coming.”

 Why  did he keep saying that?

He could sense the book the  peculiar  diamond and its ring rested in within his pocket.

Who was he trying to kid. He knew why he kept coming back to it. He just didn’t see the future well enough to be sure of the answer he would receive before then.

“She’s was initially planning on starting her decorating this evening — US Eastern Time,” John observed with faux-innocence, knowing his mother would want to know if he had made an attempt to see where her invitation stood. “Although I’m not certain if those plans changed or not.”

He had been so distracted by the timeline to get here that he had missed Emi’s reaction to the invitation (He knew he probably would not have seen one from Mr. Shaw beyond the raise of an eyebrow even if the invitation was delivered with fireworks.). And whatever reaction she might have had was eclipsed by his announcement that he would need to be here today.

He glanced around the room at the four of them, lingering a little longer on Emi than the others. “She likes to have us all there, so she may have delayed those plans in the hopes that she could gather her family together for it.”

He decided to stop there.

 I’m liking the sound of my own voice again, aren’t I? 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, John, he said wincing internally.

Your future father-in-law  still  here.

Girlfriend’s father.

Mr. Shaw.

Stop while you’re behind.

 
 Spoiler: You asked for it! 
OOC: Reinforcements! is played.
 
big teej
 Be Careful, There Are  Demons Around : 

Nightgaunt braces his hand and his stump against the jaws of the beast, scrabbling for purchase with his boots. "I'm a little busy." He growls at Redline in a strained voice.

The mic cuts out as focuses on trying to keep the jaws from grinding further into him.  He seizes the chance the moment the beasts opens up to adjust it's grip to eject himself from it's maw, only to fall with it into the ruins of the first floor.

Bones splinter and muscles and tendons pop as the vampire forces his body to move, bouncing up onto his remaining hand and flinging himself free of the beast and the cloud of rubble.  A broken shin and dislocated knee conspire to send him rolling to one knee as he lands.

The yells of the gangers draw Nightgaunt's attention, the howling in their blood washes away any quip or comment he might have made, tugging the leash of the predator from his mental grasp.  Nightgaunt stands, bones forcing themselves back into place and flesh knitting itself back together.

The vampire held his good arm close to his body, fingers dancing and writhing, forming the somatic components and sigils of forbidden magic. His ragged stump of an arm he points in their direction.  Within the unbroken visage of his helmet, his fangs elongate and his teeth sharpen, cutting the air hissing through his lips in a foul and bloody incantation.

 "Zorn. Raivoa, Holnragh." 

The screams of the men turn to choking gurgles, as blood begins to weep from their eyes, drool from their gums, and seep from their skin.  The blood disobeys gravity, flowing out through the air towards the vampire, weaving into skeins of gore.

 "Feirge.  Ira. Harag." 

The men shrivel, wasting away into empty sacks of flesh and dessicated viscera, until the remains crumble into ash.  The blood flows to the stump, churning and writhing on itself until a shape begins to take form: A pale, perfect, unblemished arm to match the wildly gesticulating original.  The newborn fingers join the dance, forming darker and more potent shapes in the air.

 "Kole. Ikidori. Cur Stiagh." 

Thus glutted, The Scion of Rothmyer slams his palms together, completing the spell and reaping the benefits of ending life.  The Predator turns on the hollow god, murderously intent on reversing the roles of who was hunting who.  Coruscating waves of damaged reality ripple off from the vampire, clouding him in a heat haze that stings the eye, further obscured by a vicious wreath of stygian and sanguine smoke.

T̴͙̞̈́͊̌h̶̫͕̙̳̟̄e̴͖͎̘̙̊̌̔̽̀ ̷̲͚̈́͌̑̈́Ṃ̸́̈͘a̴̧̱̯̥̺̓ŗ̸̟͛͒ḳ̶͔̈ͅ ̵̞̐̓o̷̧͓̥͇͗̍̒f̴̗̆̈́͌̑́ͅ ̴͇͉̼̺̋̍͝Ç̸̱͇̈̑͠å̸̟͍̿͜i̷̢̮͍̾̒n̷͈̈́ ̵̻̻̟̐̉̎̍͜i̵̲̝̓͋̈̔͘s̷̡͙̙̹̐ͅ ̵͍͙̦̠͛̔͝a̸̛͓͈̮̪̞͆̑ ̵̧̧̛̮͠B̴̹̻͔̐̉͌̀̎l̶̦̩̤̹̋̎̚ë̶͉͖́s̸̝̫̖͔͑̈͒͑͠s̷̥͙̣͋̄͆̕  ̡ḯ̵̘̜͍n̶͉̯͌̃̿̆g̴̨͚̳̖͖͌̂ ̷̡̦̦͎̍a̸̛̜n̵̮̟̳̈́̿d̷̩̙͉͌̍͘͘͠ͅ ̸̛̩͈̥͎̅́̆a̶̧͙̰͇͙̽̓̂ ̶̖̟̖̈́̇͛͌C̷̯̎̋̄̉̍u̶̧̪͖͌̊r̵̙͙̤̪̮͒͐͊̕s̷̮͇͍̎͜e̸͆̉͘  ̱ ̴̛̲̬̟̗f̴̗̙͕̖̂r̵̖̓õ̶̻̟̙͍͜m̷̨̦̼̗̫̉ ̶͓̳͕͍̈́͆͐T̷̟́ḥ̵̢̞̒͑̌̅͜͠ͅe̶̗͉̙͝ͅ ̴̧̝̇̄Ǫ̸͊n̵̮̫̍ë̵̡̧͈̺̰́͐̓̍̇ ̷͙͔̫͛̀́̏̕T̵̺͙̲̟͒r̷̪̫͓̍̂̈́u̶̦͆͒e̷͈̙͙̣͐͌̀͝ ̷̨̥̭͎͕̑͘͝G̶̨̪̾o̴͂̌͜d̷͓̩̒,̴̰̺̣͊̈́̅͠ ̷̤͎͈͑͆̋͐̀ā̶͕͈͚̳̓̈́̏́n̴̢͔̦͌͛d̸̻́̄̈́̒͠ͅ ̵̢͈͕̯̦̓ỳ̵̢̮̤͔̲̉̑̚͝ơ̴̡͚͕͒̾ṳ̵̜̉͠ ̴̝̫̙͗̚͜͜a̶̠̻̦͐r̵̭̩͉̋͆e̶̜̙͐̈́̚ ̸̨͉̯͍̀͊́M̴̢̟̤̼͌͐̔̚̚͜ẹ̶͆̿̇͑͘a̶͉͚͚̖̲͂͆͋̿̈́t̴̉̂̌̚  ̧̬ ̶̮̰̣͖͈̃̚b̴̪̝̘̍͋e̶͔͊̐̐̑ͅf̷̛̗̪̊o̸͍̿̐͒̈́̽ŗ̴͛̍̚ë̶́  ̛̞͈͎ ̷̧̝̟̈́͘i̵̹̓̒̒ţ̸͎̺̻͂͗̐.̸̧͔́́͠͠

The thing that is Nightgaunt hurls through the intervening space as an Avatar of Wrath and collides with the hollow god.

Clenched fist collided with exposed bone, cracking and splintering it.  Shards and fragments flew out, scything through the building.  Grasping talons took hold of tendriled and ropy tongue, tearing them free at the root. Blacked out eyes witnessed the thread of existence, a brilliant, poluted white core animating so much dead flesh.  Piercing claws drove in for it, cracking open and casting aside ribs and flaying open vestigial flesh.

The core was grasped, the foul, blighted essence that served as the hollow god's soul.   The final and ultimate atrocity was wrought upon it.  The Scion of Rothmyer drove his claws into it, rending it asunder and erasing it from this and all other realities.  The dust cast to the winds of the rifts between worlds, never to be reconstituted.  The thing  never. was. 
 
 Spoiler: OOC/Mechanics/Whatnot 
Fallout: Nightgaunt marks Troubled and suffers 1 Wound and is shaken
Turn Start:
 Roll to be Unshaken: 11  (+2 from undead, ignore 1 wound penalty)
 Regeneration: 17!!!! 
Narrative Intervention: Nightgaunt loses control
Turn Continues:
Nightgaunt marks The Doom Track to use  Infinite Power!!! 9-2 = 7 
Nightgaunt generates 30 points of Super Sorcery, he maintains the effect for 10 rounds
Nightgaunt temporarily gains the following powers:
Extra Action (3 Points)
Teleport (3 Points)
Attack, Meleex3 (6 Points)
Super Fightingx3 (3 points)
Total: 15/15
 Action #2: Reality Storm: 6,  we're gonna nick a camaraderie selfishly to bump it up to a 7, the selfishness is how uncaring I am of collateral damage or appearances at this moment, and the fact that Raphael just dusted 5 dudes.  Savior Down, Freak Up.
(ignore first roll, I got my numbers severely crossed up)

Nightgaunt Directly Engages ^^^ the hollow god chimera
 Fighting Roll: 15   (+2 from Directly Engage, +2 from super fighting)
 Damage: 43  (+3 Strength)
Nightgaunt resolves the Critical Blow effect of Reality storm to double his melee damage
 For a total of 86 Damage against the hollow god. 
 Burn: 0/3 

Per the GM, 86 damage  is , in fact, enough damage to straight up murderate the hollow god, and thus I have done so in my description.
 
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
Hope laughs lightly. “Don’t forget about the cornbread over there too. I remember it being really good last time.”

The waiter writes down Keith’s order and leaves the table once again.

“He was a Marine. Infantry,” Hope replies as she takes another bite of her fritter. “He worked really hard to get back in shape after he got hurt. And yeah, prosthetics are pretty awesome these days. He has the blade one for when he runs and a normal one for day to day.”

“So, the real reason we’ve met here today,” Hope says with a smile. “ Red Rising . What did you think? Would you read the next book?” 
 

Keith chuckles a bit and grabs a piece after thanking the waiter as he writes the order down. “Almost did forget about it.”

As he takes a bite, the flavor hits him and he is brought back into the depths of his memories. A time back before he knew anything about the evil history of his father. It reminded him of just what all he had missed out on.

He wanted to recover his mom’s recipe for this, and wondered if she got it from his grandparents. Well, now his adoptive grandparents. If they were even still alive…..

“I haven’t had cornbread that good since I lived in Albany, Georgia. That takes me  way, way  back.” He said it with a bit of a smile. He felt better about it all now though, knowing the truth of it all. But he still needed to make sure his father paid.

And Jason would pay dearly.

“Him and uncle would get along if they ever met. One of his dreams is to find a way to give back to all the military families that need the help.”

As Hope smiled and mentioned the real reason they were there, Keith grinned a bit and leaned forward. “Straight to business then! Fun story, I’m about to start the next one. Went back and grabbed it after we parted ways the other day. I loved it! My adrenaline was pumping and it was so hard to put down just to go to sleep!”

“The spy thriller aspect stood out to me as an interesting method as well. I think that sells the story in such a unique method as well.”

Keith sits back up. “I’m curious to see how the revenge goes between Cassius and Darrow as well.”
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
“I remember,” Mrs. Shaw says with a smile at John. Her eyes mist up at John’s words as she looks around at her family warmly. “You’re too kind. They are rather extraordinary, aren’t they?”

Mr. Shaw’s hand tightens around his wife’s before he looks over at John at his slip up with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

“Like you, John,” Mrs. Shaw continues. “Not only did you heal me, but you’ve also managed to amuse my husband. A rare feat. I’m overjoyed that Emi’s found someone like you. And she clearly cares deeply about you.”

“I do,” Emi says, squeezing John’s hand.  See? She likes you. No need to worry.  

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “I’m glad that you were able to return before the holidays. My mother loves decorating, so we look forward to the season. And Christmas is coming.” 
 

Mrs. Shaw glances out to the center garden and the dusting of snow there and then to the corner of the room farthest from the door that John had entered from. “What is today?”

“The 11th of December,” Ian answers. “So we still have time. I bet we can find a tree still.”

“I’ll have Oskar and Jeremy start bringing out our decorations,” Mr. Shaw says. “If you want, you can have either Emi or me project your vision of the house to them so that it’s right.”

Ian and his parents start to speak of specific decorations and where Mrs. Shaw was thinking about putting them, or if she wanted some different lights this year since theirs were old and outdated.

Emi gives John a slightly apologetic smile.  I don’t think we can expect the three of them at your mother’s house to decorate, but I would be happy to if she did decide to postpone from tonight. My father is planning on cooking dinner for us, you included. But of course we understand if you would want to go decorate with your family.  
 Cafe Rosalie  
“I’m glad you like it that much,” Hope says. She grins as she begins to go through her favorite scenes in the first book, talking animatedly as she asks Keith his opinions on character motivations and what he thought about those scenes.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 4  
As they talk, a couple is seated a few tables away behind Hope.  The man  is tall and blonde with long hair and a well maintained beard and is wearing very fine, expensive looking clothes.  The woman  he’s with is in her twenties, attractive, with black hair and dark gray eyes.

The man takes the woman’s coat and pulls out her chair for her so that she can sit before he takes his seat across from her, facing Keith.

Something about him sets Keith slightly on edge as piercing blue-green eyes unobtrusively but methodically sweep the restaurant and gauge each patron, even while he maintains a conversation with his date.
 

 Barron Street 
The demon crumbles into ash as Nightgaunt rips out its essence. The rotten egg stench of a broken gas line begins to permeate the building as debris from the second floor shifts.

After a few moments, the vampire hears someone gingerly making their way down the half destroyed staircase.

Outside, Redline watches as the giant demon hanging halfway out of the first floor fades into ashes, leaving only dust and debris hanging in the air from the collapse of most of the second floor. The balcony is gone, as Redline can see that only about half of the upstairs bedroom remains.

An unnatural, thick fog begins to roll in, moving swiftly down the street. Sirens wail in the distance, still several blocks away.

 “East Side Provisional incoming,”  Mimi warns.

 OOC: Combat Ends! 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
“I remember,” Mrs. Shaw says with a smile at John. Her eyes mist up at John’s words as she looks around at her family warmly. “You’re too kind. They are rather extraordinary, aren’t they?”

Mr. Shaw’s hand tightens around his wife’s before he looks over at John at his slip up with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

“Like you, John,” Mrs. Shaw continues. “Not only did you heal me, but you’ve also managed to amuse my husband. A rare feat. I’m overjoyed that Emi’s found someone like you. And she clearly cares deeply about you.”

“I do,” Emi says, squeezing John’s hand.  See? She likes you. No need to worry.   
 

John felt his adrenaline kick into overdrive and his stomach lift with butterflies at Emi’s choice of words as his focus flickered to the  particular  diamond in his pocket, unsure if what he felt there was it responding to Emi’s formula or if it was his imagination.

Did she know it was there? She could solve puzzles blindfolded by telekinetically tracing each piece. Could she trace the box and its contents in his pocket without him sensing that? Would she do that and not tell him?  In between the Shaw reserve, his desire to impress her family, and his lingering fatigue, he wasn’t sure he would.

He didn’t trust himself to judge any of that any more than he trusted himself to look anyone in the eye at that moment. His own mental and physical response was too suspect, too intense to hear the detached portion of him that could at least hint at whether he was fooling himself.

His had, in contrast, softened as it relaxed into their tender clasp — trusting in their emotional bond to draw him through the next moment or two.

“You’re too kind, Mrs. Shaw,” he replied as he felt himself beginning to blush. “But I can’t help but feel the most extraordinary thing about me is that Emi has feelings for me — although I will concede that amusing your husband may have to come in second.”

And Mr. Shaw was still right there and was, like Emi, doubtless sensing his emotional turmoil.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  Mrs. Shaw glances out to the center garden and the dusting of snow there and then to the corner of the room farthest from the door that John had entered from. “What is today?”

“The 11th of December,” Ian answers. “So we still have time. I bet we can find a tree still.”

“I’ll have Oskar and Jeremy start bringing out our decorations,” Mr. Shaw says. “If you want, you can have either Emi or me project your vision of the house to them so that it’s right.”

Ian and his parents start to speak of specific decorations and where Mrs. Shaw was thinking about putting them, or if she wanted some different lights this year since theirs were old and outdated.

Emi gives John a slightly apologetic smile.  I don’t think we can expect the three of them at your mother’s house to decorate, but I would be happy to if she did decide to postpone from tonight. My father is planning on cooking dinner for us, you included. But of course we understand if you would want to go decorate with your family.   
 

 Kate let me in on Mom’s plans, which are still focused on collecting as many Shaws as she can to join the family for decorating. She’s going to handle the house for now and leave the tree for when you and however many members of your family can join us for a different night.

I assured her that providing the tree literally on a moment’s notice wouldn’t be a problem and it doesn’t have to be here. In most boxes of decorations there are a few needles from Christmas trees past. All I need is one and I can regrow a full tree to order.

I, um…I even did some extra study and figured out how to make the trunk form a living bowl for the water and base for the tree by redirecting its root growth.

I worked it out in case there was a last minute change in plans that brought you and your family there and so that we had options for the Spire. There are some high ceilings there and I didn’t know where you might like to have our tree….
 
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. He’s listening, John. He can’t help it at this range.

  A  tree. For the Spire. If you were willing to help, that is. Wanted — not willing.

I thought it might be a nice opportunity for our families to decorate it on neutral ground, as it were.  

Still implying more than you should.

Even if she did just say ‘I do.’

Wrong context.

I think.

Maybe.

Difficult to be sure.

 But that’s neither here nor there. Well, the Spire is there, I suppose.

The point is, he projected separately trying to get back on track, that I can grow a tree for your family, if you would like.  

I’ll be here all week, he thought. Be sure to tip your servers.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie  
“I’m glad you like it that much,” Hope says. She grins as she begins to go through her favorite scenes in the first book, talking animatedly as she asks Keith his opinions on character motivations and what he thought about those scenes.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 4  
As they talk, a couple is seated a few tables away behind Hope.  The man  is tall and blonde with long hair and a well maintained beard and is wearing very fine, expensive looking clothes.  The woman  he’s with is in her twenties, attractive, with black hair and dark gray eyes.

The man takes the woman’s coat and pulls out her chair for her so that she can sit before he takes his seat across from her, facing Keith.

Something about him sets Keith slightly on edge as piercing blue-green eyes unobtrusively but methodically sweep the restaurant and gauge each patron, even while he maintains a conversation with his date.
 
 
 

“It was one of the best reading decisions I’ve made lately,” he responded with a grin.

Keith went into full book nerd mode discussing his favorite scenes as well. He rather enjoyed the scene where Cassius had his realization about Darrow. He responded in kind asking Hope about her opinions of his favorite scenes.

 
 Spoiler: Sir, you’re freaking me out. Please calm down. 

 Notice (Benny) :  1d8o8   4   1d6o6   7 
Bennies, 2 / 3 remain.
 


Keith glanced over for a moment at the man walking in and taking a seat. The man was facing him so it wasn’t as though he had to move to see him, but something felt off. Keith kept his focus on Hope, but out of the corner of his eye, he could see the man scanning the restaurant as though he was waiting for something.

The girl, at least from the glance he could see, seemed familiar, but he couldn’t place it. Suddenly he felt underdressed for his date.

“I have a theory of what could happen in the next book, or at least going forward. I’m curious to see if the friends to enemies situation ends up reversing. Or even if that becomes a full climax later on.  Or if Cassius has someone infiltrate Darrow’s side now.”

Keith went to take a sip of his tea, but he couldn’t risk subvocalizing into the mic on his communicator. He would need to walk away or something, but that would be a risk itself since this guy is constantly scanning the restaurant.

 Weird things happening during a date, I’m O for two……   He thought as he took a drink while listening to Hope’s response.

“I know you won’t give me a spoiler, but I’m excited to see what happens next.” He couldn’t help but be entranced by Hope’s gaze and words. “So big question, who is your favorite character?”
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 Outside, Redline watches as the giant demon hanging halfway out of the first floor fades into ashes, leaving only dust and debris hanging in the air from the collapse of most of the second floor. The balcony is gone, as Redline can see that only about half of the upstairs bedroom remains. 

The high octane hero allows himself to shift gears as he watches whats left of the nightmare turn to ash. The primary threat to the public and their operation had been eliminated, and their target- while in critical condition remained in their custody.

"Okay, for starters I was gonna get to the dragon eventually. I just had to guarantee that Mirko didn't get away this time. And just for the record that still only counts as one." He begins over comms. "I'll take the disintegrating demon as a sign you're alright for now. Do you have eyes on Aria?"

After verifying the well-being of his partner and the women they were currently charged with the only thing left in the process was clean up. Given the two West Sider’s respective skill sets Redline quickly reaches the conclusion that that would be at task best left to someone else.


 An unnatural, thick fog begins to roll in, moving swiftly down the street. Sirens wail in the distance, still several blocks away.

“East Side Provisional incoming,” Mimi warns. 

"Sure, what's one more dragon at this point?" he replies. "Calvary's here. Let's get ourselves cleaned up and resdy to roll out so we don't have to spend any more time here than necessary."

Redline teleports to the center of the street and uses his powers to cordon off the stretch of the block they were currently working while he waits.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
Emi gently pulls John to sit on the loveseat across from her parents and Ian, giving John a warm smile. “You should give yourself more credit than that, John.”

She joins her mother in the plans of decorating the Shaw house as she replies to her boyfriend privately.  Growing an entire tree from a single needle is impressive,  she says, squeezing John’s hand. She doesn’t call attention to John’s slip up, other than her smile turning amused.

Mr. Shaw glances at the two of them.  While I appreciate the invitation, I think that decorating a large tree in the Spire might be beyond Rose currently. She’s already tired just from our conversation here. So I would prefer to let her recover before meeting your family so that she doesn’t feel like she’s being a burden if her body can’t keep up with her desire to be social. Next year, we can decorate together.

If you could, though, it would be easier if you could grow a tree for us before you leave tonight. We used to place it in that corner,  he says, directing John’s attention to where Mrs. Shaw had glanced before.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 4 
Mrs. Shaw does seem to be losing stamina, though she’s fighting the feeling and hiding it well.
 

 Cafe Rosalie 
“No spoilers,” Hope says, returning Keith’s smirk. She chats with Keith about the book for another fifteen to twenty minutes until their food arrives.

“ Etoufee  and a  Pontchartrain ,” their waiter says as he drops off their plates. He steps away for a moment and comes back to fill their drinks. “Everything look good? Can you get you guys anything else?”

“Yeah, looks good. Thank you,” Hope says with a smile to him. She glances over to Keith. “I think we’re good.”

If Keith doesn’t have any requests, the waiter heads over to check on the couple that the shadowmancer had noticed earlier.

Hope eats a few bites of her pasta, obviously enjoying the flavor. “Man that’s good. Anyway, to answer your question, I like Darrow. I think he’s a good protagonist. Sevro is vulgar, but funny. But my favorite character is Mustang. She’s freakin’ awesome.”

The man that Keith is keeping an eye on has seemed to relax slightly. Now that he’s assessed the room, he spends more time looking at his date while she speaks animatedly to him, showing him pictures on her phone.

Though, if Keith ever overtly looks at him, the man gives him the slightest glance of curiosity, but otherwise stays focused on the woman he’s with.

 Barron Street 
 
 Spoiler: Redline Notice TN 4 
People begin to move blinds and look out of windows from neighboring houses.
 


After a few moments a large shadow passes over the street. A bolt of azure lightning shoots down about thirty feet from Redline, and a hero dressed in navy blue and black with yellow accents appears from where the lightning struck.

Blitz greets Redline with a nod as he approaches. “Hey, Redline. We just finished killing a demon a few streets over and got some reports of priority dispatch of EMS and police, and one of my teammates felt some weird energy from over here. Everything good?”

The shadow above circles once before a white dragon about the size of the chimera demon that had just been dealt with lands with a rush of wind just down the street. He walks toward the two heroes, and Redline can see that his muzzle, chest, and front feet and claws are stained purple-black with ichor.

A dark-skinned girl with short dreadlocks hops down from the dragon’s back, rolling to absorb the impact as she hits the pavement. “Hi!” she says as she joins the two of them.

Draconian’s head swivels to look at the destroyed house. A deeper version of Grayson’s voice with a bass timbre projects into Redline’s head.  I smell gas. We should start evac.  
big teej
 Bad Blood: 

The vampire's lips curl in disgust as the reek of gas hits his overly sensitized nostrils.  He whirls at the sound of padding feet at the staircase, claws coming up, pricking at the fabric of reality, ready to cast -----

 The Girl. 

Like a bucket of cold water, context and control return to Nightgaunt.  He exhales slowly and steps towards the noise, wavering  out of reality to appear next to Aria.  His voice echoes from within the blur of corrupted reality that obscures him.

"Are you hurt?"
 "Are you hurt?" 
"Are you okay?"
 "Are you okay?"  
"We need to get you out of here."
 "We need to get you out of here." 

The vampire holds out his hand for her to take, a tiny breakwater against the churning storm surrounding the 'hero'.

"Redline, you need to make her look different when we exit the building, she can't get caught up in.... this."
 "Redline, you need to make her look different when we exit the building, she can't get caught up in.... this."  

Nightgaunt, seeing Aria'd lost her footwear in the chaos, gathers her up in his arms and heads outside.

"Mimi.  Are there any other major incidents going on in the city right now? I can probably solve any problem in Iron Station for the next minute or so."
 "Mimi.  Are there any other major incidents going on in the city right now? I can probably solve any problem in Iron Station for the next minute or so."   

As he walks through the wreckage, the skin across his temples and between his shoulders crawls.  He bares his fangs against the sensation of another predator,  another challenger .  Seeing the white scales and familiar form of Draconian 2.0, Nightgaunt clenches his teeth against a variety of temptations.  The things he could say... the things he could  do. 

Beyond the vastly expanded limits of power, he could feel the price of what he'd done... or at least, the price he would be forced to pay, he could feel how his teeth and his stomach would ache from hunger and thirst.
  I wonder what dragon blood tastes like  

Raphael's sense of theatrics reassert themselves as he nears the brand new door to the street, careful of the girl in his arms, he let's that soot and fell light trail out behind him, flickers of a dark place full of blood-red stones visible within.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
Emi gently pulls John to sit on the loveseat across from her parents and Ian, giving John a warm smile. “You should give yourself more credit than that, John.” 
 

John’s felt his peripheral vision linger on Mr. Shaw briefly as he turned his focus entirely to Emi. “I can think of no greater accomplishment or accolade than to be cared for by you,” he noted in earnest before he faltered at the sight of her eyes. His own gaze softening slightly, his tone turned somewhat more playful. “Unless providing your father with occasional moments of amusement is a greater accomplishment than I first thought.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 She joins her mother in the plans of decorating the Shaw house as she replies to her boyfriend privately.  Growing an entire tree from a single needle is impressive,  she says, squeezing John’s hand. She doesn’t call attention to John’s slip up, other than her smile turning amused.

Mr. Shaw glances at the two of them.  While I appreciate the invitation, I think that decorating a large tree in the Spire might be beyond Rose currently. She’s already tired just from our conversation here. So I would prefer to let her recover before meeting your family so that she doesn’t feel like she’s being a burden if her body can’t keep up with her desire to be social. Next year, we can decorate together.

If you could, though, it would be easier if you could grow a tree for us before you leave tonight. We used to place it in that corner,  he says, directing John’s attention to where Mrs. Shaw had glanced before.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 4 
Mrs. Shaw does seem to be losing stamina, though she’s fighting the feeling and hiding it well.
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler: Oops. Oh. Yes…. Drat. 
 Noticing Mrs. Shaw’s Condition :  1d10o10+4   8   1d6o6+4   7 
 

 Of course , John conceded apologetically.  I should have remembered. I’m afraid my own excitement at getting to meet Mrs. Shaw got the better of my good sense.  

John immediately dismissed the thought of suggesting she would be able to rest in their room in the Spire should she become fatigued as he was not certain if Emi had mentioned the rooms he had set aside for her and her family. Yes, there were also the spaces he had installed for Iron Station’s four provisional teams and their Directors. Those rooms, however, had been created as a contingency and were much closer to bare bones dormitory spaces than the suites he had set aside for the Shaws and neither had been on the tour before the dinner in Providence.

Focus, John. You’re not working on the ‘what if’ of the war against the demons and/or River King going badly enough to require a space to retreat and regroup before returning and reconquering Iron Station. Right now, Christmas decorations were the topic of conversation.

 In addition to the needle, all I need is a projection from either of you so I can get a sense of the dimensions you prefer. One of the years Dad was away during the decorating of our tree, I was the one who had to figure out how to trim down the top to fit the star between the tree and the ceiling. Since I’ll me growing it to measure, I’d like to avoid putting anyone through that — even if there are three telekineticists available to trim away any excess. 

Next year, John noted to himself happily as he tapped out ‘Msg.1’ in Morse Code to Clea, using his index finger for the dots and his middle finger for the dashes. While the sensor was standard on an Apple Watch, the connection to a true AI was not.

Being constantly monitored did come with  some  advantages.

Clea vibrated the watch in response, confirming that she would relay the message to the FPO that he and Emi would not be joining them that evening but would work to be there to decorate the tree at a later date.

His mother might be disappointed at not having the other Shaws there for the occasion but would doubtless be happy to hear there was another Shaw for her to meet — especially if Emi signaled that he had made a good impression.

Next year.

 That  news would make her happier still, he thought as he returned Emi’s smile. Amused at him was a small price to pay for her at least flirting with the thought of ‘our’.

Of course, the detached portion of his mind processed, he couldn’t be sure if he would be permitted to even tell the FPO about Emi’s mother. They would want to have her protected and there would be few, if any, who knew she even lived. His best guess is that there would be only about ten in all of Iron Station who knew: The three Shaws, Harbinger and Seraph, Zaphriel, Apex, maybe Coldfront, and himself.

Plus Vibrato and whatever demon she may or may not still have working for her.

If that had not been a sacrifice-driven one-and-done arrangement between them.

It would be simple enough to keep it quiet — even if the three of them occasionally transited through the Spire to visit Mrs. Shaw in Aeon City. If Apex had recovered, Mr. Shaw might even return there to be with his wife, giving the reason for Ian and Emi’s trips to visit a certain plausible deniability that might even be enough for East Side and the South-West joint operation task force to remain however much in the dark they needed to be kept — no matter how much he might want to tell them (especially Stella and Raphael, who would appreciate the story more than most).
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“No spoilers,” Hope says, returning Keith’s smirk. She chats with Keith about the book for another fifteen to twenty minutes until their food arrives.

“ Etoufee  and a  Pontchartrain ,” their waiter says as he drops off their plates. He steps away for a moment and comes back to fill their drinks. “Everything look good? Can you get you guys anything else?”

“Yeah, looks good. Thank you,” Hope says with a smile to him. She glances over to Keith. “I think we’re good.”

If Keith doesn’t have any requests, the waiter heads over to check on the couple that the shadowmancer had noticed earlier.

Hope eats a few bites of her pasta, obviously enjoying the flavor. “Man that’s good. Anyway, to answer your question, I like Darrow. I think he’s a good protagonist. Sevro is vulgar, but funny. But my favorite character is Mustang. She’s freakin’ awesome.”

The man that Keith is keeping an eye on has seemed to relax slightly. Now that he’s assessed the room, he spends more time looking at his date while she speaks animatedly to him, showing him pictures on her phone.

Though, if Keith ever overtly looks at him, the man gives him the slightest glance of curiosity, but otherwise stays focused on the woman he’s with.  
 

“Looks delicious, thank you!” Keith grins at the waiter. “Yep, all good for now.” Hefocuses back on Hope as the waiter walks away to the other couple, and seeing that the man had stopped and relaxed a bit, Keith stops watching for the most part.

He eats a few bites of his food and enjoys the flavors mixed together. It really was one of the best things he had eaten lately. Granted, he still had his appetite from the Void. “That is, so good.” He smiles.

 Maybe I was overthinking it, probably just someone else used to it.  Unfortunately, his eye slips a bit and looks directly at the man for a moment

 Ah crap….. If he sees it may just be considered a slip. I hope.  He shakes his head and thinks on what Hope asks.

“Darrow is definitely a good protagonist. Honestly enjoy his growth and he’s relatable. Have to agree about Servo. Actually he reminds me of someone I know.”

At the mention of Mustang, he just widely grins and nods. “She’s so freakin’ cool! Can’t wait to see what happens with her in the next book.”
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Notice 
 People begin to move blinds and look out of windows from neighboring houses. 
 

 
 Spoiler: Notice 
 5  + 2 (Perception) = 7
 


The West Sider sighs tiredly at the sight of several faces emerging from the neighboring blinds and windows of Barron Street, though his half smile betrays the relief he felt for their safety.  And now we have an audience... 

"Alright people, less looking, more packing! Everybody on this block's gotta go!" The hero calls out to any onlookers within earshot.


 After a few moments a large shadow passes over the street. A bolt of azure lightning shoots down about thirty feet from Redline, and a hero dressed in navy blue and black with yellow accents appears from where the lightning struck.

Blitz greets Redline with a nod as he approaches. Â“Hey, Redline. We just finished killing a demon a few streets over and got some reports of priority dispatch of EMS and police, and one of my teammates felt some weird energy from over here. Everything good?Â” 

" That ... depends on your definition of good." Redline replies, returning Blitz's nod as he materializes a few steps away. "Nightgaunt just obliterated some nightmare creature about the size of Draconian after it descended into our reality and onto-" He takes a moment to assess the damage to the former Crown safehouse, "what's left of the building in front of us." Redline finishes waving his hand at the aftermath of their mission. "I was busy capturing the person responsible for summoning the thing, he's in our custody now but requires immediate medical attention before we ship him off to see his brother in the pit. So... yeah. I'd say were good."


 The shadow above circles once before a white dragon about the size of the chimera demon that had just been dealt with lands with a rush of wind just down the street. He walks toward the two heroes, and Redline can see that his muzzle, chest, and front feet and claws are stained purple-black with ichor.

A dark-skinned girl with short dreadlocks hops down from the dragonÂ’s back, rolling to absorb the impact as she hits the pavement. Â“Hi!Â” she says as she joins the two of them. 

"Amethyst, Draconian, I see you guys got to enjoy the block party too." He jokes, taking note of the dragon's stained carapace.


 
 Originally Posted by Draconian 
 DraconianÂ’s head swivels to look at the destroyed house. A deeper version of GraysonÂ’s voice with a bass timbre projects into RedlineÂ’s head. I smell gas. We should start evac. 
 

"I was actually in the process of starting that right when you guys showed up, but with five of us this should run a lot smoother. Blitz and Amethyst, you'll be on evac with me. We'll start with the buildings along this stretch of Barron Street and work our way out."

"Blitz, lights out for the both of us starting now." Redline says as he turns his attention back to the East Sider. "If there's an active gas leak then even a smallest arc of electricity or burst of heat could end up taking out most of the block."

"Draconian, you're the biggest one here, obviously. If you could start clearing away debris and searching for any survivors before EMS arrive that'd be a huge help."


 
 Originally Posted by Nightgaunt 
 "Redline, you need to make her look different when we exit the building, she can't get caught up in.... this."
 "Redline, you need to make her look different when we exit the building, she can't get caught up in.... this."  
 

Redline tilts his head as the distorted transmission comes through his communicator. "Sounds like Nightgaunt's already found a survivor. I'll check in on the two of them first then make my way to another building once I've verified they're okay. My double's already making his way back down the street with our target now. Any questions?"
mmdeforrest
 Meanwhile, in Providence, RI 
"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," Joe Kelley muttered in response to his watch pulsing out the signal for a text from the FPO. The stack of storage bins containing wave three of the family's Christmas decorations made it impossible to glance at his wrist and see which of them were texting him as he carefully climbed the basement stairs.

Maybe John would be able to arrive early enough next year to Sorcerer’s  Apprentice them up from the basement.

He had left Mary in the kitchen testing lights so it probably wasn't her (She’d call down the stairs if she needed something). Jefferey and Kate were out on a coffee and hot chocolate run so that he (and they] would be caffeinated enough for what was coming. Stephen had gone to pick up a replacement set of string lights. And it was entirely plausible that the two stores he drove past to reach the one nearer Samantha's were out of string lights.

Entirely plausible.

He had to work with him on plausibilities.

That left John.

He cleared the doorway carefully and turned to look at his lovely wife, who was smiling beatifically as she looked at her phone.

"A message from John or are they out of egg nog at Dave's Coffee?”

"He can't be here to help decorate today,” she replied, turning to him with glistening eyes.

"He and Emi have asked if we can trim the tree on a different day so that they can join us."

Joe's smile broadened as she crossed the kitchen to meet him, suddenly glad he had been unable to read the text. Getting to hear it from a happy Mary was so much better.

"It's been a long time since we welcomed someone new into the family," she observed, kissing him gently. “I couldn't have asked for a better match for our John.”

"Not since Kate informed us that Jefferey was one of us," Joe agreed. "She hasn't gotten any shyer about making her opinions known and she clearly has opinions about the Shaws.”

"She does," Mary replied as she made room for Joe to pass. "She and Jefferey clearly adore having Emi around and Stephen made a good impression on Alistair, I think."

"He's a good man to have worked to put Stephen enough at ease to make that good impression," Joe agreed. "I'm looking forward to getting to know him better."

"Do you think he’ll get to come to trim the tree?" Mary asked, having noticed the easy camaraderie that Alastair and her husband had fallen into.

"One Shaw at a time, Mary,” Joe teased. “You have plenty of time to wage your campaign. Let the children have an event when they're only under the eye of two parents."

"How many do you think are on the other side of their family?"

Joe heaved the stack of containers onto the table. "Don't know,” he replied as he stretched out his back. "We'll be told when we need to know. The absence of any reference to her mother hints there is something to be known there and too many people recall the reports of the wedding for her to be entirely forgotten.

"But what happened to her? That's need-to-know. And right now, we don’t.”

"While I may want to know," Mary said firmly as she returned to testing her window candles, "I can be satisfied for now with the knowledge that Eli loves our John and that she feels enough a part of us already to want to join us here to trim the tree.

"Although," she continued as she lifted her new teacup and smiled as she took a sip, "it would be  nice  to know so we can choose a thoughtful Christmas gift.”

Joe smiled and hoped John was ready for the more aggressive probing headed his way. And, Joe noted, John’s younger brother should be grateful for the cover he was providing.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 John’s felt his peripheral vision linger on Mr. Shaw briefly as he turned his focus entirely to Emi. “I can think of no greater accomplishment or accolade than to be cared for by you,” he noted in earnest before he faltered at the sight of her eyes. His own gaze softening slightly, his tone turned somewhat more playful. “Unless providing your father with occasional moments of amusement is a greater accomplishment than I first thought.” 
 

Ian rolls his eyes at John’s syrupy words, but the magician can see the slightest blush on Emi’s cheeks.


 
 Originally Posted by John 
  In addition to the needle, all I need is a projection from either of you so I can get a sense of the dimensions you prefer.  
 

 We can do that,  Mr. Shaw replies.  I’ll ask Rose later and see what she’s envisioning. 

“They’re talking without us, mum,” Ian says, playfully nudging Mrs. Shaw’s elbow.

She smiles as she looks over at her husband, who gives her slightly rueful look. “You’ve caught us.”

 She’s happy that you’re comfortable speaking through thoughts,  Emi says to John.

After a few more minutes of conversation, Mr. Shaw looks over at his children. “Why don’t the two of you show Mr. Kelley around the house? I’ve got some prep work to do in the kitchen for dinner.”

Emi stands and leans over to give her mother a quick hug before heading out of the lounge with her brother and John.

Once the door is closed, Ian glances over at her. “I can head upstairs, yeah?”

Emi gives him a lighthearted push. “Yes, Ian. I can show John around the house myself.”



 Cafe Rosalie 
Hope continues to chat with Keith throughout their meal, happily listening to his predictions for future plot lines and books.

The waiter returns when they’re almost done with their food and asks if they would like any dessert.

“Oh, you guys have bread pudding, right?” Hope asks. “We’ll take one of those.”

“Coming right up,” he replies before heading back to the kitchen.

“We got a little deep into books, hmm?” Hope says with a grin to Keith. “I guess we should probably learn a little bit about each other, don’t you think? Anything you want to know about me?”

 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Redline 
 "I was busy capturing the person responsible for summoning the thing, he's in our custody now but requires immediate medical attention before we ship him off to see his brother in the pit. So... yeah. I'd say we’re good." 
 

“Impressive,” Blitz says. “You guys have been busy, huh? Who’d you catch?” he asks curiously.


 
 Originally Posted by Redline 
 "Amethyst, Draconian, I see you guys got to enjoy the block party too." He jokes, taking note of the dragon's stained carapace. 
 

“Just him,” Amethyst says almost dejectedly. “You should’ve seen him though,” she continues, gaining her normal energy. “It I was some kinda weird bug thing and Draconian ripped it’s head right off, but it didn’t die—”

“I don’t think he wants to hear the story right now,” Blitz says, cutting off his teammate before she can get too excited.

Amethyst huffs and sticks her tongue at Blitz, but her smile quickly returns. “Fine fine. Story time later.”


 
 Originally Posted by Redline 
 “Any questions?" 
 

“Sounds like a plan,” Blitz replies as he starts to head toward a neighboring house. “Nora, would you send an alert to every cellphone within our evac radius? Thanks.”

Amethyst gives Redline a quick salute and heads off to the right of the destroyed safe house to knock on the door of the building next to it.

Draconian’s tail twitches as he continues to look at the building.  I’ll try to clear a path, but I don’t need to search for survivors. There’s only one. 

 
 Originally Posted by Nightgaunt 
 Like a bucket of cold water, context and control return to Nightgaunt. He exhales slowly and steps towards the noise, wavering out of reality to appear next to Aria. His voice echoes from within the blur of corrupted reality that obscures him. 
 

Aria flinches as Nightgaunt appears next to her. Her dress has been hastily put on, not zipped all the way, and she’s missing her shoes. There are several minor cuts on her arms and face, and she’s covered in dust from debris.

Once he speaks, she seems to realize who it is through the haze of wavering reality. Aria doesn’t hesitate to take his offered hand, though she does make a small noise of surprise as he picks her up.

She clings tightly to him, her breathing slowly steadying as Nightgaunt makes his way back down the stairs. “I thought you were dead,” she mutters against his shoulder. “Your arm… I saw it… You’re okay?” she eventually asks.


 
 Originally Posted by Nightgaunt 
 "Mimi. Are there any other major incidents going on in the city right now? I can probably solve any problem in Iron Station for the next minute or so." 
 

 “Nothing currently,”  Mimi replies quietly in his ear.

As Nightgaunt emerges from the destroyed safe house, Draconian snorts, causing the air above to rapidly cool and fog into a glittering cloud. His front talons flex against the asphalt and his muzzle wrinkles, revealing the edges of his teeth as he also recognizes the approach of another predator.

 You’re not human,  he hisses to Nightgaunt. The dragon seems to take a moment to master his instincts as he notices the girl in the vampire’s arms.  You don’t even have a heartbeat. 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
Once the door is closed, Ian glances over at her. “I can head upstairs, yeah?”

Emi gives him a lighthearted push. “Yes, Ian. I can show John around the house myself.” 
 

"I'd warn you about her only offering her side of the stories during the tour," John teased tentatively, still unsure how familiar he should be with Ian, “but her being a telepath all but guarantees she can get away with that, regardless. Heaven help me if and when Kate decides to start leveraging that with Emi. It’s frightening enough to know she’s started with your father."

“So,” he asked, turning to Emi, “which way to we go first? I’m excited to see the house you grew up in.”
big teej
 Bold Strategy, Cotton: 

Nightgaunt shifts his arms around to hold Aria more securely, and after considering her words for a few seconds, drums the fingers of his new arm against her gently.
 "Better than normal."
 "Better than normal."  

He's quiet for a few seconds.
"Just between us, I'll be exhausted later."
  "Just between us, I'll be exhausted later."  

"I'm sorry you had to see that."  He adds as an afterthought.
 "I'm sorry you had to see that."  

The smoke clouds and flickering red lights flare and intensify as the vampire registers Draconian's belated reaction.

"Mind who you bare your teeth at, Newt.  My fangs are sharper than yours."
 "Mind who you bare your teeth at, Newt.  My fangs are sharper than yours."  

The blank faced, finned helm of the vampiric hero stays locked on Draconian, even as he walks over to Redline, intending to deposit the girl if the wyrmling wants to press the issue.


 
 Spoiler: OOC/Mechanics/Whatnot 

Raphael wants to start a Team Move with Aria, but complete it in a later scene, if that's kosher.
"When you share a Vulnerability or Weakness with someone, give them Influence over you and ask if they honestly think there's hope for you.  If they say yes, mark Potential or clear a box from the Doom Track.  If they say no, mark a condition or mark the doom track.

Aria isn't on the team, but I'm not sure we've seen Nightgaunt readily admit something approaching fallibility or limitations to anyone except.... maybe..... Stella?

Aria gains Influence over Nightgaunt, either way (sheet updated)

6ish rounds remain on Infinite Power
 
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Blitz 
 “Impressive,” Blitz says. “You guys have been busy, huh? Who’d you catch?” he asks curiously. 
 

"Just another day at West Side," Redline says with a slight shake of his head.

"Hey Red One, any idea where to put this guy? He's getting kinda heavy...  and  his breathings getting rough." 2ouis inquires as he rejoins his double, an unconscious Mirko resting uneasy in his arms.


 
 Originally Posted by Nightgaunt 
 The smoke clouds and flickering red lights flare and intensify as the vampire registers Draconian's belated reaction.

"Mind who you bare your teeth at, Newt. My fangs are sharper than yours."
 "Mind who you bare your teeth at, Newt. My fangs are sharper than yours." 

The blank faced, finned helm of the vampiric hero stays locked on Draconian, even as he walks over to Redline, intending to deposit the girl if the wyrmling wants to press the issue. 
 

Redline quickly picks up on the tension between the two...  heroes , and moves to stand between them, serving as a figurative barrier moreso than a physical one.

"Alright guys, let's focus. Making sure block doesn't go up in flames before everyone evacuates is our top priority."

He takes a moment to study the smoke emanating from Nightgaunts form. "You look good for a man who just had a building dropped on him. And your top is.. mostly in one piece for once," the West Sider observes.

"You okay and is there anywhere we can take you?" He asks, turning his attention to Aria.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
Hope continues to chat with Keith throughout their meal, happily listening to his predictions for future plot lines and books.

The waiter returns when they’re almost done with their food and asks if they would like any dessert.

“Oh, you guys have bread pudding, right?” Hope asks. “We’ll take one of those.”

“Coming right up,” he replies before heading back to the kitchen.

“We got a little deep into books, hmm?” Hope says with a grin to Keith. “I guess we should probably learn a little bit about each other, don’t you think? Anything you want to know about me?” 
 

Keith had been enjoying the conversation all through the meal. He enjoyed the facial expressions when he made a prediction, trying to see if she had a tell that might give anything away.

 
 Spoiler: She’s cute and has a tell! 

 Notice :  1d8o8+1   3   1d6o6+1   4 
 


There was a moment where he saw her make a small gesture at one prediction, and he smirked a bit. He wondered if she had any other tells. Maybe when he got to know her more they would be known, but just being there and existing was the world right now.

Especially having been brought back from the dead.

Again.

“That was delicious, thank you!” Keith says as the waiter walks up and asks first. He nods and grins as Hope orders the bread pudding before turning back to her as the waiter leaves. “Now that’s another blast from the past. Haven’t had a good bread pudding in a  long  time.”

As she grins and asks if there is anything he wants to know, he just grins and his immediate thought manages to stay internal. Even if a bit loud in his head.

 Everything, honestly.  Which is true, but he needs to take time to not speed through and keep conversations going.

“Nothing wrong with getting a bit deep into the books. But I agree, would love to know more about you. What other hobbies do you have aside from books? What would you consider the perfect day out and about? These are really the first ones coming to mind.” He chuckles a bit nervously.

“What about something that you just really want to do at some point in time? Oh, how fluent in Korean are you? Mostly curiosity there. And what would you like to know about me?”
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
Ian spares John a brief glance with a roll of his eyes, not deigning to answer before he turns to the right and walks straight through the the wall into the courtyard, floating just a few inches above the ground to keep his feet dry from the dusting of snow on the bricks.

Emi watches him as he passes through the wall on the second floor on the opposite side of the courtyard. “He’ll come around,” she says softly. “That’s his room. We share the terrace— I’ll show you later.”

…

Emi concludes the tour in  her room , which seems too clean and devoid of the same character as her room at East Side.

“Nothing much to look at,” Emi says with a shrug. “I had the staff clean it a few years ago to the get rid of most of the things I had when I was a child. Anything I really wanted was already with me.”

 Meet me in the kitchen please,  Mr. Shaw projects to John as Emi sits on the edge of her bed.

As John heads down the stairs, the scent of seared meat and other smells hit him. Entering  the kitchen , John sees several pans on the stove that flip and stir their contents by themselves. Mr. Shaw is at the sink, and has taken off his blazer, rolled his sleeves to his elbows, and is wearing a black apron.

He finishes washing his hands and then psychically dries them, sliding the water off and into the drain.

The psychic turns, and comes over to stand before John. “I wanted to thank you again. Rose is resting upstairs in our room for the first time in ten years. She said my name without a shred of doubt in who I was. She laughed. She hugged our children. They were able to tell her that they loved her, and she responded to it.”

Mr. Shaw looks John in the eye and offers his hand to shake. “I am in your debt. Without you, I firmly believe that Rose never would have recovered. So thank you… John.”

 OOC: John gains Influence over Mr. Shaw! 
 Cafe Rosalie  
“Hobbies,” she says, leaning back a little in her seat. “I wanted to get into painting, but I’m not very good. I played softball in high school, so that took up a lot of my time. So… umm… books are it. I like movies too. And my friend’s roommate has really gotten me into the  Paranormal  TV series lately.”

“Your other two questions sound like you’re fishing for date ideas, so I’m going to skip those,” she says with a teasing grin. “And I speak a good amount of Korean. My grandma doesn’t let us use anything else in her house.”

Hope takes a sip of her drink before looking back up at Keith. “I’ll turn it back on you. What’re your hobbies?”

 Barron Street 
“I’ll be okay,” Aria says to Nightgaunt as he drums his fingers on her arm. “I’m just glad that you apparently regrow limbs.” She looks up into his blank helmet with some concern when he says he’ll be exhausted later. “Let me know if I can help. Or if I need to call Laura or something.”

As they emerge onto the street, Aria flinches at the sight of Draconian. Nightgaunt can smell her fear as she’s faced with a similar maw full of teeth as the one that almost ate her not even five minutes ago.

As Redline puts himself between the vampire and the dragon, Aria takes a breath and nods slightly. “I’m fine. Just a few cuts. As for a place to go, I was going to go back to my apartment after this. I was just going to grab an Uber or something.”

Several people begin to filter out of nearby houses as Blitz and Amethyst make their rounds.

Draconian lets out another icy snort, but lowers his gaze to the asphalt. He waits for the West Siders to move before beginning to carefully clear a path from the destroyed from of the building to the street.
mmdeforrest
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
Ian spares John a brief glance with a roll of his eyes, not deigning to answer before he turns to the right and walks straight through the the wall into the courtyard, floating just a few inches above the ground to keep his feet dry from the dusting of snow on the bricks.

Emi watches him as he passes through the wall on the second floor on the opposite side of the courtyard. “He’ll come around,” she says softly. “That’s his room. We share the terrace— I’ll show you later.”[/QUOTE]

“If I can bank on like father, like son,” John replied quietly, “at least I’ll amuse him until he does. I’d imagine having to adjust to a significant other is more complicated for a twin than other kinds of siblings.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  Emi concludes the tour in  her room , which seems too clean and devoid of the same character as her room at East Side. 
 

John’s eyes swept the room — a room a little bigger than his parents’ master suite.

Two rooms off the terrace. Not three. That did not guarantee that Vibrato wasn’t a sibling but it was a reassuring indication that it was less likely. Indeed, everything in the house pointed in that direction — the small handful of family photos, the room layout and furnishings. Nothing indicated a connection.

But then, it’s unlikely that it would. Such a secret would be as hidden away from the family as it would be from the public.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “Nothing much to look at,” Emi says with a shrug. “I had the staff clean it a few years ago to the get rid of most of the things I had when I was a child. Anything I really wanted was already with me.” 
 

“You underestimate your sense of style,” John replied as he looked out the glass door onto the terrace. “It’s an impressive space and decorated in a way that would make Jefferey proud.”

He was about to say something more when he turned to look at her.

All he did was catch his breath.

She had changed subtly since the morning. He doubt the world had ever noted the distant hint of pain she bore — even if it would have recognized the Shaw Reserve she and her family maintained.

But both had faded here. The former had faded with her mother’s return. The latter had eased within the sanctuary of her childhood home.

Palace.

Home.

He felt himself smiling with delight at the sight of her.

“It may not have the same ‘lived in’ look that your room at East Side has,” John conceded as he stepped forward (Rose — the pattern on her bedspread was the name her father used for her mother.). “But you can add memories old and new now.

“I hope the doors let in less of the cold air than the windows in the room you use in Providence,” John observed as he knelt next to Emi as she sat on the bed.

It was a familiar moment and he savored his delight in it as he took her hand. He was happy and relaxed.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  Meet me in the kitchen please,  Mr. Shaw projects to John as Emi sits on the edge of her bed. 
 

John stood immediately, finding an involuntary half-guilty look on his face as he did so. He had nothing to be guilty about, after all.

He was only on one knee in front of her daughter with an engagement ring in his pocket without speaking to him about it beforehand.

Well, he  had  spoken to him beforehand. During and immediately after the second date.

When he had done the equivalent of shouting the topic at him.

And it had been longer than a fortnight.

As promised.

No reason to feel guilty.

Or nervous.

There was still time before Christmas.

…

Focus, John.

 Of course, Mr. Shaw. I’ll be right there — assuming I don’t manage to get myself lost on the way down. 

“As comfortable as I’ve gotten with telepathic communications,” he admitted to Emi with a wry smile as he leaned down to kiss her cheek, “it appears I’m still not used to the thought of two telepaths being nearby. I’m glad I haven’t tried projecting anything too risqué to you rather than the heartfelt confessions of adoration that so amuse your father.

“I’ll go see if he needs someone to risk bodily harm with a salad knife.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
   As John heads down the stairs, the scent of seared meat and other smells hit him. Entering  the kitchen , John sees several pans on the stove that flip and stir their contents by themselves. Mr. Shaw is at the sink, and has taken off his blazer, rolled his sleeves to his elbows, and is wearing a black apron.

He finishes washing his hands and then psychically dries them, sliding the water off and into the drain. 
 

It was only when he arrived in the kitchen that it occurred to John that he had just referenced his mother asking him if he intended to eventually propose when he mentioned the salad And nearly cutting himself when he grabbed the blade of the knife.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. What was he thinking.

He clearly wasn’t thinking.

Or was he swept up in some kind of synchonicistic maelstrom of some sort — either as a side effect of the ritual?

Or was the moment coming?

Focus, John.

Your future father in law wants to talk….

To you.

He hoped Sister Anna Marie had said an extra prayer for him.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 The psychic turns, and comes over to stand before John. “I wanted to thank you again. Rose is resting upstairs in our room for the first time in ten years. She said my name without a shred of doubt in who I was. She laughed. She hugged our children. They were able to tell her that they loved her, and she responded to it.”

Mr. Shaw looks John in the eye and offers his hand to shake. “I am in your debt. Without you, I firmly believe that Rose never would have recovered. So thank you… John.”

[I]OOC: John gains Influence over Mr. Shaw![/I 
 

The name change didn’t scatter his thoughts in the same way Emi could without a second thought, but it came close.

“You’re very welcome, Mr. Shaw,” John replied, genuinely touched and deeply honored as he took the proffered hand. “It means a lot to me to have been able to do what I could for all of you. The four of you are important me and I hope that connection will only deepen with time.”

John felt his eyes widen some as the detached portion of his mind replayed the last part of his statement.

“I…that is…”

He cleared his throat.

“Sorry. I promised myself that I would keep away from that kind of thing today. This is a moment for your family and to renew your togetherness and not a moment to try to shoehorn myself in.

“Even if I have, inadvertently, made my attentions…intentions clear from the beginning, it seems ungentlemanly to raise the topic.”

When they might feel indebted.

Obligated.

That threshold must be crossed as unequivocal equals — out of love, not duty.

“And here I am raising it again,” he admitted as much to himself as to his future…

He looked around the kitchen, desperate for a way to change the topic.

“Normally, I’d offer to assist — perhaps even try to impress you with the sorcerer’s apprentice act I used to set up the roof at West Side the day before we met and Emi had our date there. But you seem to have things as well in hand as Mom would.”

He glanced down before meeting Mr. Shaw’s eyes once more. “I hoe I haven’t inadvertently strayed too far out of the amusing category. I’d hate to disappoint Mrs. Shaw so quickly.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie  
“Hobbies,” she says, leaning back a little in her seat. “I wanted to get into painting, but I’m not very good. I played softball in high school, so that took up a lot of my time. So… umm… books are it. I like movies too. And my friend’s roommate has really gotten me into the  Paranormal  TV series lately.”

“Your other two questions sound like you’re fishing for date ideas, so I’m going to skip those,” she says with a teasing grin. “And I speak a good amount of Korean. My grandma doesn’t let us use anything else in her house.”

Hope takes a sip of her drink before looking back up at Keith. “I’ll turn it back on you. What’re your hobbies?” 
 

As she starts mentioning her hobbies, he leans forward to listen intently. He started imagining what she might have painted, even just the softball games. For some reason, something close to her tattoo came to mind with the painting part.

“Gotta start somewhere though, right? I can imagine just how much it did, with the practices and all.” He leaned back a bit. “ Paranormal  is pretty interesting, always been curious about the mystical stuff.

As she mentions skipping the questions, Keith feigns an over the top gasp and chuckles. “Caught red-handed.” He grins.

“That’s pretty neat though. Only know enough to say a short version of ‘hello’.” He blushes a bit. And remembered that Stolas could speak other languages too. He wondered if maybe his heritage would allow that eventually. Would certainly be super easy, but very difficult to explain later on.

 Duolingo  He thought.

“What does she do about people still learning?”

He leans back a moment thinking about his hobbies. Obviously flying and breaking into places, or sneaking around invisible couldn’t be mentioned. Not now anyway.

“Hmmmm aside from books, now it’s mostly some writing and trying to pick up some cooking skills.” He laughs very nervously. “I’m terrible at it. The only thing I can do right is burgers or hotdogs. More so anything that requires a grill.”

He shakes his head. “I used to do some archery and martial arts. Was pretty decent with Taekwondo, but not so much anything else. Archery was pretty neat though, I kinda want to get back into it a bit. Did camp a lot too, but it’s been years for that as well. Movies too! Actually, enjoy the supernatural and paranormal storylines.”

“So in lou of those other two, is there anything I should just overtly avoid? More so curious, what’s a meta power you would want if you could have any single one?”
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 As they emerge onto the street, Aria flinches at the sight of Draconian. Nightgaunt can smell her fear as she’s faced with a similar maw full of teeth as the one that almost ate her not even five minutes ago.

As Redline puts himself between the vampire and the dragon, Aria takes a breath and nods slightly. “I’m fine. Just a few cuts. As for a place to go, I was going to go back to my apartment after this. I was just going to grab an Uber or something.”

Several people begin to filter out of nearby houses as Blitz and Amethyst make their rounds.

Draconian lets out another icy snort, but lowers his gaze to the asphalt. He waits for the West Siders to move before beginning to carefully clear a path from the destroyed from of the building to the street. 

"Well if you don't need any medical treatment then why not let Nightgaunt take you home? It's the least we can do." The West Sider offers the blonde in the arms of the beast. "If he doesn't mind that is." Redline asks his teammate with a look rather than words.

"I think we've got a handle on the situation here so it should be fine for now.
big teej
 Barron Street: 
 Incident Adjacent: 

Nightgaunt laughs at Redline's observations.  With the echo, it sounds disturbingly like a man choking to death.

"What can I say, I'm a lot better at making and surviving messes than cleaning them up."
 "What can I say, I'm a lot better at making and surviving messes than cleaning them up."  

The red and blackclad hero half turns to observe Draconian, cleaning, but bites his tongue rather than continue to try and goad the wyrmling to a more permanent resolution.

"I'll make sure she gets home." The Vampire assures his mortal teammate.
 "I'll make sure she gets home."  
 Several Streets Away: 

"Call an Uber, I'll be right back."  Nightgaunt says, gently setting Aria back on her feet.  He backs away from her and disappears in a brass slit in reality.

Seconds later, Raphael strolls around the corner, hands shoved in his hoody pocket.  He saunters up to Aria, "Hey, Honey, fancy meeting you here, having a nice night?"

He winks at her with a smile, but the fatigue is clear in his voice.

Raphael reaches up and throws his hood up over his head, casting most of his features in shadow.
mmdeforrest
 Meanwhile, in Providence 
Stephen listened again to the recording of the London Philharmonic John had asked him to track down while Samantha ran in to pick up their cups of coffee. The recording had credited Emi — who was playing at the event while she was much younger than he was. The recording itself was rare enough that he had to track it down on vinyl and then digitize it for his brother using some of the equipment he and his quintet had access to.

His mother had been proud of him for tracking down the album. He had gotten used to finding specific performances of standards while researching traditional Jazz pieces. It was a specific skill set that most people didn’t need when various assistants could call up popular music with only an artist, a title, or a fragment of lyrics to go on. Finding exactly the right rendition of “The Girl from Impanima” or Vivaldi’s  The Four Seasons  from among hundreds was a different kind of a thing.

The violin duet Emi played in came on just as Samantha got in the car.

“Here you go, Danger Boy,” she purred as she placed his black coffee next to him and looked at him under her eyelashes before pursing her lips and blowing on the surface of her holiday mocha, sending the faint scent of peppermint towards him.

“Your mother have you listening to the playlist you put together of your brother’s girlfriend’s performances?”

He could see the self-satisfaction mix into her sultry smile as he did a double take at the sight of her.

“Independent research,” he replied, wondering how much the taste of peppermint and chocolate would linger on her lips. “The duet has always tugged at me — like I’m missing something obvious there.”

He paused and held her eyes for a moment. “Everyone talks about the way we harmonize as I play and you sing — like there’s some magic there.”

He nodded his head towards the infotainment screen of his father’s Lightning and lowered his voice. “But this? This goes beyond even that.”

“They do say that about us, don’t they?” Samantha half-asked, half-said for a teasing moment longer before intentionally breaking eye contact and settling back into her seat.

She took a sip and frowned in thought.

“You’re right about their playing,” she said. “Maybe it’s her teacher. Half our magic comes from practice — learning to sense each other’s rhythms instinctively. They must have worked together a long time to have gotten so close.”

“That kind of rhythmic connection does take time to develop,” Stephen observed, continuing their flirtation. “You have to want to work at it.”

John might be hopeless in this arena, he reminded himself, but he was not.

But, as he started the pickup moving forward, he frowned again. “So much about her has been scrubbed from the internet. There’s no mention of her instructors anywhere. And this is when she was young. You wouldn’t believe what her playing is like now. It’s a real pleasure to play with her.”

“Really?”

“It’s a lot different than when we practice or play,” he observed, pleased to see her rising to the initial bait. “There isn’t that connection you and I share and you can tell she’s playing for primarily one person — maybe two, if she is trying to impress Mom. Maybe sometime soon, I’ll figure out a way to arrange for you to be there so we can arrange a trio.”

“That sounds like it’d be interesting,” Samantha answered, settling back into her seat — the flash of jealousy in her eyes shifting to something more smouldering as she heard herself rated above Emi by Stephen. “I’d be game, if she is.

“And your mother,” she said more cautiously.

“Maybe when Emi’s father is there. That should keep her attention divided.”

“You say that like she doesn’t have an infinite amount to draw on,” Samantha pouted.

Stephen glanced over at Samantha, recognizing the small hurt that she felt at Emi being instantly accepted while she remained under judgement. Of course, Emi arrived as John’s girlfriend and Samantha had only ever come over as part of the quintet.

“You said you were free this morning, right?” Stephen asked quietly as he pulled into the Home Depot parking lot.

“Yeah,” she replied. “Why.”

He let her question hang there as he pulled into a space.

“Well,’ he said after putting the pickup in park. “Mom usually has a total of six to deploy to help with the decorations. She and Dad have their jobs. Kate and Jefferey have their tasks and John and I tend to work together.”

“John’s off with Emi saving the world or organizing a charity event or something today and they may not be able to make it. I could use a hand if I want to keep to Mom’s timetable.”

Samantha looked at him, trying not to show the vulnerability he thought he detected in her eyes. “You want me to help?”

“If you’re interested,” he purred, leaning towards her.

“I think I could be convinced,” Samantha smiled, leaning into their first kiss. “And as much as I might want to linger with your convincing,” she purred, “you aren’t so willing to court danger to delay getting the Christmas lights your mother wants.”

Stephen’s heavily lidded eyes popped open. “Excellent point, Samantha.”

“I thought so,” she said with a tone that indicated she was just as satisfied with the way she had maneuvered him as he was about the way he maneuvered her into this moment.

She kissed him again.

“Come on, Danger Boy. Let’s find those lights.”

Just a hint of peppermint and chocolate, he thought as, smiling widely, he opened the door.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 He glanced down before meeting Mr. Shaw’s eyes once more. “I hope I haven’t inadvertently strayed too far out of the amusing category. I’d hate to disappoint Mrs. Shaw so quickly.” 
 

“Not at all,” Mr. Shaw says as he turns away to attend to the stove. John spots a faint smile on his face before he completes the movement. “Rose is quite pleased with you. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”

“Have you had beef Wellington before?” he asks, allowing John an easy change of subject. “It’s Ian’s favorite, and Rose loved the side dishes I would make for it.”

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 8 
 Besides John,  he hears faintly in his mind, almost too quiet to make out.  I would have given you my blessing even if you hadn’t healed my wife.  
 

 Cafe Rosalie 

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 “What does she do about people still learning?” 
 

“My grandma knows enough English to get by,” Hope replies. “My mom still doesn’t know a ton, so when she’s in the room, my grandma will use what English she knows. But once she’s gone and it’s just my dad and me, she’ll switch back to Korean.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 “Hmmmm aside from books, now it’s mostly some writing and trying to pick up some cooking skills.” He laughs very nervously. “I’m terrible at it. The only thing I can do right is burgers or hotdogs. More so anything that requires a grill.” 
 

“I’m not good a cooking either. My grandma tried to teach me, but it just never clicked for me.”

Hope gets interested at Keith’s mention of archery. “Ooohhh that’s cool. I’ve only shot a bow once on a field day when I was like seven. Did you compete or hunt? Or was it just for fun?”


 “So in lou of those other two, is there anything I should just overtly avoid? More so curious, what’s a meta power you would want if you could have any single one?” 

“That you should avoid?” Hope asks in a slightly confused tone. “I don’t think so?”

She takes a moment to think about his next question. “Am I limited to one? I mean, there some really cool stuff to choose from, even just based on the metas here in Iron Station. Siren and Esper can, like, throw semi trucks around with their minds, which is pretty cool! Mercury can pull metal off of stuff and, like, make things with it. Zodiac is a bunch of… animals or something? I’ve seen pictures online of a dragon… chicken thing and giant blue tiger. And Seraph has beautiful wings, just like an angel. But then there’s also Trace, who can like duplicate powers. Soooo… I think I’d want to be able to duplicate powers like she can, so I can technically have  all  powers.”

 Barron Street 
A few minutes later the first police cars arrive. The ISPD quickly take control of the situation, helping to evacuate the street with Blitz and Amethyst.

An ambulance rolls up next, followed by a fire truck.

The paramedics quickly swarm over Mirko as firefighters create a perimeter around the destroyed building.

Draconian sticks close to the firefighters, waiting for instructions if they need him to assist.

 Escort 
Aria gives Raphael a faint smile as he returns. She’s fixed her hair, getting most of the dust and debris out of it. “The guy should be here in just a couple minutes. We’re still close enough to Code Black that the rideshare people aren’t too far.”

She glances down at her bare feet. “I guess I’m just gonna act like a had a little too much to drink. Girls loose their shoes all the time at the club.”


 
 Originally Posted by Raphael 
 He winks at her with a smile, but the fatigue is clear in his voice. 
 

“Laura just got a shipment of…  juice . If you want some when we get to the apartment,” Aria offers as a blue sedan rolls up and parks at the curb.

She opens the rear door, letting out a drunken giggle as she not quite falls in and the scoots to the other side. As Raphael gets in, she snuggles up next to him. “I had sooooo much fun tonight,” she says, wrapping her arms around his elbow and hugging it tight against her breasts. “Maybe a little too much,” she admits. Her eyes flick up to the vampires, and he can see the question there—  Is this okay?  “You’ll be a good boyfriend and go pick up my shoes tomorrow, right? And my purse? Well, I don’t care so much about my shoes, but I really do need my purse.”

The driver glances up in the rearview mirror and sighs. “Just don’t throw up in car please. Tell me if you start to feel sick and I’ll pull over.”

“Okaaaay,” Aria says as the man pulls back onto the street. She gives Raphael a wide smile before leaning her head against his shoulder. Once the car is moving, Raphael feels her let out a deep breath and relax against him.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
“Not at all,” Mr. Shaw says as he turns away to attend to the stove. John spots a faint smile on his face before he completes the movement. “Rose is quite pleased with you. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”

“Have you had beef Wellington before?” he asks, allowing John an easy change of subject. “It’s Ian’s favorite, and Rose loved the side dishes I would make for it.”

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 8 
 Besides John,  he hears faintly in his mind, almost too quiet to make out.  I would have given you my blessing even if you hadn’t healed my wife.  
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler: Yes. Yes, he does.  
 Does John Hear Mr. Shaw? :  1d10o10+4   12   1d6o6+4   8 
 


Mr. Shaw’s words were faint — barely above a psychic whisper, if even that. But as quiet as they were, they reverberated within John’s mind as he played and replayed them back, making sure he had heard what he thought he had rather than inventing what he desperately wanted to hear.

 I’ll spare you the speech, then , he whispered sheepishly as he struggled to reassess his relationship with his future… Mr. Shaw.  Even after twelve attempts, I couldn’t get it to sound worthy of Emi or of your family. Truth be told, making the Orb felt like the easier task. 

He slipped his hands into his pockets to keep from rubbing the back of his left hand, only to discover himself fidgeting with the ring box — leaving himself unsure as to which was the greater tell.

As much as he wanted to make that change in title, John recognized that the most important person hadn’t weighed in on it and her vote was the only one that mattered. And he had promised himself that he would not make today the day of a proposal.

But he he was all too aware that couldn’t predict his reactions around Emi. And the sense that the  particular  ring should be here today was unnerving in that regard. He knew that it was important for it to bear witness to the healing in a way that made perfect sense until he put it into words.

Did it know something he didn’t or was it just a case of sympathy with the Orb?

Focus, John.

“Not that I remember,” John replied, struggling to maintain a normal conversational tone as he answered Mr. Shaw’s vocalized question. “ Mom made it once for a dinner party but, like all her cooking, it turned out well enough that there were no leftovers. But that’s normal for Mom and Dad’s dinner parties. Once we hit adolescence, Dad started insisting that she cook an extra turkey breast at the holidays so he had a fighting chance of getting a turkey sandwich later that day and that she up the size of the roasts she gets. The Central Meat Market loves to see her — or whichever one of us she’s sent out to pick up an order — coming through the door.

“I can follow the formulae of her recipes well enough but it’s Kate who inherited Mom’s flair for cooking. She’s done some pretty impressive things combining what she’s learned from Mom and Mrs. Novas — Jefferey’s mother. She spent part of a summer with his family there and came back with whole new ways of preparing cod.

“Well, new to us, anyway. Mrs. Novas said she taught her family a thing or two based on what Mom had taught her. Her dishes are welcome at the Cape Verdean festivals she and Jefferey attend, though. Her variation on  pudim de leite  is especially popular.”

John smiled. “I saw her offering you a small bottle of her special ingredient before you left the other night. The proportions and technique are closely guarded secrets. I tried to get her to tell me the amounts but she told me you had to do it by smell rather than by measure.

“I’m glad the two of you hit it off,” John confessed. “She can be bold to the point of being brash but I’ve always admired her ability to go after what she wants.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by mmdeforrest 
  Meanwhile, in Providence 
“Come on, Danger Boy. Let’s find those lights.”

Just a hint of peppermint and chocolate, he thought as, smiling widely, he opened the door. 
 

“I don’t know how she takes her coffee,” Kate observed quietly as she and Jefferey waited at the counter of Dave’s Coffee for their order to be finished.

“That’s Boyfriend’s job,” Jefferey reminded her without looking up from his cell phone.

She rolled her eyes at her friend. “There’s no need to obsessively check. You know you got an A on the project.”

“I know,” Jefferey replied with a cat that got the canary grin. “The  look  on everyone’s faces when she sauntered into the room wearing the dress made that as clear as day. The shock and awe was  almost  enough to make me keep my eyes off Boyfriend as she slayed the room. But the way he looks at her?”

Kate beamed at Jefferey. “I know. It’s wonderful, isn’t it. I’m just glad I caught a glimpse of her expression before she left the table after John…” She glanced around the room.

“What- ever  he whispered to her,” Jefferey replied, smoothly covering for Kate, “certainly had an effect.”

“It did,” Kate added, following his lead.

“So why the worry over not knowing how she takes her coffee?”

Kate shrugged. “I don’t know. It feels like a gap in my knowledge of her.”

“You can think of her as a close friend without that knowledge,” Jefferey observed as he replied to a text. “It’s not like you’ve been going to coffee shops with her for years — like some  fabulous  people I could name.

“That’s true. But given everything I’ve learned about her so far, you’d think that kind of personal detail would be on the list.”

“Momma Two’s research assignments didn’t come with that kind of access,” Jefferey replied as he raised an eyebrow and continued texting. “Her image has been carefully managed by high-powered PR teams and you’ve seen the man who taught her how to remain reserved. It’s a wonder we know anything.”

“Thank you,” Kate told the barista as she passed them the four large coffees in a tray.

“Sorry, could I get these two in a tray as well?” Jefferey asked about the small coffees they had ordered for the drive back to the Kelley household. “Thanks. I need to keep this conversation going.”

The barista smiled at him knowingly. “The conversation must be important to not have your coffee in hand, Jefferey.”

“Don’t you know it, girl. Now it’s younger brother looking for advice — although Boyfriend  could  call at any moment. He’s got a  much  higher standard to live up to now and could need advice at any second.”

“Younger brother?” Kate asked, her eyebrows popping up in surprise.

“I thought a white or grey shirt and black pants were considered a timeless look,” the barista teased, eliciting an exasperated huff out of Jefferey and an eye roll out of Kate.

“Timeless, yes,”Jefferey conceded over-dramatically as he took the tray. “In Boyfriend’s case, however, monotonous is a fashion term that also might also be applied.”

“If he’s dating Siren,” the barista smiled, “Monotonous clearly works for him.”

“Tough to argue against your fashion critique, Veronica” Jefferey replied lightheartedly. “See you Monday!”

“Stephen’s never needed to come to you for fashion advice,” Kate observed as they left Dave’s Coffee and walked towards their mother’s car.

“Oh, it’s not fashion advice,” he taunted Kate as he hit send and put his phone in his pocket. “I just had to assure him I would help him manage you on the ride home.”

“Manage me?” Kate asked incredulously as she set the coffee tray on the roof and opened the door.

Jefferey smiled with exaggerated innocence as he opened the door and put their coffees in the cup holders.

Kate walked around the car and handed in the tray of large coffees — two for her father and one for each of them. “What is is, Jefferey. Spill it.”

“Not a chance. I’m not messing up Momma Two’s Mustang.”

She huffed as he closed the door then stamped back around to the driver’s seat.”

“Fine.” She said as she closed the door and started the car. “Don’t tell me, then.”

Jefferey laid an amused hand on Kate’s before she could shift into reverse.

“He’s bringing Samantha to help decorate,” he explained excitedly. “He wants me to make sure you don’t spoil their entrance.”

Kate’s jaw dropped. “No way!”

“Way,” Jefferey replied, taking a sip of his coffee before putting it back in the cup holders. “Now don’t break too many laws trying to get back in time to see the entrance and the look on Momma Two’s face. They’re still at the hardware store. We have time.”

“That. Little. Vixen,” Kate replied as she pulled out of the parking space.

“You say that like the little playa is like his big brotha.”

“Fair,” Kate replied wryly. “Mom’s not going to know what to do without being able to send John to get something from whatever room Stephen’s trying to hide in.”

“She’ll figure it out. Or invite Sister Anna Marie over to talk to him.”

Kate shivered. “I love her to death but she puts the fear of God in you just by walking in the room.”

“Can you imagine the look on Smantha’s face?”

Kate smiled wickedly. “Oh, yes. That might be something worth working towards.”

“I’m supposed to be containing you — not encouraging you, girlfriend.”

“I wasn’t thinking about  today ,” Kate protested. “Just. Sometime soon. For now, we need to try to get a picture of them coming into the room and a picture of Mom’s face to send to Emi and John while they’re attending to whatever it is he needs to do in London.

“And if the image shook loose some information that would help put together the puzzle of what they were up to over there,” Kate observed shrewdly, “all the better.”
mmdeforrest
 A little later in Providence 
Joe caught Mary's raised eyebrow as he heard the Lightning’s doors close one after the other.

Doors, plural, he noted as his wife drew her phone out of her pocket.

Kate and Jefferey "somehow" had managed to time their arrival in the kitchen a moment or two before to ask if anyone had heard from John and Emi.

At least now, he noted as an amused smile began to appear on his face, he understood why Kate took the news that they would not be coming today with such equanimity. And why she and Jefferey had their phones out and had positioned themselves to cover Mary and the back door.

Joe reached for the door handle as he heard the two sets of feet mount the back steps.

"Come on in, kids," he said, opening the door after catching a glimpse of thick, wavy black hair next to Stephen's dirty blond. "You are very welcome, Samantha."

The look Mary shot him at hearing the ritual greeting was quickly replaced by something more placid.

"Thank you, Mr. Kelley," she said before wilting a little under Mary's level gaze. "Mrs. Kelley.”

"What a pleasant surprise, Samantha," Mary said in a tone that came just shy of sounding like she meant it. "I would offer you some tea but I see my son was gentleman enough to have gotten you some coffee before he brought you here."

"She checked the Dunkin' app notification as you were walking from the truck,” Joe explained conspiratorially.

"But how did she…you know to check?“ Samantha asked in a tone not entirely unlike a suspect in a crime drama.

"Two car doors closed too quickly for it to have been anything but Stephen with a passenger and I've seen you drinking a peppermint mocha with an extra shot — or noted an empty to go cup with your shade of lipstick,” she added with a meaningful look at her youngest son, "on more than one occasion."

The two teenagers began to blush.

Mary's face grew more benevolent as she poured herself some more tea from the set Alastair had gifted them. "You don't have to be a psychic to know such things. Don't just stand there, Stephen. Take the lady's coat and lead her to the Franklin Stove to warm up. Then you can help you and Jefferey can help your father bring the rest of the decorations up from the basement. Kate and I can keep Samantha company until you get back.”

"Be brave," Joe muttered in a stage whisper as he stepped up and took Samantha’s coat and directed the two boys towards The basement with a nod of his head. "We won't be gone long."

Samantha's smile was grateful — if still nervous.

"I didn't think I had any lipstick on me," Stephen confided to Jefferey quietly as they started down the stairs.

"You don't," Joe observed with clear amusement as he came behind them. "And Samantha's makeup was immaculate. Your mother was counting on your reactions to tell her what had delayed you by a half an hour."

"Mommas One and Two may not have raised any stupid children,” Jefferey explained as he handed Stephen a storage box of decorations, "but having raised them, they do know where all our buttons are."

"It doesn't hurt that your mother's a natural at these things, Danger Boy,” Joe teased as he quickly added a box to Stephen's stack. "Now get back up there before your mother and sister stop circling and move in for the kill.”

Stephen quickly ascended the stairs, feeling more sympathetic for what John had been going through during his last few visits.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“My grandma knows enough English to get by,” Hope replies. “My mom still doesn’t know a ton, so when she’s in the room, my grandma will use what English she knows. But once she’s gone and it’s just my dad and me, she’ll switch back to Korean.”

“I’m not good a cooking either. My grandma tried to teach me, but it just never clicked for me.” 
 

Keith nods in understanding and grins. “That’s pretty cool though, and guess it helps with them connecting too.”

He chuckles a bit at the cooking comment. “It’s rough at times. Uncle tried to teach me but we ended up on quick meals instead for cooking.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Hope gets interested at Keith’s mention of archery. “Ooohhh that’s cool. I’ve only shot a bow once on a field day when I was like seven. Did you compete or hunt? Or was it just for fun?” 
 

“Was a bit how I got started was a field day event. Was a bit of both for fun and hunting. Since we moved a good bit for Uncle to train others for his old special forces unit, we ended up hunting a good bit during the times they would have to wander the woods and find him. Couldn’t stay at home by myself, so I went with him and to keep the trainees from having it too east to find the finish zone, we used bows.”

Keith leaned back a bit remembering some of the earliest hunting days with his Uncle. The rules had been simple for Keith since he was allowed a book, but they had to catch what they ate. Just as much as Uncle was training the others, he was training Keith in the event of being lost and on the run.

He grinned a bit. “He had some easy rules for them all, but it was harsh since they needed to be able to survive alone as needed. If I had to go with, we ate what we caught, was only allowed a couple books during the time limit his trainees had, and they all had to be able to survive on minimal supplies.”

“Was interesting as a kid since it was explained to me as just going camping for a while. Haven’t been out like that in forever. It’s also how I learned some cooking.”

“Competitively though, he had me go against his trainees on a target range with guns. His speech to them was, ‘If you can best my nephew’s score, because he was taught by me first, you may have a chance!’ I think he wanted to make sure I felt at least sorta normal having to move around a lot. He also put nullifiers on metas just to make sure they could do it all without powers as needed.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “That you should avoid?” Hope asks in a slightly confused tone. “I don’t think so?” 
 

Keith tilts his head and realized his mistake. “Ah, my apologies. I meant if there was anything to really avoid for a date idea.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 She takes a moment to think about his next question. “Am I limited to one? I mean, there some really cool stuff to choose from, even just based on the metas here in Iron Station. Siren and Esper can, like, throw semi trucks around with their minds, which is pretty cool! Mercury can pull metal off of stuff and, like, make things with it. Zodiac is a bunch of… animals or something? I’ve seen pictures online of a dragon… chicken thing and giant blue tiger. And Seraph has beautiful wings, just like an angel. But then there’s also Trace, who can like duplicate powers. Soooo… I think I’d want to be able to duplicate powers like she can, so I can technically have  all  powers.” 
 

He listened to Hope excitedly as she listed off the power sets and even what she would like. Thinking for a moment. “Nah, let’s say a set about like some of them since, well there really are some cool ones.”

“Once got to see Mercury use his powers up close, like, he was only a couple feet away. Think he actually got one of my keys in the crossfire of his fight.” Keith chuckles a bit.

“That’s fair, Trace could technically have them all. Though I wonder how long the duplication lasts. It’s a really tough choice too. Cause there’s also Polaris and how fast he can fly, or even just his strength. Dee as well with his magic, nearly able to do anything, or Redline’s teleportation.”

“I think the magic would be neat considering there’s the potential for all the powers too."
big teej
 Escorting Escorts from Escorting Incidents: 

Raphael listens to Aria's report on the Uber ETA and her plan.  "Good."  he says in a tired voice, "I'll take your word for it.  Not really my scene."

He tilts his head to the side at Aria's mention of Laura's 'juice'.  "That's good to know.  Lately I've come to prefer... fresh squeezed."

Raphael smiles and nods to Aria's question, then drifts into his part of the act.  "I'll be sure to get it for you.  First thing in the morning.  I promise."  He says in his best 'convince the drunk' voice.

He fishes his phone out of his pocket and texts Redline
 
 Spoiler: Text to Redline: 

 
Hey.  Find Aria's purse before both of you roll out.  Last time I saw it it was in the chair in the 3rd room on the 2nd floor.  Have the overgrown refrigerator sniff it out if you can't find it.   
 



Seeing the driver glance at them in the mirror, Raphael leans into Aria, patting her reassuringly on her exposed thigh.  "Thanks, she'll be fine."  He says to the man.

The vampire rests his head on hers and settles in for the ride.
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 A few minutes later the first police cars arrive. The ISPD quickly take control of the situation, helping to evacuate the street with Blitz and Amethyst.

An ambulance rolls up next, followed by a fire truck.

The paramedics quickly swarm over Mirko as firefighters create a perimeter around the destroyed building.

Draconian sticks close to the firefighters, waiting for instructions if they need him to assist. 

2ouis is quick to hand Mirko over to the paramedics as they arrive on the scene and elects to accompany them as they return to the hospital in order to ensure their safety during the Crown's treatment.

His counterpart cuts a path through the waves of first response until he finds an officer that appears to be in charge of the operation.

"Thanks for taking over, Officer. I feel like we've got a real handle on things now that you guys are here. Is there anything else the Provisionals can help out with?", Redline asks just before his phone vibrates with an incoming text message.


 
 Originally Posted by  Text from Nightgaunt 
 Hey. Find Aria's purse before both of you roll out. Last time I saw it it was in the chair in the 3rd room on the 2nd floor. Have the overgrown refrigerator sniff it out if you can't find it. 
 

He removes the phone from his jacket pocket and checks the messages contents, suppressing a snicker as he hastily types a response.

 
 Spoiler: Text to Nightgaunt 
I'll only do it because you asked so nicely... well that and I'd feel bad knowing that Aria lost her purse after all we put her through tonight.

And thanks for not skinning Draconian alive earlier. I don't think the rest of East Side would've taken too well to that.
 
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
 You may not believe it, but I was nervous when I went to ask for my future father in law’s blessing as well,  Mr. Shaw admits as he stirs the contents of one pan.  Both he and Rose’s mother never approved of me. They thought I had mind controlled their daughter into our relationship. Ultimately, he said yes, but I, of course, knew that it wasn’t sincere. It didn’t matter that I’d given him some grand, heartfelt speech. I remember how terrible it felt. But, I tell you that to impress upon you that I  am  sincere, John. 

The psychic turns slightly to look at the magician, giving him a faint smile.  I would find something else to do with your hands though. She’ll notice. 

“I did enjoy talking to your sister,” Mr. Shaw says. “She, and all of your family, made me feel very welcome. I haven’t yet had a chance to use her concoction, but I’m looking forward to it.”

He glances over at the oven to check a timer. “Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes, if you’d like to talk with Emi while you wait. My wife is awake as well. I’m sure she’d love to get to know you more.”

 Cafe Rosalie 

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 Keith tilts his head and realized his mistake. “Ah, my apologies. I meant if there was anything to really avoid for a date idea.” 
 

“Still sounds like cheating,” Hope says with a smirk.

She leans back and takes a few sips of her drink as Keith talks about being out in the wilderness with his uncle. “Wow, that’s… intense. Do you still do camping trips with your uncle?”

The server returns and takes their empty plates and refills their glasses before setting a bowl filled with  bread pudding and a butter rum sauce  on the table between them. He also offers each of them a spoon wrapped in a napkin. “Enjoy!”

Hope eagerly dives her spoon into the dessert. “Oh, that is goooood,” she says with a blissful smile after a bite.

 Barron Street 
Redline finds an officer with salt and pepper hair whose name plate says ‘Stg B. Melancon’ talking with another older man in fire fighter gear.

“I think we’re good unless you got somebody explosion proof hidden away somewhere,” Melancon says, turning toward Redline. “We’re still working to get the pipe shut off.”

 Escort 
The drive to Aria’s place takes just over twenty minutes. She acts like she sobered up a little as she thanks the driver when he pulls up in front of the collection of cheap apartments.

She leads Raphael to one of the middle buildings and up to the third floor. When she gets to the door, she types in a a code on the keypad above the handle and the lock clicks open. Aria ushers the vampire into a small, neat apartment with a feminine touch.

“It doesn’t look like Laura’s here,” she says, looking at the cracked door on the right side of the living room. Aria gestures at the fridge as she walks toward a closed door on the left just before the entrance of the kitchen. “‘Juice’ is in there, if you decide you want some. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

She quickly shuts the door behind her, and Raphael can hear water running.
big teej
 
 Spoiler: Text to Redline 

Anything for a friend 😛
 

 Her Place: 

Raphael ponders dipping into Laura's stash, but decides against it.   I don't know the particulars of her situation... or her hunting privileges. 

Raphael meanders around the common area of the apartment, observing the various knickknacks, tchotchkes, and decorations the two women had filled their living space with before laying down on the couch and resting his new forearm across his eyes.

 Vehemently  unsummoning Shrike a few months ago had been one thing.
 Unmaking  a Raeksha was something else.  He felt... like a cup that'd been knocked over and spilled out.
or like a pumpkin, post carving.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
 You may not believe it, but I was nervous when I went to ask for my future father in law’s blessing as well,  Mr. Shaw admits as he stirs the contents of one pan.  Both he and Rose’s mother never approved of me. They thought I had mind controlled their daughter into our relationship. Ultimately, he said yes, but I, of course, knew that it wasn’t sincere. It didn’t matter that I’d given him some grand, heartfelt speech. I remember how terrible it felt. But, I tell you that to impress upon you that I  am  sincere, John. 

The psychic turns slightly to look at the magician, giving him a faint smile.  I would find something else to do with your hands though. She’ll notice.  
 

John removed his hand from his pocket quickly enough that he almost drew the  particular  ring box out with it.

It wasn’t just Mr. Shaw having noticed him fidgeting with it. Nor was it the recognition that he had copped on to the way his fidgeting could signal things (Not that this particular instance — or his lingering habit of trying to rub out a mark on the back of his left hand — was that difficult to interpret.).

No.

It was the signal that came along with his turn of phrase: “my future father in law.”

He thought John stood a chance.

Not only did he think that — he was embracing that.

 I’m surprised that Mr. Sterling would have believed such a thing of you. 

 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “I did enjoy talking to your sister,” Mr. Shaw says. “She, and all of your family, made me feel very welcome. I haven’t yet had a chance to use her concoction, but I’m looking forward to it.”

He glances over at the oven to check a timer. “Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes, if you’d like to talk with Emi while you wait. My wife is awake as well. I’m sure she’d love to get to know you more.” 
 

“I’ll go let them know — and take the opportunity to get to know your wife better. Thank you Mr. Shaw.”

 For everything — but especially your reassuring sincerity. 

He reached out with his senses, hoping they would help him navigate his way back to Emi. His conversation with Mr. Shaw, however, had left him off balance enough that he couldn’t be sure if he should look for the two ladies Shaw in the master suite, as Mr. Shaw’s comments suggested, or if they had relocated to another common space. Emi might not be able to toss around train cars like her father and brother, but she was more than capable of supporting her mother’s weight without any difficulty.

 Um , he projected quietly, accepting that Mr. Shaw would likely hear this as well.  At the risk of having to turn in my man card for having to ask for directions, mo cuishle, where should I find you right now? Your father suggested you might be speaking with your mother. 

Of course, he realized after projecting that, they didn’t have to be in the same room to be talking.

It was an unusual family to be marrying into, he thought.

Just about as unusual as his.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
 We’re in my room, John,  Emi replies with a light laugh.  I was about to play some music for my mum, if you would like to listen.

I hope your talk with my father went well? 

When John returns to Emi’s room, he finds Mrs. Shaw seated on Emi’s bed, propped up by several pillows. She seems to be more rested and smiles over at the magician when he enters the room.

Emi is in front of the windows holding  a violin  under one arm and a bow in her right hand. John feels a ghostly hand squeeze one of his as she smiles gently.

“John, dear. Come sit,” Mrs. Shaw says, patting the bed next to her. “I asked Emi to play a piece for me. I’ve been longing to hear her play since I woke up.”

Once John is settled, Emi lifts the violin to her chin and begins  to play. 

After the first few notes, Mrs. Shaw begins to tear up. She puts a hand to her mouth as the mournful notes fill the air. Hidden behind her fingers, John can see a watery smile emerge. A box of tissues floats over from the bathroom and settles next to Mrs. Shaw and she takes one to carefully wipe her eyes.

As Emi’s last note rings out, Mrs. Shaw looks at her daughter for a long moment, eyes filled with warmth and adoration. “Adagio from Sonata number one. That’s the last thing we practiced together. I knew your playing would have improved after all these years, but… Emi, that was beautiful.”

 Escort 
Less than five minutes later, Aria reappears, freshly showered and dressed in a thin black cami and tight gray capris. Her hair is pulled into a messy bun with a large scrunchie.

She finds Raphael on the couch and makes her way over to him. “So… I was thinking, while I was in the shower… that you’d said that you’d prefer ‘fresh squeezed’. Is that a good way for me to… say thank you for what you did for me tonight? I could say thank you in other ways too,” she says as her eyes very obviously move the zipper of his jeans. “Whatever you want. As long as you biting me won’t turn me into a vampire or anything.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
 We’re in my room, John,  Emi replies with a light laugh.  I was about to play some music for my mum, if you would like to listen.

I hope your talk with my father went well?  
 

 When don’t I?  John projected.  And I’d love to be there to see her reaction. 
 As for your father , he said, hesitating a moment, weighing the intimacy of the moment and his excitement.

He wanted to tell her immediately and wanted to see the look on her face when he did.

He quickly scribed the spell that shifted him to right outside her door.

 
 Spoiler: Poof! 
 John Shows Off a Little :  1d12o12+1   12   1d6o6   4 
 

 It went more than well, I think , he projected as he tapped on the door before entering.

John knew the effect his father’s smile had on people. He had watched its impact all his life — from the way it helped him charm complete strangers to the way it disarmed his mother. He had even watched it effect Sister Anna Marie on two separate occasions.

He felt his excitement summon an echo of that smile as he entered the room.

 He called me John , he whispered, holding her look for a moment and noting that, while he might not be bouncing, he could sense why Kate did at moments like this.

“Your father also said that dinner would be ready in about twenty minutes,” he told the two ladies Shaw.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 When John returns to Emi’s room, he finds Mrs. Shaw seated on Emi’s bed, propped up by several pillows. She seems to be more rested and smiles over at the magician when he enters the room.

Emi is in front of the windows holding  a violin  under one arm and a bow in her right hand. John feels a ghostly hand squeeze one of his as she smiles gently.

“John, dear. Come sit,” Mrs. Shaw says, patting the bed next to her. “I asked Emi to play a piece for me. I’ve been longing to hear her play since I woke up.” 
 

 She called me dear , he noted, still giddy with excitement.  Just like Mom does you. 

“Thank you. I’m glad I made it in time, Mrs. Shaw — although I have to confess to having cheated a little to make it here quickly. I’m glad to see you’re looking refreshed. I trust there aren’t any lingering side effects from the ritual?”

His watched buzzed once, signaling a message from Kate.

If it were an emergency, the alert would have pulsed differently. And knowing his sister, it would be linked to an attempt to try and determine what he and Emi were up to. Whatever the news was, it could wait for this moment to play out here in London.

No pun intended.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Once John is settled, Emi lifts the violin to her chin and begins  to play. 

After the first few notes, Mrs. Shaw begins to tear up. She puts a hand to her mouth as the mournful notes fill the air. Hidden behind her fingers, John can see a watery smile emerge. A box of tissues floats over from the bathroom and settles next to Mrs. Shaw and she takes one to carefully wipe her eyes.

As Emi’s last note rings out, Mrs. Shaw looks at her daughter for a long moment, eyes filled with warmth and adoration. “Adagio from Sonata number one. That’s the last thing we practiced together. I knew your playing would have improved after all these years, but… Emi, that was beautiful.” 
 

There was more than the usual passion and precision in her music, John noted as she played. Stephen would have the vocabulary to speak about the techniques and how Emi had elevated them for this moment — one she had been looking forward to for so many years.

All John knew is that he could feel the love for her mother in her playing.

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve heard her play,” John confessed, smiling gently at Emi.

“Stephen — my brother — has commented on how well she plays,” he sad glancing at Mrs. Shaw. “He’s listened to every recording of her work that he could find. I hope I can conjure up the echo of that performance for him.”
big teej
 Her Place: 

Rarely had the young vampire been so grateful for his years of practice controlling his affect and expression.  He was also grateful that he'd draped his arm across his face, further concealing any potential reaction that might slip through.  His poker face had not been so tested since he'd sampled Cassie's blood.


"I'd imagine my girlfriend would react a little better to one of those offers than the other."  Raphael replied sardonically before sitting up and rotating to face the former flower.

"I'd feel a certain kinda way if you felt... obligated.  About either of those."  He added quickly.

He leaned back into the cushions, still tired.  "To answer your question, no, feeding isn't enough to... bring someone across."

The question made his head swim with thoughts of the future.  About Stella, about Laura, Cassandra, how much his teeth itched.  The unprompted(?) offer, even if rooted in some sense of obligation or debt.

He could ignore how much his teeth itched.
He could ignore how  human  a response he had to her other offer.
He could  not  ignore how  empty  he felt.

 Is this what it's like being sick?
Is this what Seraph feels like without coffee? 

A writhing sensation around his heart announced that juxtaposing thoughts of a literal angel with his immediate circumstances wasn't the wisest thought.
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 Redline finds an officer with salt and pepper hair whose name plate says ‘Stg B. Melancon’ talking with another older man in fire fighter gear.

“I think we’re good unless you got somebody explosion proof hidden away somewhere,” Melancon says, turning toward Redline. “We’re still working to get the pipe shut off.” 

Redline mentally wheels through the combined West and South Side rosters in search of a hero who'd meet the given parameters, eventually landing on Polaris. Even though the South Sider was capable of creating and manipulating flame it had never occurred to Louis to inquire about how resistant he was to the element, or anything else about his biology for that matter. It felt a little too invasive.

"Well, as it turns out we've actually got a guy who's explosion proof... probably. Bad news is he's equally likely to blow the block up just by existing so that's not gonna work out," the West Sider replies. "If you guys've got from here I'll let East Side know and we'll get out your way."

Redline leaves the two veterans with a nod as he makes his way back over to what's left of the collapsed safehouse to find Aria's purse.

"Looks like ISPD and Emergency Rescue's got it from here Draconian. Thanks for the help on such short notice. Didn't think snatching up Mirko tonight was gonna turn out like this." Redline says aloud to Draconian as he combs the building for the bag.

 
 Spoiler: Notice 
 5  + 2 Perception = 7
 
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“Still sounds like cheating,” Hope says with a smirk.

She leans back and takes a few sips of her drink as Keith talks about being out in the wilderness with his uncle. “Wow, that’s… intense. Do you still do camping trips with your uncle?”

The server returns and takes their empty plates and refills their glasses before setting a bowl filled with  bread pudding and a butter rum sauce  on the table between them. He also offers each of them a spoon wrapped in a napkin. “Enjoy!”

Hope eagerly dives her spoon into the dessert. “Oh, that is goooood,” she says with a blissful smile after a bite.  
 

Keith shrugs and chuckles. "Just don't want to do something I know would be detested. But I'll think of something good then." He grins.

He takes a few sips as well and nods. "Every so often we do. Not quite as intense as that, but some of the same rules. It's been a while though." He thinks a moment about the last time. It wasn't exactly a lie, since they would go camping with troops to practice when they would be scattered. They would always use best practices to not be found by the Empire.

But not something that needed to be shared exactly.

Keith turns to the server. "Thank you!" As he leaves, he looks at the dessert and Hope's reaction to it. "That looks so good."

He dives his spoon in to grab a bite and tilts his head at Hope. "Guess you could say it's almost a tradition with us. What sort of traditions do you have?"
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  

 
 Originally Posted by John 
  It went more than well, I think,  he projected as he tapped on the door before entering.

John knew the effect his father’s smile had on people. He had watched its impact all his life — from the way it helped him charm complete strangers to the way it disarmed his mother. He had even watched it effect Sister Anna Marie on two separate occasions.

He felt his excitement summon an echo of that smile as he entered the room.

 He called me John,  he whispered, holding her look for a moment and noting that, while he might not be bouncing, he could sense why Kate did at moments like this. 
 

John sees the Shaw Reserve break as Emi’s eyebrows raise and she gives him a heartbreakingly happy smile.  Truly? That’s… wonderful, John. In only two and half months too. I think that’s a new record for him.  

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 ”I trust there aren’t any lingering side effects from the ritual?” 
 

“Not that I’ve noticed,” Mrs. Shaw answers. “I did notice that you just told Emi something that made her very happy though. You’ll have to tell me later.”


 
 Originally Posted by John 
 “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve heard her play,” John confessed, smiling gently at Emi.

“Stephen — my brother — has commented on how well she plays,” he sad glancing at Mrs. Shaw. “He’s listened to every recording of her work that he could find. I hope I can conjure up the echo of that performance for him.” 
 

Mrs. Shaw carefully dabs her eyes again. “It was extraordinary. I’m looking forward to the day when we’ll be able to play together again, Emi. You’ll probably have a few things to teach me,” she says as she smiles at her daughter. “Maybe later you can play a piece with your father?”

“He may be a little rusty,” Emi replies as a blue square of microfiber cloth floats over to her from the violin’s case. She begins to wipe down the instrument as she sets at the end of her bed. “I’ll ask if he would, though.”

“What does your brother play?” Mrs. Shaw asks John. “Is he going to school for music? And what about you? Are you still in school?” She smiles a little sheepishly. “I apologize for all the questions. I just want to know more about you since Emi is so enamored with you.”

 Cafe Rosalie 
“We celebrate  Seollal  and  Chuseok  with my grandma,” Hope says in between bites for bread pudding. “ Seollal  is the Lunar New Year, and  Chuseok  is kind of like Korean Thanksgiving. Oh, and on Christmas Eve, my parents and I make a pizza from scratch. I think that’s the closest thing we have to a tradition in our house.”

Behind Hope, Keith sees the dark-haired woman stand from the table and then head past them to the restroom. Hope glances up as she passes, her eyes thoughtful. “I think I know her,” she says softly.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 6 
Keith sees the blonde man’s eyes move toward their table, though he could just be checking to see where his date had gone.
 

 Escort 
“All the good ones are taken,” Aria sighs as she sits next to the vampire, folding one leg underneath herself so that she can more easily face him. “Most guys would’ve just said yes.”

She takes a moment to really think about her answer to the question he asked, laying her head against her arm on the back of the couch. The movement exposes her neck and the light pulse beating there. “I didn’t offer either of those out of a sense of obligation. I know that I could’ve just said thanks after you walked me to the apartment and you would’ve left without asking for anything. So, I thought about what I could do for you, and those two things are what I could come up with.”

“I  want  to do both of those for you,” she continues emphatically. “The first because I’ve watched Laura perk up after a drink, and you’re obviously exhausted. The second… well, I guess that doesn’t matter anymore since you’re with someone.”

 
 Spoiler: If Raphael Drinks 
Aria’s blood is dark and rich, but lacks the firework spice of Stella and Cassie blood, or the almost overwhelming complexity of Yuki’s. It is, however, intensely  satisfying .
 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  

John sees the Shaw Reserve break as Emi’s eyebrows raise and she gives him a heartbreakingly happy smile.  Truly? That’s… wonderful, John. In only two and half months too. I think that’s a new record for him.   
 

 I… 

John was transfixed for a heartbeat.

 I was almost speechless.  John managed to reply.
 
Almost…

Only you seem to be able to manage to render me fully speechless. 

 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 “Not that I’ve noticed,” Mrs. Shaw answers. “I did notice that you just told Emi something that made her very happy though. You’ll have to tell me later.”

…

Mrs. Shaw carefully dabs her eyes again. “It was extraordinary. I’m looking forward to the day when we’ll be able to play together again, Emi. You’ll probably have a few things to teach me,” she says as she smiles at her daughter. “Maybe later you can play a piece with your father?”

“He may be a little rusty,” Emi replies as a blue square of microfiber cloth floats over to her from the violin’s case. She begins to wipe down the instrument as she sets at the end of her bed. “I’ll ask if he would, though.”

“What does your brother play?” Mrs. Shaw asks John. “Is he going to school for music? And what about you? Are you still in school?” She smiles a little sheepishly. “I apologize for all the questions. I just want to know more about you since Emi is so enamored with you.” 
 

John felt his breath catch at the word enamored, causing his to smile sheepishly.

Focus, John. You’ve managed to keep it together so far.

“I don’t mind the questions at all — although if Emi hasn’t given you fair warning, I can ramble on a bit. Well, perhaps more than a bit. It seems to come along with my vocation.

“I’m still at University — a small Catholic school in Newport, Rhode Island called Salve Regina. They’re trying to decide if they are going to let me graduate early. I’ve been told I need to start looking for the Invisible College and begin more advanced work.”

He glanced at Emi hesitantly. “Explaining all of that would take more time than we have before dinner and might tire you enough that your husband might reconsider using my given name rest than my family name. That’s what I just told Emi — that he just called me John rather than Mr. Kelley for the first time when he asked me to stop by the kitchen.”

“To answer your other question, Stephen is my younger brother,” John explained as he drew out his phone, ready to show Mrs. Shaw some pictures of his family. “He’s sixteen, plays the clarinet — mostly jazz pieces….”

He looked at the phone, trying to process the image that Kate had sent before glancing at Emi as he quickly scribed a spell that stitched the pictures from Kate and Jefferey together so Emi could see as well. “And he appears to have a girlfriend now, given the look on his and my mother’s face.”

 
 Spoiler: Did I mention I’m a magician? 
 John creates a picture :  1d10o10+4   10   1d6o6+4   7 
 


John only realized as the spell completed that was showing off — trying to impress his future… Emi’s mother.

And Emi.

But that was nothing new.

“The young lady next to Stephen’s name is  Samantha Scicolone . She’s the singer in Stephen’s quintet,” John explained as he opened his album of favorite photos.

He had to scroll past more than a few of Emi.

“Here’s a less disapproving look on Mom’s face,” he said as he showed her a family photo. The two that look like their about to hatch some kind of plot are my sister Kate and the one beside her is Jefferey, whose been Kate’s best friend so long that we think of him as one of the family. And that one’s Dad, of course.

“It will likely come as no surprise that they all adore your daughter. And they’ve hit it off with your husband as well. Although they don’t know you exist yet, I do know that Mom would give me her sternest of looks if I didn’t tell you that they would love to meet you as soon as your strength permits.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“We celebrate  Seollal  and  Chuseok  with my grandma,” Hope says in between bites for bread pudding. “ Seollal  is the Lunar New Year, and  Chuseok  is kind of like Korean Thanksgiving. Oh, and on Christmas Eve, my parents and I make a pizza from scratch. I think that’s the closest thing we have to a tradition in our house.”

Behind Hope, Keith sees the dark-haired woman stand from the table and then head past them to the restroom. Hope glances up as she passes, her eyes thoughtful. “I think I know her,” she says softly.

 
 Spoiler: Notice TN 6 
Keith sees the blonde man’s eyes move toward their table, though he could just be checking to see where his date had gone.
 
 
 

Keith nods as Hope listens, still enthralled by the explanations. "Honestly real curious about both. Making pizza from scratch is pretty cool though! I can imagine how hectic a kitchen gets with it." He chuckles a bit. "The closest thing to Christmas we would do is kind of similar. We'd usually cook a rib roast. We tried making a pizza from scratch once and...... well...." Keith looks down at the table embarrassed.

"Either me or Uncle one used too much flour, or not enough and it came out like a brick."

As she glances up at the girl, Keith does too and raises an eyebrow after she passes. "She looks like a twin to a friend of mine," he says as softly as Hope does. "Small world." He grins.

 
 Spoiler: Sir, this is literally the best a date has gone for me, please stop freaking me out. 

 Notice :  1d8o8+1   6   1d6o6+1   6 
 


As Keith focuses back on Hope, he catches the guy he was watching earlier. Probably nothing, but still. Something felt off.

 Keith, relax..... your date is going fine....  He though to himself. Though the girl looking ominously similar to Stella did have him wondering a few things. He was probably over thinking it right now anyway.

Then again...... if John knew about it, it's not like he would have told everyone. Like about a certain company. Eh, water under the bridge now, things were on the up and up for them.

"What's on your mind?"
big teej
 Her Place: 


"Not Good.  Just Loyal."  Raphael says in a tired voice.  "I'm.."  He stops his words, but the thought carries through.   Violent.  Mean Spirited. Callous, Possessive.  

He offers Aria a tired smile.  "I'm not sure you noticed earlier, I'm not most guys."  He gives her a playful wink, but his heart's not in it.

"Comere"  Raphael says, scooting closer to her.  He loops one arm around the girl to keep her steady and then lowers his fangs to her neck, drinking shallowly and slowly.

He can feel and taste the effects 'the kiss' are having on her.  The vampire feeds until  she's  satisfied, keenly aware that lakes of blood wouldn't be enough to satisfy  him. 

Still, it's an improvement.

Raphael eventually leans back, visibly less pale than when they'd started.  He feels dry, rather than hollow, and the glint of mischief has returned to his eyes and his easy smile.

"Well... How do you feel about living with a vampire now?"  He asks out of equal parts showmanship and curiosity.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
Emi gives him another smile as Mrs. Shaw drinks in every word that John says. She looks through all of the pictures, asking a few questions about John’s family.

Her eyes light up at John’s display of magic. Emi raises an eyebrow slightly at the image.

 Good for him,  she says with a quiet laugh.

“Do you play anything John?” Mrs. Shaw asks.

 Cafe Rosalie 
“She looks like a girl I took a couple of painting classes with,” Hope says as she goes back to the bread pudding. “You know, before I gave up when I realized that I was bad at it. I only got to talk to her once or twice, but I remember really liking her. She made some beautiful paintings too.”

The girl in question emerges from the bathroom a few minutes later, and Hope catches her eye.

“Hey,” she says, as the girl starts to pass their table. “I don’t know if you remember me, but I think we took some classes together at the community college?”

After a quick pause, the woman gives her an unsure smile. “Yeah… You came to a couple painting classes. I’m Cassie.” Her accent is Midwestern, in contrast to the Southern drawl that Keith’s used to hearing here in Iron Station.

“Hope,” she replies, happy that she’d remembered correctly. “It’s kinda crazy that we met like this. I wanted to ask for your phone number so that we could keep in touch, but you weren’t at the last class I attended.”

Cassie’s smile widens a little. “We’ll have to catch up sometime,” she says after she offers her phone number. “Are you here on a date too?” she asks, glancing at Keith.

 Barron Street 
 We’re happy to help,  the dragon replies as he watches Redline carefully makes his way through the rubble to the second floor.  Especially since you guys managed to take down Mirko. What are you looking for? 

Following Redline’s answer, he replies,  Sorry I can’t find it for you. I can’t smell anything through all this gas. 

The High Octane hero makes his way to the stairs, which have several large broken sections. He has to jump to make it to the second floor, and just barely manages to keep his balance and not fall backwards as several pieces of the subfloor break as he lands. He rolls as plywood and flooring go crashing down to the first floor and pops back to his feet. After a quick search of what’s left of the bedroom Nightgaunt had indicated, Redline finds a small black purse on the floor next to an overturned chair.

Draconian stretches his head up to allow the West Sider a ride down, rather than risking the stairs again.

 Glad you found it,  the dragon says sincerely as they walk back out to the street.   Now, let’s— 

The world goes white-orange and unbearably hot as an unseen force slams through the hero’s chest and head. A high pitched ring drowns out all other sound.

When Redline regains consciousness, he’s lying with his cheek against the cool asphalt of the street. Chunks of wood and other debris that used to be the house are still falling. From the ground next to him, Draconian hisses out mist through his nose and extends a wing to protect the West Sider from the plummeting shrapnel.

 Are you okay? 
 Escort 
It takes a moment for Aria to come back to her senses. Raphael can see the small shivers of pleasure that still run through her as her breathing slowly returns to normal.

“I’d say that your girlfriend is one lucky lady,” she sighs. “Text me if you’re in the neighborhood and thirsty. I don’t mind if you stop by again.”

She looks at him for a long moment. “Can Laura do that too?”


 
 Spoiler: Meanwhile, back at West Side 
Seraph shifts in his bed, unable to sleep as fire from the curse races through his veins. He presses his face into his pillow, willing his muscles to relax as they threaten to lock up from the pain.

He can hear the faint clicks of a keyboard from the living room as his wife works on her laptop. A quick glance to the left to his alarm clock reveals that it’s 11:15pm— almost an hour and half later than when she said she would stop working for the night.

“Seraph?” Mimi says softly, quietly enough that he could pretend to not hear it. He thinks about ignoring her for a moment, and grits his teeth at how unlike him that was.  She said Seraph, not James. She doesn’t just want to talk. 

“Yes, Mimi?” he says as he swings his legs over the edge of the bed to sit up. The angel braces his elbows on his knees as he rubs his face with one hand.

After a pause, the AI replies, “I’m concerned about Raphael. It isn’t urgent, but I do feel like it is something that may need to be addressed sooner rather than later.”

The resident vampire did something concerning. Who would’ve guessed? The angel sighs as he stands, stretches his wings, and then looks to find clothes. “Do you have footage to show me?” he asks as he pulls on some sweatpants.

“It’s grainy, but yes.”

“Let me check on Tasha, then I’ll head down to my office,” Seraph says as he shrugs into a t-shirt. He glances down to make sure that most of the blistered curse marks are covered before heading out into the living room.

A soft, unconscious smile appears on his face when he sees his wife sitting on the floor with her back braced against the couch. Her laptop is open in front of her on the coffee table, and there’s a steaming mug sitting off to her right.

“I didn’t wake you, did I?” she asks as she takes a sip from her mug before looking up at him. “I really thought I would be done by now.”

Seraph shakes his head as she pushes herself up and stands. “Mimi wanted to talk about something. I couldn’t sleep anyway.”

Natasha looks him over with a concerned eye before stepping into his embrace, carefully wrapping her arms around him. “James, you’re burning up,” she mumbles into his chest. “Let me get you some water.”

He holds onto her a little tighter when she tries to pull away, kissing her hair and taking a deep breath as he drinks in her presence. After several long moments, he slides his hands down to her hips, still holding her against him. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replies with a gentle kiss and the little half smile that always made his heart skip a beat. “But you really do need that water.”

Seraph makes a small noise of acknowledgment, but he doesn’t let Natasha go. Instead he leans down to press his lips to hers again. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Always,” she says with a contented sigh. “Just get better soon, okay?”

The angel nods, then pauses. Something about her seemed… off. He’d noticed it days ago when she’d moved into his suite, before the curse, but hadn’t followed up with her then. And now his senses were so dulled that he couldn’t put his finger on what was different about her.

He concentrates, past the pain, past his exhaustion. There. Within her. The spark of life that wasn’t hers, but connected with her.

“Tasha,” he whispers, pulling back so that he could look at her face. He smiles brightly as he takes one of her hands. “You’re pregnant.”

Tears immediately spring into her eyes as she matches his smile. “Yes,” she says as she moves his hand to her stomach. “I wanted to tell you as soon as I knew, but I didn’t want to put any extra pressure on you. I hope you’re not mad.”

“Never,” he says as he pulls her back into a hug. “I couldn’t be upset with you for that. I should’ve been around more for you.”

 I  will  be there. For you, and for our son.  
 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
Emi gives him another smile as Mrs. Shaw drinks in every word that John says. She looks through all of the pictures, asking a few questions about John’s family.

Her eyes light up at John’s display of magic. Emi raises an eyebrow slightly at the image.

 Good for him,  she says with a quiet laugh.

“Do you play anything John?” Mrs. Shaw asks. 
 

 We can only hope Mom and Kate aren’t being  too  hard on Samantha. 

“No,” John conceded, trying not to feel inadequate. “Despite the associations between music and mathematics, I’m afraid I don’t really play. Mom had me take some piano lessons and I learned how to tap out some basic songs on a piano but even I could hear my performance was formulaic.

“I’m afraid my connection to music is only as a listener or as a dancer, now that I’ve found a partner that makes me want to get out on the dance floor.”

The higher order portion of his mind acknowledged he was still showing off as he scrolled back through hit pictures to find one of the ones Louis took of the Argentinian Tango he and Emi danced at the Hallowe’en party — the one where the musician in her life twisted a railing out of shape and her husband threatened him if he ever harmed his daughter after he and she had snuck off to make out in the kitchen.

But he was the one here in London, having healed Mrs. Shaw. And Mr. Shaw was now addressing him by his first name, as he did with Enzo.

And the two of them did look good in the picture.

She always did, of course.

“A friend of mine named Manny and I hosted a Hallowe’en party for the provisional teams in Iron Station. A teammate of mine took the picture.

“Well, kind of a teammate. Technically, I’m attached to them as a consultant rather than a full member of the provisional team.

“Llike Sherlock Holmes is a consulting detective.”

He steadied himself, surprised that he was able to do so.

“The costume might hint at that a little.”

He noted how Mrs. Shaw put him at ease in a way that his mother tried to do with Emi — from the moment they met.

In a way, the detached part of him acknowledged, she was clearly not ready to do with Samantha.

It was odd. There was nothing inherently unsettling about Samantha.

A mystery for a different time.

Emi might know, but Mr. Shaw had pointed out that their powers obligated them to kept others’ secrets.

Focus, John.

He smiled at the ladies he was with.

“When Emi asked if I danced on our second date, I was sure I was going to forget everything I had learned. I’m glad the muscle memory kicked in — especially since it was that dance that ultimately led me here.”
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“She looks like a girl I took a couple of painting classes with,” Hope says as she goes back to the bread pudding. “You know, before I gave up when I realized that I was bad at it. I only got to talk to her once or twice, but I remember really liking her. She made some beautiful paintings too.”

The girl in question emerges from the bathroom a few minutes later, and Hope catches her eye.

“Hey,” she says, as the girl starts to pass their table. “I don’t know if you remember me, but I think we took some classes together at the community college?”

After a quick pause, the woman gives her an unsure smile. “Yeah… You came to a couple painting classes. I’m Cassie.” Her accent is Midwestern, in contrast to the Southern drawl that Keith’s used to hearing here in Iron Station.

“Hope,” she replies, happy that she’d remembered correctly. “It’s kinda crazy that we met like this. I wanted to ask for your phone number so that we could keep in touch, but you weren’t at the last class I attended.”

Cassie’s smile widens a little. “We’ll have to catch up sometime,” she says after she offers her phone number. “Are you here on a date too?” she asks, glancing at Keith.  
 

Keith tilted his head and grinned a bit. “Small world that you get to meet her again. A bit curious how the paintings turned out, though I understand kinda how you feel about them too. Will have to send you a short story plan. It's..... well not the best idea, but not the worst." He shook his head.

"Plus, now I have a couple of ideas for dates.” He chuckles a bit. "The hard part is making the decision."

He made a mental note in the back of his head not to take a painting class with her. No need to make her think about something negative and it was at least something he could take out of context.

As she talks with the girl, Keith thinks a bit about the accent. It was unusual, but then again, anyone could be here. Weird that this Cassie looked a lot like Stella though. If he had seen her face before, he would have done a massive double take making sure the guy he had kept an eye on wasn’t Raph.

Then again, Raph isn’t that subtle.

As Hope smiles at remembering right, Keith’s smile widens. This was definitely a good call.

As Cassie asks if they are on a date as well, he nods. “And quasi-book club meeting. Keith, nice to meet you.”
big teej
 Her Place: 


"I'll remember that."  Raphael says with a chuckle.

His eyes widen at Aria's question, and he leans forward slightly.  "Laura hasn't had as much practice as me.  It'd be...  unfortunate  if there was an accident.  Especially for you."  Raphael explains.  "Laura should stick to blood bags and people she doesn't care about."
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
John sees just the smallest hint of disappointment on Mrs. Shaw’s face, a micro expression more than anything, as he reveals that he doesn’t play any instruments. She puts a comforting hand in his arm. “Listeners are just as important. I’ve always found joy in music, but to see someone else hear something that they may never have before and watch it emotionally move them is something special.”

Her eyes light up at the video of their dance, and she gives Emi a teasing smile. “She always did love to dance. Let me guess, your first with her was a waltz?”

“A Doga piece,” Emi replies. John can feel the echoes of her euphoria in the moment as she watches the video with her mother. “As you can see, he is an accomplished dancer.”

“Yes,” her mother says with a happy smile. “You two are much better than your father and I ever were.”

 Dinner is served,  Mr. Shaw projects softly.

Mrs. Shaw looks excitedly over at Emi. “Would you help me?” She stands, not quite floating over the plush carpet and her daughter leads the way to the dining room.

When they arrive, individual  beef wellingtons  are already plated, and the table has sides of a creamy  mushroom risotto , honey glazed whole  carrots , and a colorful  ratatouille  artfully arranged over one half of the massive table.

Mr. Shaw smiles gently as his wife enters the room, and pulls out her chair for her.

Ian arrives lasts, floating through the wall that faces the courtyard.

Once everyone is seated, wine bottles and a carafe of water glide around the table, filling glasses. Dinner passes uneventfully, with conversation flowing easily between all of the Shaws and John. The first time Mr. Shaw refers to John by name earns a surprised look from Ian, but he carries on without comment.

Once everyone is finished, Mr. Shaw looks over to his wife. “Emi told me that you’d be interested in some after dinner entertainment? I think the two of us have decided on a song that I’m almost positive I remember how to play.”

“I was reminded of it when we were talking about waltzes earlier, Emi says as they relocate to the lounge. Her father settles on the bench behind the  Blüthner  while she heads into the next room and returns with music sheets for him and the violin that John had seen her play earlier. The sheets float over to him while she checks the tuning on her instrument.

Mrs. Shaw sits on the edge of the chair as she patiently waits for the two of them to get ready.

Emi gives her father a nod, and he begins to play a gentle piano melody, which Emi soon joins in on. The music evolves into a  playful waltzing tune  that John can see Mrs. Shaw’s foot happily tap to.

 Cafe Rosalie 

 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 As Cassie asks if they are on a date as well, he nods. “And quasi-book club meeting. Keith, nice to meet you.” 
 

“Cassie Woods,” she replies with a smile before she tilts her head in the direction of her table. “He’s Alex. We’ll have to meet for a double date sometime. It would be fun to catch up.”

Keith spots the blond man stand after paying the waiter in cash. He makes his way over to their table after shrugging into his jacket and smiles as he slides in beside Cassie, placing one hand on her elbow.

“Oh, sorry Alex,” Cassie says before he can say anything. “You have to get back to work, don’t you? This is Hope and Keith. I took some painting classes with Hope at SCCC.”

“Nice to meet you both,” the man says to the two of them. “Alexander Feris.”

“It was good to see you again, Hope.” Cassie smiles before giving them both a small wave. “Text me later, okay?” she says as Alex leads her away.

Hope watches the two of them go, waiting until they’re out of the restaurant to say, “Did that guy seem weird to you at all?”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
John sees just the smallest hint of disappointment on Mrs. Shaw’s face, a micro expression more than anything, as he reveals that he doesn’t play any instruments. She puts a comforting hand in his arm. “Listeners are just as important. I’ve always found joy in music, but to see someone else hear something that they may never have before and watch it emotionally move them is something special.”

Her eyes light up at the video of their dance, and she gives Emi a teasing smile. “She always did love to dance. Let me guess, your first with her was a waltz?”

“A Doga piece,” Emi replies. John can feel the echoes of her euphoria in the moment as she watches the video with her mother. “As you can see, he is an accomplished dancer.”

“Yes,” her mother says with a happy smile. “You two are much better than your father and I ever were.”

 Dinner is served,  Mr. Shaw projects softly.

Mrs. Shaw looks excitedly over at Emi. “Would you help me?” She stands, not quite floating over the plush carpet and her daughter leads the way to the dining room.

When they arrive, individual  beef wellingtons  are already plated, and the table has sides of a creamy  mushroom risotto , honey glazed whole  carrots , and a colorful  ratatouille  artfully arranged over one half of the massive table.

Mr. Shaw smiles gently as his wife enters the room, and pulls out her chair for her.

Ian arrives lasts, floating through the wall that faces the courtyard.

Once everyone is seated, wine bottles and a carafe of water glide around the table, filling glasses. Dinner passes uneventfully, with conversation flowing easily between all of the Shaws and John. The first time Mr. Shaw refers to John by name earns a surprised look from Ian, but he carries on without comment.

Once everyone is finished, Mr. Shaw looks over to his wife. “Emi told me that you’d be interested in some after dinner entertainment? I think the two of us have decided on a song that I’m almost positive I remember how to play.”

“I was reminded of it when we were talking about waltzes earlier, Emi says as they relocate to the lounge. Her father settles on the bench behind the  Blüthner  while she heads into the next room and returns with music sheets for him and the violin that John had seen her play earlier. The sheets float over to him while she checks the tuning on her instrument.

Mrs. Shaw sits on the edge of the chair as she patiently waits for the two of them to get ready.

Emi gives her father a nod, and he begins to play a gentle piano melody, which Emi soon joins in on. The music evolves into a  playful waltzing tune  that John can see Mrs. Shaw’s foot happily tap to. 
 

As he listened to Emi and her father play, John permitted himself to get lost in the underlying mathematics of the music and their playing. It was one of the things his piano teacher had mentioned would always hold him back — his mathematical sense might help him understand the underlying patters to the music but his playing drifted toward the formulaic than the freer form of post-swing playing.

Tonight, with Mrs. Shaw’s flicker of disappointment, had been the first time that exchange had remotely bothered him. (He tried not to think about how Grayson could tick that box for his future…Mrs. Shaw in a way that he could not.)

Maybe Stephen (and maybe Samantha) could pinch hit for him. That felt less like cheating than summoning an orchestra.

Their dancing, fortunately, had kept him safe for the moment. And it had more than saved him, he thought, savoring the memory of Emi’s heady joy at sharing the video of their Argentinian Tango. It brought the ladies Shaw delight.

As they listened to them play, John began to suspect he understood why the  particular  diamond had to be here. It was to bear witness the reunion of the Shaws. The diamond that came out of the Orb could be witness to this present but because it was involved Mrs. Shaw’s healing, there was a past that it could not partake of.

It didn’t make complete sense to him, yet. But it didn’t have to yet. For now, it was enough to enjoy the music and the moment.

The Shaws were a family again.

And they had accepted him.

He had not quite bridged into the familial embrace the way Emi had with his family but he felt that moment was close.

The echo of his father’s smile spread across his face again at the thought of he and Emi becoming the bridge between their families.
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Draconian 
  We’re happy to help , the dragon replies as he watches Redline carefully makes his way through the rubble to the second floor.  Especially since you guys managed to take down Mirko. What are you looking for?  
 

"Nothin' special, just a little black purse." Redline replies as he combs through the rubble. "The woman Nightgaunt rescued from the building looked like she was having a rough night. Figured this was the least I could do to help her out."


 
 Originally Posted by Draconian 
 Following Redline’s answer, he replies,  Sorry I can’t find it for you. I can’t smell anything through all this gas.  
 

"Don't worry about it, you guys've already done more than enough. Not sure if you follow the news at all but damage control and clean up isn't exactly a West Side specialty so things turned out great tonight all things considered."


 
 Originally Posted by Draconian 
  Glad you found it , the dragon says sincerely as they walk back out to the street.  Now, let’s— 

The world goes white-orange and unbearably hot as an unseen force slams through the hero’s chest and head. A high pitched ring drowns out all other sound.

When Redline regains consciousness, he’s lying with his cheek against the cool asphalt of the street. Chunks of wood and other debris that used to be the house are still falling. From the ground next to him, Draconian hisses out mist through his nose and extends a wing to protect the West Sider from the plummeting shrapnel.

 Are you okay?  
 

Redline looses a couple of sharp coughs as his lungs will with air once more. The world around steadies as he comes to his senses, Draconian's voice piercing through the ringing in his ears.

"Y-Yeah, I'm alright... probably." The high octane hero responds with the certainty of youth as he mentally reviews the condition of his limbs and body. "I'm used to doing my own stunts anyway."

Satisfied with his self inspection, Redline rises to his feet and lifts up what's left of the black purse to check on it's condition before turning his gaze down Barron Street. "Amethyst, Blitz, what's your status?" The team lead asks the East Siders over comms as he attempts to ascertain the condition of any civilians or first responders in the vicinity.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 

“Cassie Woods,” she replies with a smile before she tilts her head in the direction of her table. “He’s Alex. We’ll have to meet for a double date sometime. It would be fun to catch up.”

Keith spots the blond man stand after paying the waiter in cash. He makes his way over to their table after shrugging into his jacket and smiles as he slides in beside Cassie, placing one hand on her elbow.

“Oh, sorry Alex,” Cassie says before he can say anything. “You have to get back to work, don’t you? This is Hope and Keith. I took some painting classes with Hope at SCCC.”

“Nice to meet you both,” the man says to the two of them. “Alexander Feris.”

“It was good to see you again, Hope.” Cassie smiles before giving them both a small wave. “Text me later, okay?” she says as Alex leads her away.

Hope watches the two of them go, waiting until they’re out of the restaurant to say, “Did that guy seem weird to you at all?” 
 

Keith smiles politely and nods as she introduces herself. The resemblance to Stella was uncanny.

Obviously John would have already found her, but he would still ask later. Maybe he might find out something about this Alex, that she mentioned. And why he was so keen on keeping the place scoped out. And paying cash.....  No paper trail..... ok then.....  Keith thought to himself.

"That does sound like a lot of fun honestly." He says before the guy slides in. Something did seem a bit off. He didn't so much walk as glide like a lizard on ice. The wiggins came back a bit.

"Nice to meet you as well!" He grins, and returns the wave as the pair walks away. Keith keeps an eye on them as well, mostly Feris. If Stolas were still here, he would have some quip about how Keith may be over thinking things, and being too concerned with the world around him to not notice Hope.

When she turned back to him and asks her question, he nods and tilts his head thinking. "Now that you mention it, he did. I'm not entirely sure what it is though." He shrugged. He was half tempted to check his phone and send a text to Mimi asking about the guy, but that was something that could wait. That should wait.

"If this were a novel, that would be where we foreshadow something key to the story." He grinned.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
Hope looks thoughtful and she finishes off the bread pudding. “He looked a little old for her. I mean, he’s probably in his thirties or something, but that would still put a ten year gap between them. But he also seemed super old fashioned. Like, he took her elbow and led her away. What guy does that these days? Just kinda weird.”

The waiter stops by their table with the check and Hope reaches for it.

 Barron Street 
 Good,  Draconian replies as he rests his head on the ground. His mental voice is weak and the outstretched wing above Redline begins to droop.

The purse in the Westsider’s grip is a little scuffed, but is otherwise intact. As he looks down the street, he sees several people picking themselves up off the ground. Several firefighters begin to run forward with hoses to try and knock down the fire that’s started in the remainder of the structure.

Adjacent houses are damaged— windows are blown out and walls are bowed in from the pressure of the explosion. However, it looks like all civilians had been evacuated and first responders were far enough away to avoid any life threatening injuries.

 “We’re fine,”  Blitz says, barely able to be heard over the loud ring in Redline’s ears.  “We’d just finished the evacuation of the street behind the house. Everyone on this side seems okay. We’ll make our way back around. Are you guys good? Draconian’s not answering me.” 
 Escort 
“That’s… disappointing,” Aria says with rueful smile. “But I’ll keep it in mind.”
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Draconian 
  Good , Draconian replies as he rests his head on the ground. His mental voice is weak and the outstretched wing above Redline begins to droop. 
 

Redline raises an arm to 'brace' the end of Draconian's massive wing as he walks out of the dragon's shadow. "Thanks for the cover," he offers the East Sider.


 
 Originally Posted by Blitz 
 “We’re fine,” Blitz says, barely able to be heard over the loud ring in Redline’s ears. “We’d just finished the evacuation of the street behind the house. Everyone on this side seems okay. We’ll make our way back around. Are you guys good? Draconian’s not answering me.” 
 

"Yeah, everything's good on our end. Right big guy?" Redline asks, returning his attention to the still dragon. "Hey Draco... you good?" he follows up in the absence of an immediate reply. The protege shifts gears on the spot and begins to evaluating Draconian's condition, searching for any obvious signs of injury as he inspects the Dragon's body.

 
 Spoiler: Notice 
 5  + 2 (Perception) = 7!
 
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Barron Street 
Draconian doesn’t answer as Redline moves to his other side. As the High Octane hero crosses the front of his snout, he can feel an exhalation of cool air that proves that the dragon is still breathing, however, his opposite side is obviously damaged by the explosion.

His opaline white scales are charred gray and black all along his side and several have cracked from the impact of the pressure wave of the blast. His right wing is hanging at an awkward angle, seeming to be dislocated at the uppermost joint, and Redline also spots a trickle of bright blood flowing from where he would guess an ear is.
PK-Leon
 December 11th 
 Barron Street 

 Draconian doesnÂ’t answer as Redline moves to his other side. As the High Octane hero crosses the front of his snout, he can feel an exhalation of cool air that proves that the dragon is still breathing, however, his opposite side is obviously damaged by the explosion.

His opaline white scales are charred gray and black all along his side and several have cracked from the impact of the pressure wave of the blast. His right wing is hanging at an awkward angle, seeming to be dislocated at the uppermost joint, and Redline also spots a trickle of bright blood flowing from where he would guess an ear is. 

Redline pulls his goggles down from his face so that he can take a better look at the damage done to Draconian's body. It didn't take a second look to know that Grayson wasn't 'okay'.

 How could I have not noticed? When did I become so...? 

The team lead pushed thought to the backseat of his mind, there was still work to be done. "Forget what I said a second ago, we're not okay. Draconian's hurt. It's bad."

"We're gonna need a meta medic or some sort of specialist asap but it'll next to impossible to move him like this. Blitz, can you have your AI monitor his breathing and heart rate? Let the rest of your team know we're making arrangements for treatment now. I'm gonna make a call or two."

"Mimi, I need Seraph and Dee's current status' and locations now. Put me through to whoever's available."

 
 Spoiler: Aftermath 
Redline marks Guilty.
 
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
Hope looks thoughtful and she finishes off the bread pudding. “He looked a little old for her. I mean, he’s probably in his thirties or something, but that would still put a ten year gap between them. But he also seemed super old fashioned. Like, he took her elbow and led her away. What guy does that these days? Just kinda weird.”

The waiter stops by their table with the check and Hope reaches for it.  
 

Keith nods as she finishes off the bread pudding. He had semi-forgotten about it during their talk.

"Yeah, he does seem a bit older than her. And true, not many do that now-a-days." He shrugged. "Probably the only ones doing that are royalty now.”

He also reaches for the check and stops for a moment to look at Hope and grin. “Guess I’m a little old fashioned in a way, mind if I take care of it? Can blame my uncle for it too.” He chuckles a bit.

He has his check card in his other hand ready to hand the waiter in lou of seeing the register.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“I don’t think it’s just royalty,” Hope says in a low voice.

She does lower her hand, letting him take the bill. “I guess you can pay. I’ll take the next one though.”

The waiter returns quickly, a whisks away the check and Keith’s card.

 Barron Street 
 “I’m on it,”  Blitz replies. Both him and Amethyst round the corner after a few seconds and emerge from an adjacent alleyway.

Blitz slows, obviously speaking to someone on his comm, as Amethyst runs up beside Redline, eyes full of concern for her teammate as she sees the damage done to the dragon. She then glances over at the West Sider, looking for instructions, if he has any.

 “I’ll connect you on a three way call,”  Mimi says in Redline’s ear.  “Give me a moment.” 

The fire in the remains of building grows larger and the heat is able to be felt on all of their backs.

A fire truck pulls closer to the blaze and the older man that Redline saw speaking to the police sergeant earlier hops out. “Everybody okay over here?” the marshal asks as he joins them. His expression falls as he notices Draconian’s condition. “I was gonna ask you kids to move so you weren’t so close to the fire, but… uhm, you can’t move him, can you? It looks like he took the brunt of the blast in front. I think we all would’ve been a lot worse off if he hadn’t been where he was.”

Blitz walks up to the marshal. “Not right now, sir. If we can get him awake I’ll try to get him to move.” He glances at the fire before he returns his attention to the older man. “We’re okay here for now, right?”

“If it doesn’t get any bigger, yeah,” the marshal replies. “But you’ll be feelin’ the heat.”

The call connects in Redline’s ear, giving him the opportunity to speak to both Seraph and John.

 “Mimi’s given me a quick briefing,”  Seraph says.  “But give us more info Louis.”  
 The Shaw Residence 
The night begins to wind down after the performance from Emi and her father, and then grinds to a halt as three Shaw phones go off.

John’s watch vibrates with the message—  Draconian is injured. Connecting you in a three way call with Seraph and Redline now.  

Emi exchanges a glance with John as Mr. Shaw steps ghosts out of the room and through the far wall to take a call.

Mrs. Shaw looks to both of her children for an explanation, tilting her head curiously.

 
 Spoiler: If John Picks up His Phone 
 “Mimi’s given me a quick briefing,”  Seraph says.  “But give us more info Louis.”  
 
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“I don’t think it’s just royalty,” Hope says in a low voice.

She does lower her hand, letting him take the bill. “I guess you can pay. I’ll take the next one though.”

The waiter returns quickly, a whisks away the check and Keith’s card.  
 

Keith nods. "Agreed, just the first thing that came to mind," he responds in a low voice as well. "Something about that guy made my hair stand on edge." He shook his head.

Years of being in that shadow war flooded his mind. All of his training, the memories from the Void, his own animus at his father and now sister. How could he tell Hope that her friend was near someone dangerous? Then again, how does he even go about mentioning how he knows something isn't right either?

"Here's hoping he's a decent guy and I'm just paranoid." He smiled softly.

As she said lowered her hand, he chuckled a bit. "Scout's honor then. I'll make sure it's nice and planned out." He grins. "Safe to say you'd like to go out again then? Should my challenge be to make it through the next book as well?" He chuckled a bit.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence 
The night begins to wind down after the performance from Emi and her father, and then grinds to a halt as three Shaw phones go off.

John’s watch vibrates with the message—  Draconian is injured. Connecting you in a three way call with Seraph and Redline now.  

Emi exchanges a glance with John as Mr. Shaw steps ghosts out of the room and through the far wall to take a call.

Mrs. Shaw looks to both of her children for an explanation, tilting her head curiously.

 
 Spoiler: If John Picks up His Phone 
 “Mimi’s given me a quick briefing,”  Seraph says.  “But give us more info Louis.”  
 
 
 

Dee reluctantly stood and drew out his phone as his higher order thinking processed the implications of what Clea had just tapped out on his wrist. There were few reasons he would be looped in on the call and all of them were less than ideal.

If Draconian was down and Seraph was being put on the line as well by Redline, it almost certainly meant he needed healing. And magically  healing a dragon was  far  from easy. And if he did just manage to conduct a ritual that had not been successfully conducted in a thousand years, he had had months to prepare.

The backup plans he had prepared in case things shifted while healing Mrs.Shaw  could  be used, of course — depending on the circumstances. Likewise, he wasn’t sure if Seraph would be up to attempting to heal Draconian, given his cursed condition. He would not be able to resolve those variables until he returned to Iron Station.

And right now, he did not want to return to Iron Station. He did not want his successful evening capped by either failing to heal Gra…Draconian or successfully healing him and watching him be grounded.

Focus, John.

Depending on who deployed from London, he would have to be ready to take precautions. The Spire was still the safest place he could think of for Mrs. Shaw. Being with her husband was arguably even safer but that might alert Vibrato to the fact that her plans had been undone. And whether she appeared and tried something or just went public with her relationship to the Shaws, the situation would be difficult to contain. And he didn’t yet know enough about the greater demon she had employed to curse Mrs. Shaw to offer appropriate advice or to be as ready for it as he wanted.

The more emotional side of John’s mind, in contrast, was reeling in disbelief. Every time he and Emi were having a moment, there was always something — unusually involving that wyrm (Draconian. Be charitable, John.) — that interfered and intervened. And the fight he and Emi had had the last time they were drawn away from an intimate moment remained fresh in his mind — even if the bruise was almost completely faded.

Both sides of him, however, shared one concern above all: What, if anything, did Mrs. Shaw know about Dee? As uncharitable as Anton A. Abernathy had been in his editorials in the  Inquisitor , they were relatively tame compared to what some of the tabloids had published about him here in London. And while Mrs. Shaw did not seem the type to subscribe to any of those, that didn’t mean she hadn’t heard something second hand.

She had to learn sometime. And he had to trust her to see past those reports.

He just wished it didn’t have to be today — after everything had gone so well.

“This is Dee,” he replied calmly as he watched Emi and monitored Mrs. Shaw out of the corner of his eye — trying to gauge both of their reactions. He knew he should, like Mr. Shaw, excuse himself from the room. But getting a sense of how they reacted mattered.

And, as always, he  had  to know.
PK-Leon
 Barron Street 

 “I’m on it,” Blitz replies. Both him and Amethyst round the corner after a few seconds and emerge from an adjacent alleyway.

Blitz slows, obviously speaking to someone on his comm, as Amethyst runs up beside Redline, eyes full of concern for her teammate as she sees the damage done to the dragon. She then glances over at the West Sider, looking for instructions, if he has any. 

Redline sighs under the weight of leadership as he picks up on the worry in the younger heroes eyes. "Okay Amethyst, I'm not sure how much experience you have dealing with situations like this but if we wanna give Draconian the best chance at a full recovery then I'm going to have to rely on you to help him. As you can see he's been hurt pretty bad and judging by his condition he must've absorbed most the of impact from the explosion. I'm not going to pretend like I know anything about dragon anatomy but I think it's likely he's got a concussion, which means we can't let him sleep until we relocate and get him the treatment he needs. I need you to wake him up, keep him conscious,  and  talking until help arrives. Think you can do that for me?"


 
 Originally Posted by Mimi 
 “I’ll connect you on a three way call,” Mimi says in Redline’s ear. “Give me a moment.” 
 

"Thank you Mimi." Redline offers, counting each second that passes by as he waits for his Director and Consultant to pick up.


 The call connects in Redline’s ear, giving him the opportunity to speak to both Seraph and John.

“Mimi’s given me a quick briefing,” Seraph says. “But give us more info Louis.” 

"I'll try to keep this concise. I'm here on Barron Street in the Southeast quadrant of the city after apprehending the younger Dragonov during a strike mission. We were successful but not without collateral. The Crown safehouse Mirko was operating out of was reduced to rubble by the greater demon he summoned out of thin air. Nightgaunt made quick work it but by that point but the damage had already been done. Must've damaged a gas line in the process because not long after evacuating residents who live in the area the building went up in flames. East Side's here assisting with damage control after responding to an incident only a few blocks way. The explosion left Draconian seriously injured, I've got Amethyst working on keeping him conscious as we speak. He needs treatment but Snowblood likely has her hands full at ISG and I don't know of any other specialists to call on. Anything else you need to know?"
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by PK-Leon 
  Barron Street 
"I'll try to keep this concise. I'm here on Barron Street in the Southeast quadrant of the city after apprehending the younger Dragonov during a strike mission. We were successful but not without collateral. The Crown safehouse Mirko was operating out of was reduced to rubble by the greater demon he summoned out of thin air. Nightgaunt made quick work it but by that point but the damage had already been done. Must've damaged a gas line in the process because not long after evacuating residents who live in the area the building went up in flames. East Side's here assisting with damage control after responding to an incident only a few blocks way. The explosion left Draconian seriously injured, I've got Amethyst working on keeping him conscious as we speak. He needs treatment but Snowblood likely has her hands full at ISG and I don't know of any other specialists to call on. Anything else you need to know?" 
 

John noted Emi’s growing concern as he listened to Louis' briefing. There was no way for him to know how much she was getting over the all but invisible Myriad standard issue comms or via Mr. Shaw.

In truth, it didn't matter. The concern mirrored the look she wore in the Spire when word came in of Grayson succumbing to Knightmare's nightmares.

"Is the fire contained and the gas shut off?” Dee asked. If the fire spread to other buildings, it would be a major disaster — the kind of disaster West Side had become known for.

Grayson was a friend, John reminded himself. A good friend. It was natural for Emi to be concerned for him.

"Clea: Location onscreen," Dee ordered as he reached out to summon a doorway. He was unfamiliar enough with Barron Street that anchoring an arrival point would have been difficult if he didn't have Redine, Blitz, and Amethyst to key in on.

And Draconian. But the dragon's... a  dragon's presence was always a complicating factor, given the way they interacted with magical fields.

But this time, there was more. Nightgaunt's blood magic and the residue of the demon were palpable as the doorway faded into place in Iron Station. And while he was skilled enough to compensate for both, the residual ambient energy was significant enough to give him pause.

Field work, he reminded himself, left little space for the kind of neatness he had built into his ritual.

Which reminded him. He needed to drop something off in the Spire.

 
 Spoiler: Neatness Counts 
 Neatness counts :  1d12o12   4   1d6o6   3 
Matter Control: Plant
 


He quickly scribed the spell that drew the box from where it sat on a sideboard in the dining room) slipping through an opening he irised out of the doorway.

The box slapped into Dee's gauntlet as the door irised closed.

For most, he would have expected the warping of the door and appearance of the box to provide enough distraction to cover the appearance of his uniform. But not this time.

He was with too many Shaws.

At least Mrs. Shaw showed no signs of dismay at his code name. But that conversation would eventually come.

He took a deep breath as he reviewed his readouts.

"I'm preparing to deploy to Iron Station via the Chamber of Doors,” he said, simultaneously projecting the same to keep Eidolon in the loop. "I will have Pinky stand by the door that leads there so that you can deploy as well."

He felt Clea tap out the message sending Pinky to the Chamber of Doors.

 I had hoped to establish protocols about how to protect Mrs. Shaw. Given who and what is operating in Iron Station, I wouldn't want to offer the intel about her recovery but I also recognize the need to keep her close to keep her safe. 

He turned to his future...Mrs. Shaw and offered a faint smile.

"I'll return to grow your Christmas tree later this evening,” John offered, “or on a different day, if that’s more convenient.

"If you'll excuse me," he said with a bow of his head as he placed his hand on the door.
mmdeforrest
 Meanwhile, Back in Providence 
Looking through the doorway that led from the kitchen to the den, Mary caught a glimpse of Samantha and Stephen as they hung the LED Christmas lights along the porch railing. Joe had purchased them the year before, replacing the old strings of lights because he had no intention of watching anyone untangling the old strand one more year.

John and Stephan had heartily agreed, finished that task in a third of the time.

But this year, John wasn't here to help.

She was.

Mary sighed deeply, acknowledging to herself that the little vixen was on the receiving end of that frustration. She had known for years that the day would come when one of her children would be absent from a family event like this.

But it was still hard.

John would be home to trim the tree, she reminded herself, and would be bringing Emi with him.

She turned back to watch Stephen and Samantha, listening to the muffled sound of their laughter.

Samantha wasn't bad, Mary conceded — just young and a little too pleased with the assets she was growing into.

She took some comfort in the thought that her youngest, even with his well developed interest in such things, had been raised right and she had only had to send John in to disrupt his amorous activities on a handful of occasions.

Mary shook her head and smiled at herself, noting the denial inherent in her assessment of Stephen.

Her denial of the fact that her baby was old enough for such things and had been for years.

 And of her children, he had been the most precocious in that regard.

Her world was changing, she thought with a sigh. And as much as she looked forward to the world coming into being, she also didn't want to let go of the one that was passing away.

Samantha didn't deserve to bear that burden. But Mary wasn't certain she was any more capable of not placing the burden on her than Sister Anna Marie had been with Joe.

And it was worth recalling that her great aunt had come to love her handsome husband, learning to see past his occasional irreverence to the highly principled man who hid behind it.

"What lurks behind your facade, little vixen?" Mary asked the empty kitchen as she poured another cup of tea from the pot Alistair had given her.

She would have to find that out.

And now she had new ways to learn.

Emi might not directly betray what she might overhear, of course. But Mary was confident that she would be able to read any real concerns she secretly shared on the face of her her eldest son.

He might be able to hide that kind of thing from others but he couldn't from his mother.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“She seemed happy,” Hope says, tapping one finger on the table as she looks down and replays the interaction she just had with Cassie in her head. “When he came over and took her arm she didn’t stiffen or pull away from him and her expression didn’t really change, so she doesn’t  dislike  him. Trust me, working at two bars, I’ve seen lots of girls that couldn’t stand the guy that had just come up to hit on them, or their drunk boyfriends.”

She shrugs. “Hopefully he is a decent guy.”


 
 Originally Posted by Keith 
 As she said lowered her hand, he chuckled a bit. "Scout's honor then. I'll make sure it's nice and planned out." He grins. "Safe to say you'd like to go out again then? Should my challenge be to make it through the next book as well?" He chuckled a bit. 
 

Hope smiles back at him. “I think that is, in fact, safe to say. This was fun. It’s great to be able to really talk about books with someone. So yeah, you choose the place next time. We can figure out when between our work and school schedules. If you want to read the next one, I would love to hear about your new predictions for the next one.”

The waiter returns with Keith’s card and the receipt. “Thanks for coming in today,” he says as he sets it in front of the shadowmancer. “Have a great rest of your weekend!” He says before walking to the next table.

 The Shaw Residence  

 
 Originally Posted by John 
 He turned to his future...Mrs. Shaw and offered a faint smile.

"I'll return to grow your Christmas tree later this evening,” John offered, “or on a different day, if that’s more convenient.“ 
 

John can see Mrs. Shaw’s eyes widen slightly in surprise and wonder as he summons the door into her living room and his costume appears.

“Don’t worry about it, dear,” Mrs. Shaw says as he puts his hand on the door. “Whatever is going on is much more important than a tree.”

Before John can leave, Mr. Shaw phases back through the wall and leans down to give his wife a swift kiss on the cheek. “I’ll return later tonight or tomorrow morning,” he says quietly to her, gently squeezing her shoulder before he nods to Ian and then moves to join John.

“I’ll stay here with mum,” Ian says, mostly for John’s benefit, as Emi hugs their mother.

John sees the Shaw Reserve slip back into place on Emi’s face as she joins him and her father at the door.

“If you would, John,” Mr. Shaw says.  Mr. Radke unfortunately requires our assistance,  he projects discreetly to the mage, his tone sour.

 Barron Street 
Amethyst moves over to Draconian’s undamaged side as Redline talks to Dee and Seraph, attempting to wake up the dragon. She pats the scales below his eye, looking for movement. “Gray?”

Blitz lets her try a few times before he pulls her back and wraps an arm around her shoulders. “He’s unconscious,” he tells her quietly. “Siren and Eidolon are on their way with Dee, and Seraph’s coming too. They’ll fix ‘im up.”

 “I’m on my way with Miss Menagerie,”  Seraph says after Redline’s explanation.  “We’ll be there in five.” 

When Dee steps through his door, a wave of intense heat hits him as he emerges onto Barron Street. The remains of a building are ablaze, but firefighters seem to have it contained to just the destroyed house.

Draconian lays on the street not too far from what’s left of the house, unconscious but breathing.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 The Shaw Residence  
John can see Mrs. Shaw’s eyes widen slightly in surprise and wonder as he summons the door into her living room and his costume appears.

“Don’t worry about it, dear,” Mrs. Shaw says as he puts his hand on the door. “Whatever is going on is much more important than a tree.” 
 

“Perhaps,” John confessed, “but I’m still looking forward to seeing it here.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Before John can leave, Mr. Shaw phases back through the wall and leans down to give his wife a swift kiss on the cheek. “I’ll return later tonight or tomorrow morning,” he says quietly to her, gently squeezing her shoulder before he nods to Ian and then moves to join John.

“I’ll stay here with mum,” Ian says, mostly for John’s benefit, as Emi hugs their mother.

John sees the Shaw Reserve slip back into place on Emi’s face as she joins him and her father at the door.

“If you would, John,” Mr. Shaw says.  Mr. Radke unfortunately requires our assistance,  he projects discreetly to the mage, his tone sour. 
 

Dee nodded to Mr. Shaw before opening the door and entering the Chamber of Doors. “I thought it prudent to mask our origin point as completely as possible,” he explained as they crossed the room to where Pinky stood waiting by a doorway.

“Could you place this on the table in the library, Pinky?” John asked, handing the hulking spirit the box with the neutralized diamond dust.

“Sure thing, boss,” Pinky responded before turning to the Shaws.

“A pleasure as always, Miss,” he added with a smile before nodding respectfully to Mr. Shaw.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  “I’m on my way with Miss Menagerie,”  Seraph says after Redline’s explanation.  “We’ll be there in five.” 

When Dee steps through his door, a wave of intense heat hits him as he emerges onto Barron Street. The remains of a building are ablaze, but firefighters seem to have it contained to just the destroyed house.

Draconian lays on the street not too far from what’s left of the house, unconscious but breathing. 
 

Dee surveyed the scene as the three of them exited the Spire. Draconian lay closer to the fire than he would have preferred, the waves of heat distorting the area almost as much as the aftermath of whatever Nightgaunt had done. (Note to Self: Suspicions about Draconian’s vulnerability to Fire appear to be confirmed by the blast. DPU shells’ heat on impact would likely have assisted if the Challenge had not been averted.).

Emi might be pleased that his mind was always working, but (mercifully) she did not have to directly experience the echoes of the Challenge that wasn't.

He didn't dare look at her.

Focus.

Draconian’s burns were extensive and his wing had been broken by the blast. It would take more than a simple healing spell to address such wounds — even if he wasn't a dragon. Seraph, as a mortal angel, was a natural healer. Miss Menagerie and her mother were more experts in that area than he.

That, he recalled, is why he had consulted the sorceress when crafting the Libation of Imhotep.

But both Seraph and Miss Menagerie were cursed, which might complicate his ritual. If he conducted it now, they would have an easier time healing whatever injuries might remain.

"I'm going to use the libation I asked about, Miss Menagerie.,” Dee explained over the comms. "That should, at minimum, improve our chances of helping hien."

Drawing the wooden bowl and water bottle from his pocket, Dee approached the dragon, chanting in a dialect of Egyptian last used three thousand years ago. The water misted on contact with the bowl, flowing over the wounded areas and condensing on Draconian’s scales as hoarfrost. As the water flowed away from the bowl, it reduce itself into sawdust.

Another healing artifact meant for others consumed by Draconian.

Be charitable, John. You created it for Mrs. Shaw in case there were issues with the Orb. There were none.

It may have been meant for here.

As the last of the mist condensed along the broken wing, Dee released the spell, the healing magic surging through him.

 
 Spoiler: Better than last time! 
 Unleash His Power! :  2d6+3   10 
 
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Barron Street 
Eidolon moves to assist the firemen as Dee starts his spell, helping them move debris and smother parts of the blaze.

Redline notices that all attention that was on the injured dragon dissipates and people’s eyes seem to skip over the gathered heroes like they aren’t even there. A news van rolls up and several people hop out, but rush right across the street without even a glance at Draconian to cover the explosion and subsequent fire.

Blitz steps away as another call comes in, drawing Amethyst with him to keep her out of the way as much as possible.

As Dee’s spell completes and the last of the bowl disintegrates, Draconian’s head shifts slightly, scraping across the asphalt.

Emi kneels beside the dragon after she sees that Dee’s magic has done its work, placing a hand on the side of his muzzle. “Grayson?”

At her voice and touch, the eye closest to Emi slowly opens. One front leg begins to attempt to get underneath him to stand until she gently strokes the scales under her fingers. “Don’t move. Not yet. Seraph and Miss Menagerie are almost here.”

 His scales are hot,  she projects worriedly to Dee.

Less than a minute later, Shrike announces herself with a short screech as she lands nearby. Menagerie hops down from the griffin and makes her way over to Emi and Dee, taking a moment to look for any remaining external injuries on Draconian.

“It looks like the libation worked well. At least on the surface,” the sorceress says to Dee before Seraph lands on the street.

The angel seems to have worked up a sweat, despite the chill of the December air above Iron Station. He hides his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he joins them. “How is he?” he asks the group.

“I think John has him stable for now,” Emi says. “But Nora says his heart rate and respiration are high for him. He doesn’t seem to be fully conscious either.”

“I would guess he has internal injuries,” Miss Menagerie postulates, which Seraph nods to.

Seraph kneels next to Emi and puts his hand next to hers, closing his eyes to concentrate.

 John, Seraph seems… sick?  Emi says with a glance back at the mage. Her voice is faint, barely audible compared to just a few minutes ago.  I felt it earlier when I was speaking to him. He’s cursed, isn’t he? Like Stella.  

Eventually Seraph opens his eyes and stands, deliberately looking away from Emi with a frustrated sigh. “I can’t sense anything. Honestly, I probably couldn’t heal more than bruise right now anyway. Stella?”

The sorceress reaches out, pausing with her fingers hovering over Draconian’s nose as her gaze rests on Emi, waiting for the psychic’s nod before she rests her hand on him. She glances down after a moment, her expression slightly disappointed and pensive. “I’m much more used to dealing with people. I could have tried to deal with any obvious injuries, but since Dee took care of those, I can’t really tell exactly what I should be fixing. Having access to Jaal would be useful, but he’s not talking to me right now.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Barron Street 
Eidolon moves to assist the firemen as Dee starts his spell, helping them move debris and smother parts of the blaze.

Redline notices that all attention that was on the injured dragon dissipates and people’s eyes seem to skip over the gathered heroes like they aren’t even there. A news van rolls up and several people hop out, but rush right across the street without even a glance at Draconian to cover the explosion and subsequent fire.

Blitz steps away as another call comes in, drawing Amethyst with him to keep her out of the way as much as possible.

As Dee’s spell completes and the last of the bowl disintegrates, Draconian’s head shifts slightly, scraping across the asphalt.

Emi kneels beside the dragon after she sees that Dee’s magic has done its work, placing a hand on the side of his muzzle. “Grayson?”

At her voice and touch, the eye closest to Emi slowly opens. One front leg begins to attempt to get underneath him to stand until she gently strokes the scales under her fingers. “Don’t move. Not yet. Seraph and Miss Menagerie are almost here.”

 His scales are hot,  she projects worriedly to Dee. 
 

Dee frowned, swallowing the frustration over the ‘limited’ effect of the Libation. His detached mind reminded him that he should be congratulating himself that he had now healed Draconian twice — a notable feat, given a dragon’s inherent resistance to magic — rather than critiquing his inability to fix everything.

He was a  Magister Magius  — not God.

Nevertheless, Emi’s concern for Grayson stirred a mixture of jealousy and inadequacy (He did just bring her mother back, he chided himself. That would count for something.)

Focus: Siren. Draconian.

 I can attempt another spell in a moment , he assured her as best he could.  I’d like Seraph and Miss Menagerie’s opinions first, though. Their advice might offer something that would improve our chances of success.  

 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Less than a minute later, Shrike announces herself with a short screech as she lands nearby. Menagerie hops down from the griffin and makes her way over to Emi and Dee, taking a moment to look for any remaining external injuries on Draconian.

“It looks like the libation worked well. At least on the surface,” the sorceress says to Dee before Seraph lands on the street.

The angel seems to have worked up a sweat, despite the chill of the December air above Iron Station. He hides his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he joins them. “How is he?” he asks the group.

“I think John has him stable for now,” Emi says. “But Nora says his heart rate and respiration are high for him. He doesn’t seem to be fully conscious either.”

“I would guess he has internal injuries,” Miss Menagerie postulates, which Seraph nods to.

Seraph kneels next to Emi and puts his hand next to hers, closing his eyes to concentrate.

 John, Seraph seems… sick?  Emi says with a glance back at the mage. Her voice is faint, barely audible compared to just a few minutes ago.  I felt it earlier when I was speaking to him. He’s cursed, isn’t he? Like Stella.   
 

 For now , he conceded, a hint of his frustration creeping into his projection.  He took upon himself a powerful curse, fueled by a  raesheka , that had afflicted Crowe and Polaris, believing quite correctly that he would be better able to bear its burden. We’ve worked out a few ways we could break it but he wants to consult with Dr. Rivera first. It’s a prudent choice but we resent the necessary delay.

Miss Menagerie is especially worried for him, he noted, trying to gauge the sorceress’ response to events. 

 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Eventually Seraph opens his eyes and stands, deliberately looking away from Emi with a frustrated sigh. “I can’t sense anything. Honestly, I probably couldn’t heal more than bruise right now anyway. Stella?”

The sorceress reaches out, pausing with her fingers hovering over Draconian’s nose as her gaze rests on Emi, waiting for the psychic’s nod before she rests her hand on him. She glances down after a moment, her expression slightly disappointed and pensive. “I’m much more used to dealing with people. I could have tried to deal with any obvious injuries, but since Dee took care of those, I can’t really tell exactly what I should be fixing. Having access to Jaal would be useful, but he’s not talking to me right now.” 
 

 
 Spoiler: Let me think this through. 

 Dee Assesses the Situation :  2d6+3   10 
Q1: Is there an easier way to heal Draconian’s internal wounds using the assembled team (e.g., He and/or Stella assists the other on a Spellcasting roll, gate in Snowblood)?

A: Snowblood has the same problem as Stella— she works on people, not animals/dragons xD

You can try to assist each other, but you’ll take the crazy penalty for trying to cast a spell on a dragon.

Q2: Assuming he could reach either of them, would calling on Jaal or Aurelius for information help?

A: I’ll let you know that Jaal won’t answer currently, but Aurelius may have information, if you can reach him.

John gets one Brain follow up question.
 

Dee started at the news that Jaal was holding himself aloof. He hadn’t noted anything that might cause the dragon to do that and neither she nor Raphael had mentioned anything that would have so offended him.

Not that it was difficult to offend a dragon.

“If necessary,” Dee noted as he pulled up his contacts on his heads up display, “we can see if I can summon him and see if he will speak to me. While I can attempt another spell, additional information might help. Fortunately, I know another dragon we can reach out to. Since his last known location was on the other side of the planet, we won’t run the risk of waking him.”

At least that’s what he hoped.

“Clea, Text to Mr. Aurelius:” he subvocalized, “V has been hit hard and we would appreciate a consultation. Calling in a moment.

“Send.

“Place call.”
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
  For now,  he conceded, a hint of his frustration creeping into his projection.  He took upon himself a powerful curse, fueled by a raesheka, that had afflicted Crowe and Polaris, believing quite correctly that he would be better able to bear its burden. We’ve worked out a few ways we could break it but he wants to consult with Dr. Rivera first. It’s a prudent choice but we resent the necessary delay.

Miss Menagerie is especially worried for him,  he noted, trying to gauge the sorceress’ response to events. 
 

Emi’s gaze settles on Seraph’s turned back, looking at the angel’s dull, broken feathers with concern.  Dr. Riviera is on an assignment. I’m not sure when she’ll be back. But I’ll ask my father if he can put some pressure on the Myriad higher-ups to get her back as soon as possible.  

Menagerie stands, taking a few steps back from Draconian. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t be more help,” she says softly.

“It’s never easy to heal a dragon,” Emi replies. “Thank you for rushing here despite that.”


 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 “If necessary,” Dee noted as he pulled up his contacts on his heads up display, “we can see if I can summon him and see if he will speak to me.” 
 

“He wouldn’t answer you,” Miss Menagerie says with a frown.


 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 “Clea, Text to Mr. Aurelius:” he subvocalized, “V has been hit hard and we would appreciate a consultation. Calling in a moment.

“Send.

“Place call.” 
 

 “Speak,”  a low, feminine voice answers in Dee’s ear. The voice is soft, and has a crackle to it, like pages of a book being rubbed together or crumpled.  “Master Jasper is away, taking care of some business in Elliorea, but I will try to assist you as much as I can.” 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Barron Street 
 “Speak,”  a low, feminine voice answers in Dee’s ear. The voice is soft, and has a crackle to it, like pages of a book being rubbed together or crumpled.  “Master Jasper is away, taking care of some business in Elliorea, but I will try to assist you as much as I can.”  
 

"It’s a pleasure to speak with you again, Ruèl,” Dee responded, making sure to mind his manners, “although I wish it were under better circumstances."

John wasn't sure what to make of the detail that Mr. Aurelius was in Elliorea rather than New Zealand, as he had told Grayson. Why had his travel plans changed? Had he needed to return unexpectedly? Had one of them (Aurelius → Grayson, Grayson → him) intended to deceive the other? What took the elder dragon back to his world?

Focus, Dee. There are too many variables. And what were the odds he was away retrieving something that might improve his son’s odds with Emi.

"Valèdir has been injured while protecting others from a gas explosion,” he continued as his mind turned over the possibilities. “I was able to heal his surface burns and broken wing but he remains dazed and his scales are warm to the touch. We're concerned he may have internal injuries.”

Dee's eyes drifted to the woman he loved and his friend and fellow practitioner. By all rights, their focus should be on the ritual he had performed in London — not on whether he'd be able to heal Grayson a third time.

Draconian.

He did have a .666 average, though. That would be a n all time best in the majors. All he needed to do is not drop to.500.

No pressure.

"Before I attempted to heal him further, I hoped to get any additional information that might help — cooling him before healing him, for example."

Dee hoped she had an easy answer.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Barron Street  
There’s a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Ruèl responds.  “The easiest way to treat the young Master would be to have him shift back into his human form, if he’s able. Your magics would be more effective on that form. After that, you will need to keep him cold. If his external temperature has changed that much, he is in danger.” 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Barron Street  
There’s a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Ruèl responds.  “The easiest way to treat the young Master would be to have him shift back into his human form, if he’s able. Your magics would be more effective on that form. After that, you will need to keep him cold. If his external temperature has changed that much, he is in danger.”  
 

 I don’t suppose you know an easy way of getting him shifted back into human form?  Dee projected, hoping either of the Shaws had an answer.  The Janus Mirror I used last time took me days to construct and I don’t have a fresh one up my sleeve.  

Ironically enough, he recalled, the items he had up his sleeves had been placed there specifically to do harm to Valèdir — not heal him.

But no one needed to be reminded of that right now.

 He’ll need to be kept cold after we shift him back and attempt to heal him. That part will be easy enough.  
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Barron Street  
 I do not,  Eidolon replies in a clipped tone.

Emi looks down, focusing on the smooth opaline scales under her fingers.  Is that safe for him?  she asks.  His injuries are always worse when he transforms back.  
 There don’t seem to be many other options Emi,  Eidolon says, his voice gentler, but still edged.  John and Miss Boudreaux are two of the three people in Iron Station most capable of healing him with James currently indisposed. Dr. Snowblood is the other. Even if the two of them can’t heal him completely, the hospital isn’t too far. I’ve already reached out to Harbinger. Dr. Snowblood will be on standby, ready to receive him.  
 “It will take me a little time, but I will have Soren ready a teleport spell to bring me to the young Master. I should arrive by tomorrow at the latest,”  Ruèl informs the mage.

Emi takes a steadying breath before she says, “Miss Menagerie,  I’m going to try to wake him enough to get him to shift back.”

The sorceress nods as she seems to gather her power, ready to assist.

“Are you ready?” she asks the mage without looking at him.

Seraph steps back from the dragon, giving them room to work. He joins Redline, looking over the High Octane Hero. “You’re looking a little rough too,” he says, vaguely gesturing at his left ear. If Redline reaches up, he finds a fresh trickle of blood slowly dripping down the side of his neck.

The angel starts to reach out to clasp Redline’s shoulder to heal him, but stops and puts his hand back into his pocket. “Sorry. You’re better off having them help you than me,” he says, glancing back at the two magic users.

“Good job catching Mirko,” he continues after a moment. “I think everyone can rest easier knowing that both Dragonovs are off the streets.”
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Barron Street  
 I do not,  Eidolon replies in a clipped tone.

Emi looks down, focusing on the smooth opaline scales under her fingers.  Is that safe for him?  she asks.  His injuries are always worse when he transforms back.  
 There don’t seem to be many other options Emi,  Eidolon says, his voice gentler, but still edged.  John and Miss Boudreaux are two of the three people in Iron Station most capable of healing him with James currently indisposed. Dr. Snowblood is the other. Even if the two of them can’t heal him completely, the hospital isn’t too far. I’ve already reached out to Harbinger. Dr. Snowblood will be on standby, ready to receive him.  
 “It will take me a little time, but I will have Soren ready a teleport spell to bring me to the young Master. I should arrive by tomorrow at the latest,”  Ruèl informs the mage. 
 

 Ruèl will be coming to assist as well , John added, hoping to reassure Emi.  She will be here within the day.

We’ll take good care of him. 
 
 Spoiler: The ever supportive boyfriend…. 
 John hopes to put Emi at ease this time, rather than Grayson…for a change :  2d6+4   15 

John adds a Team to the pool.
 


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Emi takes a steadying breath before she says, “Miss Menagerie,  I’m going to try to wake him enough to get him to shift back.”

The sorceress nods as she seems to gather her power, ready to assist.

“Are you ready?” she asks the mage without looking at him. 
 

 “Yes,” Dee replied as he began to scribe his spell and turned to Miss Menagerie.

“Well hit him as soon as he completes his transformation to minimize the time for his injuries to effect him,” he told the sorceress, noting the Freudian Slip and hoping others had not. “After that, I’ll encase him in a thin layer of ice to keep his temperature down.”

He tried not to read Emi’s…Siren’s body language as a tell. she could merely be concerned for her close friend and not refusing to meet his eyes for some other reason. She could also be sensing his and her father’s frustration at this turn of events.

It didn’t have to mean another interruption where she left with Grayson leaving him standing alone on the street looking like a fool in front of his friends.

The higher order thinking portion of him pointing out the inherent contradiction in standing alone with his friends was dutifully noted but did not feel helpful.

Mr. Shaw, he reminded himself, was still calling him John. She still thought her  Magister Magius  was amazing. He had healed her mother and had stabilized a dragon.

He could do this — no matter how difficult.

He could stay on the side of the angels.

No matter how much it cost him.

He hoped that cost was not too high.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
  Ruèl will be coming to assist as well,  John added, hoping to reassure Emi.  She will be here within the day.

We’ll take good care of him.  
 

John feels a warm feeling of appreciation from Emi that quickly fades as she starts to speak to Draconian. The mage can feel that she’s also speaking to the dragon mentally, attempting to break through his innate psychic resistance. “Grayson,” she says, resting her brow and forehead against his muzzle, “I need you to wake up.”

Her words are more than just a plea. They’re a command. Her power slices into a crack in his mental barrier causing Dee to feel an exhale of hot breath from the dragon as Draconian’s eye struggles to open.

She gently soothes him as he starts to try and move again. “Do you trust me?” she asks the dragon once he’s still.

As connected as he is to Emi, Dee can hear the slow, faint answer from Draconian.  Yes… more than anyone else. 

“I know it’s going to hurt, but I need you to shift back,” Emi says softly.

A cold white glow envelops Draconian for several seconds— much longer than his transformation normally takes. As the lights fades, Emi is revealed with an unconscious Grayson slumped into an embrace with her.

As Dee and Miss Menagerie’s healing begins to take effect, Emi uses her powers to slowly and carefully lower Grayson down so that his head rests on her lap. She tenderly moves some stray hair out of his face, even as small ice crystals form over his skin as Dee’s second spell completes.

 A team of paramedics are on their way,  Eidolon says.  They should be there in moment.  
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Barron Street 

John feels a warm feeling of appreciation from Emi that quickly fades as she starts to speak to Draconian. The mage can feel that she’s also speaking to the dragon mentally, attempting to break through his innate psychic resistance. “Grayson,” she says, resting her brow and forehead against his muzzle, “I need you to wake up.”

Her words are more than just a plea. They’re a command. Her power slices into a crack in his mental barrier causing Dee to feel an exhale of hot breath from the dragon as Draconian’s eye struggles to open.

She gently soothes him as he starts to try and move again. “Do you trust me?” she asks the dragon once he’s still.

As connected as he is to Emi, Dee can hear the slow, faint answer from Draconian.  Yes… more than anyone else. 

“I know it’s going to hurt, but I need you to shift back,” Emi says softly.

A cold white glow envelops Draconian for several seconds— much longer than his transformation normally takes. As the lights fades, Emi is revealed with an unconscious Grayson slumped into an embrace with her.

As Dee and Miss Menagerie’s healing begins to take effect, Emi uses her powers to slowly and carefully lower Grayson down so that his head rests on her lap. She tenderly moves some stray hair out of his face, even as small ice crystals form over his skin as Dee’s second spell completes.

 A team of paramedics are on their way,  Eidolon says.  They should be there in moment.   
 

 I could translate him to the emergency room via the Spire, if time is of the essence , Dee replied tightly.  As Emi indicated, he may be in some pain and I would rather he not suffer. 

Translate. Very Catholic of you, Jonathan Michael. You’re Dee right now. It’s teleport.

“Miss Menagerie,” Dee asked his fellow practitioner in an almost entirely neutral voice, “are you able to tell if we have sufficiently healed his internal injuries that he is out of danger?”

He began to turn away then paused. “Sorry,” he apologized gently. “That sounded too much like an order from a Team Lead than a request from a friend and colleague. But I would appreciate it if you could check.”

He switched to his comm link as he stepped towards his Team Lead and Director — intentionally avoiding looking at the oh-so  touching  scene behind him.

“If you think you need to get here faster,” he offered to Ruèl, “I can bring you in.”

Dee bowed his head slightly before looking up at Seraph and Redline. Giving one of Aurelius’ more powerful associates a chance to learn the precise location of the Spire was not high on his list of priorities. But if he wanted to stay on the side of the angels, it was an offer he had to make — even if it was yet another concession to his rival for Emi’s affection.

She danced with him, John reminded himself. Not Grayson — even if she stroked Grayson’s muzzle and didn’t stroke his.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, John. You don’t  have  a muzzle.

He needed to get ahold of himself. He was in the field and there were still things to do — including, potentially, growing a Christmas tree and coordinating with his fu…Mr. Shaw on how to counter any of Vibratio’s reactions.

Not necessarily in that order.

Emi loved him, he reminded himself. And he trusted her.

So why was it he always felt this way? Beyond, of course, Grayson always seeming to interrupt these things and insert — intentionally or incidentally— between them.

Perhaps, he acknowledged, it was not so great a mystery as to why he felt that way.

“Were you able to get a look at the demon that Nightgaunt destroyed?” Dee asked Redline in a professionally neutral tone as he wove another healing spell. “I’d like to try and identify it, if I can.”

 
 Spoiler: You are HEALED! 
 Spellcasting: Healing Redline :  1d12o12   23   1d6o6   4 
 
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“She seemed happy,” Hope says, tapping one finger on the table as she looks down and replays the interaction she just had with Cassie in her head. “When he came over and took her arm she didn’t stiffen or pull away from him and her expression didn’t really change, so she doesn’t  dislike  him. Trust me, working at two bars, I’ve seen lots of girls that couldn’t stand the guy that had just come up to hit on them, or their drunk boyfriends.”

She shrugs. “Hopefully he is a decent guy.”


Hope smiles back at him. “I think that is, in fact, safe to say. This was fun. It’s great to be able to really talk about books with someone. So yeah, you choose the place next time. We can figure out when between our work and school schedules. If you want to read the next one, I would love to hear about your new predictions for the next one.”

The waiter returns with Keith’s card and the receipt. “Thanks for coming in today,” he says as he sets it in front of the shadowmancer. “Have a great rest of your weekend!” He says before walking to the next table. 
 

Keith keeps an eye on Hope, and continues offering a comforting smile. He trusted her, something that he found coming easier each day after everything he had been through with West Side.

Trust….. An interesting thing.

“She did, and I definitely trust your judgment.” He grinned. “Hopefully he’s just a bit introverted and maybe just in a hurry today. I’m sure we’ll learn more eventually.”

As she answered and smiled, his grin widened. “Haven’t gotten to talk about books like this in ages. I’ve had a ton of fun and really, just want to know more about you.” His smile softened.

“I’ll be sure to pick somewhere good. I also have an idea that one of my predictions may be correct.” He chuckled.

As the waiter returned his card and receipt, Keith nodded. “Thank you, and hope you have a great weekend as well.”

He returns his attention to Hope. “So what’s on the agenda for you the rest of the day?”
PK-Leon
 December 11th 
 Barron Street 

 Eidolon moves to assist the firemen as Dee starts his spell, helping them move debris and smother parts of the blaze.

Redline notices that all attention that was on the injured dragon dissipates and people’s eyes seem to skip over the gathered heroes like they aren’t even there. A news van rolls up and several people hop out, but rush right across the street without even a glance at Draconian to cover the explosion and subsequent fire. 

The West Sider watches from the sidelines as his Advisor and East Side's interim director bring order to the surrounding chaos. He surmised that the public turning a blind eye to their presence was likely due to some sort of illusion cast by Dee or mental obfuscation on Eidolon's part.


 
 Originally Posted by Seraph 
 Seraph steps back from the dragon, giving them room to work. He joins Redline, looking over the High Octane Hero. “You’re looking a little rough too,” he says, vaguely gesturing at his left ear. If Redline reaches up, he finds a fresh trickle of blood slowly dripping down the side of his neck. 
 

"Oh this?" Redline says as he inspects the fresh blood coating the fingertips of his gloved hand. "Nothing out of the ordinary. I got off easy..." He shrugs, casting a glance at the unconscious Draconian.


 
 Originally Posted by Seraph 
 The angel starts to reach out to clasp Redline’s shoulder to heal him, but stops and puts his hand back into his pocket. “Sorry. You’re better off having them help you than me,” he says, glancing back at the two magic users. 
 

"Seraph,  I'm fine . Trust me."

 Besides, you don't look so hot yourself.  Redline noted his director's condition. He'd looked no better than the last time the two spoke during the last team meeting, maybe even worse.


 
 Originally Posted by Seraph 
 “Good job catching Mirko,” he continues after a moment. “I think everyone can rest easier knowing that both Dragonovs are off the streets.” 
 

"Thanks, but I didn't think peace would come with this high of a price tag-"


 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 “Were you able to get a look at the demon that Nightgaunt destroyed?” Dee asked Redline in a professionally neutral tone as he wove another healing spell. “I’d like to try and identify it, if I can.” 
 

"Appreciate the patchwork Doc'. And yeah, I got more than a good look at it before Nightgaunt obliterated the thing."

The amateur illusionist waves a hand through the air and a miniature version of the demonic dragon appears in the space between the three heroes. It slowly descends through the roof of the safehouse replaying through the scene as he remembered it.

"That's all I got, sound effects cost extra."
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by PK-Leon 
  December 11th 
 Barron Street 
"Appreciate the patchwork Doc'. And yeah, I got more than a good look at it before Nightgaunt obliterated the thing."

The amateur illusionist waves a hand through the air and a miniature version of the demonic dragon appears in the space between the three heroes. It slowly descends through the roof of the safehouse replaying through the scene as he remembered it.

"That's all I got, sound effects cost extra." 
 

 
 Spoiler: Dragons. Why does it always have to be dragons? 
 ID the Demon-Dragon. It’s always a dragon…. :  1d12o12+2   5   1d6o6   11 
 


“Even with the friend and colleague discount?” Dee quipped as he examined the projection, his eyes narrowing as the illusory demon began to pass through the roof.

“It’s…It was a  ja’dura gratiq’ys : a demonic construct made out of spare parts by a greater demon,” he explained as he looked over at where the smoke curled over the ruin of the “safe” house (Was there anywhere left in Iron Station that could be truly considered safe?). “That explains why there’s so much residual demonic energy.”

Mingled, he thought, with Nightgaunt’s blood magic.

“Perhaps one of them has gotten into crafting. It seems too much to ask that they’re running out of minions to summon.”

He turned back to Seraph and Redline, making sure to keep Draconian and Siren at his back. His family’s safety was at stake and it wasn’t worth offering additional hints as to his identity by telegraphing an emotional response.

No other reason to do so.

None at all.

“While I’m not entirely surprised that Nightgaunt could handle a  ja’dura gratiq’ys  on his own, it’s an impressive feat nonetheless — all the more so if he remained unscathed in the process.”

It also meant he needed to review his contingency plans for how they could all be best deployed if they needed to return to the River King’s domain in order to capture the Stone that likely was still there. Nightgaunt had been growing in power quickly since his encounter at the Market and his displays of power were enough to give even him pause.

He turned his head back to his Field Lead and away from where he could see Emi in his peripheral vision, struggling against the need to know.

He reached up and, once again, pointlessly tapped the side of his helmet.

“Blitz. Amethyst: Do either of you need healing?” Dee asked professionally enough to pass muster for most.

His mother would notice and so would Kate. He hoped the Shaws’ focus was divided enough to allow him to mask his feelings.
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“I have to go to work,” Hope says before checking her phone. “I start in an hour. I got an early shift at Code Black today— only 4 to 8. They needed someone to open and prep.”

She stands and vacates the table for the next customers, heading back outside into the chilly, for Iron Station, weather before stopping on the sidewalk just outside the cafe, turning back to Keith. “Do you wanna come by for a drink? I’ll tell the guys to let you upstairs. You’ll just have to tell them that I said you’re good to come up.”

 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 “Miss Menagerie,” Dee asked his fellow practitioner in an almost entirely neutral voice, “are you able to tell if we have sufficiently healed his internal injuries that he is out of danger?”

He began to turn away then paused. “Sorry,” he apologized gently. “That sounded too much like an order from a Team Lead than a request from a friend and colleague. But I would appreciate it if you could check.” 
 

Miss Menagerie waves away Dee’s concern with a faint, understanding smile. “ Aucune offense n'a été prise, ” she says as she moves to evaluate Grayson. The sorceress once again looks to Emi for permission as she kneels before the East Siders and whispers a spell. She checks his pulse at his throat before gently resting a hand in the center of the shapeshifter’s chest as her magic fills the air around them.

 
 Spoiler: Translation 
No offense taken
 

 
 Spoiler: Meanwhile 
“He’s mad at me, isn’t he?” Emi asks Stella softly. John hadn’t looked back at her once since Grayson had been stabilized and pulled out of immediate danger. He’d offered the use of the  Spire, but walked away before she could answer. It was wholly unlike him.

She had drained herself pushing through Grayson’s mental barrier. Pain at the back of her head, like talons slicing into the flesh where her skull met her spine, throbs in time with her pulse. The din of voices that she could always hear in the back of her mind was rapidly crescendoing into a cacophony. She could no longer differentiate between them— it was just a roar between her ears that made it almost impossible to think.

The sorceress allows the purple runes floating around them to dissipate as she lifts her hand from Grayson’s chest. “I believe he’s frustrated,” she replies as she looks over at Emi. “Perhaps… insecure,” she continues with a pointed glance down where Grayson’s head rests on the psychic’s lap.

Emi knew that Stella was correct. Guilt gnaws at her, but…

Stella was still speaking. Emi forces herself to focus. Past the pain. Past the noise. Past the oppressive weight of the sorceress’ curse.

“—should be fine with treatment from Dr. Snowblood,” Stella says as she stands. “Currently I’m sensing rib fractures, some internal bruising, and a mild concussion. His temperature is stable, but something that should be watched. Nothing life threatening, thanks to John.”

“And you,” Emi says, her expression sincere. “I could feel your magic helping John’s. Guiding it to where it was most needed. Thank you.”

Stella gives her a faint smile, accepting the compliment. “Raphael would say that I need to charge you,” she quips.

 I see Miss Boudreaux has finished her evaluation.  

Her father’s voice slices through the roar of the others and she grabs onto it, holding it to keep herself from slipping into the deafening sea of thoughts as she relays what the sorceress had told her.

 You’ve pushed yourself,  he says when she’s finished. His power wraps around her, offering a temporary solace. He couldn’t maintain it for long. She knew from experience that it took too much of his concentration to be able to filter through two psychics' combined senses to continue to function normally. His mind would be pulled in too many different ways.

Emi takes a breath, enjoying her father’s sanctuary for a moment more before she says,  I’ll be okay. I just need to rest. 
 Miss LaGrant can take you back to base. I’ll have Mr. Harrison accompany Mr. Radke to hospital.

I’ll explain to your mother what happened,  he continues, answering her unsaid question before the thought can fully form.  Tonight, I want you to rest. I saw some ice cream in the freezer. I’m sure your brother will forgive you if you steal some.  

Emi smiles at his attempt at levity.  And you’ll keep me in the loop on Grayson’s condition?

While I’m here, yes.

Thank you , Emi says as she pushes on her father’s mental presence, asking him to release her. As he withdraws, she grimaces as the thoughts of Iron Station residents slam into her once again, filling her mind to capacity.
 


 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 “If you think you need to get here faster,” he offered to Ruèl, “I can bring you in.” 
 

Ruèl takes a moment to consider the mage’s offer.  “The island has wards against teleportation and other magics from outsiders. Would you be able to arrive at a set of coordinates? I could fly to the mainland in ten minutes.” 
 Miss Boudreaux says that Mr. Radke is stable,  Eidolon projects to John.  It will be fine for him to be transported to hospital via ambulance.  

 
 Originally Posted by Redline 
 "Seraph, I'm fine. Trust me." 
 

Seraph doesn’t quite seem convinced, but relaxes after Dee completely heals the High Octane Hero. His eyebrows raise as the mage names the type of demon, then watches carefully as the chimera is utterly destroyed by Nightgaunt through Redline’s perspective. “The two Greater Demons that we know of here in Iron Station are definitely high ranked enough to be able to create a  ja’dura ,” he says, his voice lowered to be sure that Stella wouldn’t be able to overhear him. “But my guess would be Jerek. His House are — were — powerful mages. As far as we know, Vytas is still Bound. He wouldn’t be able to expend this much magic. But… they also could have made some sort of bargain with another demon in  Vanuusha  in exchange for use of the  ja’dura . They take time and resources to make.”


 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 “While I’m not entirely surprised that Nightgaunt could handle a  ja’dura gratiq’ys  on his own, it’s an impressive feat nonetheless — all the more so if he remained unscathed in the process.” 
 

The angel sighs and winces from the movement as his wings tuck in against his back. Several broken feathers drift to the asphalt. “Impressive… and concerning,” he mutters.


 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 “Blitz. Amethyst: Do either of you need healing?” Dee asked professionally enough to pass muster for most. 
 

 “We’re fine,”  Blitz replies.  “Thanks. I’m about to hop in an ambulance with Grayson anyway.” 
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Barron Street 

Ruèl takes a moment to consider the mage’s offer.  “The island has wards against teleportation and other magics from outsiders. Would you be able to arrive at a set of coordinates? I could fly to the mainland in ten minutes.” 
 Miss Boudreaux says that Mr. Radke is stable,  Eidolon projects to John.  It will be fine for him to be transported to hospital via ambulance.   
 

"It appears an immediate arrival is medically unnecessary," Dee relayed as he modded to Eidolon in acknowledgement. "Our team's medical expert has cleared him for ambulance travel, where he will be placed under the care of Dr. Snowblood — who’s healed his injuries before.

"I am still happy to tr...teleport you in, if you think it advisable. I'm about to move a number of people to classified locations so there may be a delay.”

He glanced back to where Emi and Stella waited for the paramedics.

Dee felt himself falter for a moment as John was torn between his love he felt and trusted in and the insecurity that gnawed at that trust.

"You know far more about his needs than I do, Ruèl. Let me know what you need of me."

 You let me know what you need of me as well , John added as he projected to Emi a moment before remembering that his communication with her was not as private as usual.

Focus, John.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Seraph doesn’t quite seem convinced, but relaxes after Dee completely heals the High Octane Hero. His eyebrows raise as the mage names the type of demon, then watches carefully as the chimera is utterly destroyed by Nightgaunt through Redline’s perspective. “The two Greater Demons that we know of here in Iron Station are definitely high ranked enough to be able to create a  ja’dura ,” he says, his voice lowered to be sure that Stella wouldn’t be able to overhear him. “But my guess would be Jerek. His House are — were — powerful mages. As far as we know, Vytas is still Bound. He wouldn’t be able to expend this much magic. But… they also could have made some sort of bargain with another demon in  Vanuusha  in exchange for use of the  ja’dura . They take time and resources to make.” 
 

"I worry that there may be others operating in Iron Station,” Dee observed, recalling the possibilities presented by the stolen tablets with the four True Names from House  Vaneya  and Vibrato’s independent association with a greater demon.

At least Mrs. Shaw's mental break didn't align with the fall of the Order of the Red Dawn — although it was long enough after that the possibility could not be entirely ruled out.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 The angel sighs and winces from the movement as his wings tuck in against his back. Several broken feathers drift to the asphalt. “Impressive… and concerning,” he mutters. 
 

"I'm guessing your concern goes beyond how quickly those of us in your charge are developing?" Dee asked Seraph in Angelical before frowning.

"This probably isn't the time or place for that, is it?" Dee asked, switching back to English.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  “We’re fine,”  Blitz replies.  “Thanks. I’m about to hop in an ambulance with Grayson anyway.”  
 

"If I could make a recommendation to the two Directors and Field Leads present, I can get everyone back to their respective bases and/or prior locations via the Spire. After all the excitement, a simple walk might be easier on the assembled teams.”

The suggestion, he noted, covered a number of areas of concern:

 1) It would reduce the strain on Seraph.  The exertion he had made to arrive as quickly as he did was readily apparent and there was no need for him to push himself further, if it could be avoided.

 2) It maintained the secrecy of where he and the Shaws were arriving from.  While there were no indications that Vibrato was in the immediate vicinity, they could be anywhere. And he had no real sense of her range and abilities. Since she was a Shaw, they could be far greater than he and the rest of his team initially believed.

 3) It lessened (but did not eliminate) the possibility that Emi would walk away without a proper leave-taking.  (Leave-taking, John? Who talks like that? I mean, The time outside of time you spent in an ersatz Elizabethan England was bound to leave some mark but leave-taking is a bit much even for you.)

Yes, she probably planned to return to London but given that the wyrm’s head was still in her lap the odds were not as certain as he would like.

"I already have doors keyed to the appropriate locations," he added, hoping he sounded helpful and logical.

And, af course:  4) It would give him the opportunity to establish with his…her…Eidolon whatever protocols were necessary to help insure Mrs. Shaw's safety. 
mmdeforrest
 Meanwhile, in London 
Montcrieff pulled her robe about her tighter as she made her way into the kitchen and turned on the electric kettle. If she was colder for there not having been a partner to warm her bed the night before, it was a more honest morning. None of them ever measured up to Scott — either as lovers or companions.

Their lines of work in different intelligence units — her work with AEGIS and his with the US 525th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade (currently deployed in Poland — not that she was keeping tabs) — made their relationship problematic at best and compromising at worst.

But he had been interesting enough, exciting enough, and capable enough to keep up.

Maybe after he mustered out, she thought as she noted the "K" maintenance code displayed on the cooktop.

She reached under the cabinet and, placing her finger on the recessed sensor, activated Lizzie's remote instance.

"Good morning, Agent Montcrieff,” the AI said as she activated the kitchen telly. "I hope you are well-rested.”

"I'll feel better after a cup of tea, thank you," Montcrieff replied as she filled the kettle. "Is Kelley still in London this morning?"

"Your charge and partner were returned to Iron Station moments ago in the company of Eidolon and Siren,” the AI replied as the television screen switched to a live feed of Dee's body cam.”

“They left Esper behind," Montcrieff observed, "and, based on Eidolon’s clothing, haven’t slept. Interesting.”

She frowned as she studied the screen. "What's wrong with Seraph?”

"Based on Mark Two’s notes, Seraph absorbed a curse that all but debilitated both Crowe and Polaris. While Mark Two has made extensive notes on how he might break the curse with the assistance of Nightgaunt, it appears Seraph has asked that they consult with Dr. Rivera first."

“It never rains but pours," Montcrieff observed. “Display mission parameters."

Her face took on a pained expression. "Radke  again ?”

She huffed angrily as she poured her cup of tea. “Send a note to Dr. Higgins and ask if she has the time and capability to do an initial psych profile sufficient to determine if Radke’s subconsciously going out of his way to be sufficiently in trouble to require Siren's attention. I'd like to know if he's being intentional about this or not.”

"Be sure to include Clea’s report and transcript of the conversation Kelley had on the roof of East Side,” she added as she stirred in some cream and sugar. “Valèdir’s taunting and the self-inflicted arm injury are likely salient.

“Even if protocol prohibits us from giving Kelley a heads up, I want to know so I can be better prepared to manage his case."

"Justification for overrides noted and logged," Lizzie replied before displaying a still image of Grayson’s head in Emi’s lap. "I'll see what I can do to expedite the request."

'Oh, Kelley," Montcrieff said as she looked more closely at the image. "So that's why your back is uncharacteristically turned to her. "

"Clea has resubmitted a high-priority request for surface-to-air missiles."

"Of course she has,” Montcrieff replied as she sipped her tea. "I had hoped he was playing the role of Dee better than I expected. The "Black Magician”  The Sun  makes him out to be isn't known to work with Siren closely enough for him to be responding to this scene."

"The reactions of those at the scene indicate Eidolon or Siren are redirecting bystander attention elsewhere."

"No," Montcrieff replied with a shake of her head. "Kelley will be thinking of the two to six greater demons and of Vibrato  — at least based on his recent request for background information. We don't know if they — or one of Vibrato’s puppets — would be able to resist that mental command."

"He's also been in contact with Jasper Aurelius’s assistant and expressed a willingness to teleport her to Iron Station from somewhere near New Zealand."

"Because the situation isn't complicated enough,” Montcrieff deadpanned.
Roguewolf
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie 
“I have to go to work,” Hope says before checking her phone. “I start in an hour. I got an early shift at Code Black today— only 4 to 8. They needed someone to open and prep.”

She stands and vacates the table for the next customers, heading back outside into the chilly, for Iron Station, weather before stopping on the sidewalk just outside the cafe, turning back to Keith. “Do you wanna come by for a drink? I’ll tell the guys to let you upstairs. You’ll just have to tell them that I said you’re good to come up.” 
 

Keith nods and smiles. "Well dang, but at least it would be early shift rather than late." He shrugged. "Granted, tips probably better later though." He stands and vacates the table with her, having left a tip as well.

As she stops and turns to him, he considers it for a moment. He could probably ask Mimi about Code Black and figure out some stuff about it beforehand, but that would be a bit out from now, too. "Sure, would be neat getting to see the place. Any specific way I need to dress?" He smiled at Hope. "I know you told me before it could be kinda rough, the name gives a bit of a fancy vibe just hearing that part."

He thinks again as well as she responds. "Also, need me to bring you anything when I do come by?"
PK-Leon
 December 11th 
 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 “Even with the friend and colleague discount?” Dee quipped as he examined the projection, his eyes narrowing as the illusory demon began to pass through the roof. 
 

"I think we can work something out but it'd have to wait until I get my double back," Louis offers.


 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 "If I could make a recommendation to the two Directors and Field Leads present, I can get everyone back to their respective bases and/or prior locations via the Spire. After all the excitement, a simple walk might be easier on the assembled teams.” 
 

"If everyone here has transportation covered I think I'll just ride back on my bike. I could use some more air.

Thanks for the help tonight. And sorry about the mess..."
InTheMachine
 December 11th 
 Cafe Rosalie/Code Black 
Hope gives Keith a shrug. “It’s a club. You can wear basically whatever you want and no one’s gonna say anything. Let me tell you, I’ve seen some  outfits ,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “Some of the girls that come in are barely wearing something I could call clothes.”

“No, I don’t need anything,” she says with a smile. “Thank you though.”

***

A few hours later, Keith finds himself at the entrance of Code Black. The club is two stories tall and currently silent. The front face of the building is dark, industrial looking brick with  the logo  for the club directly above recessed double doors. Black velvet rope attached to silver stanchion posts are gathered against the wall to Keith’s right, not yet set out to help form the line to get in.

A buff guy in his mid twenties dressed in jeans and a fairly nice jacket leans up against the wall in front of the doors. He has a a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth and seems to be obliviously scrolling on his phone until Keith walks up. The guy looks the shadowmancer over as he slides his phone into a pocket of his jacket. “Club’s not open until six,” he says before taking a drag and pulling the cigarette out of his mouth.

 Barron Street 

 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 "You know far more about his needs than I do, Ruèl. Let me know what you need of me." 
 

 “I will make my way to the mainland,”  Ruél states.  “Master Jasper would be hard pressed to forgive me if I did not take the fastest route after getting such news about the young master.” 

 
 Originally Posted by Redline 
 “Thanks for the help tonight. And sorry about the mess..." 
 

Seraph shakes his head. “Things happen. Thankfully no civilians or first responders were injured too badly. Besides, this is what meta incident insurance is for,” he says, attempting a joke.


 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
  You let me know what you need of me as well,  John added as he projected to Emi a moment before remembering that his communication with her was not as private as usual. 
 

 She won’t be able to respond to you,  Eidolon projects to John. He spots the Myriad Director wrapping up a conversation with the fire chief.  Her powers are weakened after breaking through Mr. Radke’s mental barriers. I’m sending her back to base with Miss LaGrant to recover. 

 
 Originally Posted by Dee 
 "If I could make a recommendation to the two Directors and Field Leads present, I can get everyone back to their respective bases and/or prior locations via the Spire. After all the excitement, a simple walk might be easier on the assembled teams.” 
 

Seraph nods to Dee gratefully as Eidolon joins them.

“James, may I speak with you,” the psychic says, not really making a request. “I will take you up on your offer,” he says to the mage as Seraph’s wings tuck in tightly. “Miss LaGrant and Emi will need to be taken to East Side once the ambulance arrives.” He then turns and walks away, not leaving any room for discussion.

Seraph swallows, then trails after the senior Director to the opposite sidewalk across the street.

A wailing ambulance turns the corner and the truck stops in the middle of the street after Amethyst waves them down. Two paramedics hop out and Grayson is quickly loaded in. Blitz hops in the back of the truck as Stella and Emi speak to one of the paramedics. After a few minutes, the medic hops in the driver’s seat and the ambulance makes a wide turn, heading back the way it came, sirens blaring.
mmdeforrest
 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  December 11th 
 Barron Street 
 “I will make my way to the mainland,”  Ruél states.  “Master Jasper would be hard pressed to forgive me if I did not take the fastest route after getting such news about the young master.”  
 

“Copy that,” Dee replied. “Call me at this number with your location when you are ready to be transported to Iron Station and I will take care of the rest. I will see you soon. Dee out.”

“Clea:” he continued after the call ended, “Contact Dr. Snowblood using the number Harbinger provided and alerted her that Ruèl will be arriving to assist and watch over Draconian. Answer whatever questions you deem appropriate.”

“Acknowledged,” Clea confirmed.


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
  She won’t be able to respond to you,  Eidolon projects to John. He spots the Myriad Director wrapping up a conversation with the fire chief.  Her powers are weakened after breaking through Mr. Radke’s mental barriers. I’m sending her back to base with Miss LaGrant to recover.  
 

 Oh , John projected sheepishly.

He should have been thinking of her.

  I… 

He, of all people, should have recognized what her efforts would have cost her. He knew how difficult it was to bypass a dragon’s defenses.

 I should have considered that — especially with the number of curses in the area. 

The remorse at his inability to get past his personal pain made him feel small — unworthy.

 Would some time in the Spire — away from the psychic soundscape — help her?  

But, as Dr. Higgins so often reminded him, knowing that feelings of inadequacy were not grounded in truth didn’t make them any less real.

“Direct to Siren:” he subvocalized. “Do you need anything?

“Dee isn’t a known associate of Siren,” he added lamely, knowing she would have sensed his emotions up to the moment she sliced through the wy…Draconian’s defenses — rendering any plausible deniability less than plausible. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t come up with some reason to help….

“If you need or want it.”


 
 Originally Posted by InTheMachine 
 Seraph nods to Dee gratefully as Eidolon joins them.

“James, may I speak with you,” the psychic says, not really making a request. “I will take you up on your offer,” he says to the mage as Seraph’s wings tuck in tightly. “Miss LaGrant and Emi will need to be taken to East Side once the ambulance arrives.” He then turns and walks away, not leaving any room for discussion.

Seraph swallows, then trails after the senior Director to the opposite sidewalk across the street.

A wailing ambulance turns the corner and the truck stops in the middle of the street after Amethyst waves them down. Two paramedics hop out and Grayson is quickly loaded in. Blitz hops in the back of the truck as Stella and Emi speak to one of the paramedics. After a few minutes, the medic hops in the driver’s seat and the ambulance makes a wide turn, heading back the way it came, sirens blaring. 
 

For the sake of appearances, Dee nodded to Eidolon in a business-like manner before crossing to Miss Menagerie and directing her towards the ambulance. “I’ll be moving people back to their respective bases. Did you want to leave immediately or wait for Seraph?”

 
 Spoiler: The Spooky, Echoey Voice! 
 Spellcasting: Illusion (Voice) :  1d12o12   2   1d6o6   11 
 


“Siren? Amethyst?” Dee greeted them in his echoing voice as he approached. “The Directors have asked me to transport the teams who have deployed back to their respective bases.”

Two doorways to the Spire appeared — one next to the four provisional heroes and one at a discrete distance from the directors.

It was irrational of him to feel so (Not that he had been terribly rational over the last fifteen minutes or so. The strain of recent events — and the thought of the conversations in the immediate future — were causing him to feel somewhat frayed around the edges.), but he couldn’t help but feel on edge.

He was elated at his successes here and in London, with two impossible healings accomplished.

He was rattled by Emi’s emotional response and physical contact with Grayson.

He was concerned for Emi’s condition, following her exertions.

He was a little impressed with himself at being able to directly contact one of the world’s captains of industry — who happened to be one of the more impressive dragons found on two different planes of existence.

He had made a good impression on Emi’s mother and had been called John by Mr. Shaw.

And he had identified the likely perpetrator of Mrs. Shaw’s curse — a near relative supervillain who had been in league with a demon and was now at large in Iron Station.

And Stephen had brought Samantha home as more than the lead singer in the quintet.

“If you would step this way, please.”

He hoped there weren’t too many shocks left for him this evening. There had, all things considered, been more than enough.