Moon Over Bourbon Street<br/>Something Wicked This Way Comes<br/>Drakon, Magister Mundi<br/>Alexandra, Apostate<br/>Jack the Saxophone Player, Mortal?<br/>'Burin' Elijah Warden, Thyrsus Free Council<br/>'Vulpes' Prof. Elliot Van Graaf, Obrimos Guardian of the Veil<br/>S.J. Jones, Acanthus Free Council<br/>'Damon Jones' Tsutomu Fujimoto, Mastigos Silver Ladder<br/><strong>'Obsidian' Reine Valentine, Moros Adamantine Arrow</strong><br/>'Áfriorda' Elizabeth Brown, Thysus Mysterium<br/>Mia Payroux, Mastigos Silver Ladder<br/>August 22nd, 2005<br/>Cafe du Monde<br/><br/>The walk was uneventful but that didn't stop Reine from walking only in the shadows.  Nick strode beside her his hands in his pockets mulling over what he had learned.  She kept her back straight and her hand free in case she needed to pull a weapon free.  Halfway there, Nick decided that keeping his mouth shut was no longer an option.  She felt otherwise.<br/><br/>"Reine, are we talking end of the world stuff here," he asked with worry in his eyes.<br/><br/>"Yes."<br/><br/>"That's it.  You're just going to say 'yes'," he continued.<br/><br/>"Yes."<br/><br/>"Look, Reine, I'm with you.  You know that.  But your gonna have to give me something here if I'm going to die for all this."<br/><br/>She paused in midstep.  Anyone watching would have found it odd looking.  It wasn't as if she came to a graceful stop.  She was just moving one moment and not the next.  Turning to face her Retainer, she didn't even crack an encouraging smile.  "Nick, you are not going to die 'for all this'.  I am.  Your job is to keep me alive long enough so that I can maybe....save you.  You going to see thing, Nick, and you are not going to like it one bit.  So when you are in the presence of power, I suggest you do well and make like a shadow.  Besides, there is nothing wrong with being dead."<br/><br/>She was suddenly moving again, leaving Nick to stare at her, shaking his head.  He shrugged his shoulders and trotted after her like a good little servant.  Sometimes his brother laughed at him, saying his relationship with Reine was more like a Kindred and his ghoul.  He didn't care.  Whatever bond he had with Reine it was worth it.<br/><br/>"Well, I guess I better do a good job of protecting you, milady," he said with a lopsided grin.<br/><br/>Reine looked at him askance and could only smile, him protect her, what a laugh.  "You do that, Nick."<br/><br/>They reached the Cafe Du Monde and she didn't bother to take a seat.  She was ready to leave when the barrista said where they were to go.  She didn't like this game of mouse in a maze.  It made her fingers itchy.  There was a letter.  Probably directions.  She wasn't sure whether to wait for Burin, who took it upon himself to explain things to the new one.  Well, she did have good taste.  Even the dark and mighty Reine could not resist the irresistible charm of Hello Kitty.  She certainly had a charm all her own taking in the wild hair and the choice of clothing.<br/><br/>"I think we should hurry now that we are all together," she said.  All her accent was gone.  That hard neutrality washed over her.  Everything sang to her like she was on Mark.  There was no time for nonesense.<br/><br/>She left the place in a rush.  Her sense of urgency was getting to her.<br/><br/>"You feeling that...thing, aren't you?  You are getting pissed, Reine, for no reason.  Why didn't you...you know, take care of it before all of this, he said leaning in and whispering.<br/><br/>"I was on a Mark before I was absconded.  Do not air my dirty laundry in public again or I'll make sure you never feel the bliss of Death," she said, walking away from him.<br/><br/>"Is that a promise," he called after her.  He laughed when she flicked him off.  He turned to the others.  "Please excuse her, she hasn't had caffeine today."<br/><br/>He laughed thinking himself funny since they just left a coffee shop.  He tripped up next to Elliot.  "So, you don't look like any Mage I ever met.  Teacher, right?"