<table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Location:</strong></div></td><td>Choko's office, Los Angeles</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Time:</strong></div></td><td>Day 001, Late Morning</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Tagging:</strong></div></td><td>Choko</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><div class="floatright">(http://www.onlinenewspoint.com/wp-content/uploads/Top-10-Most-Beautiful-Japanese-Women-In-2014-Keiko-Kitagawa.jpg)</div><br/>Choko's patient, still stressed and unable to focus, nodded her head, and with visible difficulty, took the seat to which she was directed. Her hands were shaking, her eyes moving from one thing to another in a manner of fes seconds -- she was barely making any eye contact now. Every now and then, she turned back as if unsure if someone was noe following her. Or watching her from a corner of the office. Hearing her doctor's words, she made an effort to smile -- the effort was commendable, but the smile made Choko think of a wicked Joker-like figure and not an actual human being. "Th-thank you for-for your k-kind w-words, d-doctor Hi-Hidoki." She was stumbling but she visibly appreciated what she was saying, easing her mind for a second or few. She listened, her spirits lifted and pains eased by the radiant charisma of the demigodess. "I... yes, of course." Her pose changed slightly, as if she regained some of her self-confidence and composure.<br/><br/>She shifted in the chair as she replied to Choko's question. "It varies... but it's usually the moon. I see the moon and the stars, and their radiant but dark and sad beauty that is so rich I feel.... either hungry even by looking at these things... or sated as if I've eaten a feast fit for kings or gods... I can almost taste the dishes at this feast... they're rich in flavours...  sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, and umami, they're all there. It usually starts with... fish, fresh and cooked wonderfully... mouth-watering... then another dish -- some wonderful game... and finally, a bowl of rice -- which might look bland and unapetising but it turns out to be exactly what one needs to truly sate the hunger... and anger... inside. I can hear a male voice... haunting... beautiful... but distant. Cold and sad. No. Upset. Angry even. His words... always in Japanese but never fully comprehensible... as if he is somewhere beyond the horizon -- as if they come from the dark, from beyond what I can perceive in the day... Sometimes I almost feel like I understand what is being said despite the distance... whispers of... destiny? of fate? But none of it makes any sense. And when I try... and god knows I try! to listen to these whispers... they realise that I'm not good enough... that I'm not giving them my best... that despite all my effort I still can't quite hear them or understand them... they turn to anger and fury like no other. Disgust even. And I... and I..." Yukiko stopped as tears came to her eyes.<br/><br/>"...I cry. I scream. I frenzy. I have this urge to fight back. To destroy. To<em>kill</em>even."<br/><br/>The last word hang in the air for a few seconds before the pop singer realised what she had just said. "No-no-no! I-I don't mean I've been contemplating any... unlawful thoughts like these! Please, don't misunderstand me. I'd... never!"<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Mechanics</div><div class="spoiler_body"><br/><em>[Please make an Intelligence + Occult.]</em><br/><br/><br/></div></div><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><div align="center">***</div><br/><br/><br/><br/><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Location:</strong></div></td><td>A shady bar, Los Angeles</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Time:</strong></div></td><td>Day 001, Late Morning</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Tagging:</strong></div></td><td>Mateo</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7e/2f/20/7e2f20441df6cad0ab8762856018748f.jpg)</div><br/><br/>Mateo's keen -- divinely enhanced, even -- senses could spot things that no ordinary human being could ever notice. Like, the scent of the pink-shirted man's cologne... which was mixed with something else. Something weird. Sort of... metallic in smell and painfully familiar to him. And yet, he couldn't exactly pinpoint it. There was something else as well -- something...<em>dirty</em>about the boy. It was dirty but in no way unpleasant. In fact, quite the opposite -- it was mesmerizing. The fragrance was unlike anything he had ever sensed, driving his interest and even desires wild with every breath he took. And yet it felt...<em>dirty</em>. That was perhaps the most accurate word to describe the feeling. It was beyond logic.<br/><br/>"Nothing, I guess. Just thought I'd get to know you better. Sooner or later." The boy shrugged. "Heard a couple of things about you from some people -- also heard what happened last night. Thought you could use a way to unwind and relax maybe. Thought you could help a guy out as well." He flashed a disarming smile. "If you know what I mean. And I'm sure you do." He took a step towards Mateo but stopped in the middle, and then took a step back instead. "But maybe we can talk about it outside, eh? Out of Harry's earshot? I'm sure you'll find it interesting."<br/><br/>The more the young man talked, the harder it was to shake off this<em>dirty</em>feeling that Mateo had when he looked at him. Somehow dirty but mesmerizing smell. Dirty thoughts creeping into his mind. Dirty looks that he was giving him...<br/><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Mechanics</div><div class="spoiler_body"><em>[Please make a Willpower + Integrity + Legend roll. Also make a Perception + Empathy roll to realise that something weird is going on.]</em></div></div><br/><br/><br/><div align="center">***</div><br/><br/><br/><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Location:</strong></div></td><td></td><td>Church of  the Lidden Eye, Los Angeles</td></tr><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Time:</strong></div></td><td></td><td>Day 001; Late Morning</td></tr><tr><td><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Tagging:</strong></div></td><td></td><td>Ezio</td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://www.stephensplasticsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/30-year-old-woman.jpg)</div><br/><br/>The Chorus boy, whose name still eluded Ezio, nodded respectfully and mumbled, "O-of course, I-I haven't... I will try. I will, yes" as he listened to his prophet's words. The more he listened to these words of wisdom, the more sure he was that he wanted to join and share in this kind of wisdom -- but he also realised how far away still he was from full understanding. As he backed away, the scion of Dionysus finally recalled the man's name. Albert. Albert... Scott? Albert Scotty? Albert Scotts? Close enough.<br/><br/>Belle, or ex-Mrs Parker, took the coffee jug with a smile, "Oh, thank you, that's very kind of you. I haven't had time to have my morning coffee yet... ah, I knew there was a good reason why I kept coming here." She allowed herself to joke even though the matter she came with was clearly distracting her. "And yes, Miss Parker... I'm sure you must have heard the rumours... divorced Anthony some time ago. I decided to keep the name though -- I did spend half my life as Mrs Parker so it would be... difficult to change that. To get used to a change back -- I must move forward, not go back. I must overcome sadness, and find strength from it, as with all other tribulations." She quoted Ezio himself with a melancholic smile. "Seems like fates have a sense of humour. My name was the only link to my previous life... until last night. My time in the cult was short, I admit, but still, at some level, I thought my inner eye was opened -- unlidden, if you will. At least, that's what I'd always hoped for but never have I seen anything to say so. Until last night... The darkness you've seen must refer to what I saw. You see... last night I had a dream, but not an ordinary dream, not like... like usual. I could feel a presence, an almost divine presence, in it -- not unlike the one I once felt in the throes of ecstasy at one of the ceremonies. But this time it was dark and grim, and black, and corrupt, and loud, and strange." From the way Belle was describing her vision, Ezio could tell that she truly believed what she was saying. Or she was one of the most gifted actresses he had ever seen.<br/><br/>"As I felt the presence, I also realised I was dreaming -- but even so, I couldn't control the dream. It was like being forced into a river and being pushed in one direction. And then I saw it all -- a dark underworld filled with the dead. Escaping souls rampaging through the place while the dark presence tried to stop them but could not for some reason. I looked at one of the faces and then it struck me. All of them had the same face. It was Anthony's. I-I am afraid that he is going to die soon. I cannot let that happen, no matter what happened between us, he doesn't deserve to die so soon.  I felt regret and sorrow, but also determination -- I knew no one would trust me, it was, after all, just a dream. But not a dream, more like a prophecy. A vision. I knew you were the only one who could understand. Please, help me. I phoned him, but he didn't pick up. I phoned his work but he hasn't showed up at work today. I fear he might be in danger soon." Belle seemed quite certain that her vision was, in fact, an actual vision. Was this Ezio's influence speaking or did she always have a close connection to the supernatural world?<br/><br/>Then it hit Ezio. A vision of his own. He could feel the Fate speaking to him, no, screaming in his ear, and tearing at his being with its soul-rending claws, sending him a warning. A warning of an inescapable doom.<em>His</em>doom. He felt his blood freezing, his face going white as he felt the Moiraes' cruel touch frighten him to the very core. He opened his mouth and words of another entity spoke through him:<strong>"Scion of Dionysus, the doom is upon you and all who are touched by your life's thread. They will unravel the very world your kin has striven to protect over millennia." </strong><br/><br/>Belle made a step back, "What... what was that...?" Her eyes widened with fear as she shook visibly distressed.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Mechanics</div><div class="spoiler_body"><br/><em>[Ezio's botched Prophecy roll had some unforeseen (hehe) consequences! Belle is kind of panicking as she feels the desperate burden of destiny crush her spirit. Please make a Willpower + Integrity + Legend roll to shake off this supernatural fear.</em></div></div>