An Eye for Trouble
30th of July 2006 A.D.
Deep breath Molly... you look between dad, far from knightly in sweatpants and a plain white T-Shirt and mom wearing her Sunday best, pearls and all, she had been at a parent-teacher conference for Matthew today, because of course she is. Ignoring the feeling of being unaddressed you clear your throat and explain: "So... you know how I was busy yesterday. I was making
this." You put down a cloudy yellow piece of diamond scrap on the table with a clink. "Fifty thousand dollars worth of it, that's barely scratching the surface of what I can make, what I can do. We are going to have to talk about this."
As you speak you lean across the table a little. "When you come right down to it graphite and carbon are almost the same thing, onlty difference is how the atoms are arranged and that is a problem people have solved. All you need is the right skill and the right tools and I can conjure any tools. I could fix up old cars, even refurbish them from scrap. Speaking of cars that is what I spend some of that money on." You turn towards dad. "You remember how I tracked Katrina's car by putting something, someone really like Clippy in the car, well they were getting bored in the impound so I sprang them, Not like I could explain there was a person in there. "
So saying you finish your pitch with confident smile.
Alas it does not seem to have worked very well, at least not on mom, Dad had been nodding, gamely enough, he had seen you make far more complicated things that diamonds, like say a mini-submarine. Mon on the other hand.
You do not like how tight her voice is when she says: "Dollars, you said fifty thousand dollars, so who exchanged the diamonds for dollars."
Not being a fool you had prepared for this. "Antonio Ricci, a lawyer here in Chicago, went to Harvard, he's perfectly legitimate,..." With a little help from Clippy you go through the firm itself and its address the account that had wired you the money and crucially the fact that it had all been done above the board with all the taxes paid. The only thing you had commissioned his services for was finding someone willing to accept artificial stones of unknown provenience.
Yet all the while Mom does not seem nearly as reassured as you had hoped, she listens to the whole thing without interrupting true, but you can practically see the arguments marshaling behind her eyes, somehow that is more disturbing than just having her interrupt.
"You said this person is Lydia's lawyer yes?" At your nod mom continues. "So I am assuming he used to be her father's lawyer,
while he was on the run?"
Now you see where this is going. "He didn't
do anything illegal with the diamonds, or cheat me or anything..." Somehow you do not think either of your parents would react well to you relaying Usum's thought that Ricci would not
dare cheat you, even though you privately agree that is probably the case.
"Molly... sweetheart I understand that I do not know what you can do, not really. Certainly I do not have the vaguest clue what you will be able to do in the future, but I do know how taxes and paperwork go a bit better than you do?"
It takes you a moment to realize the last part had been a question. As soon as you do you nod cautiously, not even adding something about how you can learn, even though you totally
could.
"That means there is now a paper trail associating you with his man's account one that includes a significant payment, even if there is nothing wrong with it that is going to raise flags in any investigation that involves him. There is no way to know who might be investigating his finances legitimately or otherwise. The same is true for any source of income that comes from... magic." To her credit your mother tries not to say the last like it;s a dirty word, she just does not succeed very well. "I'm not saying you cannot or shouldn't use your talents to make money but this is too important, too dangerous to do it
impulsively."
You open your mouth to answer how it had not been impulsive at all, only that would be a bold faced lie, you had been impulsive but only because... "Mom, people have already noticed me and they are going to keep noticing me. There was a vampire at the auction today and she ran away, not because I did anything to her, not because I said even a single word to her, but because of what I am, whatever this is called..."
"Chosen," Usum provides unhelpfully, even he does not know chosen of what but that is not the point.
"I was with Harry when he got arrested by the FBI, I was with him at the museum and that is still covered in sixty yards of police tape because of the crimes. Do you really think a fifty thousand dollar above the board transaction with a lawyer who
might have been involved in some shady things compares to that. We are going to need new cars for that you know, it would be nice if the bad guys did not have dad's plates on record, but they do and they probably have a description of his truck as well."
This is clearly not where your mom thought this conversation was going, but before she can formulate an answer dad speaks up. "The vampire in question thought you were associated with the previous owner of the car. I got a phone call..."
"What warning you that I had been possessed?" You shake your head. "That must have been creepy, sorry about that."
A small weary smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. "That is alright Molly."
For what feels like a long time though it can't be more than half a minute mom does not speak, though when she does she sounds, if not at peace, than at least a little more sure that you are not about to do something silly on a whim. "I think that if you are going to do this Molly you should get accounting and maybe legal support, your own and not belonging to someone else even a friend. I can help with the taxes and Father Forthil can at least point you in the right direction when it comes to legal counsel."
"Thanks mom." You breathe out a sigh of relief. That may not have been as easy as you might have hoped, but it was not as hard as you had feared either. "I'll look into that."
***
31st of July 2006 A.D.
But there is a lot more than personal finance to deal with in he month ahead, the last one before school begins again in the fall, from your resolve to help out Rosie, to your promise to repair the Last Station for Porter. The last month has left you with all manner of memorizes and treasures that worth investigating.
What do you do?
6 AP Available
Finances
Fifteen thousand dollars is not nothing. but compared to the scope of some projects you are contemplating it's not a lot either. Well there are a lot of ways to improve upon them that is for sure.
[] A Big Score, your Crown isn't really made for picking out random numbers in a mundane draw, but it is still your power so you can push it that one time to win a lottery... any lottery. You will have to find the balance between payout and anonymity and some place to park the money but that seems reasonably doable with some help from mom and dad, and unlike some of your other plans they are unlikely to object to this form of cheating at gambling
[] Masterworks for money, you can make gems, you can make gold, you can make fine watches, heck you can make a light airplane from scrap if you really put in the hours, though that would be overkill you think. Now cars maybe... yeah restoring cars could work. Or you could turn your lie to Izzy into truth and work with dad
-[] Diamonds are a girl's best friend, make artificial diamonds or other gemstones
-[] All that glitters, ye old dream of making gold from lead, now with radiation
-[] Small marvels, craft jewelry
, watches, what have you
-[] The family trade, dad already works with wood, you can work with wood, getting paid by your parents isn't exactly the most glamorous thing, but it would probably go smoother with him handling all the marketing stuff so you can just use your hell tools to make stuff
-
[] Resurrection from Rust, you could walk into a junkyard and drive out with a car given enough time, though you are not sure how the paperwork for that would work out
[] It's not cheating if you are just that good, illegal gambling is apparently one of those things John Marcone has a lock on. You have a buy-in now, all you have to do is not lose... and not draw too much attention to yourself
Investigations
You turned over a lot of rocks over the last little while and something tells you that the worms you found there aren't going to sit nicely still while you get rich and trained up
[] Look into the Minor Talents of Chicago, so far you have been isolated from the supernatural scene of Chicago, now that you can get in touch with them without necessarily having your dad with you all the time the time has come to change that... though given how both Mouse and McCoy thought you were bad news at first maybe you should bring dad or Harry along to some of them just as an introduction
-[] Once more with help, maybe cyber demons would have more luck finding the supernatural online than you did, they cannot hack into any secure sites, probably for the best for now, but they can look at public information at the speed of a computer not a squishy human brain
-[] Alphas, friends of Harry, close to you in age and they work to keep monsters off the street near the University, they sounds really cool
-[] Friends in Low places, she might work for Marcone but Grad was really cool and you are curious about her. Fortunetly you remember the number dad dialed to get in touch with Marcone
-[] Spirit Speaker, Mortimer Lindquist is apparently a real medium who also does fake seances, he is also quite a talented writer. It would be cool to meet him, but you also have a more serious reason to seek his company. Rosie is still mentally fragile and she is in a hospital and you have it on good and... er diverse authority that places like that are gathering places for dark and predatory spirits
-[] A Rose's Tale: Follow up on Rose of Autumn, you are sure she will be happy to learn what became of the Pathfinders in Cleveland
[] A friend in need. You promised Rosie that you would help and so you will, with problems material and ethereal
-[] Dreaming True, Rosie is going to need help, training to manage her gift eventually, look around for information, books or ideally a teacher
-[] Talking to the family, you do not like Mrs Wilsom and the feeling is mutual, but as your experience at church yesterday showed you do not have to like someone to turn on the supernatural charm. Maybe you could work something out, or at least explain some of what her daughter is going through
-[] An Eye for Charity, there have to be some kind of charities willing to help young women in Rosie's situation, you and your electronic friends can surely find them and then you can have a talk with them to give her some options
[] Blackest Name: In the final ritual to help Arawn you invoked something old and hungry, something that seemed to resonate with the purpose of the ritual, its name writ in a long forgotten tongue. A question question asked of the universe under the eyes of your Crown would be a fair start to finding out, though something tells you it would be far from the end.
Personal Training
While your powers are awesome, there are till plenty of gaps in your repertoire, plenty of room to grow and to expend your horizons if you can find a teacher (will require either persuading Charity or keeping the secret)
[] The Bridges of the Spirit, continue your training with Brother Divsimar in the perilous, powerful arts of his order (1/???)
[] Not a Wizard, but... Between Harry and Bob you are certain you could learn more about how to shape and use magic, though given the last time Harry saw you help with a ritual you understand that he might be hesitant to expose you to Bob or vice versa. Still you are sure the right arguments can overcome it.
Arcane Allies
For better or for ill you are starting to get a reputation in Chicago, best make sure it is more the former than the latter, at least with the more reasonable and trustworthy powers. As for the people who are neither... well you certainly seem to have an impact on them
[] Restoring the Last Station: You promised Porter that you will help restore the Last Station to its former glory, a task what will not be easy or quick even with all your talents, though you are sure it will be rewarding in the end (0/8)
[] Father of Hosts: It's not often someone gets a business card from Odin, or maybe it is, you are no expert on Norse Gods turned private military contractors, go talk to him and see what he wants and what he has to offer
[] The Green and the White: Having some into the possession of the contacts of Ms Lara Romany nee Raith to behooves you to introduce yourself, just to avoid any misunderstandings... and also you are kind of curious about the least bad vampires around.
Family time
As much else as you have to do, it's nice to spend some time with your family and it is rarely boring hanging out.
[] Heart to Heart, talk to your mother about what you guesses and what dad told you about her history, better to try to get it all in the open than to constantly try to step around that landmine. There is a lot more magic in your future, that much is for sure.
[] Personal Assistant, Leech really likes computers and as it happens you can turn computers and phones and even Blackberries into AI. Alas the 'helper kami' are of a rather dubious disposition so you would not feel comfortable just dropping one on her and hoping for the best so you're going to observe them for a few days
OOC: No Michael investigation this turn, but you can ask him to come along on other stuff with you if you like. 
