Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)

1st of October 2006 A.D.

Mom takes the suggestion that you should all see a doctor with a look halfway between surly and knowing. Now that it's not just you taking the stuff you're worried, it seems to say, but 'seems' is as far as it goes.She does not comment when you go off to Harry's the next morning, he is the only one she even halfway trusts with a alchemist's paraphernalia. So with giddiness tempered by what you know is unreasonable paranoia you show up in Harry's doorstep with a coffee. "Here's yours I'm off to make mine."

For his part Bob had clearly been practicing his zingers. I refuse to call them innuendo on account of...

"You know Harry if you are sharing cups it might be time to make it official."

Being about as subtle as a brick to the face.

"Love you too Bob. Wanna see some sorcery for the twenty first century?" You might have shorted him out with that one, but you are too busy to look up. Unlike how Harry works your integration of alchemy is a thing of precise measurements and careful timing, though one might not be able to tell that to look at you work. What worth a clock when you can feel the sun in the sky and measure to the millimeter the speed of its apparent arc.

Water to earth passes, a pinch of salt from Maras in Peru. Earth of fire is born , a pumice stone far flying. Yet of fire life may spring as the lodgepole pinecone new sprouted. The glass clinks the essence twists, a serpent of green light that that twists and thrashes fit to break the fragile glass


Thus with steady hands you breathe into it, from life air and last though certainly not least gathered in a unpretentious bucket in the backyard, rain water you had collected overnight, at once the green flame is quenched in inky blackness, still as it is filled with subtle power.

"Well... err it's black like coffee," you say laying the sample on the table and stepping away, well away as Harry looks at the vial with more than eyes of flesh.

"Looks fine." He sighs, though whether in relief to let go of the Sight or because of what he saw you do not know. "Is it supposed to be singing?"

"It's supposed to be in harmony with itself so it can fold the body and mind into the shape desired without stirring chaos," you answer, in what you hope is pardonable smugness.

"Like the sun across the sky," Bob muses. "Anyone else would have to do this where they can see the sun."

"No, that's..." you trail off, realizing you had drawn a tempo from the sun, you just hadn't been conscious of it until Bob pointed it out, no more than someone would be concision of the use of one's heart when walking across a room. Alas you do not have long to ponder the matter because Harry asks: "Can I have some of this?"

"Some?" you quirk an eyebrow and in your best saucy voice ask. "What's it worth to you?"

"Not bringing up that you told Murphy about the Skinwalker," the wizard grumbles. He does the whole 'subtle and quick to anger' thing quite well when he's not trying.

"Fair," you agree, a little deflated, but only a little. He might be a pissed off at you, but not in the way one gets annoyed at a kid. The matter resolved you turn to your own plans. Fairies, vampires and government agents oh my...

What do you do?
6 AP Available

School
Not that many months to go

[] Attend school you have friends at school and you would like the memories of senior year and graduation even if they won't be teaching you anything worthwhile (If neither School nor getting your GED is chosen Molly will systematically skip class)
[] Get your GED and get out, on the other hand you can think of better things to to with your time (Costs 2 AP, frees you from spending anymore actions on school)

Finances and Infrastructure
Though you are not tight for money you can think of places to make more

[] 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
-[] 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

[] Tools Redeemed: Thinking back on that paraphernalia you looted from the Fomori tantalizing insights come to mind... and more immediately relevant it will mean you can finally stop mooching of Harry's equipment. (Gain Alchemy Laboratory Halved XP price for reaching Alchemy 4)

Investigations
Halloween is your favorite day of the year, hopefully it will prove lucky for you

[] 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
-[] 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. Fortunately you remember the number dad dialed to get in touch with Marcone
-[] Spirit Speaker, Mortimer Lindquist is the real deal, a real medium among the fakes and unlike Pauline he is good enough at it, or just good enough at marketing to make a job of it. His books are pretty cool as well

[] A friend in need. You promised Rosie that you would help and so you will, with problems material and ethereal
-[] Dreaming True, Rosie is doing great so far, but she still needs more training before she can get a proper hold of her powers (2/10 progress )
-[] 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. Thanks to Bob you now know it involves the would be Draculas of the supernatural world, the Black Court. Maybe Lydia can help

[] Seek Siriothrax's hoard: Two decades ago your father was called to slay a Dragon, a being of incarnate power new mortals have faced and lived, by faith and by skill the creature was slain and your mother saved, but its treasure and its body were never claimed. Your breath catches to think of that you might be able to do with either, if you can claim them.

[] Deal with the servants of Karuri, diplomatically or otherwise they must be removed from the city before their darkness can spread. If you know anything about the Yama Kings, and you know an enough to make a soul uneasy, this is unlikely to be resolved without bloodshed

[] The Lesser Chill: Find and converse with more of the Winter Court before your meeting with Mab, dip your toes into the ice-water as it were. Maybe they like diamonds or healing potions (Even if not taken you will still meet Mab as a free action)

[] Ancestral answers: given that you can teleport now maybe you can find a Medicine Man of the blood to deal with the Naagloshii. You can be a lot more persuasive in person than Harry can be through letters.

Personal Training
You have been progressing in leaps and bounds in the study of the Qiao and you have been... exploding bottles less often in the study of alchemy. In both cases you are eager to learn more.

[] The Bridges of the Spirit, continue your training with Brother Divsimar not in the ways of the spirit but the mind, the Bridge of Dreams

[] Trading in lore, you have started down the path of learning alchemy from Bob... and revealing some of the deepest secrets of Yomi Wan, both very good things as far as you are concerned. (0/25)

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: Restoration efforts have been going well and according to Adam some more of the people down in the tunnels have shown interest in their newfound wealth and comfort (3/8)

[] Cauldron Bubble, your new friends in the Ordo Lebetis could use more help, maybe not as... enthusiastic as the last time, but they are small fish in a very big and scary pond
-[] Offer insight, inducing but not limited to helping Maria out with her breaking the news to her fiancee, getting Olivia some training in her gift
-[] See what's up with Helen, there is something eating away at Helen you are sure of it, something dark and strange, dark and strange is your specialty
-[] Online presence, one of the few advantages of minor talents over more powerful magicians is that they are more up to date with technology and less likely to make it explode. See if you can convince the others to set up a strong online presence, maybe even recruiting

[] 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.

[] Contact the Librarians: They seemed OK when last you spoke, competent, but pragmatic, you could work with that, especially if it gives you access to the actual library

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.

[] So about those studies: Ask Daniel if he would like to come along when you learn from Bob, it would probably be more efficient than trying to hide books from mom

[] Just relax: It's almost enough to make you feel guilty given all the good you could be doing, but it's been a while since you have just hung out, gone to one of Leeth's softball games or watched anime with Matthew

OOC: And done, now you guys can finally vote for the next month