A Wing in the Way
18th of November 2006 A.D.
"That is a tempting offer in a lot of ways." Connections for days, not just with those who are themselves well connected, but the clever, the curious. For that matter with so many people going through the town at about the age talents would be just starting to stretch their wings it would be an even better place to start a support group for minor talents than Chicago. Then there is the obvious of course, being out from under your mother's gimlet eye. She's been getting better in recent months, but mostly about fighting necromancers and two flavors of vampire that do not go great together, not... well having fun.
The last time you went out dancing with Izzy was to distract yourself from the fact that you would be meeting Mab, less than three weeks ago but it feels like an eternity with everything that happened. Would Cambridge be any different, or would it be taking on more stuff to juggle on the fly in addition to the movie making company and the diamond-making company the Jade Dogs, the Last Station, training with Brother D? Well OK Training with Brother D is so you will not have to sleep so much so that should give you
more time, but it does sound just a little crazy when you put it like that. "But I have to consider my options you know, for next year, talk with my parents."
As you watch for his answer carefully you half expect the old man to say something about how much grander and more important your choices are than what College you can go to, something a god of old would say, but he does not, indeed he does not say anything at all for a bit. Rather he extracts a small pipe from one of his suit pocket, a plain looking one or so it seems at first, but then you realize it had been carved from the petrified wood of some ancient forest, maybehap one sunk in some far off misty mire. it had is put to the task of containing the spark of fire from Donar's fingertips and a fragrant scent that is not quite like any tobacco you know.
Stoutly resisting the urge to make the a Gandalf comparison or to accuse Odin of getting high you wait for him to draw a puff or two then answer: "Consider this also then, the motives of Johann of Cleves were not near as mad as his methods. He wished to pull back the veil because it would draw the attention of the White Council, it was in essence a feint for all its bloody whimsy, but one the Council would not have been able to ignore if the whole thing had come to fruition."
"He was trying to distract them from something to do with the war?" You ask, aware that this is a hook of a sort baited with only the finest and most juicy of worms, but at the same time, worms are food for fish and knowledge is valuable for you so why not play along.
Smoke gathers and pools around him in a manner not quite natural, a white veil that softens the neon light above into misty twilight, leaving only his face and especially the cold light of his eye distinct. "He was acting on a strict timetable which implies a worrying amount of knowledge of the comings and goings of the Senior Council, with the ultimate objective of slaying Aleron LaFortier an old rival of his and the only one of their number who would be free to act at the time. By most accounts that could be the end of it, to the grudges of wizards time if oft only a whetstone, sharpening them all the more, but
af Cleves was not as happy with the whole affair as you might expect from a man about to end a feud in blood, he was angry about what he was meant to do with the body." This is the first time he had dropped from perfect Midwestern accent English, but you are far too intrigued to follow on on why.
"And what was that?" you ask, leaning close in spite of yourself.
"I do not know, but it was something that had to be done on the grounds of the university something witch a madman would have found distasteful to do to the body of one of his worst enemies. A mystery for you perhaps."
Darn he's good, one has to admit that much, but you already said your part. With no further bribery or information forthcoming you finish up the last of the tests. After all you want these vehicles to stand up to mundane firearms not just magic, even if you are a lot more conficent you can predict how bullets and explosives will act than the array you had cast into that circle.
It is kind of like an abstract itch that neither the sound of gunfire nor RPGs can quell. It it like you had solved an arithmetic exercise in a dream then woken up and realized you only really know algebra. Still at least your customers seem happy. You don't think you have ever seen Monoc's people this
jolly.
"I'd call it an early Christmas present but you guys paid me already!" you shout to the trio of burly gunners unwrapping modular guns very much in the spirit of the season.
Some chuckle, some roll their eyes, you would like to think the former outweigh the latter, but you do not count, just glad you had gotten this squared away.
***
Alas the sisters are too busy to accompany you back, they had been called to some field of war far from Chicago. So you take the coach with blood red curtains in Old Piotr's company, down the mountain through the woods, a smoother ride than any mortal conveyance of its kind to be sure, but still far from smooth. Good thing you don't really feel pain anymore or bruise for that matter. The moon is out, larger and brighter than any mortal night can boast, around it shimmering the arcs of unfamiliar constellations. As you idly trace them with your mind and try to guess where they come from, what they mean your companion's head snaps suddenly up and to the right, eyes fixed on something much closer than the horizon. "That bird there, flying low among the trees, it's not from around here, a spy!"
You catch only a glimpse of dour brown feathers passing under the boughs of the pines and making itself one with their shadows, but it is enough to sharpen your sight, to see through shadows and beyond them into the twisting colors that all in darkness wear. You know this thing, you have seen its like before... shapechanger, poor slave of a worse master. Broken Seeker still has his eyes on you
Lost 2 Essence and 1 Willpower -> Now at 13/15 and 8/9 (HC ATB and Occult Excelency to be sure)
What do you do?
[] Fly out and capture it
[] Two can play it this game, try to trail it unseen, the spirits of this place are likely to help you stay hidden
[] Write in
OOC: For anyone wondering Molly topped up on Essence before returning to the Ways because why would she not she was doing it constantly as she was crafting. 
