Arc 8 Post 5: Of Teas and Timely Meetings
Of Teas and Timely Meetings
9th of November 2006 A.D.
Gold clinks musically against the side of the brass kettle the scent of holy basil and sweet flag wafting upwards as pure white steam into the frigid air. You had felt a little bad asking Brother Divsimar to have lessons with the window open so that the cold might bring new insights, but he hadn't argued with it. Unlike Harry who tends to get... twitchy whenever you unveil some new power the old monk seems to take any and all Molly Carpenter weirdness in stride. That is probably the reason you find yourself asking: "So what would happen if one were to intentionally unbalance someone's Chi? Someone who deserves it I mean"
"The tools of a healer make poor assassin's weapons." When that answers still leaves you looking in askance he continues. "The sweet flag is poisonous on its own, you would be better off using it alone in the right dosage. What you have in mind is... hmm... Imagine taking all someone's blood out of their veins, filtering out the Vitamin C in order to inflict scurvy the putting it all back. That is neither a quick nor painless way to kill."
Taking out the stirring rod carefully, it is only gold plated not actually gold and a single scratch would make it useless, you nod. "What about wizard's magic? If one of them is say Yang Imbalanced they should be able to throw fire better right?"
"More strongly yes, more power, greater control no." the old man shakes his head slowly. His next words are spoken with uncommon deliberation even for him. "Your impulse is to instrumentalize sickness, an understandable one given the nature of the investiture you bear, a wicked thing for which you must with every breath seek virtuous purpose."
"Or just harmless use," you feel the need to point out. You are most certainly not a saint and giving Amanda that flight around the backyard last night ad no purpose but to be fun
"That which does no evil is good," he says, a small smile at the corner of his mouth, the 'oh isn't she precocious one', but he's old enough and chill enough that it doesn't annoy you. "You have an expression in America yes, 'thinking outside the box'?"
You nod even as you pour out the tea and weigh out the leaves to see how much liquid they are holding.
"Sometimes Miss Carpenter one should also look at the box, at least long enough to open it."
Your laugh it just a bit sheepish, but any embarrassment is quickly washed away at the increasing speed of your progress
Balance of Chi Progress: 7+10 = 17/15 Cost Reduced by 1 XP; Ability can now be Acquired
***
As you drive home one evening through the cold November eve you notice the street-lamps are dimmer than they aught to be, the orange light lowering as if to embers, then as you cross an interception you see one of the long shadows bend like a reed in a high wind, a flower turning towards the sun. Someone's throwing around magic in there, strong magic.
"Left please!"
The alleyway between two brownstone buildings, both of which had seen better days is filled with a cold wind that tosses old newspapers and discarded plastic bags like urban phantasms. Behind them at the end a bespectacled dark skinned woman, maybe thirty or so. She's wearing a doctor's coat now torn around the collar... and pseudo-liquid shadow-stuff is dripping from her hands. At her feet, thrown into merciless contrast by Black Rider's headlights is undoubtedly a dead body face turned purple from lack of air.
Before you can do more than reach for the door Clippy feeds into your ear: "89.5% Chance that this is Dr Eve Jackson, member of the Order of the Cauldron, accredited dentist and possessed of magics which 'she doesn't have much use for'" the fact that she had chosen to say that last bit in Abby's voice, just makes it all the more disconcerting.
She starts to turn, to run before you are even out of the car, but you call after her. Essene burns upon the tip of your tongue like brimstone. "Doctor Jackson, it's OK! I'm Molly, Molly Carpenter. I'm a friend of Abby's."
Hearing this she stops, hand against the nearest wall, reluctantly turns. "That's a vampire... White Court he... he tried to get me to go with him and when that didn't work he attacked me."
Glancing down you confirm the too pretty features and pale skin of the White Court, much to your relief, but that isn't going to convince any cops. There's still a body in the middle of the road. So without getting out of the car you pop the trunk and telekinetically move the corpse inside.
Lost 2 Essence -> Now at 13/15
"Identity Confirmed." Clippy sounds vaguely offended that you had been acting on a less than ninety percent probability
"Get in, it's OK, we'll handle it." You carefully pitch your voice to break through the shock.
She reaches for the door like a drowning woman does for a lifeline and collapses inside.
What do you do?
[] Call Lara, this is her people, she can help you dispose of the body and damn well explain this
[] Call Lydia, she is the local expert on the dead, maybe the vampire's soul is still around to interogate
[] Try to question Dr Jackson some more before you involve anyone else in this
[] Destroy the body, use your sword and Green Sun Nimbus Flame to reduce it
[] Call Detective Murphy, she might be able to help and you did promise to keep her up to date about supernatural dangers in the city
[] Use your crown to ask one or more questions of the scene
-[] Write in
[] Write in
OOC: Sometimes you go to the plot and sometimes the plot finds you.
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