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renferretMouse, Nick, and Val chat at Edgewood. Nick meets Jacinta. Reed says hello.
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316 From: Nicodemus At: Sat Feb 9 22:06:53 2013 (Conn)
Fldr : 0 Status: Unread
To : Riley
Cc : *Glass_Walkers, Rina, Nicodemus
Subject: Re: Was this one of ours?
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E-mailed reply from Nick.
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All,
I talked with one of my contacts from the SCPD. He said there was an additional witness (not mentioned in the papers) who saw the shooter. I knew he wouldn't disclose the witness's name, so I didn't ask.) There's a couple buildings in that area that are higher and might have offered views of the rooftop, but I swung by today and saw none with telescopes in them).
Unfortunately, the SCPD doesn't have any other hard leads or hard evidence. It's looking like this one will be headed for the unsolved cases files.
Here's the skinny:
* Based upon the shooter's body type, the witness was about 90 percent positive it was either a female shooter or--less likely--a /very/ slender and lean male.
* She had set up on the roof of the corner builing across the way that had line of sight down the alleyway. (An attached screenshot from maps.google.com pinpoints where the seater was located.)
* She wore all black (pants, gloves, shirt, boots, a skull cap with tucked-in hair) and dark sunglasses to obscure her face and any identifying marks.
* She'd set up in amongst some roof CH/A units, which helped to shield her from (almost all) casual viewers, so she was either (1) damn lucky in picking that particular spot or (2) she knew what she was doing.
* She set up just before the victim/fomori arrived, took the shots, then she left (still garbed in black) shortly after taking two shots.
* Height, based upon visual references with the rooftop's door, puts the shooter's at approximately 5'5", give or take an inch.
* The bullets were not just .50 cal rounds--they were .50 cal incendiary rounds, which explains the resulting fire.
--Nick
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Edgewood House: Meadow(#1390RJh)
A long, hard-packed dirt road winds almost a mile through the forest off Sunrise Road, eventually opening out into a small front yard, and coming to a stop in front of a large house, which may be the very definition of ramshackle. The house is not visible from the road, nor can one hear anything but perhaps a gunshot. Its foundation and general structure are solid, but its once crisp grey-and-white paint needs updating, and some of the trim is having trouble staying attached. A fixer upper, one might say. Off to the left, there's a former garage, long since converted into something of an in-law apartment. A connecting flyover attaches it to the second floor of the house.
There are no fences surrounding either the front or back yards. In the rear of the property, the yard (larger than in the front) eventually comes up against a well built garden, with the very beginnings of sprouts. Shaded and obscured by surrounding trees, there is a small (but deep) natural pond, with a chuckling brook leading out of it, into the woods. There's a rope swing hanging from one of the trees. The yard to the southeast of the property stretches on for a time, and then is eaten by woods, into which there may or may not be a path; it apparently fades away quickly. There's a certain looming feel to these woods.
Obvious exits:
Narrow Path Sunrise Road Front Door Barn/Garage
Currently the moon is in the waning New (Ragabash) Moon phase (1% full).
Mouse's car has been at Edgewood since at least yesterday (the batmobile of all things--that makes it pretty noticeable. It's not every day one comes across a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow that's clearly had the works), but the Theurge herself hasn't. It's only this morning that she's visible, having set herself up a fair distance into the meadow, where it begins to meet with the forest. The reason for this is fairly obvious, as she's planted her back against a tree trunk for obvious support. She has her phone out, and appears to be idly thumbing through something on the screen. The Walker looks thinner than usual, which is saying something. Her cheekbones seem more pronounced.
Memory arriving on the wing, coming from the north, rather than the direction of the city. She passes over Edgewood, doubles back, then finds purchase in the tree that Mouse is using as a brace. "Hello," she rasps out, as she looks down at the Theurge.
As it turns out, Mouse is checking her email. She thumbs out of it and looks up as Memory arrives. "Hey." The greeting is tired, but genuine.
Memory hops from one foot to another, then leaves the tree, landing a short distance away and snapping in to the form of her birth. "Hey there Mouse. You're looking a bit worn," Val notes, as she sits down and crosses her legs. The Corax looks tired as well, if not showing the same signs of weight loss that the Theurge is. "Got an email from Nick. Figuring he sent you off a copy as well. About someone blowing away a Fomor with a really big gun. I know I filled Riley in on that a little while ago and she was supposed to send you guys an email about it."
"He did. She did." Mouse tucks her phone away into a coat pocket, though she makes no motion to stand up. "Nick's on his way out, actually."
Val ahs and glances over her shoulder, as if expecting the Kinsman to make an appearance right that second. "I was there when the big gun went off. As was the Uktena Cate. The one with the busted car. I need to track her down and see if she noticed anything that was missed. Whole situation makes me twitchy. Oh. There is also a young girl wandering around the city at night, tagging the sides of buildings with Umbral maps. I'm keeping an eye on her and would appreciate it that is anyone else came across her, they leave her alone."
And he does appear, as if on que. His Porsche SUV pulls up into the drive and parks alongside--and a respectful, no-accidental-door-dings distance from--the Rolls Royce. He exits his SUV and briefly lets his gaze slide across the other luxury car's curves, nooks, and crannies. He gives a subtle nod of approval as he takes the long way around the Rolls, then pulls himself away and finds his way into the meadow, changing his path towards the Walker elder and the resident corax. He offers a wave as he draws nearer.
Mouse grunts. "Mnng. That explains Reggie, at least. He was making noises about it at the Elder Moot." She regards Val sidelong. "Girl spraying umbral maps at night? That sounds like a story." When she notices Nick approaching, she lifts a hand in his direction, though again she doesn't attempt to stand up.
Val's lips thin, the subject clearly souring her mood. "It's not much of a story. It's just something that I'm dealing with. Hey Nick," she greets, cheering up and offering the Made a smile and a lifted hand in greeting. "Thanks for the email."
Nicodemus closes the distance, joining the two. "Hey," he says, casting a glance around to make sure there's no others around. "We're living in interesting times, no?"
Mouse glances away for a moment when Val greets Nick, her eyes going toward the forest. Then she looks back to both of them, though Val gets more of a raised eyebrow. "It's a story when you clam up, that's for sure." Nick gets a belated nod. "That's one way to put it. Sorry about the rural locale, I've officially started pre-Caern Awakening preparations. It's going to eat up a lot of my time."
"Anything I can do to help with that Mouse, let me know," Val states, then looks up at Nick. "I'm fairly certain that I know how the sniper found out about the Fomor. Just kinda leery of the idea of going after the guy for information. As he just seems to be a local who was just trying to get something dangerous off the streets."
Nicodemus nods to Mouse. "I was actually thinking about a way I might be able to give you some assistance with the caern's re-awakening in advance--and without being present, either. But it'll involve you putting together a flowchart with me. A pretty lengthy one, too." He tucks his gloved hands into his pockets, considering what Val's said for a moment, and then offering, "Think you could track the guy down to where he lives? I might be able to get the information out of him subtly."
Mouse nods very slightly, though to what is unclear. "A flowchart?" she echoes, sounding faintly amused. "I think I can manage that, provided either of us can squeeze in the time beforehand."
"Got his name and where he works," Val says, lips twitching a little. A quick check and I could have his home address by this afternoon."
"Throw me an e-mail and I'll see what I can do about it," Nick says to Val. "It's going to have to go on a backburner for the time being, though. The caern's more important." To Mouse he adds, "I figure maybe four to eight hours ought to be enough for what I've got in mind. If you can spare it. And the closer to the actual event, the better."
"The night before, maybe," Mouse says, looking thoughtful. "The pre-rituals will be finished, and the Cleansings should all be taken care of. Unless you think it'll be a lasting distraction. I need to be clear-headed and focused most of all."
"When are you planning to try and re-open the Caern, Mouse?" Val asks. "The intention was to ask Jacinta if I can help, but I haven't been able to get ahold of her. That and the fact that she doesn't like me. Would probably say no, anyway. Doesn't mean that I can't be in the area and keep and eye on things while everything is happening. If nothing else, I'll be able to give the defenders some advance warning, if I see any nasties heading in their direction."
"Maybe five to seven days in advance then?" Nick suggests. "That way if there needs to be a change of plans, there's time to actually make changes or preparations." He nods to Val, as if endorsing her. "She does make one hell of a lookout."
"Try," Mouse says to Val. "And make sure you've got permission to be in the area even if she says no. It's not worth putting your neck on the line over this. We know /something/ will be showing up to the party." Nick gets another nod. "Alright then. And no, a date's not yet set. I can give you an estimate in a day or so based on how fast people are mobilizing if you like."
Val huffs out a breath. "I got permission to be on the Bawn, but not the Caern years ago. I'll keep trying. But I've got some uhh, things I'm dealing with that I'm not really keen on putting on the back burner. Like I said, I'll try."
"A little notice in advance for me is always nice," Nick assures Mouse. "But I will defintiely backburner any of my personal projects to accomodate you with getting the caern back up and functioning."
Mouse eyes Val for a moment, before jerking her chin toward Nick. "I'll try to get you a date as soon as possible."
Val bristles a little at the eyeing, if briefly. "If all else fails, I'll stick to where I'm allowed and do what I can from there. I'm no good at the whole physical defence thing, so what I can do is kinda limited. Short of actually being part of the Ritual."
Grapples with Fire has arrived.
"And I'm just out of the whole thing completely, no discussion required," Nick says matter-of-factly--not even attempting to find a way to get involved in the caern's re-awakening.
"Your business is your business," Mouse tells Val, though there's a small sense of forced neutrality about it, as though there's something she's not quite saying. "Look," and she includes Nick in this next bit with her glance. "I'm trying. I do appreciate everything you two manage to do for us, more than I think I can express. There's just only so much flexibility most Garou are capable of managing. Hell, I was trying to make it clear to Reggie yesterday that just because we don't /know/ who or what the sniper is, it doesn't automatically make him or her a threat, just an unknown. I'm not sure that got through at all."
Val cocks her head to one side, then shrugs. "That's just the way things are."
Emerging from the denser brush, Jacinta looks from one to another of the three. Her gaze rests briefly on Nicodemus, a slight narrowing of unfamiliarity in her expression. Mouse is afforded a silent greeting, a nod of her head and a lifting of her brows. It is Val, however, who gets the most study, and there is no mistaking the distrust and aggression present. "Reggie has little understanding of anything beyond the length of his muzzle," she says as she nears.
This Alaska Native has apparently survived a horrific fire at some point in her past. One side of her head is scarred, the fire having taken half of her left ear in its greed. Scarring stretches from the corner of her eye, down her cheek and over the side of her jaw, extending back to a couple inches behind her ear. Her hands, when they are visible, are heavily scarred as well. Thick scar tissue continues almost to her elbows, and then fades to a spattering beyond, visible at her neck, beneath her chin, and in one small spot on her right cheek. Despite the scars, the small woman, apparently in her early thirties, seems sure in her movements and comfortable in her body. Her stout, athletic figure falls just shy of five feet and broad shoulders lend her a very square appearance. Epicanthic folds give her eyes the characteristic almond shape, though the crystal blue irises may be unexpected. Fitting with her general posture and stance, there is a steeliness about her gaze. A series of facial tattoos, three sets of vertical lines, run from lip to chin. The lines run in pairs, with a third, dashed line, between each pair. Her dark hair is usually cut short, and kept back from her eyes by a thin leather band. The scarring on the left side keeps the hair from growing above and behind what's left of her ear, leaving what remains looking more bowl cut than intended. She lets that side grow out a bit more, so that the longer hair covers some of the scarring, and can be held down by the leather thong.
Her clothing is traditional and obviously hand stitched. Leggings are worn loose under a long shirt. Both are made from a tanned skin that, while still sturdy, has seen a lot of wear. The whole ensemble has been dyed a range of greens and browns. When the weather is wet, she also wears a hooded jacket of nearly transparent skins. On close inspection, scales can be seen.
Nicodemus accepts Mouse's words with a dismissive wave oh his left hand. "I'm inflexible on a few things myself, so no worries. Just.... If you need anything, even if it's just a batch of fresh-baked cookies...." He cuts himself off as Jacinta emerges from the woods. Whether it's the disfiguring burns or aggression leaking off of her, he manages to sidle over closer to Mouse and just a little bit behind her as the Wendigo approaches. He does, however, have enough manners to offer a greeting. "I don't think we've met before, but judging by the muzzle comment, you knowing who Reggie is, and you being on this property.... I'm Nick Dalton. Kin to the Glass Walker tribe. Former SCPD homicide detective. Current employee at Terminus. And I run a small private investigations firm on the side, so if you need information on someone...." He lets the offer hang in the air.
Mouse looks as though she's briefly entertaining the idea of standing, judging by how she lifts one arm behind her to the tree trunk, but she apparently abandons it. Instead, a brief smile touches her lips, and she gives the arriving woman a deep nod. "--I don't think Nick ever considers himself busy enough," she tacks on to the man's introduction. "Nick, this is Jacinta, our Warder."
Val is on her feet very quickly when Jacinta makes an appearance, as she keeps a wary and nervous eye on the Warder. "Hello Jacinta," she says, rather pointedly not looking directly at the Wendigo.
Jacinta watches Val for another beat, and then turns her attention to Nick. Her expression shifts, then, and the aggression is buried in favor of curiosity. "Waqaa," she says with a nod. "Jacinta Aketachunak, Warder, warrior and elder of the Wendigo. I have a great respect for your elder. Together we have done many great things, and together we will do many more." She nods toward the seated metis.
Jacinta pages: And... there's that slight narrowing of her gaze, again. She's apparently not happy about Mouse not being able to get to her feet easily.
Nicodemus seems to have the former tension drain out of him as Jacinta's earlier aggression seems to dissipate--and she further praises Mouse. He responds to Jacinta with a bit of Yup'ik. "Waqaa." The pronunciation is slightly off, indicating immediately he's no native speaker. And then he adds a hesitant, "Cangacit?" Again, slightly off--and he seems to realize it. "Sorry. I'm hideously rusty. It is, however, a real honor to meet you, -rhya. Thank you for your service to the sept and caern, and for your upcoming assistance in the caern's re-awakening. I was just talking with Mouse about ways that, perhaps, kinfolk might be of some minor assistance in the upcoming struggle. Perhaps you might have an idea for how we might help without interfering with the ritual or otherwise getting underfoot?"
Mouse regards Jacinta a little more thoughtfully for a few moments, before she says, seemingly without provocation, "Even if I had Owen's size, the ritual leaves me helpless to defend myself. I'm mobile enough to perform it, and as sturdy as I was before. I promise you, nothing about this impacts my ability to do what I need for the Caern."
Val takes a deep breath, then slowly releases it. "I would like to offer my assistance as well, Jacinta. If you will allow it. Either as part of the Ritual to bring back the Caern, or as an air ambulance service. I'm no good in a fight, but can heal and keep the fighters on their feet."
Jacinta's brows rise in surprise at the kin's attempt at Yup'ik, and it elicits a small smile. "Quyana," she says in response. "In the days leading to the ritual, there may be things you can do. When it begins, however, it will be too dangerous for kin to be nearby." She turns her gaze to Val and her eyes narrow. "If you wish to help keep our warriors hale, we can discuss this further when the time is close." Mouse's assertion receives only a slight bob of her brows.
Val's head bobs up and down. While the small woman still doesn't look directly at Jacinta, she does. smile faintly. "Thanks. Hate the idea of being stuck sitting on my hands. Air Ambulance work is something that I'm good at, if nothing else. Part of what i was doing when the Moon Bridge was cleated. Want to see the Caern up and awake again. It's been far too long." Just then, the small woman's phone beeps. Val looks at it, the puts it away and turns her attention to Nick. "Have a lead on the run away case we got on Friday. Going to follow up on it. Mouse, Jacinta, " she says in farewell with a headbob. The small woman than turns in to a raven and takes off, heading west.
Nicodemus watches as Val transforms from human to raven, then flies off. "Thank, honestly, never gets old." As the raven flies further away, Nick adds for Jacinta's sake, "She's made some mistakes in the past: we all do when we're young and stupid. Lord knows I have, too." He doesn't elaborate on that aspect, though. "And Val seems to honestly regret them. And you might not be aware of it, but she also used to work with the police--making sure evidence got lost or fellow police officers got misdirected away from things that might have endangered the Veil. She's a good ally to have on your side." Switching back to kin and what they might do, Nick offers, "You let me know what you need to help out and I'll do my best to provide it. I fully understand the caern will be incredibly dangerous during the ritual--and I realize it'd be foolish for me or other kin to be there: we'd be a liability. But anything I can do to help minimize or negate casualties? You just say the word."
Mouse seems content, for the moment, to let Nick say his peace without further interjection, though she does look interested in it. Val's departure is watched only briefly.
Jacinta watches the corax depart, aggression briefly resurfacing. "Trust is not so easily regained, once it has been lost. Her intentions may be of the best, her motives may be pure, but her actions have spoken one too many times, and it will take more than her word that she has changed." Her lip curls, nostrils flaring, before she reins it in once more, and all outward sign of anger is gone by the time she returns to the others. "First Strike and I will discuss what can be done without placing you in danger. Your willingness to help will not go unnoticed, nor unanswered."
"Excellent." Nick then spreads his black-gloved hands, one towards each of you. "Do you two need some privacy so you can talk? I don't want to interfere with sept business, and I can go make a pot of coffee or hot chocolate or whatever you care for." He is, if anything, accomodating.
Mouse shrugs at the mention of privacy, though this elicits an unwanted grimace. "Up to Jacinta. Though, speaking of willingness to help, that gift we discussed, Nick? I've finished it up. It's not a good moon, but if and when you're interested..." she lets the offer hang.
"Qanga," Jacinta says to Nick's offer to leave, and then shifts her gaze to Mouse, one eyebrow arched in question.
Nicodemus looks immediately interested in Mouse's words. "Seriously?" Eagerness gets tempered quickly. "You should see about taking Rina first. If she's interested. She's got seniority over me," he explains. There's a brief, sidelong look at Jacinta. "But I would be very excited to visit the umbra with you at some point. I'm sure it's truly an amazing place!"
"She does," Mouse agrees. "But actually, I can take more than one. Probably not wise, not with everything else I'm doing, not without more of an escort, but it's possible."
Jacinta's second brow joins the first as she watches the interaction between elder and kin. "You can bring kin across the gauntlet?"
"One at a time is probably best," Nick concurs with Mouse. "And hold off until /after/ the caern's safe and secure. But...." He looks at Jacinta and then points towards Mouse. "She's pretty damn impressive."
"It's a Theurge thing," Mouse says, in response to the compliment. "...The gift, not the impressiveness. I ah. I'll stop talking about that." She looks toward Jacinta, and explains, "It's incredibly dangerous, as you might expect. Kin are fragile and the umbra is unpredictable at best. But yes. I've just finished learning how."
Jacinta gives a brief shake of her head. "I know a ritual to take me, and those with me, to my tribe's homeland. There are some few kin there, and more than one has made it his home." Her blue eyes are a bit wide at this revelation. "But I have not learned how they arrived."
"Maybe the glade in Harbor Park might be a good place to cross over? I've heard that it has that bastet fetish that lights it up like it's always a full moon, and there's friendly spirits present so there'd be less danger and more allies should there be some attack." Nick speculates further. "Probably the only safer place around would be the caern itself, but.... That would be asking way too much. I feel blessed enough as is having accidentally woken up there when a number of sept members had that shared dream and woke up inside the hive."
From afar, Nicodemus whistles innocently.
"Definitely the Glade," Mouse agrees. "We can see about going there, when you're ready." She looks to Jacinta. "As I understand it, the gift won't let me /leave/ kin in the Glade. But with an umbral realm? There's no telling."
Mouse: Err, in the umbra. The penumbra. Right.
Jacinta gives the kin a sharp look at the revelation of having been to the caern, but she says nothing. Her expression turns more pensive as Mouse explains her gift, and after a moment offers a soft grunt and a bob of her brows in acceptance. "I will attempt the first cleansing as the moon approaches half. We should have the remains of the nest and all that the wasps have left behind cleared, by then."
Nicodemus stays silent, not interfering with his elder's and the warder's conversation.
"Then we're aiming for the full," Mouse surmises. "Good. I should be at the Caern more often than not, on either side of the Gauntlet, but if you need me quickly, send your wind friend to find me, or Kakkerlak. They don't need to cross over to deliver a message." A faint smile touches her lips. "It's another Theurge thing."
Jacinta lets her arms fold over her chest, scarred hands a stark red against the pale green and tan of her shirt. "Ii-i. And if you have need, Uqenqarkenruk can bring me word, as well, without the need to cross. It is a Wendigo thing." There's a tug at the corner of her lip, the hint of a smile seen only there and in the crease at the corner of her eyes. "I will return to the caern, now. Let others know to gather as evening falls on the half. More who assist will make the ritual more successful."
Nicodemus looked, briefly, as if he were to once again point out Mouse's skill and competence with spiritual matters, but he's potentially silenced by the Wendigo's own apparently similar aptitude. Instead, he merely nods agreement.
Mouse manages a small, genuine grin at this. "I'll pass it along. Take care, Jacinta."
"Piuraa," Jacinta offers to both before she turns, shrinking down to lupus as she does. The first steps she takes move from walk to trot, and then she breaks into a run, paws leaving the soil and taking her into the air before she reaches the edge of the meadow. Her path takes her up, then, and the white of her coat turns the mottled greens and browns of the forest as she moves across the treetops.
"A pleasure meeting you," Nick says to the Warder, offering a wave as she departs. Once she's gone, he asides to Mouse. "She's a lot shorter than I thought she'd be."
Mouse watches as Jacinta takes off into the air. Her grin broadens slightly once Nick speaks. "Now she's just showing off." She looks back to the Walker kin. "She has that effect on people. They tend to talk about her like she's a walking incarnation of Wendigo himself. I think she might like it that way."
Nicodemus glances from Mouse back to the forest, then back again. "I kind of figured she was showing off, too." Any other kinfolk probably would have been flabbergasted by the display. "I already heard from Val that she could fly. The blending effect's interesting, too." He sighs with mock disappointment. "Alas, and no invitation to visit the caern from the Warder. Had to give it a shot, though. Thanks for not choking. A couple times."
"Don't be too disappointed," Mouse says, as she turns her full attention back to Nick. Her voice is still playful. "There's nothing to really see. ...Except a giant tree of no discernible species, of course. Oh, and the tunnels. ...The underground lake..."
Nicodemus huhs out loud. "The wasps have been quite busy since I'd been there earlier, sullying the place up with my warper-stink." He tsks. "I'd have liked to have seen it in a non-dormant state, but--hey--at least I saw it once. And I only know of one other mage who has in the past--and I didn't get knocked unconscious like she did. So that's doing pretty good in my books."
Mouse nods slightly. "The wasps, yes, but I don't think it was all them. There's a...well, the Caern's been host to a Wyld eruption for the past year. Let's just say that it shows." She rests her arms on her knees. "How are you, Nick? It's been a rough few weeks."
"Hanging in there after the initial shock," the mage admits. "And the flowsheet? Putting that together with you, getting a feel for the ebb and flow of what-ifs? That might allow me to feel the resonance of what could be, and what paths might be more likely to yield success--and which ones might be flawed in ways you're not aware of. Prognostication. A little fortune telling. Giving you a hint of things to come. It might prevent one or more additional losses--especially you," he points out. He advises, "You'll want to make time for that reading."
"I will," Mouse promises. "...But will it bother you if I say that even if it makes it clear I won't get through this, I'm still doing it? Unless there's simply no chance of success. Then I'll have to consider options."
Reed emerges from the garage through the simple wooden door.
Reed has arrived.
"I've seen someone make that exact same decision in the past," Nick claims solemnly to the Walker elder. "I understand how you believe the caern is bigger than you." He admits," It probably is, but.... It would suck tremendously, but I'd understand. Would that we all could die doing what's right."
Mouse's mouth quirks on one side. "It is," she says with quiet conviction. "We're Gaia's warriors, meant to fight her enemies, but a Caern? A Caern is a piece of /her/. I know that sounds...symbolic, but I mean it literally. Jacinta refers to it as Grandmother's Heart. She's not wrong. And this Caern, it has to survive." She adds, a little less heavily, "Besides, if I've got to go out, this is probably the best way I ever would. Not that I'm planning on it. Not in the slightest. But I'd like you to understand, if it happens."
"I know you'd be okay with going out that way. And I'd be okay with it too--after I had a respectfully long period of not being okay about it." He shakes his head, "But we're going to do the flowchart thing anyway, to help minimize that possibility for you--and possibly others. It's the absolute least I can do to help out."
"Definitely." Mouse settles back against the tree trunk. "Flowchart for sure."
From the barn, someone steps out. Probably recognizable from his brief visit to the Tenement, at least in passing. Definitely a regular face around Edgewood. Reed pauses just at the cusp of the meadow to close the door and take stock of the land spreading out before starting away from the house.
Nicodemus is standing not terribly far away from Mouse, and likely more visible. To the Walker elder he says, "Don't know if you've heard yet or not, but I ended up hiring Riley on with my PI firm. She'll be working closely with Val. We'll see about getting her a PI license at some point in the future, showing her how to run searches on people and corporations, and give her--more or less--some additional training to suppliment the supernatural skills she likely already possesses. Val speaks /very/ highly of her."
"I speak highly of her," Mouse replies. "She's reckless with her own safety at times, if those times are figuring out how to lessen casualties with the wasps, but she's the one who came up with how to take the baby queen without being instantly killed in the nest. She was the linchpin."
Reed's head swivels toward the sound of voices as he moves around toward the front of the house. He picks out Nicodemus first, then Mouse, and for a couple of steps he slows. Not with intent to eavesdrop but to take a moment to consider the two conversing. He lifts a hand to wave greeting at the pair, since he's met Nick a few times, but the Walker elder is included in the gesture as well.
"Good, good. That makes me feel better about bringing her onboard." He notices Reed, returns the wave, then holds his glaved hand up in a 'one second' gesture--keeping his hand held up. He crouches down lower to Mouse, equally lowering his voice as he does so. "Company," Nick observes for Mouse's benefit. "But before he gets here, I wanted to.... The thing you were thinkin of doing with the Shadow Lords? I thought about it a bit, and I can't help you with that. Mainly... " He pauses, swallowing, then continuing. "Mainly because I'm pretty sure Flint would disapprove of it. But if you do follow through, I'm not going to try and stop you or say anything. I just don't feel right doing it." Finished, he stands back up and lowers the hand that was asking Reed to give the pair just a moment longer.
Mouse nods slowly at Nick's murmur, and even looks a little wry. "I understand. And I'm pretty sure you're right about his feelings. Don't worry about it." Her attention shifts toward Reed, and she lifts a hand in return.
Reed turns enough to study the house, his steps drawing him almost roundabout, still toward the pair but definitely taking his time to keep from intruding on the conversation. He turns back in time to catch Mouse's wave and his path becomes a little more direct, still without completely butting into the meeting.
The meeting seems to have essentially adjourned. Nick lifts his voice a little higher, calling over to the Get cub. "Reed. Come on over. Have you met the Glass Walker's tribal elder, yet?" He's clearly signalling it's okay to talk garou-stuff without a potential veil breach.
Mouse regards Reed with more interest now, though she makes no attempt to stand up. The woman's lupine eyes are visible, as are her numerous spidery scars.
The boycub shakes his head to answer Nick while looking at Mouse. A crease runs just between his brows in an almost frown, even though his expression is more of wary curiosity than anything unpleasant. When he stops, it's a little closer to the kinsman than the elder, and he glances up at Nicodemus before speaking to the woman. "I'm Reed Johnston, named Stares-Down-the-Challenger," he offers in not quite mumble. "Ahroun cub, Get of Fenris."
Nicodemus stay silent as the two garou make their introductions. He's there to lend Mouse a hand if she needs assistance getting up.
"Mouse," the Walker elder replies. "First-Strike, Adren Theurge and Glass Walker elder. Member of the pack Fidelity, current Master of the Rite, metis. You'll want to add a little volume to that. Your teachers like--" A beat. "--Boisterous introductions."
"Emma-rhya doesn't want us to be full of ourselves," Reed explains. However he says it a trifle louder than when he introduced himself. "I haven't done anything to be full of anyway."
"Did Emma show you and Moxie that 'Thor' movie yet?" Nick inquires of Reed.
Mouse's left eyebrow lifts high. "Hmn. Emma has her work cut out for her. I approve of the direction though." She gives Nick a quizzical look at his mention of Thor.
Reed's curiosity piques again following Mouse's statement, just enough for him to glance up at Nick in askance. "No, not yet," he answers, looking back to the Walker elder. "Probably. Like. When she takes us back to Brownstone."
Nicodemus clears his throat and offers Reed a bit of advice. "She and I talked about it earlier. Emma's... not exactly what I'd call a good film critic. And I think she might have been a little blinded by 'hot guy-itis' in this instance. The important thing is this: Pay attention to the underlying message she's trying to get across to you, not how terrible the movie is."
Mouse can't resist a quiet chuckle, despite her attempts to at least muffle it.
"What." Reed takes a half step back so he can look at Nick and Mouse at the same time. "She said the same thing. About the message. I haven't seen it, so. Like. That's all I know about it. She says how he acts in the end is what she expects of us." He shrugs, still passing that confused look between the two Walkers.
Nicodemus puts it into simple terms. "Without /spoiling/ things," Nick begins, sarcasm dripping as he says 'spoiling.' "In the beginning, Thor's a douchebag with a lot of power. Then he's just a douchebag. Then he's less of a douchebag. Then, in the end, he's less of a douchebag with a lot of power." He summarizes, "What Emma's hoping to get across to you and Moxie is that just because you can turn into very powerful, brutal, damage-dealing werewolves does not mean you can be douchebags to those around you who are not as powerful. And that all ties in with...." The kinsman snaps his fingers, theoretically aiding in his powers of recollection. "Respect for those below ye in station -- all are of gaia." Nick concludes with, "That's the point Emma's trying to make, and provide you with an example of what she'd like you two to turn out being."
"Something which your tribe tends to have issues with," Mouse adds, by way of explanation.
Reed nods understanding to Nick's summary, and something in his expression, the glance he gives Mouse, says volumes of agreement to her explanation.
Nicodemus raises a finger to make a point. "And that's not to say the Glass Walkers don't have tribal problems either. I think it'd be a valid point to say that, on average, most Glass Walkers are not as in touch with the wilderness as the garou from other tribes and are more reliant on technology. But," he adds, lowering his finger and concluding his point, "Admitting there's a problem is the first step to addressing the problem."
Mouse opens her mouth, then closes it. She gives an amused snort. "That works in reverse too. Try asking most other Garou if they've ever heard of Twitter."
"I just try not to bully anyone," Reed says with a shrug, "and just stand up for myself. And Moxie. We saw the. Where the Walkers live. Moxie and I thought you'd have all kinds of security. Like. DNA scanners and thumb print matching."
"We're installing those at the end of the fiscal quarter," Nick states, deadpan, then cracks a grin. "Honestly, for the most part, I don't seem much more advanced technology than you'd see in the hands of most well-off teenager. There's the security cameras, sure, and I hear there's some spiritual stuff as well. But for the most part, it's pretty mundane. I think there's a misconception of sorts among the other garou about the Walkers--simply because many of them would probably be intimidated by an iPhone or a tablet computer. Or Twitter," he acknowledges to Mouse. "Although I really can't imagine that Gaia places much value on skillful use of hashtags in tweets."
Mouse actually grins again. "You'd be surprised about what the right hashtag can do. Humans getting all excited about social media means humans connecting to each other more and more, means information gets passed at the speed of bandwidth. It's not ripping the head off a fomor, but there are Walkers that specialize directly in manipulating the flow of information on a grand scale. After all, they don't change their habits, what's the point of what we're doing out here, in the long run?"
"I've seen those things," Reed says. Possibly he's used them before as well. "At school and. Like. The stores and stuff. It's interesting what your tribe does. Moxie and I tried to stay out of the way, but we watched a little bit when we were in the lobby. How the doors were guarded. Not open to anyone like it is here."
Nicodemus points out, "The farmhouse here doesn't get three to five thousand cars driving by 15 feet away from the front door, and 500 to a thousand people walking within 5 feet of the front door, each and every day. If it did," Nick summarizes, "There'd be drastic changes made to the way things operate right now."
Mouse gestures toward Nick. "Pretty much what he said. Something attacks here, you're fairly secluded. An attack at the Tenement means that even if we fight them off, we have to abandon the place. Our best security is anonymity."
"Makes sense," the cub says with a singular nod. "Middle of the city versus out here. No one to see anything but animals and bugs and others like us. Or thousands of people who could be. Who knows."
Nicodemus nods to Mouse. "Anonymity is the best defense. If no one knows you're different, they don't know to act--or react--differently. Kind of why you guys don't go parading up and down the streets in the war form: you go into the city looking like humans. But, you know, there are tradeoffs. Out here, you've got more space to do things in. In a building, you've got limited options. It's probably frustrating as hell for the new Walker cubs. They've figured out they can turn into wolves and they probably don't have enough space to run around at full speed in lupus without bouncing off a wall. And a car ride out to the woods? There's no spontaneity in that."
Mouse snorts. "Walker cubs nothing, try being a Walker metis. I didn't see the sky outside of pictures or television until I was old enough to change."
Reed gives another half shrug. "We couldn't. Not really. Go running in wolf out here. Because the woods weren't safe before." He darts a look at the drive that links to Sunrise road. "Moxie and I sometimes skated, though. Or went jogging." His gaze returns to the two Walkers, that curious look drawing on him again. "What's growing up Metis like?"
Nicodemus gives a begrudging nod to Mouse at her comment, then stays silent so she can answer the Get cub's question uninterrupted.
"A little piece of hell," Mouse replies, candidly, but without her previous humor. "Even when you've got decent people looking out for you, which's rare, by the way. I can be more elaborate if you like, but mostly, imagine being stuck in crinos for the first six to nine years of your life, feeling your Rage the whole time, but without being able to use any of the up-sides of that, and usually being shut away from anyone and everyone but whoever your guardians happen to be. Sometimes metis get to stay on the Bawn, but in that case, you're completely exposed to whatever the hell the Garou living there feel like doing to you for existing. And then there's whatever bizarre deformity you've been born with. I've seen metis with no eyes, metis with withered limbs, metis that look exactly like Black Spiral Dancers, metis with two heads, extra eyes, no fur--pick your brand of suck."
There's sympathy from the cub, and something close to understanding. Though he doesn't offer anything more than lowering his gaze and nodding. "Now you lead the Glass Walkers. And you're. You're Master of the Rite. Which sounds important."
Nicodemus continues remaining silent, letting Mouse handle the questions directed towards here.
Mouse jerks her head in response. "It is important. But I'm rare. I had good circumstances, I've been lucky, and I've been damn stubborn." She pauses. "Keep that in mind when you get to that part of your training, I suppose."
Reed glances up at Mouse again and nods. "That's good, what you've achieved. And. I wasn't. I just wondered. Sue is Metis also, but I wasn't trying to be rude."
Nicodemus motions towards the house. "I'm going to go use the facilities. I'll be back in a bit." He heads off in that direction.
Mouse actually laughs. "Hell with rude. You don't know rude yet. Most people don't ask, is all." She gives Nick a nod as he takes off, before looking back to Reed.
Reed glances toward Nick, but when Mouse laughs his attention returns to the Walker elder. He actually grins, almost. There is a slight curving of his mouth, some relief worked into his expression.
Mouse pulls her sleeve back, checking her watch. "And there are a few things I should see to. Preparatory rituals in the Caern."
"It was good meeting you," Reed offers, taking another step back. "I should get." He nods toward the driveway. "Jogging before Emma-rhya comes looking."
Mouse's mouth quirks. "Likewise, Reed. Take care've yourself."
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316 From: Nicodemus At: Sat Feb 9 22:06:53 2013 (Conn)
Fldr : 0 Status: Unread
To : Riley
Cc : *Glass_Walkers, Rina, Nicodemus
Subject: Re: Was this one of ours?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-mailed reply from Nick.
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All,
I talked with one of my contacts from the SCPD. He said there was an additional witness (not mentioned in the papers) who saw the shooter. I knew he wouldn't disclose the witness's name, so I didn't ask.) There's a couple buildings in that area that are higher and might have offered views of the rooftop, but I swung by today and saw none with telescopes in them).
Unfortunately, the SCPD doesn't have any other hard leads or hard evidence. It's looking like this one will be headed for the unsolved cases files.
Here's the skinny:
* Based upon the shooter's body type, the witness was about 90 percent positive it was either a female shooter or--less likely--a /very/ slender and lean male.
* She had set up on the roof of the corner builing across the way that had line of sight down the alleyway. (An attached screenshot from maps.google.com pinpoints where the seater was located.)
* She wore all black (pants, gloves, shirt, boots, a skull cap with tucked-in hair) and dark sunglasses to obscure her face and any identifying marks.
* She'd set up in amongst some roof CH/A units, which helped to shield her from (almost all) casual viewers, so she was either (1) damn lucky in picking that particular spot or (2) she knew what she was doing.
* She set up just before the victim/fomori arrived, took the shots, then she left (still garbed in black) shortly after taking two shots.
* Height, based upon visual references with the rooftop's door, puts the shooter's at approximately 5'5", give or take an inch.
* The bullets were not just .50 cal rounds--they were .50 cal incendiary rounds, which explains the resulting fire.
--Nick
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Edgewood House: Meadow(#1390RJh)
A long, hard-packed dirt road winds almost a mile through the forest off Sunrise Road, eventually opening out into a small front yard, and coming to a stop in front of a large house, which may be the very definition of ramshackle. The house is not visible from the road, nor can one hear anything but perhaps a gunshot. Its foundation and general structure are solid, but its once crisp grey-and-white paint needs updating, and some of the trim is having trouble staying attached. A fixer upper, one might say. Off to the left, there's a former garage, long since converted into something of an in-law apartment. A connecting flyover attaches it to the second floor of the house.
There are no fences surrounding either the front or back yards. In the rear of the property, the yard (larger than in the front) eventually comes up against a well built garden, with the very beginnings of sprouts. Shaded and obscured by surrounding trees, there is a small (but deep) natural pond, with a chuckling brook leading out of it, into the woods. There's a rope swing hanging from one of the trees. The yard to the southeast of the property stretches on for a time, and then is eaten by woods, into which there may or may not be a path; it apparently fades away quickly. There's a certain looming feel to these woods.
Obvious exits:
Narrow Path Sunrise Road Front Door Barn/Garage
Currently the moon is in the waning New (Ragabash) Moon phase (1% full).
Mouse's car has been at Edgewood since at least yesterday (the batmobile of all things--that makes it pretty noticeable. It's not every day one comes across a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow that's clearly had the works), but the Theurge herself hasn't. It's only this morning that she's visible, having set herself up a fair distance into the meadow, where it begins to meet with the forest. The reason for this is fairly obvious, as she's planted her back against a tree trunk for obvious support. She has her phone out, and appears to be idly thumbing through something on the screen. The Walker looks thinner than usual, which is saying something. Her cheekbones seem more pronounced.
Memory arriving on the wing, coming from the north, rather than the direction of the city. She passes over Edgewood, doubles back, then finds purchase in the tree that Mouse is using as a brace. "Hello," she rasps out, as she looks down at the Theurge.
As it turns out, Mouse is checking her email. She thumbs out of it and looks up as Memory arrives. "Hey." The greeting is tired, but genuine.
Memory hops from one foot to another, then leaves the tree, landing a short distance away and snapping in to the form of her birth. "Hey there Mouse. You're looking a bit worn," Val notes, as she sits down and crosses her legs. The Corax looks tired as well, if not showing the same signs of weight loss that the Theurge is. "Got an email from Nick. Figuring he sent you off a copy as well. About someone blowing away a Fomor with a really big gun. I know I filled Riley in on that a little while ago and she was supposed to send you guys an email about it."
"He did. She did." Mouse tucks her phone away into a coat pocket, though she makes no motion to stand up. "Nick's on his way out, actually."
Val ahs and glances over her shoulder, as if expecting the Kinsman to make an appearance right that second. "I was there when the big gun went off. As was the Uktena Cate. The one with the busted car. I need to track her down and see if she noticed anything that was missed. Whole situation makes me twitchy. Oh. There is also a young girl wandering around the city at night, tagging the sides of buildings with Umbral maps. I'm keeping an eye on her and would appreciate it that is anyone else came across her, they leave her alone."
And he does appear, as if on que. His Porsche SUV pulls up into the drive and parks alongside--and a respectful, no-accidental-door-dings distance from--the Rolls Royce. He exits his SUV and briefly lets his gaze slide across the other luxury car's curves, nooks, and crannies. He gives a subtle nod of approval as he takes the long way around the Rolls, then pulls himself away and finds his way into the meadow, changing his path towards the Walker elder and the resident corax. He offers a wave as he draws nearer.
Mouse grunts. "Mnng. That explains Reggie, at least. He was making noises about it at the Elder Moot." She regards Val sidelong. "Girl spraying umbral maps at night? That sounds like a story." When she notices Nick approaching, she lifts a hand in his direction, though again she doesn't attempt to stand up.
Val's lips thin, the subject clearly souring her mood. "It's not much of a story. It's just something that I'm dealing with. Hey Nick," she greets, cheering up and offering the Made a smile and a lifted hand in greeting. "Thanks for the email."
Nicodemus closes the distance, joining the two. "Hey," he says, casting a glance around to make sure there's no others around. "We're living in interesting times, no?"
Mouse glances away for a moment when Val greets Nick, her eyes going toward the forest. Then she looks back to both of them, though Val gets more of a raised eyebrow. "It's a story when you clam up, that's for sure." Nick gets a belated nod. "That's one way to put it. Sorry about the rural locale, I've officially started pre-Caern Awakening preparations. It's going to eat up a lot of my time."
"Anything I can do to help with that Mouse, let me know," Val states, then looks up at Nick. "I'm fairly certain that I know how the sniper found out about the Fomor. Just kinda leery of the idea of going after the guy for information. As he just seems to be a local who was just trying to get something dangerous off the streets."
Nicodemus nods to Mouse. "I was actually thinking about a way I might be able to give you some assistance with the caern's re-awakening in advance--and without being present, either. But it'll involve you putting together a flowchart with me. A pretty lengthy one, too." He tucks his gloved hands into his pockets, considering what Val's said for a moment, and then offering, "Think you could track the guy down to where he lives? I might be able to get the information out of him subtly."
Mouse nods very slightly, though to what is unclear. "A flowchart?" she echoes, sounding faintly amused. "I think I can manage that, provided either of us can squeeze in the time beforehand."
"Got his name and where he works," Val says, lips twitching a little. A quick check and I could have his home address by this afternoon."
"Throw me an e-mail and I'll see what I can do about it," Nick says to Val. "It's going to have to go on a backburner for the time being, though. The caern's more important." To Mouse he adds, "I figure maybe four to eight hours ought to be enough for what I've got in mind. If you can spare it. And the closer to the actual event, the better."
"The night before, maybe," Mouse says, looking thoughtful. "The pre-rituals will be finished, and the Cleansings should all be taken care of. Unless you think it'll be a lasting distraction. I need to be clear-headed and focused most of all."
"When are you planning to try and re-open the Caern, Mouse?" Val asks. "The intention was to ask Jacinta if I can help, but I haven't been able to get ahold of her. That and the fact that she doesn't like me. Would probably say no, anyway. Doesn't mean that I can't be in the area and keep and eye on things while everything is happening. If nothing else, I'll be able to give the defenders some advance warning, if I see any nasties heading in their direction."
"Maybe five to seven days in advance then?" Nick suggests. "That way if there needs to be a change of plans, there's time to actually make changes or preparations." He nods to Val, as if endorsing her. "She does make one hell of a lookout."
"Try," Mouse says to Val. "And make sure you've got permission to be in the area even if she says no. It's not worth putting your neck on the line over this. We know /something/ will be showing up to the party." Nick gets another nod. "Alright then. And no, a date's not yet set. I can give you an estimate in a day or so based on how fast people are mobilizing if you like."
Val huffs out a breath. "I got permission to be on the Bawn, but not the Caern years ago. I'll keep trying. But I've got some uhh, things I'm dealing with that I'm not really keen on putting on the back burner. Like I said, I'll try."
"A little notice in advance for me is always nice," Nick assures Mouse. "But I will defintiely backburner any of my personal projects to accomodate you with getting the caern back up and functioning."
Mouse eyes Val for a moment, before jerking her chin toward Nick. "I'll try to get you a date as soon as possible."
Val bristles a little at the eyeing, if briefly. "If all else fails, I'll stick to where I'm allowed and do what I can from there. I'm no good at the whole physical defence thing, so what I can do is kinda limited. Short of actually being part of the Ritual."
Grapples with Fire has arrived.
"And I'm just out of the whole thing completely, no discussion required," Nick says matter-of-factly--not even attempting to find a way to get involved in the caern's re-awakening.
"Your business is your business," Mouse tells Val, though there's a small sense of forced neutrality about it, as though there's something she's not quite saying. "Look," and she includes Nick in this next bit with her glance. "I'm trying. I do appreciate everything you two manage to do for us, more than I think I can express. There's just only so much flexibility most Garou are capable of managing. Hell, I was trying to make it clear to Reggie yesterday that just because we don't /know/ who or what the sniper is, it doesn't automatically make him or her a threat, just an unknown. I'm not sure that got through at all."
Val cocks her head to one side, then shrugs. "That's just the way things are."
Emerging from the denser brush, Jacinta looks from one to another of the three. Her gaze rests briefly on Nicodemus, a slight narrowing of unfamiliarity in her expression. Mouse is afforded a silent greeting, a nod of her head and a lifting of her brows. It is Val, however, who gets the most study, and there is no mistaking the distrust and aggression present. "Reggie has little understanding of anything beyond the length of his muzzle," she says as she nears.
This Alaska Native has apparently survived a horrific fire at some point in her past. One side of her head is scarred, the fire having taken half of her left ear in its greed. Scarring stretches from the corner of her eye, down her cheek and over the side of her jaw, extending back to a couple inches behind her ear. Her hands, when they are visible, are heavily scarred as well. Thick scar tissue continues almost to her elbows, and then fades to a spattering beyond, visible at her neck, beneath her chin, and in one small spot on her right cheek. Despite the scars, the small woman, apparently in her early thirties, seems sure in her movements and comfortable in her body. Her stout, athletic figure falls just shy of five feet and broad shoulders lend her a very square appearance. Epicanthic folds give her eyes the characteristic almond shape, though the crystal blue irises may be unexpected. Fitting with her general posture and stance, there is a steeliness about her gaze. A series of facial tattoos, three sets of vertical lines, run from lip to chin. The lines run in pairs, with a third, dashed line, between each pair. Her dark hair is usually cut short, and kept back from her eyes by a thin leather band. The scarring on the left side keeps the hair from growing above and behind what's left of her ear, leaving what remains looking more bowl cut than intended. She lets that side grow out a bit more, so that the longer hair covers some of the scarring, and can be held down by the leather thong.
Her clothing is traditional and obviously hand stitched. Leggings are worn loose under a long shirt. Both are made from a tanned skin that, while still sturdy, has seen a lot of wear. The whole ensemble has been dyed a range of greens and browns. When the weather is wet, she also wears a hooded jacket of nearly transparent skins. On close inspection, scales can be seen.
Nicodemus accepts Mouse's words with a dismissive wave oh his left hand. "I'm inflexible on a few things myself, so no worries. Just.... If you need anything, even if it's just a batch of fresh-baked cookies...." He cuts himself off as Jacinta emerges from the woods. Whether it's the disfiguring burns or aggression leaking off of her, he manages to sidle over closer to Mouse and just a little bit behind her as the Wendigo approaches. He does, however, have enough manners to offer a greeting. "I don't think we've met before, but judging by the muzzle comment, you knowing who Reggie is, and you being on this property.... I'm Nick Dalton. Kin to the Glass Walker tribe. Former SCPD homicide detective. Current employee at Terminus. And I run a small private investigations firm on the side, so if you need information on someone...." He lets the offer hang in the air.
Mouse looks as though she's briefly entertaining the idea of standing, judging by how she lifts one arm behind her to the tree trunk, but she apparently abandons it. Instead, a brief smile touches her lips, and she gives the arriving woman a deep nod. "--I don't think Nick ever considers himself busy enough," she tacks on to the man's introduction. "Nick, this is Jacinta, our Warder."
Val is on her feet very quickly when Jacinta makes an appearance, as she keeps a wary and nervous eye on the Warder. "Hello Jacinta," she says, rather pointedly not looking directly at the Wendigo.
Jacinta watches Val for another beat, and then turns her attention to Nick. Her expression shifts, then, and the aggression is buried in favor of curiosity. "Waqaa," she says with a nod. "Jacinta Aketachunak, Warder, warrior and elder of the Wendigo. I have a great respect for your elder. Together we have done many great things, and together we will do many more." She nods toward the seated metis.
Jacinta pages: And... there's that slight narrowing of her gaze, again. She's apparently not happy about Mouse not being able to get to her feet easily.
Nicodemus seems to have the former tension drain out of him as Jacinta's earlier aggression seems to dissipate--and she further praises Mouse. He responds to Jacinta with a bit of Yup'ik. "Waqaa." The pronunciation is slightly off, indicating immediately he's no native speaker. And then he adds a hesitant, "Cangacit?" Again, slightly off--and he seems to realize it. "Sorry. I'm hideously rusty. It is, however, a real honor to meet you, -rhya. Thank you for your service to the sept and caern, and for your upcoming assistance in the caern's re-awakening. I was just talking with Mouse about ways that, perhaps, kinfolk might be of some minor assistance in the upcoming struggle. Perhaps you might have an idea for how we might help without interfering with the ritual or otherwise getting underfoot?"
Mouse regards Jacinta a little more thoughtfully for a few moments, before she says, seemingly without provocation, "Even if I had Owen's size, the ritual leaves me helpless to defend myself. I'm mobile enough to perform it, and as sturdy as I was before. I promise you, nothing about this impacts my ability to do what I need for the Caern."
Val takes a deep breath, then slowly releases it. "I would like to offer my assistance as well, Jacinta. If you will allow it. Either as part of the Ritual to bring back the Caern, or as an air ambulance service. I'm no good in a fight, but can heal and keep the fighters on their feet."
Jacinta's brows rise in surprise at the kin's attempt at Yup'ik, and it elicits a small smile. "Quyana," she says in response. "In the days leading to the ritual, there may be things you can do. When it begins, however, it will be too dangerous for kin to be nearby." She turns her gaze to Val and her eyes narrow. "If you wish to help keep our warriors hale, we can discuss this further when the time is close." Mouse's assertion receives only a slight bob of her brows.
Val's head bobs up and down. While the small woman still doesn't look directly at Jacinta, she does. smile faintly. "Thanks. Hate the idea of being stuck sitting on my hands. Air Ambulance work is something that I'm good at, if nothing else. Part of what i was doing when the Moon Bridge was cleated. Want to see the Caern up and awake again. It's been far too long." Just then, the small woman's phone beeps. Val looks at it, the puts it away and turns her attention to Nick. "Have a lead on the run away case we got on Friday. Going to follow up on it. Mouse, Jacinta, " she says in farewell with a headbob. The small woman than turns in to a raven and takes off, heading west.
Nicodemus watches as Val transforms from human to raven, then flies off. "Thank, honestly, never gets old." As the raven flies further away, Nick adds for Jacinta's sake, "She's made some mistakes in the past: we all do when we're young and stupid. Lord knows I have, too." He doesn't elaborate on that aspect, though. "And Val seems to honestly regret them. And you might not be aware of it, but she also used to work with the police--making sure evidence got lost or fellow police officers got misdirected away from things that might have endangered the Veil. She's a good ally to have on your side." Switching back to kin and what they might do, Nick offers, "You let me know what you need to help out and I'll do my best to provide it. I fully understand the caern will be incredibly dangerous during the ritual--and I realize it'd be foolish for me or other kin to be there: we'd be a liability. But anything I can do to help minimize or negate casualties? You just say the word."
Mouse seems content, for the moment, to let Nick say his peace without further interjection, though she does look interested in it. Val's departure is watched only briefly.
Jacinta watches the corax depart, aggression briefly resurfacing. "Trust is not so easily regained, once it has been lost. Her intentions may be of the best, her motives may be pure, but her actions have spoken one too many times, and it will take more than her word that she has changed." Her lip curls, nostrils flaring, before she reins it in once more, and all outward sign of anger is gone by the time she returns to the others. "First Strike and I will discuss what can be done without placing you in danger. Your willingness to help will not go unnoticed, nor unanswered."
"Excellent." Nick then spreads his black-gloved hands, one towards each of you. "Do you two need some privacy so you can talk? I don't want to interfere with sept business, and I can go make a pot of coffee or hot chocolate or whatever you care for." He is, if anything, accomodating.
Mouse shrugs at the mention of privacy, though this elicits an unwanted grimace. "Up to Jacinta. Though, speaking of willingness to help, that gift we discussed, Nick? I've finished it up. It's not a good moon, but if and when you're interested..." she lets the offer hang.
"Qanga," Jacinta says to Nick's offer to leave, and then shifts her gaze to Mouse, one eyebrow arched in question.
Nicodemus looks immediately interested in Mouse's words. "Seriously?" Eagerness gets tempered quickly. "You should see about taking Rina first. If she's interested. She's got seniority over me," he explains. There's a brief, sidelong look at Jacinta. "But I would be very excited to visit the umbra with you at some point. I'm sure it's truly an amazing place!"
"She does," Mouse agrees. "But actually, I can take more than one. Probably not wise, not with everything else I'm doing, not without more of an escort, but it's possible."
Jacinta's second brow joins the first as she watches the interaction between elder and kin. "You can bring kin across the gauntlet?"
"One at a time is probably best," Nick concurs with Mouse. "And hold off until /after/ the caern's safe and secure. But...." He looks at Jacinta and then points towards Mouse. "She's pretty damn impressive."
"It's a Theurge thing," Mouse says, in response to the compliment. "...The gift, not the impressiveness. I ah. I'll stop talking about that." She looks toward Jacinta, and explains, "It's incredibly dangerous, as you might expect. Kin are fragile and the umbra is unpredictable at best. But yes. I've just finished learning how."
Jacinta gives a brief shake of her head. "I know a ritual to take me, and those with me, to my tribe's homeland. There are some few kin there, and more than one has made it his home." Her blue eyes are a bit wide at this revelation. "But I have not learned how they arrived."
"Maybe the glade in Harbor Park might be a good place to cross over? I've heard that it has that bastet fetish that lights it up like it's always a full moon, and there's friendly spirits present so there'd be less danger and more allies should there be some attack." Nick speculates further. "Probably the only safer place around would be the caern itself, but.... That would be asking way too much. I feel blessed enough as is having accidentally woken up there when a number of sept members had that shared dream and woke up inside the hive."
From afar, Nicodemus whistles innocently.
"Definitely the Glade," Mouse agrees. "We can see about going there, when you're ready." She looks to Jacinta. "As I understand it, the gift won't let me /leave/ kin in the Glade. But with an umbral realm? There's no telling."
Jacinta gives the kin a sharp look at the revelation of having been to the caern, but she says nothing. Her expression turns more pensive as Mouse explains her gift, and after a moment offers a soft grunt and a bob of her brows in acceptance. "I will attempt the first cleansing as the moon approaches half. We should have the remains of the nest and all that the wasps have left behind cleared, by then."
Nicodemus stays silent, not interfering with his elder's and the warder's conversation.
"Then we're aiming for the full," Mouse surmises. "Good. I should be at the Caern more often than not, on either side of the Gauntlet, but if you need me quickly, send your wind friend to find me, or Kakkerlak. They don't need to cross over to deliver a message." A faint smile touches her lips. "It's another Theurge thing."
Jacinta lets her arms fold over her chest, scarred hands a stark red against the pale green and tan of her shirt. "Ii-i. And if you have need, Uqenqarkenruk can bring me word, as well, without the need to cross. It is a Wendigo thing." There's a tug at the corner of her lip, the hint of a smile seen only there and in the crease at the corner of her eyes. "I will return to the caern, now. Let others know to gather as evening falls on the half. More who assist will make the ritual more successful."
Nicodemus looked, briefly, as if he were to once again point out Mouse's skill and competence with spiritual matters, but he's potentially silenced by the Wendigo's own apparently similar aptitude. Instead, he merely nods agreement.
Mouse manages a small, genuine grin at this. "I'll pass it along. Take care, Jacinta."
"Piuraa," Jacinta offers to both before she turns, shrinking down to lupus as she does. The first steps she takes move from walk to trot, and then she breaks into a run, paws leaving the soil and taking her into the air before she reaches the edge of the meadow. Her path takes her up, then, and the white of her coat turns the mottled greens and browns of the forest as she moves across the treetops.
"A pleasure meeting you," Nick says to the Warder, offering a wave as she departs. Once she's gone, he asides to Mouse. "She's a lot shorter than I thought she'd be."
Mouse watches as Jacinta takes off into the air. Her grin broadens slightly once Nick speaks. "Now she's just showing off." She looks back to the Walker kin. "She has that effect on people. They tend to talk about her like she's a walking incarnation of Wendigo himself. I think she might like it that way."
Nicodemus glances from Mouse back to the forest, then back again. "I kind of figured she was showing off, too." Any other kinfolk probably would have been flabbergasted by the display. "I already heard from Val that she could fly. The blending effect's interesting, too." He sighs with mock disappointment. "Alas, and no invitation to visit the caern from the Warder. Had to give it a shot, though. Thanks for not choking. A couple times."
"Don't be too disappointed," Mouse says, as she turns her full attention back to Nick. Her voice is still playful. "There's nothing to really see. ...Except a giant tree of no discernible species, of course. Oh, and the tunnels. ...The underground lake..."
Nicodemus huhs out loud. "The wasps have been quite busy since I'd been there earlier, sullying the place up with my warper-stink." He tsks. "I'd have liked to have seen it in a non-dormant state, but--hey--at least I saw it once. And I only know of one other mage who has in the past--and I didn't get knocked unconscious like she did. So that's doing pretty good in my books."
Mouse nods slightly. "The wasps, yes, but I don't think it was all them. There's a...well, the Caern's been host to a Wyld eruption for the past year. Let's just say that it shows." She rests her arms on her knees. "How are you, Nick? It's been a rough few weeks."
"Hanging in there after the initial shock," the mage admits. "And the flowsheet? Putting that together with you, getting a feel for the ebb and flow of what-ifs? That might allow me to feel the resonance of what could be, and what paths might be more likely to yield success--and which ones might be flawed in ways you're not aware of. Prognostication. A little fortune telling. Giving you a hint of things to come. It might prevent one or more additional losses--especially you," he points out. He advises, "You'll want to make time for that reading."
"I will," Mouse promises. "...But will it bother you if I say that even if it makes it clear I won't get through this, I'm still doing it? Unless there's simply no chance of success. Then I'll have to consider options."
Reed emerges from the garage through the simple wooden door.
Reed has arrived.
"I've seen someone make that exact same decision in the past," Nick claims solemnly to the Walker elder. "I understand how you believe the caern is bigger than you." He admits," It probably is, but.... It would suck tremendously, but I'd understand. Would that we all could die doing what's right."
Mouse's mouth quirks on one side. "It is," she says with quiet conviction. "We're Gaia's warriors, meant to fight her enemies, but a Caern? A Caern is a piece of /her/. I know that sounds...symbolic, but I mean it literally. Jacinta refers to it as Grandmother's Heart. She's not wrong. And this Caern, it has to survive." She adds, a little less heavily, "Besides, if I've got to go out, this is probably the best way I ever would. Not that I'm planning on it. Not in the slightest. But I'd like you to understand, if it happens."
"I know you'd be okay with going out that way. And I'd be okay with it too--after I had a respectfully long period of not being okay about it." He shakes his head, "But we're going to do the flowchart thing anyway, to help minimize that possibility for you--and possibly others. It's the absolute least I can do to help out."
"Definitely." Mouse settles back against the tree trunk. "Flowchart for sure."
From the barn, someone steps out. Probably recognizable from his brief visit to the Tenement, at least in passing. Definitely a regular face around Edgewood. Reed pauses just at the cusp of the meadow to close the door and take stock of the land spreading out before starting away from the house.
Nicodemus is standing not terribly far away from Mouse, and likely more visible. To the Walker elder he says, "Don't know if you've heard yet or not, but I ended up hiring Riley on with my PI firm. She'll be working closely with Val. We'll see about getting her a PI license at some point in the future, showing her how to run searches on people and corporations, and give her--more or less--some additional training to suppliment the supernatural skills she likely already possesses. Val speaks /very/ highly of her."
"I speak highly of her," Mouse replies. "She's reckless with her own safety at times, if those times are figuring out how to lessen casualties with the wasps, but she's the one who came up with how to take the baby queen without being instantly killed in the nest. She was the linchpin."
Reed's head swivels toward the sound of voices as he moves around toward the front of the house. He picks out Nicodemus first, then Mouse, and for a couple of steps he slows. Not with intent to eavesdrop but to take a moment to consider the two conversing. He lifts a hand to wave greeting at the pair, since he's met Nick a few times, but the Walker elder is included in the gesture as well.
"Good, good. That makes me feel better about bringing her onboard." He notices Reed, returns the wave, then holds his glaved hand up in a 'one second' gesture--keeping his hand held up. He crouches down lower to Mouse, equally lowering his voice as he does so. "Company," Nick observes for Mouse's benefit. "But before he gets here, I wanted to.... The thing you were thinkin of doing with the Shadow Lords? I thought about it a bit, and I can't help you with that. Mainly... " He pauses, swallowing, then continuing. "Mainly because I'm pretty sure Flint would disapprove of it. But if you do follow through, I'm not going to try and stop you or say anything. I just don't feel right doing it." Finished, he stands back up and lowers the hand that was asking Reed to give the pair just a moment longer.
Mouse nods slowly at Nick's murmur, and even looks a little wry. "I understand. And I'm pretty sure you're right about his feelings. Don't worry about it." Her attention shifts toward Reed, and she lifts a hand in return.
Reed turns enough to study the house, his steps drawing him almost roundabout, still toward the pair but definitely taking his time to keep from intruding on the conversation. He turns back in time to catch Mouse's wave and his path becomes a little more direct, still without completely butting into the meeting.
The meeting seems to have essentially adjourned. Nick lifts his voice a little higher, calling over to the Get cub. "Reed. Come on over. Have you met the Glass Walker's tribal elder, yet?" He's clearly signalling it's okay to talk garou-stuff without a potential veil breach.
Mouse regards Reed with more interest now, though she makes no attempt to stand up. The woman's lupine eyes are visible, as are her numerous spidery scars.
The boycub shakes his head to answer Nick while looking at Mouse. A crease runs just between his brows in an almost frown, even though his expression is more of wary curiosity than anything unpleasant. When he stops, it's a little closer to the kinsman than the elder, and he glances up at Nicodemus before speaking to the woman. "I'm Reed Johnston, named Stares-Down-the-Challenger," he offers in not quite mumble. "Ahroun cub, Get of Fenris."
Nicodemus stay silent as the two garou make their introductions. He's there to lend Mouse a hand if she needs assistance getting up.
"Mouse," the Walker elder replies. "First-Strike, Adren Theurge and Glass Walker elder. Member of the pack Fidelity, current Master of the Rite, metis. You'll want to add a little volume to that. Your teachers like--" A beat. "--Boisterous introductions."
"Emma-rhya doesn't want us to be full of ourselves," Reed explains. However he says it a trifle louder than when he introduced himself. "I haven't done anything to be full of anyway."
"Did Emma show you and Moxie that 'Thor' movie yet?" Nick inquires of Reed.
Mouse's left eyebrow lifts high. "Hmn. Emma has her work cut out for her. I approve of the direction though." She gives Nick a quizzical look at his mention of Thor.
Reed's curiosity piques again following Mouse's statement, just enough for him to glance up at Nick in askance. "No, not yet," he answers, looking back to the Walker elder. "Probably. Like. When she takes us back to Brownstone."
Nicodemus clears his throat and offers Reed a bit of advice. "She and I talked about it earlier. Emma's... not exactly what I'd call a good film critic. And I think she might have been a little blinded by 'hot guy-itis' in this instance. The important thing is this: Pay attention to the underlying message she's trying to get across to you, not how terrible the movie is."
Mouse can't resist a quiet chuckle, despite her attempts to at least muffle it.
"What." Reed takes a half step back so he can look at Nick and Mouse at the same time. "She said the same thing. About the message. I haven't seen it, so. Like. That's all I know about it. She says how he acts in the end is what she expects of us." He shrugs, still passing that confused look between the two Walkers.
Nicodemus puts it into simple terms. "Without /spoiling/ things," Nick begins, sarcasm dripping as he says 'spoiling.' "In the beginning, Thor's a douchebag with a lot of power. Then he's just a douchebag. Then he's less of a douchebag. Then, in the end, he's less of a douchebag with a lot of power." He summarizes, "What Emma's hoping to get across to you and Moxie is that just because you can turn into very powerful, brutal, damage-dealing werewolves does not mean you can be douchebags to those around you who are not as powerful. And that all ties in with...." The kinsman snaps his fingers, theoretically aiding in his powers of recollection. "Respect for those below ye in station -- all are of gaia." Nick concludes with, "That's the point Emma's trying to make, and provide you with an example of what she'd like you two to turn out being."
"Something which your tribe tends to have issues with," Mouse adds, by way of explanation.
Reed nods understanding to Nick's summary, and something in his expression, the glance he gives Mouse, says volumes of agreement to her explanation.
Nicodemus raises a finger to make a point. "And that's not to say the Glass Walkers don't have tribal problems either. I think it'd be a valid point to say that, on average, most Glass Walkers are not as in touch with the wilderness as the garou from other tribes and are more reliant on technology. But," he adds, lowering his finger and concluding his point, "Admitting there's a problem is the first step to addressing the problem."
Mouse opens her mouth, then closes it. She gives an amused snort. "That works in reverse too. Try asking most other Garou if they've ever heard of Twitter."
"I just try not to bully anyone," Reed says with a shrug, "and just stand up for myself. And Moxie. We saw the. Where the Walkers live. Moxie and I thought you'd have all kinds of security. Like. DNA scanners and thumb print matching."
"We're installing those at the end of the fiscal quarter," Nick states, deadpan, then cracks a grin. "Honestly, for the most part, I don't seem much more advanced technology than you'd see in the hands of most well-off teenager. There's the security cameras, sure, and I hear there's some spiritual stuff as well. But for the most part, it's pretty mundane. I think there's a misconception of sorts among the other garou about the Walkers--simply because many of them would probably be intimidated by an iPhone or a tablet computer. Or Twitter," he acknowledges to Mouse. "Although I really can't imagine that Gaia places much value on skillful use of hashtags in tweets."
Mouse actually grins again. "You'd be surprised about what the right hashtag can do. Humans getting all excited about social media means humans connecting to each other more and more, means information gets passed at the speed of bandwidth. It's not ripping the head off a fomor, but there are Walkers that specialize directly in manipulating the flow of information on a grand scale. After all, they don't change their habits, what's the point of what we're doing out here, in the long run?"
"I've seen those things," Reed says. Possibly he's used them before as well. "At school and. Like. The stores and stuff. It's interesting what your tribe does. Moxie and I tried to stay out of the way, but we watched a little bit when we were in the lobby. How the doors were guarded. Not open to anyone like it is here."
Nicodemus points out, "The farmhouse here doesn't get three to five thousand cars driving by 15 feet away from the front door, and 500 to a thousand people walking within 5 feet of the front door, each and every day. If it did," Nick summarizes, "There'd be drastic changes made to the way things operate right now."
Mouse gestures toward Nick. "Pretty much what he said. Something attacks here, you're fairly secluded. An attack at the Tenement means that even if we fight them off, we have to abandon the place. Our best security is anonymity."
"Makes sense," the cub says with a singular nod. "Middle of the city versus out here. No one to see anything but animals and bugs and others like us. Or thousands of people who could be. Who knows."
Nicodemus nods to Mouse. "Anonymity is the best defense. If no one knows you're different, they don't know to act--or react--differently. Kind of why you guys don't go parading up and down the streets in the war form: you go into the city looking like humans. But, you know, there are tradeoffs. Out here, you've got more space to do things in. In a building, you've got limited options. It's probably frustrating as hell for the new Walker cubs. They've figured out they can turn into wolves and they probably don't have enough space to run around at full speed in lupus without bouncing off a wall. And a car ride out to the woods? There's no spontaneity in that."
Mouse snorts. "Walker cubs nothing, try being a Walker metis. I didn't see the sky outside of pictures or television until I was old enough to change."
Reed gives another half shrug. "We couldn't. Not really. Go running in wolf out here. Because the woods weren't safe before." He darts a look at the drive that links to Sunrise road. "Moxie and I sometimes skated, though. Or went jogging." His gaze returns to the two Walkers, that curious look drawing on him again. "What's growing up Metis like?"
Nicodemus gives a begrudging nod to Mouse at her comment, then stays silent so she can answer the Get cub's question uninterrupted.
"A little piece of hell," Mouse replies, candidly, but without her previous humor. "Even when you've got decent people looking out for you, which's rare, by the way. I can be more elaborate if you like, but mostly, imagine being stuck in crinos for the first six to nine years of your life, feeling your Rage the whole time, but without being able to use any of the up-sides of that, and usually being shut away from anyone and everyone but whoever your guardians happen to be. Sometimes metis get to stay on the Bawn, but in that case, you're completely exposed to whatever the hell the Garou living there feel like doing to you for existing. And then there's whatever bizarre deformity you've been born with. I've seen metis with no eyes, metis with withered limbs, metis that look exactly like Black Spiral Dancers, metis with two heads, extra eyes, no fur--pick your brand of suck."
There's sympathy from the cub, and something close to understanding. Though he doesn't offer anything more than lowering his gaze and nodding. "Now you lead the Glass Walkers. And you're. You're Master of the Rite. Which sounds important."
Nicodemus continues remaining silent, letting Mouse handle the questions directed towards here.
Mouse jerks her head in response. "It is important. But I'm rare. I had good circumstances, I've been lucky, and I've been damn stubborn." She pauses. "Keep that in mind when you get to that part of your training, I suppose."
Reed glances up at Mouse again and nods. "That's good, what you've achieved. And. I wasn't. I just wondered. Sue is Metis also, but I wasn't trying to be rude."
Nicodemus motions towards the house. "I'm going to go use the facilities. I'll be back in a bit." He heads off in that direction.
Mouse actually laughs. "Hell with rude. You don't know rude yet. Most people don't ask, is all." She gives Nick a nod as he takes off, before looking back to Reed.
Reed glances toward Nick, but when Mouse laughs his attention returns to the Walker elder. He actually grins, almost. There is a slight curving of his mouth, some relief worked into his expression.
Mouse pulls her sleeve back, checking her watch. "And there are a few things I should see to. Preparatory rituals in the Caern."
"It was good meeting you," Reed offers, taking another step back. "I should get." He nods toward the driveway. "Jogging before Emma-rhya comes looking."
Mouse's mouth quirks. "Likewise, Reed. Take care've yourself."
