Danny
(Awareness)
Dice: 6 d10 TN6 (2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 9) ( success x 1 )
Arionna
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 6, 7, 8) ( success x 3 )
Danny
*He yawned while he was standing in line waiting for the books to be returned at the library. All of them were there, he'd found what he needed fairly quickly when he'd put his mind to it. The books were in a backpack he'd brought with him, part of an older life, part of a time before his being well, who he was now.
His hair was tied back at the nape of his neck again, it was too hot for jeans so he'd put on a pair of three quarter baggy jeans, a pair of flip flops and a t shirt that said. "Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman."*
Arionna
She had this magical skill of appearing. Well..maybe not really, but sometimes it seemed like she just popped up out of no where. She felt him when he came in, knew it was him, and curiosity got the better of her.
Arionna, in a long skirt and a T-shirt, stepped up behind him slowly, her long hair sliding around her face. She reached out and, with one finger, poked his shoulder. That was the extent of her greeting, and well..touching for that matter.
Danny
*He.... swayed, merely took the energy with a shiver at her icy presence, then swayed back slightly as he turned his head.* Returning the books, as promised.
*With his shades up on his head and the way he was dressed he could technically just fit in with the other students here. But now he smiled for Arionna he raised both eyebrows slightly in question.* And how are you today?
Arionna
"I can see." Arionna said softly, letting her eyes wander to the backpack and then back to his face. "You have more time." Though he might have already gleaned what he needed. The smile was an odd thing, though he never seemed the sort to not do so...even given their last encounter. "I have a midterm tomorrow." She said simply, as if that would somehow explain how she felt. "And the library is barren, for now."
Danny
*He sighs softly.* Yeah, that can be a killer. What do you need? I can't promise much but I can allow you access to my netbook, you can do some research on that?
Arionna
She canted her head a little. "I don't need it. I've been reading." She moved to slip her hand into her bag at her side, pulling out the hair she had put into a small container, and handing it to him. "As promised."
Danny
*He took the hair and nodded, then slipped it into his pocket.*
So, coffee after? *It was his turn suddenly and he just handed the books back with a smile, polite, easy going, the librarian didn't seem to mind this approach and he turned then looked at Arionna again.*
Well?
Arionna
"After?" Her brows furrow a little in question. "After what? My studying?" She considered that for a moment and then slowly nodded. "I think I will. And a walk in the woods. I think it clears my head sometimes." But then when he turned and gave her that sort of expectant look, she blinked. "Oh. You meant now?"
Danny
*That had him chuckling.* Yes, now... We'll go get some coffee, find a tree on campus and just sit, that okay by you?
Arionna
She pursed her lips a little, letting her eyes fall to the side for a moment. "Even with what you said before?" He seemed so...unhappy with her previously, it seemed odd that he'd be suggesting they have coffee together. "How is your friend?"
Danny
He's taking a rest. *He smiles, then slowly reaches out one hand, moving to the side of the line with her when the librarian reminded them they were in the way. One hand, and it had a big silver ring on his middle finger with what looked like a light switch on it. Then he smiled again.* That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about actually, and no, it's not going to be another ripping. Okay? You game with that?
Arionna
She stepped to the side just before he touched her shoulder, avoiding it. It wasn't a fear of touching, so much as being unaccustomed to it...still. Ari turned slowly to lead him out of the library at the very least. "I was unharmed by it. You're welcome to accompany me. I won't mind it. I certainly don't mind drinking coffee."
Danny
I figured as much, those midterms can kind of keep you awake for a few days. *He smiled though, following her and going with her to grab some coffee.* I know that you were unharmed by it, but I'm not Kalen, I don't just dismiss people without at least taking the time to try and see things from their point of view. I mean, people become what life makes them, and that means that sometimes you cannot control the things around you. Or you just plain old don't learn the same way other people do. *he shrugs.* Specially if you're not one of the kids that fits in to the societal niche that high school kids force upon themselves.
*What did he know? He was beautiful, he was popular, he was a musician, what's not to love?^
Arionna
The university campus is never without a coffee shop, and like all students, Ari knows where to find them. She leads them down the steps of the library, making their way along campus. "Did you choose to be different?"
Danny
I chose to be me. *He shrugs.* I didn't want to play football, I didn't want to do much more than play music to be honest, that and to read when I could what i could. But the music I guess helped... *he shrugged.* Did you?
*He kept pace with her, slipping the backpack onto his shoulder on habit, he just seemed to almost fit in, apart from the fact that he was walking with Arionna, and more than a few of the girls and guys on campus around them were turning and looking at the pair of them as they passed.*
Arionna
"No." She expected people to react poorly. The city was less of a problem than her own home. Diversity was tolerated and encouraged, though looks were not foreign.
"The entire purpose of sports is to mimic wartime. It's a method for humans to practice and engage in the centers of our minds which are dedicated to such activities. You're not missing anything important by disliking it."
Danny
See, I never thought of it like that. Mind you I guess the amount of testosterone has to have something to do with it. *He continued walking with her, the looks he just didn't pay any real attention to. But he smiled, just as they walked, he kept on smiling and talking to her. The looks appeared to be mostly of surprise, complete and utter surprise.*
You didn't choose it then. *he nods a bit more and even walked before her to open the door to the coffee place, waited til she'd gone through then went in behind her.* What do you want to drink, apart from soya?
Arionna
"MMA matches are obvious examples of this desire to replicate war as a means of practice. Modern society tends to steer away from blatant use of violence and attempts covert violence in the form of sports." Arionna stepped in, making her way to the counter. "Soy? I don't drink soymilk." The barista smiled at her. "Hey! Coffee like usual?" Ari nodded slowly, sliding out her wallet to slip a few dollars to her. With ehr cup in hand she moved around to decide on her coffee... Hm..what'll it be today...
Danny
*He puts his hand over hers, not making contact.* No, my treat as a thank you for your help the other day. *There's a smile on his face and waits for hers. He already knew what he wanted, coffee, cold, with cream and plenty of toffee syrup. Lashings of the stuff. He said so after Ari ordered.*
Yeah i didn't think about it to be honest but you're right. You're totally right.
Arionna
She put her money away and slipped the wallet back into her purse. "Thank you." Because she does understand basic etiquette. You don't come from a small town without having some form of it. With her cup, she moves to the door and waits, slipping through when they're both satisfied and begins to move to a tree away from the building. "What did you want to say?"
Danny
Well... *he took a suck of the drink and swallowed. Then steered away from people.* Firstly, I wanted to talk to you. Find out more about you and why you do what you do, secondly, you're kind of well. Unless you give me a reason to walk away. I just wont. And you look like you could do with someone to talk to from time to time.
Arionna
She moved them to a tree that was shedding its leaves all over and hadn't been destroyed by the mower. Ari set her bag down among the leaves and plopped herself among them. She set her cup near her bag and laid back on the ground. "People prove the point often enough. "
"Talking is nice. I use to visit the trees when I needed to talk. That's a longer travel here."
Danny
*He nodded.* Feel at peace there huh? Feel like the world is just melting away in the susurrus of the tree's and the outer world, the world away from the city?
*Taking another sip he got comfortable, moving the pack to rest against the tree then leaned back on it.* You don't need to just spend time around the tree's though, you need to also be round people from time to time, people that can get to learn to understand you better if you give them the chance.
Arionna
"I don't like the term 'peace.' Peace is an illusion, a fallacy. It's better to say that a person feels complete or as they are meant to. Balanced. Yes, I do. They're my home. And the home of my ancestors."
"I'm here, aren't I? I don't like people very much. I only like a few."
Danny
Sometimes it's easier like that. *He nodded as he swirled the straw in his coffee shake, eased his legs out to stretch in front of him, crossing them at the ankles. There was ink there, on one foot a musical bar with notes on it in a ribbon of ink across the top of his foot, on the arm nearest her was that time tattoo that turned into the birds, on the forearm on the left as well was that latin script in heavy bold and black.*
Why don't you like people? Or is it just harder to get to know them?
Arionna
"People are cruel, misguided. The world is dying, the balance is off...humans did it. Humans even hurt their own. Those that are 'kind' are naive to the way the world is. "
She sat up enough to sip at her coffee, then leaned back again in the leaves.
Danny
No... *he shakes his head and stares off into the middle distance, then sat up slowly.* No, we're not naive. We just choose to see things a bit differently to everyone else. Some times, bad things happen and they can be complete game changers, it's how you choose to learn from it and move on, learn to live with it and yourself regardless of the actions of those around you.. some times it makes you want to do things, it makes you angry, it makes you hostile, it makes you so... *He shakes his head, speaking from the heart it would appear.* confused... and... *There's a sigh before he speaks again.* It's hard to live with.
So, you get to choose, you can either let it consume you and destroy you, or you can learn to deal with it, learn to accept all those things it makes you feel then slowly move on from each moment. Acceptance, grief, hate, those are things you need to go through in your own time... Its all rather personal you see? *he turned his head and glanced at her for a moment, then looked off again.*
Or you can let the hate and the anger consume you. Let it destroy you by isolating you from people. Perhaps it's easier to just not be around them and deal with them, contempt as well is powerful.
Arionna
"That's where your trouble is. You and Kalen. You think I'm angry. I'm not angry. I understand my place. We can't choose which god favors us, which gives us ability and strength. We're born to them. I know where I am, who I belong to. If we want balance in life, we have to accept the parts of it that scare us the most. I always see people trying to be 'good' and embody the 'light' fearing what's in the shadows. But the sun hides villainy just as much, sometimes more, than the moon. The night has so much to offer, and so many don't see it."
Danny
Yeah, so many don't see it. *he nods.* The mountains at night, with the galaxy is incredible. I just love going up into the mountains, turning off the car and laying back with the roof down staring up at the sky.
*He smiled as he leaned back again.* Someone once said what you said, years ago - A fool feels no fear, A sleeper remains shackled by it, A Master transcends it yet recalls its wisdom. It is good to be afraid. It is folly to bow to terror.
A sleeper is what you were. *he looks around.* All those people out there, those you don't feel with that spark that makes us us, those are sleepers. They are the unawakened. You are now awakened. He also said - Some minds rest best asleep, stir not those who would not waken otherwise.
Arionna
"I was never asleep. Neither was my mom. Or my aunt. We've never been asleep. Who is it to created those words? Asleep, and awakened? What does awaken really mean? You'll say that you are awakened, that Kalen is too, but neither of you seem it."
Danny
Ahhh and now we get to the tricky bit. *He sighed and took another suck on the straw.* See... There's this balance as you say, it's how things are linked to each other, from the tree's to the people, to the insects and well.... *he shrugs.* It's the energy flows, we really are all linked. Being awakened doesn't mean that you're the most special people on the planet, it means you have a larger degree of responsibility to those around you.
It means what you do, can have an effect on things round you, like I dunno, plants growing better because of the way you talk to them, that's kind of mundane.. but perhaps unwittingly you're releasing something as you go through the ritual of the planting itself. We are after all, creatures of habit. Or perhaps you see things?
*he takes another sip and glances at her again.* What did you do that time, the thing that really 'worked'. *He kept his voice calm, just sharing a conversation with her by the looks of it. He even smiled as well. Those that still stared from time to time would soon enough drift away.*
Arionna
"My responsibility is to the gods. And to the earth, and the animals. I was responsible for them even before. It just makes more sense now. I wasn't sure when I was younger, why things were as they were. But now I understand."
She closed her eyes, taking in a breath of air, inhaling the scent of the leaves. "I didn't try. I wasn't trying to do anything but run. I thought I was being attacked. And then I just...flew. I was one with the crows. We were together, flying through the world. "
Danny
*He blinked and turned to look at her.* That wasn't what I was expecting. What did you think was attacking you?
Arionna
"A mountain lion." She said calmly. "It was beautiful. It went quiet. The trees were still. The crows were in the trees. They kept coming. I've never seen so many before. And then he was there. Beautiful eyes. Just watching me. I ran. He clawed me. I felt the pain in my back, knew he made contact. Then I was soaring, flapping my wings as if I were born to it. He wasn't there when I looked back. I never saw him again."
Danny
*Danny's eyebrows raise.* Well you were damned lucky. And it's never happened since? Have you tried to do anything like it since?
Arionna
She frowned slowly. "I've tried. I can't." She sat up slowly, taking her cooling coffee in her hands and curling her feet in a little.
Danny
*He nodded at that.* Well, this is where knowing people like us can come in useful, we can teach you. But you have to learn to meet us half way.
You don't have to like any of us, but to learn to work with us means learning how to fit in. Learning that sometimes people take apart what you say a little too literally and they might get offended, or you might get offended. Like well, last night.
You're entitled to your world view, everyone has one after all, but putting down someone elses in the need to prove yours to them can be rather uhm... difficult. See, that's the other part of what we are, we have our set way of seeing things, because well, Thou art Miraculous, so are we all.
Arionna
"I didn't do anything wrong. You jumped to conclusions. Kalen didn't want me there from the beginning." She glanced to the side at Danny. "Why should I try to fit in? If people want to be friends, they accept the other as they are. You can't make a cat a dog, even if that would make it easier for the dog."
Danny
No, that's true enough.. *He sighs.* Oh well, how about this. If you see some of us, talk to us, but talk to us from the thoughts of I dunno... we might be just as anxious about you as you are about us, or intrigued. *He shrugs.* He's worried that you're some kind of sociopath in the making I think. And he's had enough of monsters.
Arionna
"Because he's prejudice. People think that. I was called a devils child once. Satan's offspring. Witch. Plenty of names for being different." She sipped her coffee slowly. "Sociopath sounds tame now. He should try something more flowery."
"I've seen people like him. Hundreds of years ago, people who acted like him would take people like me...and they'd put them through trials to make sure they weren't evil, or casting magic. There was nothing scarier than having a witch in the village. Monsters hide most often where people can see them, but never notice. And they make monsters by influencing everyone else to act like them."
She looked more fully at Danny, though still kept her eyes down just a little. "People forget that so many of the animals in the night...wolves...bears...mountain lions...they want to be left alone. It's only when you throw stones that they become 'monsters.'"
Danny
Sociopath is my word, not his. *he points out, then nods.* I've heard of the witch trials. So is that how you see yourself? A witch?
*he nodded again at her words.* Yeah, some times that's what happens sometimes. But with people, it's more to do with how the person just is. And I don't think you're a monster, I think you've had some problems along the way and they've made you hard.
Arionna
"Then you should be more creative. I like to hear what new ideas people make up."
"It's what people use to call me. It's what my aunt calls herself. It's what those before me call themselves. I think that makes me one. Yes. I'm a witch. " She let out a small puff of a laugh. "I wonder if I weigh the same as a duck..."
Danny
*Now Danny stared at her and then laughed as he got the joke.* There you go... see? I doubt you do weigh as much as a joke... but you've not got a bad nose. So so far, being simply different is working well enough for you.
I won't call you anymore names, you are who you are. It's honestly just the lack of social empathy you project from yourself, its like... *he thinks about it.* No it's not like... your aura, your whole... resonance, how others "feel" you its frozen, it's real cold. And while that's useful, it can also make it harder for others to get along with you.
Danny
(Duck not joke)
Arionna
"I don't mind anymore if people get along with me. I don't mind if there are people like me who have their parties while I sit in the forest. Each person is favored by a god, and they carry that in them. Even gods have rivalries. Some get along better than others, some like to be alone. They're all important."
She sipped her coffee again slowly. "You seem happy enough all the time. You even feel that way. Too much like the sun. "
Danny
*He laughed again.* That's probably the California in me. *Taking another suck of his drink he shakes it slightly then takes another drink.* You're right, they are all important.
Is it so bad I'm happy?
Danny
(Dun dun DUUUUUUN!)
Kalen Holliday
[How awake are we?]
Dice: 7 d10 TN7 (3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 10, 10) ( success x 2 )
Kalen Holliday
[And how distracted by Resonance are we?]
Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 9, 10) ( success x 2 )
Danny
*His hair was tied back at the nape of his neck again, it was too hot for jeans so he'd put on a pair of three quarter baggy jeans, a pair of flip flops and a t shirt that said. "Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman."*
Arionna
She was sitting in the leaves with Danny, under a tree, a long black skirt to her ankles, and a black T. Her hair was loose, hanging over her shoulder as she sat talking with Danny. "Maybe." She looked to her cup slowly. "Happy people miss the problems in the world. Or they think all is well around them. They're often first to point fingers at people who aren't as happy as they are."
Danny
No... we don't miss the problems in the world. *he shakes his head and smiles again, this time sadly.* We see them, they are as valuable to us as any other emotion that they bring about. All of it is important, not to feel any of them is to allow a chance for weakness to come. All of it is important, feeling the fullest range of emotions that there are around us all is what makes us us... but how we choose to deal with those emotions is also important. Accepting them allows you to learn how to cope and grow.
Kalen Holliday
Kalen wanders around the university grounds and he looks like he might belong there. Maybe a grad student. He's wearing jeans and a moss green tee-shirt and a messenger bag and he could be on his way to a class or the library. Technically, he is on his way to the library, just not for the reasons one might think.
And at first Danny's brightness and Arionna's coldness don't register to him as more than the sun and the approaching chill of evening, but as he gets closer he recognizes the sense of them for what it is. And, Arionna alone he might have left, but Danny is not someone he ignores. Danny is the kind of person he cancels coffee with repeatedly because he has to stop one apocalypse or another, but would never ignore.
And really, if there is no world left there won't be any coffee. And then where would the uncaffeinated universe be? One could only assume grouchy. And whatever is left in other worlds...they certainly can't want that, now an they?
Arionna
She moved her eyes to look at Danny askance, once again. "You're more a preacher than a musician." Another slow sip of her coffee. When she felt Kalen approaching, she lifted her chin and looked off in his direction. "Your boyfriend is somewhere close." She moved, rising to her feet. "I'll leave.
"
Danny
*He sighed softly then lifted his head staring up between the branches.* You don't have to. Tell you what, why don't you just stay and I dunno... maybe put yourself in his shoes for a bit? I mean, you don't know if you don't try? But if you don't want to.... *he shrugged.* I won't make you stay.
Kalen Holliday
Kalen is not prone to hesitation, so he doesn't really seem to question whether he should be coming to join them, but he does pause when he reaches them, before settling onto the ground. His eyes track from Danny to Arionna and then back to Danny again.
"Am I interrupting anything? Because I can just go play with newspapers and old maps in the library." He sounds absolutely unconcerned, though whether that is of the thought of interrupting or the thought of not being welcome, or even both is hard to say. "It is, after all, a thing that needs doing."
Arionna
Her brows furrow and she looks at Danny a bit hard. "He's scared of what he doesn't understand. I don't need to 'be in his shoes' to know that. I've been around enough people who act the same."
But before she can grab her bag and saunter off, he's already there and taking a seat. Arionna settles back in her space, pulling her bag to her to pull out a book and sit it in her lap, open. "No." She says to Kalen, focusing on the pages in front of her while they talk about...maps.
And really why should she leave? She was there first. He tried to chase her off the other night, not the other way around.
Danny
*Danny smiles seeing Kalen when he sits down.* Okay, I'll bite. Why the maps?
Kalen Holliday
"Because one never knows when it will be advantageous to know about the current and historic location of sewers. Or mines. Or mysterious tunnels, though I haven't found any interesting mystery tunnels beneath Denver.
"Yet." He settles beside Danny, leaving Danny between himself and Arionna. And he does warily scan the grounds now and again, but really, this is rather open and populated for vampires or cannibals or most of the things that might ambush them. And he is tired.
But look, also places that have been ambushed in Denver include movie showings and club openings. Just because something sounds reasonably safe doesn't mean it is.
"How are you two?"
Danny
Me I'm fine.. *he smiles and lifts his drink to take another slurp of that lethal concoction of coffee, toffee syrup ice and milk, all topped with more toffee syrup and cream. What about up and around in the locale? I mean, this is Colorado, right? Gold country? What about old mines?
Danny
(Shit sorry, bloody fingers)
Arionna
"The word mysterious would indicate that you'll not likely find that they exist through the library. It wouldn't very much of a mystery if one only needed to look at the university library." She turned a page and sipped her coffee lightly. She glanced to Kalen, considering his question to one of politeness and less of caring. Still she gives him a small shrug. "Acceptable."
Danny
There's always the land register? *he looks between the pair of them.* Why wouldn't they exist through the library?
Kalen Holliday
Kalen rolls his eyes. "Sometimes you find accounts of mysterious tunnels. I;m not expecting any here. But places like New York and some cities in other countries, you do. Mysterious and secret are often different things. I'm not expecting to find much for tunnels of either kind under Denver, though. Granted, I may yet be surprised. But Denver has very different historical build patterns that make that rather unlikely.
"And...yes. There are land registers and such. Old claims maps. Not all the older records are terribly complete, but I am trying to put notes about where one might find...well...everything. And mines and caves make good lairs for a number of things. Grace and I occasionally cross reference them with locations for animal mutilations or missing people or missing animals or whatever else. Just in case. So...the more of them we have the better, really.
"And, at some point, perhaps I will want one. For an underground fortress. With shiny gold walls." There is a slight pause. "Please don't tell me that's not going to happen. I am joking. I realize you feel the need to tell me about every little potential thing that might be wrong with anything I say because I don't even know, but I am not even in the mood to wait for you to tell me mines make terrible underground fortresses and are not in fact walled in gold. I know that. Much like I know I'm almost certainly not about to find mystery tunnels."
Arionna
"Wouldn't be a mystery if you could find them inside of something so easy to access." She flipped another page, slowly crossing an ankle over the other. Kalen may be trying to nip her in the bud, but oh she's not having it."You could paint the walls gold. It will likely take you several coats to achieve the appropriate color, but if you're after something so gaudy, it's achievable. If you mean solid gold, it will be harder to create, and also would be unwise if you're attempting to maintain structural strength. Gold is terrible as a building material, fantastic as a conductor."
Danny
*He'd held his breath waiting for Arionna's answer... and then blinked before his shoulders began to shake as the silent laughter caught them. Then he chuckled shaking his head.* She's actually kinda got you there Kalen. You know... I bet that Arionna knows the terrain pretty well, and knows the caves too, places bears sleep, other ones.... *he eyed first Kalen, then Arionna. Still smiling her answer.*
(They're sat under a tree away from people.)
Grace
[Awareness!]
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (5, 6, 6, 7, 9) ( success x 4 )
Kalen Holliday
"I have absolutely no desire for gold walls. The fact that you somehow still think that after I stopped to actually clarify I wasn't serious qualifies as unfriendly in normal human interaction. Despite the fact that Danny is amused. I have no idea if you're honestly oblivious, or just a fucking bitch. But, for the record, the fact that by any conventional reading you are a cold bitch is why I'm not trying to be extra nice to you.
"Perhaps you just are incapable of anything resembling normal human interaction. In which case, I'm sorry I'm being kind of cool with you. But, honestly, you seem to not like me and so I rather expect that like practically the rest of Denver, you also hate me. That's fine.
"But on the off chance you're actually about as feral as I was when I got here, we could call a truce."
He huffs at Danny. "Only if I were serious. Which I wasn't. Or if mysterious things did not get written about all the time. Some mysteries are in the open just unsolved. So, mysterious tunnels are unlikely for a variety of reasons, but might be found by research. Secret tunnels no. If we are going to pick apart everything I say for spite, lets do it properly, shall we?"
Grace
So, Grace is on point today. Then again, she always feels a little spiky. Or sharp. Or stabbing. Right now, her senses are wide open to the world, and Kalen is...
Not at the library. That much can be gleaned by the light hint of ozone that does not seem to be coming from that particular building. Oh yes, having trouble with a database (like he texted)? Or did he just get stuck gazing in wonder at a goose or something?
Hey. It's Kalen. He could easily get stuck.
A little wandering finds another resonance in the mix, one that beams and flashes. Ohhh, well now everything is making sense.
Those paying attention will have to pay a great deal of it in order to notice Grace walking up a path to the tree under which they sit. She goes silent. Even her resonance is a bit difficult to detect until she's gone and madeherself be seen.
She hears him, yeah? Cold bitch? You hate me? Sounds like Kalen made a friend.
Arionna
She feels like winter. That's the best way to explain it simply. The wind seeping into your clothes and the chill of the ice crawling into your bones to remind you that, yes, the cold of the night and the deep winter can kill you, and it won't be painless like some imagine it.
"Well... if we're going to call names." Arionna closed her book and looked slowly at Kalen. "You're a hot-headed, ill-tempered, judgmental dick. Perhaps I'm not 'friendly' but you're hardly approachable. I find you strangely egotistical to think that I have considered you so much that I hate you, and that the entirety of Denver has enough knowledge of your presence to know you're not just another man on the street. Only someone full of themselves would think they're so important that they could express even half of the perspectives elicited by the city. Unless of course you meant the very small select people that you know, in which case...You don't know me, and I don't know you, so the emotional connection we have is currently residing at 0. For clarification, that is not hate, in case you get the wrong idea."
"Now. We can call a truce." She put her finger back between the pages of the book and opened it up to continue.
Danny
She doesn't hate you....
*He again looked up at the sky. Squinting a bit as he did so then shook his head again.* Arionna, you could help out here.
*He turns his head downwards to look at her, restraining himself from wanting too hard for the pair of them to get along enough. He didn't notice Grace, his ping-dar didn't seem to be working so well today. Then Arionna spoke and he actually let his head fall back against the tree with a hollow thunk, then sighs heavily.*
Kalen Holliday
And you see, it here that, for the first time, Kalen laughs. "I'm not terribly approachable right now, am I? I try. I do. But I spent a very long time on my own. I sometimes forget I've learned to purr and take food from people's hands." He smiles faintly. "Speaking of which, I'd offer to shake hands but last we met you seemed intent on the not touching. Which is fine."
He looks up at where Grace is approaching and grins. "Hey, Kit. I found someone else who thinks all other humans have cooties." And then he waits, not for Arionna's likely response, but for Grace's. Because, once he knows you, sometimes provocation is love.
"It's alright, Star. I'm not actually as hot-headed and ill-tempered and judgmental as people tend to think. You know-" He settles against Danny's side, "Quite."
Grace
"Well, everyone has 'cooties'. I mean, there's millions of bacteria on our skins. Some of which is actually beneficial, fighting the good fight against the baddies. I don't really care about it," Grace says, but there's a quizzical expression on her face as she walks up.
"Are you guys fighting or not?" she asks. Honestly curious. Maybe ready to bolt (in case someone starts throwing bolts of their own).
Arionna
"It's not cooties." She lifted her head just enough to look at Grace from behind the strands of dark hair. "We're in-between matches."
"She's right though. Humans are foul and full of germs. Not exactly the most cleanly animal." Another turn of the page and she looked back towards Grace slowly. "You're new. Weasel-face's friend, or Mr. Sunshine?"
Danny
*He let out the next breath with a large grin on his face.... then slipped his arm around Kalen giving him a hug one armed.* Thank you.... Thank you thank you thank you...
*Then Arionna spoke and he started to chuckle again, this time shaking his head.* Oh. My. God.
*Grace was greeted to that sight yes, he turns his head to look at Grace.* Grace!! Come sit down! How's it going?
*Yeah, now he just took another suck of the cold drink. His hair was tied back at the nape of his neck again, it was too hot for jeans so he'd put on a pair of three quarter baggy jeans, a pair of flip flops and a t shirt that said."Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman."* So, what are you wearing for the Halloween do? Still going with the coat? I've gotten stuff sorted out for me, it's just right.... I juust need to find my Mardi Gras beads to complete it.
They're not going to fight, thinks are cool but okay. Come on, plant your ass.
Kalen Holliday
"We're not fighting."" He rolls his eyes, but he can't really mean it because he doesn't even bother to sit up properly. "Although, clearly, her eyesight is compromised because I do not look like a weasel.
"Anyway, Kit, this is Arionna. Arionna, this is Grace."
He nudges Danny lightly. "Look. I sometimes have to interact with other humans without Serafine. It can be done. Clearly, I possess some ability to play nice." He has more than some ability to play nice, but that...well that was practically another lifetime. And that was less nice and more playing.
Grace
Grace waves at Arionna. "Both of them. And he isn't a weasel. Mr. Sunshine is more the weasel. A ferret, really. Kalen is an undomesticated cat. But he, obviously, thinks of me as a vulpine species, from the name he gave me."
Yes, Danny, you are a ferret. Congratulations.
"The coat? I suppose I could. But it's more of a laser tag thing than a costume. I don't know what I could go as with a light-up coat," she says to Danny. "I could make it blink really fast and go as a pulsar, but then I might give someone a seizure."
"I would plant my ass, but my butt could grow roots and that would be so uncomfortable. I think I'll just sit," she says, and plops down, not next to the trunk, but facing the others.
Arionna
She looks to Danny for a moment. "Mmm... no.. not a ferret. Unless he's a thief. Do you have a tendency to take things of little to no monetary value and hide them under couches? Do you do the weasel war dance when you become excited?"
"Kalen has a very weasel face. It's the bone structure. Pointed nose." She pointd at her own nose as if to make the point. Arionna closed her book again and lifted her attention to the group finally. "If you grow roots, I hope you have the courtesy to wait until I can document it. I've never seen a human grow roots before."
Danny
*Letting his arm remain there, he just let the smile stay on his face. What wasn't to love? It was getting darker, they were relaxing in the last rays of summer, yeah all in all, life wasn't too terrible if you ignored that there were a hoard of nasty evil cannibals on the rampage and who knew what else..*
Nope, you're not a weasel face. Definitely a cat. *He chuckled a bit at that. Then stared at Grace in shock.* How the hell am I a ferret?
*He shook his head still smiling and chuckling.* No I'm not thief. And what the hell is a weasel war dance? Kalen's beautiful.
Kalen Holliday
"Excitable, curious, fond of shiny objects?" Kalen smiles. "I could see it."
"Lots of animals have pointed noses." The protest doesn't even sound serious. Because he is calm, and not actually concerned about it. Weasels are kind of cute.
And then Danny is calling him beautiful, so Kalen responds exactly as one might expect. "Purr."
Grace
"You haven't? I have seen humans growing roots. It wasn't very cool. We managed to save one of them, but from what I gather, it wasn't easy," Grace says. Oh yeah, Arionna. Have we mentioned this is Denver yet?
"You are a ferret," she says to Danny, and shrugs. Like, that's the only evidence she has really. That he just is one.
Arionna
"The weasel war dance is..." Either youtube was going to explain it or Ari was going to be left to it. She took in a slow breath, tightening her lips a little. Slowly, she rose from her feet, setting her book aside. Arionna slipped her hands under her hair, pushing it out of her face. With a small shake of her limbs and a straight, poised stance, she began.
First, she bounced in place, then forwards and backwards, giving it a little spin. And maybe that would have been it, but oh.. oh no it wasn't. She ran forward, stopped, bounced, then jumped a bit in the air, wiggling as much of her body as she could. With another spin, she ran back to the group, bumping into Danny with a few bounces, giving another twirl and wiggle in the air before she bounced back to her place and stood there, panting from the exertion. "That...is the weasel war dance. And it's done when a weasel or ferret successfully takes an item. "
Her hands brushed at her skirt as if it might wash away the strangeness that just presented itself. "People grew roots?" A look of confusion sliding over to Grace. "How?"
Danny
*There was another sigh and he shook his head again with another chuckle, but this time it was to Grace..* Fine, Ferret then. I guess I should see this whole war dance thing at least though before I accept it.
*He grinned even more at Kalen's purr.* It's true... I could scritch, your chin but I think that'd be pushing too far. Maybe... so..... Me and Ari were talking earlier.... just chatting shit. She's uh.... very new to the scene.
*And then Ari got up, and began to prance about, pronging around and bouncing. All he could do was stare at her, his eyebrows rising higher and higher, right before he burst out laughing. A proper full on laugh.* Oh. My. God. I do not do that!! Do I? Ferrets gloat?
*But he settled down some more when Arionna asked the right question, if she saw his face, she'd see him nod in encouragement.*
Kalen Holliday
Kalen stretches and then resettles. "Careful. Grace did specify that I was undomesticated." He watches the war dance, which is far from the strangest spontaneous demonstration he has seen without comment. Random passers-by might be surprised, but it takes mythical creatures and being dragged into the Umbra, and other rather more extreme circumstances to surprise Kalen.
Like finding out someone was reading to your body while you were functionally comatose.
"So was Grace, when we met," Kalen says. "Remember that, Kit? And you were skeptical about coming out to my totally not creepy warehouse....?" He sounds amused.
"Actually, unless you can think of an appropriate nature witch I was thinking maybe we should introduce her to Eleanor. They'll be like instant wintery friends or someone will start hissing, I think. But in the event of the first one I think the balance thing would be an ideal point of commonality.
"I picked up less from Jack and more from Kharisma, so I know some principals but...I'm more fate than balance. Even if we actually got on and wanted to...I don't think I'd be any good for her." Says the Flambeau who practically took Grace as an apprentice for awhile. And, lo, it did it goeth more smoothly than his actual apprentice.
Grace
"I don't know how it happened," Grace says, to Arionna. "Not exactly. Apparently some plant 'spirit' or other got a little too into messing with people. Turned them into horrible shambling root monsters."
She doesn't say zombies. She doesn't want to unnecessarily set him on edge.
"Well, the warehouse is not creepy," she starts to answer Kalen, even though her eyes stay on Arionna. "But I didn't know that beforehand. Just there's this guy I just met and he's saying I should come to his warehouse to shoot guns, and that doesn't exactly inspire gobs of trust."
Arionna
She sat back down in her seat, stretching her legs out and acting as if the whole war dance had never occurred. "Ferrets gloat, yes. Very much so. I imagine they have very humorous personalities."
She cast her green eyes a little to Kalen. "No, I suppose it wouldn't. He does have a little of a serial killer look. Not very approachable either. Gives off a bit of an air. I wouldn't trust that either." Her book was placed right back in her lap and she crossed her ankles. "Suppose I can't blame the earth for retaliating. "
Danny
*He was relieved. Turning his head to Kalen as he spoke.* Hey, I like being bitten! *Reveal time?!!*
Yeah, that's probably the best way to go. Right now, I'm keen on preventing things getting out of hand without her having any idea of what the cost is from the burn. *Perhaps it was impolite to speak about Ari with her there, but it was better probably with her there rather than not.* And no, I don't think I know of any nature witches.
*He turns to stare at Grace then laughs as his head goes to Kalen.* You didn't! Oh god, that's terrible! I'm surprised she didn't run a mile!
*He never knew what Arionna was going to say next,* I'd have never guessed that Ferrets gloat, but I'd hope I wouldn't do that... unless I really was right.
Kalen Holliday
"Oh, I totally did. And she asked if she could bring a friend. And then I told her that if she'd trusted me I would have been slightly disappointed in her and we've been friends ever since." Not precisely true. But he doesn't bring up what they've more technically been friends ever since. But that first day she got her Name and they've been friendly since. That counts, right?
Grace
"He did. But then, I don't know. He turned out not to be an axe murderer, and when I did go to the warehouse, we just drank coffee and talked about the true nature of the universe, so..." she shrugs.
"I can blame the spirit plenty. It tried to kill me. Strangely enough, that's still cause for blame. I don't know. I actually grew some roots there myself, but fought it off."
Kiara Woolfe
It's getting darker and the lights on Denver Campus have ignited, dull yellow orbs flickering to life and casting feeble attempts at lighting down upon the pathways that weave throughout the sprawling campus lawns. There's more than a single figure navigating said pathways at this time of day, when the sun retreats and the moon peeks from under the horizon, ascending into an inky black sky scattered with stars.
Kiara Woolfe is among those souls, a dark figure cutting across the lawn with her arms full of papers, a bag slung casually over a shoulder in some intimation of a perfectly acceptable college student and that bold mouth of hers painted as richly crimson red as ever. She's a striking figure, not merely for the mundane reasons, but also for the way she invokes a certain supernatural je ne sais quoi from those with the senses to detect it. It's very particular, that feeling of your skin being prickled and stripped, only to be pressed back into feeling with a sudden jolt. Like someone has torn a intangible bandaid off without the manners to forewarn it.
The Dreamweaver has no pressing business to her stride, her long legs are eating up the lawn with casual determination. Still, her path intends to lead her quite close to the small gathering under the trees.
Arionna
With the drop of the sun and the rise of the moon, she feels...more alive, rejuvenated...free. It's always with the coming dark that she feels stronger, better at everything. She curls her legs under her slowly, shoving the book back into her bag. "Nothing is getting out of hand. You're treating me like a child. As if I've never been prepared for this. I'm likely not the first in my line to be gifted."
"You killed it, didn't you? That's part of everything. Something is always trying to kill something else. If its motivations were just, then I couldn't be upset about it."
Danny
If I didn't know you, I'd say you were exaggerating, but I know you well enough by now I think. . *he laughed softly to Kalen. Then looked to the girls as they talked. If he didn't see Kiara or didn't really pay attention to her was purely because he was having an off day as far as his ping-dar was working.
His head turned to Arionna as she spoke, then he gently hugged Kalen again.* You okay? Getting enough rest or you need me to come over?
Kalen Holliday
"On the contrary, I spend a considerable amount of time either teaching or learning, and I've spent a decade learning already. Having people who understand and can work with you is a good thing. I think there is a good chance you might have that with Eleanor. There is almost no chance you'll have it with me.
"I don't think you need someone to hold your hand while you cross the street, and you'll understand when you meet her...but Eleanor has never struck me as the hand-holding or coddling type. She is one of the more intimidating people I have met, but she seems in my experience reasonable, fair, and dedicated to justice.
"If you were a different person, I'd introduce you to someone else."
He glances at Danny. "I'm fine, Star."
Kiara Woolfe
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (4, 5, 7, 7, 9) ( success x 3 )
Grace
"I don't know if its motivations were just, or if it even had a concept of what justice is, necessarily. I think that's the only thing that really gives it much of a pass in my opinion. Someone once told me that spirits don't really see things the same way we do. They only know their own natures, or something. So us complicated humans with our concepts of justice and right and wrong? They don't really get it. I mean, I wouldn't expect it. They're like automatons. Daemons. One job, one purpose. I don't know really. I've never had much contact with 'spirits'."
She leans back to look at the sky, and a touch of surprise crosses her when she feels Kiara. This surprise is directed at the last embers of sunset. She doesn't actually look to the source.
"I don't think it's that he's treating you like a child. Just in Denver, we tend to have to stick together. The world ends here about two or three times a season. We've had world-ending plague, world-ending viral plant things, a world-ending spirit of terror I like to call Thakky, another universe tried to eat ours from here. Just lots and lots of shit. Eventually, if you're unlucky, you'll want someone watching your back.
"Also... who is that? Someone's coming?"
Kiara Woolfe
Not everyone among the collection under the tree is familiar, but there's enough to slow the brunette's momentum somewhat as she nears, the heels of her boots sinking easily into the earth. Kiara pauses, tenders aside a lock of dark hair from her eye and with a small smile hinging the edge of her mouth, redirects her footsteps so that they fall into direct line with the grouping by the tree.
"Don't tell me," she offers, a thin eyebrow drawn upward, her gaze settling on one face she does recognize, slouched against the tree with Danny. "Stargazing Club?" The Verbena's eyes flick upward, musing. "You might get lucky." They drop. Shift between the various gathered Awakened. Grace gets a slightly longer look, more measured, a calculation perhaps of the odds of her being what Kiara assumes, given her company, she must be. Arionna gets the benefit of a wider smile of recognition before the dark eyes return to Kalen.
"Private party or can a girl pull up a square of lawn?"
Arionna
She knows Kiara from their moment in the herb shop. So when she approaches, Ari shifts her eyes to the woman, picking up her now cold coffee and sipping at it. There wasn't much left, but it still had a pleasant flavor.Her eyes flit among the group, and despite her own beliefs, she can't seem to accept that the world has nearly ended a few times...particularly since she didn't experience it herself.
"If you pull up a square of lawn, I don't think the university will be very pleased. They'll have to put it back, and I've learned that city people truly enjoy their artificial lawns."
Danny
*He nodded sagely to the pair of them when they spoke to Arionna, and no, there was no gloating what so ever, some might lift their hand and "air chalk" the wall, others might crow "I told you so!" Triumphantly, Danny smiles, but it's not so much as it was.
Then at Graces other words, he frowns slightly and starts to look out. Panning the area until he felt that something different.*
Uh, be my guest? *he was comfortable, his arm was draped around Kalen but his skin was cooling rapidly now that night had fallen in full and he wriggled just that little bit closer to Kalen.*
Kalen Holliday
"Figure of speech," Kalen murmurs to Arionna, but there is no venom or even really censure.
"They let me in. I assume they'll let anyone." He doesn't move from where he's settled against Danny's side, but his eyes track Kiara now, wary despite the playful tone. "And...on occasion. On occasion there is stargazing." He doesn't offer introductions this time. Of course, he doesn't actually know Kiara. That does tend to put a bit of a strain on introductions.
Grace
[Reference for the adorables: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/da/16/e9/da16e99efe497c00ecae599e2b9e4ec5.jpg]
Grace smirks at Danny and pulls out her smart phone. A few seconds later, she turns it around to show him a picture of a ferret and a cat cuddling each other. Kalen will probably see it too, as his vantage point is so close to Danny's.
Seems like they've been that way since the beginning -- touchy feely in a way Grace can't comprehend. But she can do a mean image search.
"It's totally private. I mean, where did you get the idea that people should be allowed to sit wherever? In the outdoors? We have rules and regulations like a mile long as to how you can socially interface with us. How dare you," Grace says, but the words are so blatantly full of jest at the very idea of private gatherings out in the open, it would take a miracle to miss the sarcasm.
Kiara Woolfe
"Grazie." She drops the bag to the ground with a heavy thunk, things inside rattle together before adding a pile of papers to the lawn beside it and setting a foot lightly on top to hold its position while she gathers together the heavy fall of her hair from her nape and shifts it over a shoulder.
For a (near) perfect stranger, the female has an odd degree of certainty about her acceptance to the gathering. That, or perhaps she takes a little pleasure in any discomfort that follows it. Arionna draws laughter, its warm, vital. It reaches the Pagan's eyes tonight. "Oh, I don't know, I think it could add character. A few missing pieces here and there, it might be exciting." She turns her attention back to Grace.
"Lawn elitism. I should have known. It's a college thing, isn't it?" Glib for glib. Then. "I'm Kiara, by the way. Kiara Woolfe. Newcomer, social interloper." She holds out a hand, ring laiden and with a wrist bound by clinking bracelets. "Woman of mystery, defier of social lawn etiquette." The last added on idly, as an afterthought.
Arionna
"If you remove just the right pieces, we can have a game of chess, much like Alice did. Though we'll never get anywhere because the whole world isn't quite right. "
"It wasn't so much that we let him in, but that he sort of appeared, and we didn't have the energy to kick him out. The sun has a way of doing that." She popped the lid of her coffee to examine how low the contents were and let her lips drop into a small frown.
"Arionna. Kalen is the weasel. Danny is the one with the long hair. Grace is the only other female present. Besides you."
Danny
*His eyebrows shot up seeing the picture and he laughs again in surprise.* That is sheer class. Bravo.. *He grinned at Grace. He didn't know Kiara but was not giving off the prickles that Kalen almost exhibits, it was merely curiosity now. Even as he laughed again at Grace's words, the laugh still a chuckle at Kiara's words before he shifted slowly so's not to dislodge Kalen. His hand coming out to shake Kiara's lightly.*
Danny. *When he'd shook hands he nestled back again, this time with a shiver.* I'm going to have to go soon, I'm sorry.
*And again he had to laugh at Arionna with a shake of his head.*
Kalen Holliday
His eyes roll at Arionna's continued references to him as a weasel, but Kiara amuses him and there a picture of a cat and a ferret and they are so cute and-
...ahem. Decorum. Or something.
"Me too. I did come here to work." But he doesn't move from where he is yet, save for just enough to offer a hand to Kiara.
"Hey."
Grace
Grace does not offer a hand. She never offers that. But she does smile.
"Man, you do not even know about lawn elitism until you've lived in Phoenix. It's a status symbol that says just how much you care about the expense of water usage. Hell, the fountains-per-capita in that place is astounding. And then, the border towns about riot over the people crossing the border who have the temerity to drink from their precious lawn fountains. Like how dare they survive, right? It's like the border jumpers are attacking them right in the elitist status symbol," Grace says, obviously a bit on a particular side when it comes to elitism.
She shifts her attention back to Kalen. "Oh yes, Mr. I Had This Problem With a Database, who had to text me about it. Then I find you here being all with people."
Kiara Woolfe
"Arionna. Kalen, I remember. We had a tryst over ice cream. Or at least, meaningful dialogue, I think. Danny, I'm sure I've seen you before. I'd like to think I'd remember." The edge of her mouth again. Playful. Flicking to Grace and her speech on elitism. "Grace."
She slides down into a cross legged collection of limbs and reclines back on one hand. "I come from New York, I think anything not resembling a sidewalk is considered fair game." She jingles when she shifts her weight, Kiara, a collection of gems gleam around her neck, her wrist too. Beneath one leg the edge of her papers are slightly dislodged, though they appear far less any sort of college level work and more bold colored flyers advertising something or other.
Arionna
The reference will never die. Grace may see Kalen as a cat, but he will always be a weasel in Ari's mind. Always. Probably one of those little albino ones. She doesn't need to give an exit speech, or a mention that she needs to slip off into the night. Arionna rises from her seat, grabbing her bag and sliding it over her shoulder.
"I have studying to complete." Her hands wrapped around her nearly empty coffee cup. She stepped around and out of the little group to make her way right back towards the library. [Ugh it's past midnight on my clock - and school calls]
Danny
Okay... Well... *he reluctantly shifts to move away from Kalen then stands up. T-shirt, three quarter length jeans which were fabulous in the heat of the day, but it was colder now by about ten degrees c.* I got to move on I'm afraid, I'm fucking freezing here.
*He laughed at Grace, then looked at Kalen with a fond shake of his head.* Kiara it was nice to meet you, everyone else? I bid you a fond farewell, and I shall see you all again soon. So take care of yourselves and each other.
*With that he began to make his way to where his car had been parked. Soon only his resonance lingered, then he was gone.*
(I'm really sorry, it's really early here... cars outside and I need to go to bed before the sun comes up.)
Danny
Sorry about having to bail, it's gone 5am
Kiara Woolfe
(No worries, guys! Thanks for playing. :) )
Kalen Holliday
Kalen rises too. "As lovely as it is to see you again, I come from a nice southern sunny place and I might freeze out here." He smiles. "Did I give you my card last time?"
He glances over at Grace. "You can be social. I'll get set up. And then fail at keywords until you get there. There are only so many possibilities. I might luck into something....."
Grace
"Kalen, databases don't generally have keywords. They have queries. Remember, 'select' whatever 'from' the database 'where' things are the way you want them," Grace says, and realizes upon blinking that he probably still has no clue what she means.
"I'll just go with you, okay? Sorry, Kiara. I do have to go help Kalen. He needs it."
With that, she stands from her plot of grass, thankfully not having grown roots into it, and joins Kalen. Not at his side. She's the type to keep a large bubble of personal space. But with him? That bubble is smaller than with most.
Kiara Woolfe
The departing figures receive a brief salute from the brunette, Kalen a winged smile and a nod, yes, she had his card before he and Grace stand to head on their way. "Don't let me keep you, I was just waiting you out to steal your piece of lawn, anyway."
There's a laugh and she watches the pair depart, her dark eyes following them until they vanish into the inky darkness.
Kiara Woolfe
(Thanks for letting me crash your scene, guys! Sleep well.)
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