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The Multiverse » Arcs » Rumblings...

Something has changed in Wing City, and Nadya isn't certain what, but magic feels different.

As written by: DemiKara, Absenthia, lil_kreen


166 pieces and 11 characters involved, written by 3 different authors.

6 places involved




So begins...

Rumblings...


Northern Main StreetSetting: Northern Main Street


Several days later, Nadya was bored senseless as she worked her way through the packet that the school had provided this was all stuff that the ship's AI had gone over, but the school insisted that she had to make her way through it all, to 'catch up' even though she had tested above her supposed grade level. She missed the ship. Things were simple there. She ran when told, did her work on the ship, and when Rei had needed her help, she did that too.

It was also a lot more interesting. Things happened there. Here she jsut sat behind the counter and did make up work and occasionally she had to restock shelves or run the register. Not often for the second though as she looked too young for it.
Sensing Nadya's boredom, Laura paused from setting up the latest display of essential oils and diffusers on the counter nearby. "I know it's hard kiddo, but look at it this way, you dot your i's and cross your t's and you'll be golden in school." She said looking over at the young teen's expression with mild amusement. "So, why don't you take a break, and go do something else for awhile?" Laura suggested looking out the front windows of the shop before turning her attention back to Nadya.

It looked like today was going to be one of those days where she'd be pulling from back stock, and advising more regular customers on the use of certain items. Sighing slightly, she still found herself uncertain if this was what she should really be doing, but it was better than working for the alternatives.
"I guess, but it's pretty boring doing this stupid work." And there was so much of it, and she had an inch thick packet, at least, for every subject that she had to get through before she rejoined the other students. Still, she pulled away from the work more than happily and stood, stretching, more curious than not. "What should I do? I still need to hit up the currency exchange. I want to get a bike again, and get my job back. One day I'm going to have enough saved up for a car you know." That she had to start all over again galled her, but she would pay for her car with honest work.

Even if she had realized exactly how lucrative her pickpocketing was, if she did it in the right place. Still, she hoped that it would work out. The girl stood and moved around the shop, rather bored. "Or should I do something in the shop?"
"Whichever one you want to do Nadya, I've got a customer coming in to pick up an order." Laura said as she took a small yellow slip of paper out of the register. "But if you're asking which one I prefer, I'd rather you stick closer to the shop." She added as she examined the piece of paper, trying to decipher her own scribbles for a moment. "Silver Leaf, Wolfsbane, Devils Claw, and..." Laura muttered going over the list as she headed towards the stock room. Most of these were common herbs used by the new age community for a wide range of problems, from pain to purification; but most were just playing at things in Laura's opinion.

While Laura went to fetch the requested ingredients, the bell over the shop door chimed as the door opened letting a sharp gust of cold air into the warm shop. A tall woman dressed in a long expensive looking black coat and deep burgandy scarf closed the door behind her, appearing to fight briefly with the strong north winds of winter. "Brr.. cold.." She muttered to no one in particular as she stomped the ice and snow off her shoes before coming further into the shop.
Well, it was cold. She wrinkled her nose at the draft as the new customer entered. "It's cold." She grumbled. "I'll wait for the chance to get a ride." She said and stepped around the counter to straighten something. She glanced to the customer curiously. "Welcome to the shop by the way. Please let me know if you need help with anything." She was bored senseless after all, and she would be happy enough to do anything other than schoolwork at this point.

It was also a bit too cold for her tastes, if she had to walk to the currency exchange, or even just to the bus stop. Bored, Nadya straightened a line of soaps for the umpteenth time, and resisted the urge to stack them in weird patterns.
Nodding briefly to Nadya, she was obviously not paying attention for the moment as she removed her gloves and carefully tucked them into her coat pocket. "Is Laura here?" The woman finally asked bluntly, speaking with a slight accent. Vowels came out with a slightly oily sound and consonants hard, yet soft. Waiting for an answer, she unwound the thick woolen scarf around her neck and began to unbutton the heavy black coat, as she found herself suddenly sweltering in the heat from the store.

Meanwhile, Laura was busy in the back and the sound of the shuffle of items on the stock room shelves could be heard.
"She's in the back." Nadya answered. "I think she's filling an order. I can go grab her, if you'd like." Who was this? Whoever it was, it seemed like she planned on being here for a long time. Then again, compared to outside, it was probably unbearably warm here. Nadya was rather curious though. She didn't recognize the other's accent, faint as it was, and wanted to know a lot more besides. But she wasn't supposed to be curious at the customers. It bothered them.

The teen didn't wait for an answer, but cheerfully jogged to the back and popped her head in. "There's a lady here for you Laura." She carefully didn't say the next bit, where she mentioned the accent. The customer could probably hear and that was rude.
"Please." The other woman said with a curt nod as she turned to look at something on a shelf while Nadya went to fetch Laura. She could wait until Laura was done filling the order, it looked like with the way the weather was acting she'd be here for a bit at least until this latest band of batch of snow passed.

Looking up from the same slip of yellow paper, Laura nodded to Nadya. "I'll be right out." She said as she quickly wiped her hands off on the grungy green apron she'd donned to cover the elaborately embroidered peasant blouse she'd worn that day. Laura suspected that she knew who it was, as they were generally quite punctual and usually ordered the more unusual combinations of herbs and other supplies. However, she hadn't ever been entirely sure what sort of magic they were being used for, as sometimes they were for the woman or someone else.
Nadya nodded and left the back for the front. "Laura says she'll be right our ma'am." Nadya reported to Catherine. "I'm Nadya by the way." She introduced herself, curiosity getting the best of her. Carefully, she glanced to the other's aura, hoping to see if she was real magic, or just fake magic like a lot of the customer were. The girl frowned at what she saw, uncertain. The new lady was bright. Brighter than most by a lot, but the aura was so close to her that it looked like it hurt.

She hesitated, uncertain if she should speak up. Still, asking, if she did it right, shouldn't be a bad thing. "Are you...okay?" It looked painful. She didn't know if it was, and the aura wasn't fluctuating like it did when people really seriously hurt, but it still looked painful.
"Nadya hm? That's interesting." Catherine said turning her attention back to the young teen. "I'm Catherine, I'm a friend of Laura's. We go way back." She answered plainly. "But, I see Laura has already put you to work, or are you just avoiding the cold?" She asked jokingly, seeming to know most of the story with Nadya. But soon she could sense the girl's probing and frowned. Catherine knew that a lot of the customers Laura entertained were fakes, and wishful thinkers, but she also knew that the witch entertained customers who weren't. It was natural for people to be curious, but that curiosity could cause problems. "I'm fine, why do you ask?" Catherine replied mildly puzzled as to why the young teen would ask such a strange question. She didn't feel sick, or look sick.
"A bit of both. I have errands, but it's too cold to do them. And I'm tired of the makeup work I have to do, so I might as well help the shop, or she'll find other chores. I don't think Laura knows what lazing around is." Nadya wasn't really given the chance to not work in some fashion. It wasn't bad, not really, but she had a feeling it was on purpose, to keep her out of trouble. She shouldn't have let Laura know that she learned to pickpocket from her Terran friends.

The girl didn't know if she wanted to explain why she was worried though. "Well. Your aura. It's almost as bright as Ms. June's." Or at least the closest second that Nadya had ever seen a mortal's soul get to it. "But, um. It looks cramped." She didn't know how else to explain it. "You can relax it a bit in here you know. It won't bother us." Or it wouldn't bother her, probably wouldn't bother the herbs, and Laura might not say anything.
Catherine thought carefully for a moment, and then sighed. Blocking an aura reader had always been hard, and she hadn't expected such a precise talent out of such a young girl. It seemed like Laura was taking her time with the order, and while normally that was fine, Catherine didn't like being caught off guard; especially after the last couple of months. Shrugging out of the heavy black coat and setting it aside, she took a seat on a stool near the counter. "So you're an aura reader huh?" She asked crossing her arms over her chest. "I haven't run into very many of those, but if you're so curious about me, I have a binding." It was relatively common knowledge, it wasn't a terribly huge secret.

But she'd never thought to compare what her own aura looked like when it came to the rest of the unseen world. "June's aura is bright because she's an immortal and likely blessed by a god or goddess."
Nadya did not correct to misconception on why June's was bright, though she supposed the woman could have blessed herself. "She explained. It actually startled me. That's how I was found out." She admitted. "It's a pretty useless skill though." She shrugged, and examined Catherine's aura a bit longer, curious. "I don't think I like bindings. Auras are meant to be free and pretty." She wrinkled her nose.

"If you want, I can kick whoever did it to you in the shin." She offered. It would be hilarious, even if she would get into huge trouble for the fun of it. Somethings were worth getting into trouble for anyway, and anyone who thought it was okay to do that to a person deserved the pain of a kicked shin.
Catherine had a fair idea of why June's came across as so bright, but prying any sort of confirmation out of Alexander was like pulling teeth, and to be frank the man would have likely allowed his teeth pulled before confirming anything to do with the Councilor. "It is what it is kid, I don't much like it either." She said making a slightly disgusted expression. "But I doubt you'll ever have to have one, so be happy about that." Catherine added matter of factly. Bindings generally occurred as soon as individuals with great talent or potential were identified. Council's reasoning was teach them to use the talents at a lower level before setting them loose with the whole thing; but Council rarely set anyone loose.

"I would almost pay money to see you kick Kasimir in the shins." Catherine said chuckling at the teen's offer. "But I don't think he'd appreciate it. Word is June already tortures him enough."
"Mmm. I like June. She's nice. If she has it covered, I probably won't do it." Probably. Of course, it depended on her mood and her memory at the time. Nadya was known to be vindictive at times. "So, what're you doing with the herbs and stuff? Is it okay that I ask that? I'm still not a hundred percent on all the rules and manners and things." She shrugged, not that bothered. Worse came to worse, if she decided she didn't like it here, she'd go eat pigeon with Bo, and everything would be fine. The teen maintained she could take care of herself.

Still it was nice here, and Laura was kind. she had even gotten Nadya some new clothes, and things to do in her downtime. She hadn't expected that.
"Most people do." Catherine agreed. June was one of the more easy going ones to get along with, unless she got some crazy half baked scheme in her head. Then all bets were off, especially if it involved something that the Councilor wanted done and didn't want to do herself. "I figured as much." She said as she spotted Laura making her way through the doorway from the back. "But maybe you might want to ask your boss what all these things are for and not me." Catherine added as she stepped down from the stool.

"I see you've already met Catherine." Laura said to Nadya as she set the box onto the counter. "Just don't make yourself too big of a pest." She instructed the teen, suspecting that the girl had already been peppering the other with rapid fire questions, and sticking her nose where it didn't need to go. "It's good to see you Catherine, I hope everything's okay?" Laura then said as she turned towards the other woman with a warm friendly smile, offering the other a quick hug. "The weather is awful though isn't it?" She then said as almost an afterthought.

"Everything is okay, I just needed to reinstall new wards on a few things and found myself severely lacking in supplies." Catherine explained as she picked up a bottle from the box examining it.
"I'm not being a pest at all." Nadya protested and stuck her tongue out, unimpressed. Still, it was interesting. She hadn't seen Laura hug a customer before. That meant this one was special. She wondered why. Then she wondered why it mattered. "It's a good thing you came here then, if you needed supplies. We have so many things. Even weird magic soap!" That still confused and stunned her.

Seriously, magical soap. Nadya wasn't certain she approved, but she wasn't actually all that fond of soap in general. Rinsing dirt off seemed to work just fine for her, and it just needed water, though there was soap from her shampoo involved, so she supposed that counted. The girl wrinkled her nose at the outside. "...I think my coat may be thick enough I wouldn't be too cold..." Where the coat covered at least. Her winter boots didn't quite meet the bottom edge of her coat, which meant her knees and parts of her legs would be cold.
Laura ignored Nadya's comment as she watched Catherine pick up the items, obviously checking them against her own mental list. "I had most things that were on the list, except for the silver leaf.. that one's been a bit harder to come by lately. I'll check with some other suppliers, but you may have to substitute Holy Thorn or Birch." Laura explained as she set out a few other bottles and jars. "I think Birch would work well, it offers some purification properties." Catherine answered as she set down and then picked up another bottle. "Bathing with certain herbs or plants has always been a way to heal, being a ritual, or cleanse oneself from impurities... both physical and non." She explained suppressing a laugh at the teen's confusion.

"Whatever you want to do Nadya." Laura said idly as she turned towards the register.
It was like she didn't really have a guardian some days. Nadya had incredibly few rules here. It was confusing, and almost like Laura trusted her to stay out of trouble. The girl bit her bottom lip and thought it over. She was bored here, but it was very cold out. Just because she was russian, didn't mean she liked the cold. It meant she respected it, that was all. The girl considered what she had to do and swallowed. "I'm...I'm gonna wait. Besides, I have stuff to do here." Even if she wasn't too enthused with them. Then teen swallowed and picked up her homework.

Trust was confusing. Laura had so much of it in here, that Nadya never wanted to disappoint her, and she didn't know why, or why she felt like this. "School stuff. And I have to learn more about the herbs and stuff, if I'm going to help out, you know?"

She looked to Catherine, curious. "What do you mean nonphysical impurities? I get that it removes dirt, but soap is on the outside, and our soul isn't...isn't touchable. How can something that you can touch effect something that can't be touched?"
"Okay." Laura said with a shrug. For now she wasn't going to be too terribly hard on Nadya, after all there was generally an adjustment period and she'd managed before the teen. But soon she'd likely start giving the girl a bit more to do in the shop and a bit more responsibility at home. "Just be sure to get it done before we go home." She added before consulting that same slip of yellow paper.

"Hm.. non-physical impurities can be something like a curse or metaphysical stain. It's hard to describe." Catherine answered turning to the small girl. "And yes, your soul is very much so touchable, at least mortal souls are."
"I bet it feel weird too." She murmured, and then wrinkled her nose at Laura. She knew. She needed to get any errands done before they went home. The girl looked to Catherine, more curious than not. This new person was nice. Interesting too. "Are only mortal souls touchable? Does that mean immortals are immune to soul magic?" That would be interesting. She was kind of super curious now. Still, Laura had chided her before not to pepper the clients with questions.

She should try to ask less, maybe? But then she wouldn't learn, and where would the fun be in that.
"Nadya..." Laura started before Catherine held a hand up. "It's okay, let the girl ask questions. You had just as many." She said, giving Nadya permission to continue asking questions. "I'm sorry, some days that seems like that wasn't even me." Laura apologized, a deep crimson flush quickly spreading across her cheeks. She had so much wanted to at least show that she wasn't ham-fisting this whole guardianship.

"I'm not sure to be honest. Magic really isn't my strong point, at least not offensive magics." Catherine explained to Nadya, frowning briefly. Defensive tactics she knew inside and out, but anything offensive was a struggle.
"Wait, you knew Laura when she was just starting out here too?" Oh wow. "You guys must have gone to school together right? Cool!" That meant there was a magic school! Nadya was enrolled in regular school though. Magic was an after school thing for her it seemed. She wondered at the difference.

"And that's okay. All I can do is look at people's auras. It's kind of the least magical thing I can think of, and definitely the least useful." Definitely. Seriously, all she could do was look at the pretty colors. For now, of course, the voice in the back cautioned her. She wasn't here to rescue a mage from his own powers, this time. She would develop like most would, this time. It was better.

Which was nice to know and all, but told her jack squat about her mission. The teen ignored this with practiced ease, and tried to find the thread of her thoughts again. "If offensive isn't your thing, does that mean you're good at defense?"
Laura and Catherine just looked at each other for a moment, as if sharing a passing thought between them. "No..." Laura said carefully, noting that Nadya's assumptions about age and how the two knew one another. "We didn't go to school together, and I went to a normal, mundane school. So don't think for a second that there are schools for magic... things work differently." She explained, beginning to realize what a mess this whole thing was becoming. "And reading aura's is a good start, you're still a kid." Laura told Nadya with mild annoyance. The girl was constantly badgering to learn different things, things that Laura didn't even want to set a kid loose with.

"Yes, it's my job to know defense." Catherine said quickly changing the subject, noting the mild tension between the two.
Oh great. She had upset her guardian. The girl looked down, upset. Hopefully, she hadn't upset Laura too badly. She liked it here. Laura was nice. The teen bit her bottom lip and looked to the two adults, uncertain. She would make it work out. Laura was nice, June said so, and June was definitely in a position to know. Plus, Nadya was pretty sure that June would just track her down if she ran away and put her right back. Annoyance wasn't anger. Laura may be her guardian, but that was all, and it was okay.

"Sorry. Um, what is it that you do, Miss Catherine. If it's okay to ask." This was a lot. But it was okay. June had said so, and if you couldn't trust a, um, a June, who could you trust?
Catherine considered the pair for a second, wondering what sort of bright idea June had had putting them together, other than Nadya would likely be as safe and removed from the chaos as possible. But for now it seemed like the two were having some amount of difficulty settling into a routine. "It's okay to ask." Catherine assured the teen as she set down the last bottle onto the counter, her hand with it's ruby slipper colored nails contrasting against the dark glass. "I work as a detective of sorts, helping solve crimes that involve magic and monsters." That was the easiest way to put it.

"My friends and I, try to keep people like Laura, and your friends safe."
"Magic cops then." She deduced and smiled. "That's pretty cool." Catherine seemed to be a pretty cool person, Nadya decided. Cops could be alright. The girl picked through her school packet and wrinkled her nose as she chose a subject to muddle her way through. "I'm never missing this much schooling again. Even if I didn't miss it at all, because Spectre tutored me." Though tutored by a spaceship hadn't worked so well when she was trying to explain it to the school officials.

They hadn't even put her down as homeschooled. Just no school at all, which was a lie. The teen finally chose history, which she was farthest behind in, because Spectre wanted her to learn galactic history instead of just Terran history.
"That's the basic gist of it." Catherine said turning her attention back to Laura and the bottles. "Looks like this is it, unless you needed other things?" The other woman said while the register beeped with each entry. "Let me know if your actually able to get silver leaf, it's preferable to birch." Catherine replied while reaching over and taking a card out of her pocket. Redoing wards on anything was an exhausting task, and one that she really had no taste for. But considering that there were persons now on the offensive, and deliberately looking for at least some sort of revenge for their own stupidity.

Laura pursed her lips and thought for a moment,"I can check... but it might be a few weeks...." She said thoughtfully. Looking over at Nayda, she just shook her head. "You'll find sooner or later that there are a lot of different types of history. Even history of the unseen." But she also couldn't help agree with the girl that what the school was doing was a bit excessive.
Nadya watched for a moment and hesitated. "I guess there are. Hey...the silver leaf?" She puled out her phone and searched quickly, not looking to Catherine as she did so. "How important is it?" They had some when she fit came in, and it looked familiar. She scrolled through a series fo pictures and held up her phone to an image of sage. "Is this it? Is it okay if it's super fresh?" She thought she might knew where some grew, and it was in the woods, so it wouldn't be private property.

The girl bit her bottom lip and thought it over. She was pretty sure she remembered it right. She had gone out there on a dare once, and come out again because sometimes the city was too much, and it was nice to see nature.
"Fairly important, but we've been strangely out of stock for weeks now." Laura replied looking at Nadya with confusion. Was this just another way for the teen to avoid her school work or was she genuinely interested in helping? So far the teen had largely just sat and sulked, complaining about how life wasn't fair, and stupid teachers. "I haven't been able to get any from even the big suppliers." Laura explained to Catherine who simply frowned. "That is.. odd." She said taking the phone from Nadya to get a better look.

Tilting the phone slightly and peering down over the tops of her glasses, she examined the image on the screen. "That's it, but how did you know what to look for?" She asked handing the phone back.
Well, this was awkward. the girl looked away. "Sometimes, I just know things." She said firmly. "I don't know why I know them, but I do." The teen swallowed and looked to Laura and then to Catherine. "It's not like...not like I know anything important, or that I should avoid this or that or anything. It's little things like knowing what silver leaf looks like, or where to find it, or knowing that...that a word in a foreign language means hotel, even if I've never even heard of the language." She shrugged, putting it off. "Anyway, it grows in the woods just outside of town. There's this clearing where things flower year round. I went there with a friend from the group home once. He showed me."

The girl shrugged. "I can show you the way, if you want." It was hard to give directions too. "I don't know if I would remember all the turns if I just told you how to get there."
Catherine frowned again considering the teen's answer, it wasn't what she had expected and was a bit unusual coming from a thirteen year old. "That's an usual type of magic..." She mused thinking it was almost fae like in it's nature, but she'd only heard the teen's description. It could be something else entirely, as micro climates that specific just didn't happen. "Alright, show me." She finally said grabbing her coat and scarf from the counter.

Now it was Laura's turn to frown, "How do we know this is safe? I mean a clearing, in the woods, growing silver leaf this time of year? It's freezing outside!" Laura protested. After many of her own experiences, and having heard some of the tales of what could happen, Laura had grown in the habit of worrying about what was or wasn't safe. The shop was one thing, and she had defense mechanisms installed in case worst came to worst.

"We don't." Catherine answered bluntly as she pulled her coat. "Stay here, and if something happens you know who to call." She didn't want Laura to risk her noncombatant type status, and Nadya seemed able to take care of herself.
Nadya pulled on her heavy coat and her hat and scarf and gloves. "Ah, it'll be okay Laura. We can always run away. Besides, I've been there before and it was okay, and the woods aren't that scary." It would be fine, she was sure. Besides, you couldn't always go on about what might be or what was scary, or you would never explore and do and learn and that would be too sad. The teen pushed the rim of her hat back where it kept falling to cover her eyes.

"The guy who showed me had been there lots, and nothing ever happened to him." Nadya tried to reassure her guardian. "And Miss Catherine is a cop. She'll be fine." There was nothing to worry about, even if the teen didn't know how to reassure her guardian that it was okay.
Laura didn't say anything, knowing that somehow Nadya was right and that Catherine could handle herself just fine. But there were days when it was just frustrating to consistently be left out of whatever exciting thing was going on, but then she also had to remind herself of the several times she'd found herself up a creek without a paddle. Sighing, she watched the pair leave the shop and then sat there for a moment thinking. There had to be more that she could do, other than feed the occasional lead to MCU or Council.

"So who was this guy that showed you this special clearing in the woods?" Catherine asked Nadya once they were outside of the warm shop and headed towards the clearing that had been mentioned.
Nadya led the way and shrugged. "His name is Orin. He was two years younger than me, and he hated being inside the border of the city. Too much smog. The house mother knew where he liked to go though, and that was good enough for her, so long as he made if back by curfew." She explained. "I don't know how he found it though. He never said, and then he got adopted, so I didn't see him again." That was about how these things went.

The girl looked around her and smiled, happy to even be here. It was nice to be back in her crazy home, even if it did mean a guardian and new rules and things like that. "I'm glad he showed me! I don't like not being much help and I don't think Laura really needs my help around the shop at all." And she was a tidy kid, so she didn't contribute much extra mess to the house. As it was, the girl didn't know how she was supposed to handle having a proper guardian. She had a feeling that she was being annoying.
"Interesting." Catherine replied wondering just what had lead one of the kids, who weren't much more than wards of the state, to wander about like they had. "I'm surprised the orphanage you lived in let you wander around the city like that." She added stuffing her hands deep down into the pockets of her coat. The idea of sliver leaf growing, wild, and in a magical clearing in the woods seemed wrong to her some how. "Being of help comes and goes Nadya, it doesn't make you useless though." Catherine added bowing her head down against the brisk north wind, regretting not bringing a hat or gloves really.

"However, that being said, I will tell you that this isn't exactly normal to have happen."
"I really don't think that they cared about where we went, so long as we checked in periodically." She pointed out, and pulled her hair on tighter, leading the way at a brisk pace. "No one really does. The workers get tired after awhile, you know?" She murmured, uncertain. "They get all worn out." It was an experience that she was all too familiar with. The orphan shrugged and hurried along the sidewalk. "It's too many kids, and we're all messed up somehow." She didn't like to discuss that though. The girl stopped at the city gates and glanced out them. "Hey, do you want to borrow my hat? I have a hood..."

The other's head had to be cold by now, she was sure of it. The wind made everything so much colder that it wasn't good at all. Still, by the sounds of it, her adventuring ways were going to be sharply curbed. It caused an uncomfortable itch between her shoulder blades, a need for freedom. She had promise June though, that she would stay with Laura. She hadn't given and end date though, and the teen may take advantage of that, if she had to.
"No... you keep yours, I'll be fine." Catherine answered shaking her head. She could always pull her scarf up over her head if she needed, and it would more than likely be more comfortable than a child's small hat. "Kids that wind up in some sort of state assisted care tend to have more than their share of problems. It's not always their fault either." She said pulling up the collar of her coat further. Why did the weather have to be so weird this week? Normally it wasn't this cold, sure it could get cold, but never like this.

Catherine briefly wondered who pissed off which god to ensure that the city got itself covered in this much snow.
Nadya shrugged. "I'm mostly fine." She said firmly and led the way. Another ten minutes, and they were a lot deeper into the woods than how far they had traveled. The trees were much larger than they should be. Nadya took a deep breath and looked around. "At least the wind isn't so bad here. The path is kind of weird though." It threw her for a loop. She knew they weren't where they had walked, but they were too.

Whatever. It was safe enough. Nothing had happened last time after all, and Orin came here all the time. The girl glanced to Catherine. "Sorry I forgot to warn you about that. It only does that if you go on the right path. Any other trail, and it's not the same." Parts of it had hardly been a trail at all, looking more like a deer trail than a proper hiking trail. The teen smiled to Catherine, pleased. "We're not far at all now though."
Catherine resisted the urge to lecture the teen about woods and paths that suddenly changed direction. Instead she just kept her guard up and eyes open. "Kind of weird? This is weird even for me..." Catherine commented glancing around the woods. Hiking in the snow, after some sort of magical clearing hadn't been in her plans for her day off, and if she were completely honest, she didn't miss the chaos. Though she was still having to keep careful eye on some things after the little incident with the Dragon Court and their strange ways.

"I seriously hope this isn't a wild goose chase.."
"It's not! I know I've seen it." She said firmly and stepped into a clearing. The weather here was abruptly different and the teen shed her winter trappings. "See! It's here." She just knew it. She just had to find it now, in the riotous mass of weeds and flowers that grew here. The teen began looking for it and smiled happily. "I knew we could find it." She was pleased that she had even.

The teen didn't know enough about plants to understand that everything growing in the clearing was magical. She also didn't notice the careful pattern or that despite the initial appearance, the plants were carefully cultivated, carefully planted in a complex pattern meant to increase the magic in each one. The teen simply knew that here it was safe and that she was warm even in the dead of winter.

She didn't notice that she had tripped an alert ward at all. Wards were beyond her experience, in any of her lifes.
"It's not! I know I've seen it." She said firmly and stepped into a clearing. The weather here was abruptly different and the teen shed her winter trappings. "See! It's here." She just knew it. She just had to find it now, in the riotous mass of weeds and flowers that grew here. The teen began looking for it and smiled happily. "I knew we could find it." She was pleased that she had even.

The teen didn't know enough about plants to understand that everything growing in the clearing was magical. She also didn't notice the careful pattern or that despite the initial appearance, the plants were carefully cultivated, carefully planted in a complex pattern meant to increase the magic in each one. The teen simply knew that here it was safe and that she was warm even in the dead of winter.

She didn't notice that she had tripped an alert ward at all. Wards were beyond her experience, in any of her lifes.
Catherine on the other hand was extremely cautious about following the teen into the clearing. Something was wrong and she wasn't entirely sure what yet. She could sense the wards and knew that likely someone would be around soon to check on what had tripped them. "Nadya, this isn't a public land..." Catherine warned as she followed after the teen. At least one of them would have to be able to explain their trespassing. Hopefully it wouldn't be too hard to explain to whoever owned the property that they'd just gotten turned around looking for a lost dog or something.

"Let's forget about the herb and leave before this gets us over our heads."
"No, I can find it!" She said and kept looking. "Besides, it's okay! Orin took me here a few times, and no one ever bothered either of us." She smiled as she began to look around. It didn't take too long for her to find her. She beamed. "See, it's over here." She said firmly and then beamed to Catherine. "How much do you need?"

Around the clearing, the magic swelled and the wards changed, moments after Catherine stepped over. There would be no leaving the clearing, it seemed, not until the owner came by to let them out. The girl frowned and looked around. The wards were shining a violent red.

"...That's not good, is it?" That was bad. It had also never happened before. "...Maybe we should go?" The girl eyed the wall of magic and frowned, not certain. Could she? Was it safe? The girl reached her hand out and touched it, no harm coming to her at all. "It doesn't look like it will do anything to me." And it wouldn't, not to Nadya. Not to anyone under a certain age. Nadya had been safe here, it was true. So had Orin, and any other child that came here. Adults, on the other hand, were certainly not welcome.
Swearing under her breath, Catherine looked at the wall in aggravation. "No it's not good, and yes we should go." She said to Nadya. More than likely the owner would be by soon, and hopefully they were generally amicable to persons who didn't seem terribly dangerous. Crossing her arms over her chest as she watched Nadya touch the wall, wondering if it would be more or less harmless for her too. "But, lesson number one... there are such things as wards and we have just tripped the wards for some body's garden." She said with mild annoyance trying to remind herself that Nadya wasn't accustomed to knowing such things.

"But.. it's not often that the wards are so visible though..." Catherine added with a sigh as she stepped towards the wall, carefully and slowly. Wards could be overloaded, couldn't they? But first she'd need to know what made them in, and so she reached out a hand towards the red, shining wall of magic.
"Lesson number two: Do not touch visible magic. I'm sure you wouldn't be so foolish, Miss McBride." The deep voice reverberated from behind Catherine. A cloaked figure, robed in black stood there, the opposite side of the garden. His face wasn't visible, nor was any part of his skin. "I am impressed she followed you this far, Nadya. She must have excellent shielding, given how the path is spelled to encourage adults to turn back." It was impressive. The figure watched Catherine, curious, though it was evident only in his posture.

"Woah! How do you know my name?" Nadya said, eyes wide, hand back inside the ward. It hadn't hurt her, but still, she was going to keep her hands to herself. "And who are you! You've never come before, when Orin took me." She moved a little closer, wary, but her curiosity overcoming much of her wariness. This man was curious and it made everything in her stand up and want to look closer.
Catherine's hand dropped and returned to her side as she turned around to see who had used the name that so few knew. "Maybe, maybe not." She said with a nonchalant shrug. Sometimes one did have to touch visible magic, but perhaps this time it was for the best, as she wasn't entirely sure what exactly the wards were comprised of. "Do I know you?" She asked pulling her own shields even closer than they'd been previously. The use of the McBride name put her immediately on edge, making her question what sort of individual this might be.

"Stay put Nadya." Catherine said reaching out and grabbing the teen by the hood of her coat.
The man laughed, and pulled his own hood back, revealing a head of brown hair, gentle eyes, and a full beard. "We haven't met, no, but I followed your father's work on the council. He was a good man." He looked thirty, at most. Nadya paused and stared at him with wide eyes, going completely still. Lifetimes of memories fought in her as she watched him and he gave the teen a gentle smile, then frowned in concern as he noticed how stiff the child was. "The path is spelled, as I mentioned. It's a scrying spell, searching for a name to call you." He waved a hand over his robe and it parted.

"A bit too hot here for winter coats, don't you think?" The man removed the robe, keeping his eyes on Catherine the entire time. Nadya's eyes roamed over him. He was dressed in a simple t-shirt and slacks. With his arms bared, some scarring was evident, and as Nadya's eyes landed on her arms, she swallowed heavily. Her mind wouldn't stop fighting with her, trying to tell her something, and she didn't know what it was, but something about this man was...she didn't know what it was, but it was, and something in her told her not to move, or he would see her, he would know she was there.
This didn't make Catherine relax at all, instead made her all the more cautious. "You can save your remarks for when or if Council deigns it necessary to give him a fitting memorial." She replied coldly as she reeled Nadya back closer towards her. Scrying spells based off of a name could be problematic, and dangerous. It all depended upon the strength of the individual working the magic, bending it to their will, and if their target was shielded against such things. Catherine had little if any trust for individuals outside a very small circle of friends and family.

"But, congratulations, your little spell worked." Catherine added as she took a moment to reach for the quiet in her mind, careful not to trip anymore of this man's wards or alert anything to what she was doing, reaching for the magic that was so chaotic at best. She would keep careful restraint on it until she felt it necessary to use.
Nadya let herself be pulled back, keeping her eyes on the mage the entire time. He smiled to her, amused at the child's reaction. "Relax, little one. I don't harm children." It was a solid rule for him. "What brings you here, Miss McBride?" He said simply, looking rather amused. "I know why children come. Troubled children are drawn here for peace. It is an action I took in honor of my daughter in law, may she rest in peace." He had loved her more than he had loved his own wretched traitors that he had fathered.

"You however...I am certain Nadya here wouldn't have brought had there not been some need. Speak it, and I'll see if I can fulfill it. Then you will leave. Unfortunately, there will be no leaving without doing so." Something he regretted. "The consequences are not pretty, but I could use another birch tree, so you are welcome to try." He never minded more magical ingredients for his spell, after all.
"That's sweet and mildly endearing, but not exactly the point of why you've trapped us here." Catherine remarked bluntly. She wasn't going to do anything stupid, or anything near the level of foolishness that Alexander might attempt. However situations like this reminded her just how sheltered her father had attempted to keep her, worrying constantly what the Council would say or do. Despite being taught much of what he knew, she still wasn't entirely sure who his circle of friends and acquaintances had been.

Catherine considered accusing their would be captor of being some sort of mad man, then thought better of it. "Nadya is staying with a friend of mine who is her appointed guardian. I asked my friend where one could obtain silver leaf, and Nadya said she had seen it here." This was bordering on insane, and like some strange witches garden in a fairy tale. "As soon as we arrived I noticed the wards and went to retrieve Nadya, very much intent on leaving."
"Easily done." He said and walked through his garden, kneeling at a particular spot. "You won't need as much silver leaf in your spell as usual." He warned and quietly began to harvest it. "Everything grown here is intensely magical, due to the conditions." And it was something he was rather proud of. It had taken time to get the conditions in the clearing just right. "I'm sure what I provide will likely suffice." He said and pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. The man wrapped what he had harvested into the cloth and smiled.

"I would strongly suggest that you never come here again, however. I prefer it when adults do not come, as they tend to be too greedy with their demands. Besides, this is a sanctuary for the children." And he preferred to keep it that way. The man held out the small bundle to Catherine. "It will serve you well, no tricks, so long as you never return." That was the nature of the bargain after all. He never wanted to see her again.

Nadya swallowed, and slowly moved to hide behind Catherine. She would gladly never return. The mage offered the girl a smile. "Not you child. You'll be welcome here until you turn 17. Don't forget your winter things when you leave, Nadya. It's terribly cold outside this clearing." He wouldn't want the child to freeze.
Catherine would have as soon left without the silver leaf, and not come back. "I see." She said as she took the small cloth bundle from the still unnamed man. Still, it looked like she would be leaving with what she had come for. Whether or not she used it was going to be up to her, as she was almost certain she may still have birch left from the last set of wards she had installed. "But, yes this will more than suffice. It's only simple wards." She added pocketing the bundle. They were simple, but effective.

"As I said earlier, we were leaving, and I have no intent on returning." Catherine said plainly. If silver leaf would need to be procured again, she'd have to request Tatianna send some from her gardens. "Nadya however, I cannot speak for."
Nadya planned on never coming here again if at all possible. She pulled her winter things back on, eyes not once leaving the mage. She back out of the wards, and the red barrier fell so that Catherine could follow. "No more adventures." She said firmly to Catherine, not wanting anything at all to do with the forest or this clearing ever again. It wasn't safe. She should have listened and not come because it was clearly not safe at all.

The mage watched them leave, a smile on his face. "Travel safe." He kept his eyes on them, though he made no move to leave the clearing whatsoever. He never did, no matter who came to see him. Those who broke the rules simply suffered once they were away from his presence. After all, this was a sanctuary, in honor of his beloved daughter in law. He would never sully it.
"You're telling me kid." Catherine said looking at Nadya strangely. It had been her insistence that they come to the clearing, and her insistence again that they take the silver leaf from it. "Maybe next time we'll find somewhere else to get the stuff, hm?" She said as she escorted Nadya out of the clearing and back into the forest. To be honest, she couldn't punish the teen for not thinking first, after all it seemed that she was still yet unused to the dangers and risks that the unseen tended to hold.

"Let's just get you back to Laura's so I can go home."
"No." Nadya said firmly. "I need to see June. I need to see her right now." The girl declared firmly, the minute that they were inside the city gates. "It's very, very important." She shuddered and began walking, terror clear in every line of her being. "That man is supposed to be locked up still, chained spread eagled to the ground in a meadow in a pocket dimension so that he can't move, can't access his magic, can't be seen." She shuddered. "I need to see June. She needs to know he's free." She needed to know the full story.

Nadya didn't want to tell the story but she would, and she would hate every minute of it. It was a story she hated with a fiery passion. No, not a story Nadya hated, but a story that the secret in her hated, and the minute she had seen that face, bells had rung out in klaxon warnings. Someone, some one strong, must be told, and he must be contained again, or the horror would happen all over again.
"Wait what?" Catherine said immediately stopping and looking at Nadya. Stooping down to the small teens level, she put a hand on either shoulder. "Nadya... what's going on?" She could tell that the girl was close to tears and panic. "Never mind... you're right, this is serious and I'm calling Councilor Blackwelder." Catherine said reaching into her pocket for her phone, and dialing the number. Why she was believing a kid was beyond her, but then again it would be easier to set things straight with June involved.

A few rings and the other end of the line picked up, it was the secretary. The woman's choice in office help was horrible, and rather like Ishae; which generally meant impossible to deal with. "Yes... I understand that the Councilor is very busy... please tell her Warden Dumitrescu called and that it is urgent. It's regarding a former prisoner..." That last one would get the Councilor's attention, especially once she heard just what had happened that afternoon. Hanging up Catherine tucked the phone back into her pocket. "Okay, we're going back to Laura's and we're talking. Hopefully June will meet us there."
The teen nodded, and nearly ran all the way back to Laura's not caring if Catherine kept up. She hurried into the shop and pulled out some of the receipt paper, then carefully began to write a name down on it in cuneiform. Carefully, she wrote the sounds of the name under it, so that the others would understand what it said. She didn't want to say his name though. The girl looked the pronunciation over carefully and swallowed.

Shafiri.

It wasn't a name she had even thought of in ages. Was this what it was like, not receiving a clean slate? Remembering things like this? She didn't like it, not if it meant unrelenting terror like she felt right now. Shivering she held the slip of paper close. "He's dangerous. He can't be free, he can't. We'll all die."
June set down her tea, and Laura frowned as Catherine shut the door, drawing the blinds after flipping the sign around to closed. "Are you alright Nadya?" June asked as she approached the girl. "Catherine called and said there was something urgent." It wasn't often that the Warden called requesting assistance from the Council, the Wardens were meant really to operate largely by their own devices. Looking at the slip of paper the girl held close, she too frowned in concern.

"I apologize for such.. urgency Councilor, but I figured that this was important." Catherine explained to June. "The girl discovered a magical clearing.. a meadow in the woods filled with silver leaf and other plants. She took me there trying to help me find what I needed to reward my home after the last incident with Bel and Isis."

June nodded, "Can I see the paper please, Nadya?" She asked.
Nadya nodded and handed it to June. "Don't say his name. He'll hear it." She meant it too. "He always knows when you say his name." She meant that too, with all her heart. The teen was clearly stressed out. "I don't understand how he isn't chained down in his stupid meadow anymore. He's supposed to be there, chained, unmoving, with no access to his magic." Anything else was dangerous.

"He's not even supposed to be able to speak. He's too dangerous. His hand was set free one time and he caused so much devastation." All because his daughter in law wanted a hug from him. He was not a man to be taken lightly. "I had been to the clearing before, with another orphan, and he never showed. I never would have gone if I had known." She never would have let him see Miss Catherine or anyone. "Please. He's dangerous. He's...he's god like dangerous."
June considered all of this very carefully as she read the slip of paper Nadya handed her and then handed it to Catherine. "Some individuals given enough time.. can find a way around some punishments." June explained watching the Warden's expression carefully while she read the paper given to her. "He claimed he knew my father, it was really quite odd." Catherine said, not mentioning just how alarming it was that he knew her but she didn't know him. Something about this whole thing seemed strange to her.

"God like dangerous is quite the hyperbole young lady, very few, if any gods care for the affairs of mortals." June remarked plainly. "However... we can't simply chase after him. So far he hasn't committed any crimes, and appears to have history with a former Councilor. Though that in of itself warrants further investigation." It was all confusing really, and June didn't want another repeat of what had happened with Bronson. "But, because of what you say... we'll take a look and see if he really is still chained to the meadow."
"You don't understand. It's not at all hyperbole. He split himself into different aspects, and he breathed life into those aspects. My first..." She looked to Catherine and bit her bottom lip. "I know he's dangerous. I've seen him. He's killed and slaughtered, and wanted nothing more than the own the world and all the magic in it." She was pleaded now, terror clear. She swallowed and looked to Catherine again, then to June.

"If he finds out that I remember what I remember, the things I shouldn't, the things I talked to you about, when we talked about Boss. If he finds out, then he'll..." She shook her head, not sure. "His anger...." She swallowed. "Don't go to the meadow without tons of fire power. Is he talks to you ignore it. Please. He's incredibly persuasive." She hugged herself. "I've never met anyone with more magic, ever. And now, he's absorbed the aspects again, and with them in him, he's even stronger than before." She didn't know why she thought the meadow would ever hold. Only she didn't, did she? This was the first time she remembered anything at all of her Before.
"Nadya, sweetie, we understand." June said trying to comfort the worried teen. "Trust me when I say that everyone in this room has more than enough of their own firepower to hold their own." She didn't say anything about Laura's skills with amplification or occlusion. June would remain positive in her outlook on this whole situation. Meanwhile Catherine raised a slender eyebrow at Nadya's comments, "Your first what?" She asked having met the kind of person she described more than a few times. There had been Puck who had just wanted to watch the world burn, then there was Weston, and more recently Pan and his sacred grove. She had been down this road before and wasn't happy to be looking at it again. "We've dealt with people like him before." Catherine added not expecting an answer from the teen.

"He won't find anything out, and as far as he knows we're in the dark about all of this." June assured Nadya. What the small teen had described, sounded to her like someone had not properly checked a binding or performed the right one.
The teen swallowed and looked to June, uncertain. "Be careful. I can't help, not like this." She murmured, not happy at all about that. Shafiri was her responsibility, or he had been at one point in time. The teen remembered it well, and didn't want to think about turning the job over to anyone. "I don't have the firepower to help." It hadn't been firepower that tamed him last time though. It had been heart, she reminded herself. Heart and love and kindness, and it still hadn't been enough. But so long as she had spent time with him, he had stayed peaceful in his captivity at least. She swallowed and looked to Catherine.

"There's things I can't say about me. Big things that are how I know things I shouldn't know." She stumbled through the explanation. "June knows, so I can talk to her, a little, but not a lot." She girl looked uncertain. "It's how I knew him. He's...he can be kind, if he likes you. But he's only ever liked one person, that I know of, and she's been dead centuries." The teen still had never understood how she had managed to charm the man at all, or how she had managed to charm his sons either. "He's dangerous. If he's not in chains like he should be, leave quickly." Her mind was running a mile a minute as she sought to understand how this could have happened. The girl twisted her hands together, not noticing it at all, and couldn't bring herself to look to Laura or Catherine or June.
The three looked at each other and then back to Nadya, concern obviously evident on their faces. "I can't take her back with me to the Council... so I would suggest that you strengthen the wards on one home or the other. That is until I can gather more help." June finally said after a minute of uncomfortable silence between them. "Agreed." Catherine said, while Laura nodded. They had faced similar in the past and would just have to weather this storm again. "I will see what assistance her majesty Tatianna is willing to provide us." Catherine then added as almost an after thought. Perhaps Tatianna would know more about this strange man and his children's garden. But she doubted that the fae monarch would be willing to divulge much.

"It's okay Nadya, we'll keep you safe." Laura said offering the teen a reassuring smile. Besides which, it would be nice to practice magic that didn't have anything to do with the shop. "Between myself and Catherine we'll be able to at least come up with a solution that works." She told the girl. It might mean an enchanted object or two, just to keep the girl largely invisible from scrying spells while they worked to figure out personal shields for someone who had none.

"Then it's settled, Council will be put on notice and in the mean time Nadya is to be with either you Laura or Catherine." June said brusquely. "In the mean time, see who you can get a hold of Warden. You're going to need the help."

Sol AvenueSetting: Sol Avenue


Rahal stepped into the rented office space with no small curiosity. It was meant to be temporary, to his understanding, and it had been a pain in the ass to find. The sun was high in the sky as he glanced around, taking in the sights. With a flattering smile, he greeted the secretary. "Miss? I'm here to see Warden Dumitrescu." He greeted politely. "I'm afraid I don't have an appointment however, is she in?" He might get let in easily enough, given he looked for all the world like an older gentleman, almost frail in appearance.

He could still fight though, and he wasn't frail and delicate just yet. Besides, a lot of it was a subtle glamour, used among those who weren't aware of the potions regime he was on to reverse his aging.
The secretary looked at Rahal in confusion, the warden had been fairly strict when it came to sticking to an appointment schedule, but it looked like her afternoon was largely free. "Uh.. just one second." The young woman said, mumbling something under her breath about someone really needing to make an appointment first. After all, she had been enjoying binging on online videos on the office's high speed internet and wasn't terribly happy at being interrupted. Getting up and peering around the corner at the cracked office door, it looked like the warden was in. Opening and knocking on the door, she let her boss know that she had a guest waiting outside. "There's an older gentleman.. without an appointment, asking to see you." She said, huffing the last bit about no appointment.

"Show him back." Catherine said turning her attention back to the computer screen on her desk.
Rahal allowed the girl to show him back and smiled to Catherine. "Your secretary is a sweet girl. And she doesn't seem to be driven half mad by a goddess forcing prophecies on her. Though I do almost miss Ishae." The girl was crazy, but she had been quite a bit of fun. If nothing else waiting to see Catherine was never any trouble. He smiled to his friend, and looked her over. "You look much better now." He offered, quiet. "Are you fully recovered?" He desperately hoped so.

His parents were not in his good graces right now, given how they had treated one of his few friends. The man was not pleased at all, and had made it abundantly clear to them in private. That they had dared harm her, tortured her, had gone too far, and he hoped that he had made it clear.

Of course, he was now in trouble for his opposition, but it had been done privately, so it wasn't nearly as much trouble as he could have been in.
"I suspect most of that was an act on Ishae's part." Catherine remarked blithely as she stood up, motioning for Rahal to take a seat before closing the door behind him. Wisely, she had seen that it would be enchanted against eavesdropping and once closed the office was relatively sound proof. "But yes, she does her job and follows the rules largely." She added as she returned to her seat. Honestly she didn't find herself missing Ishae and the chaos she caused; though it always had been good entertainment to watch her turn people like Kasimir to a blithering, angry mess.

"I'm fine, thank you for your concern." Catherine finally answered. For the most part she'd spent the better part of the last two months praying that Isis and Bel had short memories, and were more concerned with stuffing their mouths than figuring out where she'd gone. In a lot of ways she was still processing what had happened, the drugging, and the torture. She had been lucky enough to be able to fight the fog and haze enough to get loose and demand to be let free.

Though she suspected that Bel had wanted more of a challenge than she'd felt like offering at the time.
"You are my friend. I wish I had stopped it from even happening." Forced between friends and family, and he hadn't had much of a choice. His family would have killed him, and he well knew it. The man sighed. "I'm sorry I haven't come sooner. I'm afraid I rather upset them when I took them to task for it." He had been recovering himself, though in private, given his lecture to his parents had been in private. The man knew it hadn't don much, but he hoped that it had gotten through to them even in a small measure.

They needed to catch up with the modern world. "Have you seen your boy since? Is he okay?" He couldn't ask more in depth questions, lest his family catch wind of his knowledge, but even knowing to kid was alright was good enough for him.
"I don't think anything would have stopped them from doing what they did." Catherine said. Once a vampire or two as old as Isis and Bel were made up yheir mind there seemed to be little that would change it. Leaning back into her chair she thought for a moment, it seemed like the pair were only looking for something to take anger and frustration out on. "Your going to have to separate yourself from them sooner or later. But, I'm not surprised they reacted the way they did." She said. The pair wanted desperately to keep a certain public image.

"No, I haven't seen him. He's been surprisingly quiet." Catherine finally answered. She hadn't heard much if anything, considering the connection to his sire was still relatively strong.
"I would if I could." He murmured. "But I don't believe that it is possible." He sighed and shook his head. He didn't exactly have another place to go, and while that was solvable, the issue of being all too easily outnumbered by his families soldiers. "I'm sure he'll turn up." Rahal reassured her. "No doubt he's struggling against fighting the call to return to Mother." He sighed, and shook his head. The entire thing was completely botched up, as far as he was concerned. His parents had screwed up majorly, and refused to admit it.

Still, he did have some good news for her at least. "Mother is close to changing the search to a passive one, rather than an active search. Father gave him a timeline. In two more weeks, the search will be called off, and orders will be changed to merely keep an eye out for him, instead of actively look around for him." It was a relief too. "In the mean time, is there anything I can help you or MCU with? An excuse to escape the search would be all too welcomed."
"Look Rahal, once those two make up their minds no way in hell will they be changing it. You of all people should know this." Catherine pointed out to the man, still saying very little of what had happened. "As for the boy, I'm not too terribly worried about him. He's resourceful, and knows the rules." Or rather exactly how to bend them, and counted on his aunt and uncle looking the other way. It was a thin line to walk, especially now that there was issue with the courts; individuals who tended to answer to no one but themselves.

"On the other hand though, he's never been good with severing psychic ties." She confided. Brandon had not asked for help, and likely wouldn't have accepted it had she offered. "It is good however to hear some amount of news on the search, somehow I think that the two never really thought this through." Greed did strange things, especially with the hopes of controlling power came into being. "We both know they're playing with fire." Catherine said with a slight shrug. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered what sort madness the pair had had in store had she not be able to free herself and demand to be let go.

"If you want an escape though... what do you know about this man and his three aspects or sons." She asked sliding the slip of paper across the desk to the mage.
"If I see him, I'll see if I can make it seem like he had the thought on his own, then." To get his aunt's help for the severing, at least. It would be easy enough to manage that. Brandon had always been easy enough to sway to one way of thinking, if you knew what buttons to push and how to talk to him just so. Still, it was good that she had such confidence in him. He would be fine, the mage hoped. He simply had to be for all involved.

Quietly he read the name on the paper, and then he looked up at her and met her eyes. "My advice is to burn that slip of paper and forget you ever saw that name, or anything to do with it. Whatever book you read that name out of ought to be burned too. If you heard it from a person, their memory ought to be wiped until they are a vegetable, because that is kinder to the world than the risk of that man being alive in any fashion still, much less summoned or aided to freedom."

He sighed and looked to her, uncertain. "I can, however, tell you the story of the Three Sons and the Maker Mage, though I will not use names, for all our sakes."
"I don't think we want a to try our luck with wiping my memory." Catherine stated plainly, reminding the mage sitting there of just how bad of an idea it would be to wipe her mind in such a fashion. "But before you begin, a girl that Laura is taking care of was insistent that she show me a magical grove, that was warm while the rest of the city was covered with snow. The moment we stepped foot into the grove we were trapped by a ward. A man shows up, addresses both me and the girl; eventually letting us go with our vague promises not to return." She said before taking the slip of paper from Rahal.

Pulling a lighter from somewhere in the depths of her desk, she lit one corner of the paper, watching it burn. There was an easier way to do this, with a simple enough incantation, but somehow she felt that some things were best left unsaid and done for now. As the paper burned and charred, eating away at the paper. Catherine quickly tossed it into a nearby wastebasket where it was quickly smothered.

"So tell me this story, I have all afternoon." Catherine said looking at Rahal expectantly.
"And one of you believe this to be him?" Rahal muttered. "You're both mad, but I will of course, tell the story." He sat back and thought of how to begin the tale. It wasn't easy, to be sure.

"Long before you or I were born, there was a man." He started. "And he was resplendent with magic. Any spell asked of him, he could perform. Any task demanded, any wish begged, he could easily grant with a twitch of a finger." He fell easily into a story teller's cadence, carefully reviewing what he knew. "He skill was such that the gods grew jealous, and sought to prove their superiority through a task that they were certain he could not do. One day, a god in disguise came down to his court, and spoke with the Mage. 'I have fruit from the tree of life. I seek to share it with only the most worthy.' the disguised god spoke. 'Then I will prove my worth, sir. Set me any three tasks, and I will set to it.' He was confident in his skills, having been bested by no task yet. The god responded with ease. 'Instead, I will set you one task, in three parts. This fruit is meant only for the Gods themselves. Gods may create life where there is none. Create life three times, life that can speak, act, and is independent, and I will give you this fruit. You have three days to do so.' Suspicious, the Mage agreed, certain it was a God who challenged him.

He considered his options. He knew what he would do. He would create life worthy to be called his children. On the first day, he took all his knowledge of battle and sword work, all the spells he knew to defend and attack and he created a boy in the image of his best general. Long red hair, held back in a low tail graced this first son. 'I shall name you Kassen, for the blood you will spill.' The god agreed that this was a true creation, and Kassen was known soon as Kassen the Bloodthirsty, the Mage's Sword.

The next day, with great consideration, the Mage pulled from his experience. He chose his own anger, his madness, and all he knew of the manipulation of fire and the elements. He created a black haired boy in the image of his own uncle. This second son had a mad man's smile and took joy in chaos and trouble. 'I shall name you Makai, for the chaos you will spread.' The god agreed this too was a true creation, and Makai was soon known as Makai the Mad, the Mage's Punisher.

The third day was nearly passed before the Mage finished, having been uncertain what to create this latest son from. Before the sun set though, a brown haired boy with kind eyes stood in front of the god. He was a mirror image of his father, and his father was pleased, for this child was made entirely of his magic, and held all of his magical knowledge and abilities within. 'I shall name you Priel, for the magic within you.' and the god agreed this was a true creation, and left the Mage with the fruit of the tree of life, and the Mage ate it, and was made immortal. And he provided a bite of it to each of his sons. They would live longer lives than the average mortal."

Rahal sighed and pulled out a water bottle and took a sip. "That is their creation." He said quietly. "Later, the Mage would go on to do horrible things, and his sons would break from him. Priel would become known as Priel the sickly, as his creation was rushed, and away from his father's side, maintaining himself was difficult. The father would go insane, and slaughter entire civilizations, until his sons turned against him in totality and worked with the gods to forge the chains that would bind their father to a meadow that was unreachable by all normal means. The names, of course, are incorrect, but they are what the scholar's choose to call them, to avoid summoning their possible attention, assuming they live still." He hesitated. "Though on the note of names. Whoever translated teh cuneiform for you was wrong." He said quietly. The man eyes her. "I'll cast a temporary ward and say it, so you know it. His spells should have fallen by now, but if he's free..." The mage cat the word and spoke the name. "Shalafi. Though using Shafiri, on the paper, may be fine."
Catherine leaned back in her chair and considered all of this. It still didn't explain how whichever one they had met had known Sir William, her father, but then again she had also suspected that the man was toying with them in some way. She hadn't known Nadya long enough to know if the girl was prone to flights of fancy, but the fear she had exhibited seemed real enough. "This is all very interesting, and explains a good deal. But not everything." Catherine finally said. For one to split themselves as the mage had done seemed dangerous, it seemed to her like it was exactly the way to fracture one's mind beyond all repair. "This girl, Nadya wants us as a whole organization to go after this guy... but the kid doesn't seem to understand we can't just do something because she wants it done." Even June had had a hard time explaining that one to Nadya. The teen had been unwilling to listen, and seemed to have left out a great deal of useful information.

"However, this is helpful and somewhat leads me to believe that unless provoked.. he won't be a problem." At least that's what Catherine hoped would happen. She didn't really want to go toe to toe with some godlike being, or really deal with whatever chaos the man decided to unleash on the unsuspecting city at large.
"Children rarely understand logistics or responsibility." Rahal murmured and then considered the options. "The local mage school has the means to get to his prison. Speak to them and go make certain he is there. If he is, there's no problem. Perhaps his aspects are as immortal as he, and it was merely one of them." He murmured and smiled. "If so, then be reassured. Legends have good things to say about his aspects, for the most part." Mostly. At least, it wouldn't be an issue at all.

"And if he isn't, locate him and imprison him again. It shouldn't be too hard to find someone with magic as strong as his, after all." He shrugged. "I doubt you'll need the entire organization for either task. I'm more concerned with how a teenager knew esoteric information that only a handful of mages know as something more than a myth." He murmured and then sighed. "And with the fact that you don't appear to have gone to the council about what my parents did. You have to report them Catherine. They did too much, far too much, and would have continued. That's not even including the turning of your nephew."
Catherine certainly hoped that this would be a wild goose chase, and that the contacts through the mage school would understand her concern. She also hoped that getting to wherever this imprisoned mage was wouldn't be too terribly hard; she just wanted a few easy, cut and dry cases before things decided to get chaotic again. "Alright, I'll make a note of that and see what they can help me with." She said to Rahal as she reached for a blank piece of paper and pen on the desk. If she didn't write it down, likely it would get lost or she would forget, adding a further layer of complication to the whole thing. "I'm concerned with it too, Rahal, but she's not saying much that isn't already terribly cryptic." Catherine added as she jotted these things down in her neat, script like writing. Nadya had been cagey when it came to further questions, claiming she wasn't even supposed to know these things, but somehow did. That was what concerned Catherine the most, Nadya's unwillingness to reveal any sort of information.

Glancing back up at Rahal, her lips briefly tightened together in a look of displeasure, while the rest of her face remained relatively impassive. Mentally, she counted down backwards from ten before replying to the mage; it was still a sore spot. "I doubt the Council will do anything, besides which, they don't answer to the Council. However... Tatianna has been informed of their transgressions."
"Perhaps she'll give some form of sanctions from her majesty then." Fine. If she wouldn't tell the council, he would speak to the other courts. Brandon was under their protection at the time after all, and surely they would act or do something. it would cost him his future as a vampire, he well knew, but he would survive that. There was little other choice in it. His own punishment was sure to hurt for the actions.

It wasn't an option though. Catherine was right. He had to stand up to his parents at some point, and it was clear that point was now. There were actions that he could not allow. Brandon's turning was one, though that had been difficult to discover. Catherine's torture was another. "I should enjoy helping her with them, whatever the decision is." He wouldn't allow for their behavior to stand. "As for the girl..." He sighed. "I've never been good with children. You'll have to find a way to get her to talk more."
"Look Rahal, I understand you are concerned.. but stay out of this." Catherine said with an exasperated sigh. "You at least stand to loose something from the blow back from this." She explained. While she appreciated the mage's concerns, she also felt that they were slightly out of place. He needed to worry about his own skin rather than hers. If push came to shove with all of it, she'd remind the pair just exactly how she ended up in Broadmoore, twice.
"Sir, you can't go in!" The secretary's voice came through as Catherine's door opened. Brandon stepped through and closed it firmly in the secretary's face, ignoring her entirely. The young man grinned to his aunt and Rahal and looked them over, more curious than not. "Rahal, good to see you. Aunt Catherine, your secretary is a nuisance. Feel free to fire her." He said and looked to his aunt. "Sorry for the delay in getting back. I had to handle...well, a few things. Little things like documentation and funding." The little butcher was certainly back, though not so little.

Rahal looked the vampire over. "You look healthy. Good to see you. Also, don't barge in like that." It seemed his manners till hadn't improved. Brandon gave the mage a roguish grin, fangs out. His opinion on this was entirely obvious.
"Mr. Hammerstein... I am currently with a guest as you can see. If you would be so kind as to either take a seat outside or close the door behind you, it would be very much appreciated." Catherine said icily to her nephew. She knew she had taught him better manners than that, and it seemed that she would have to remind him that he possessed them as well. "As for my secretary, unless you're wanting to do her job.. then no further comments out of you will be necessary." She added turning her attention back to Rahal, but not before giving Brandon a brief glare to remind he was out of line.

It was obvious that the warden was far from amused with either one of her guests and their insistence on prying or the later barging into her office unannounced and uninvited. She darkly considered replacing the wards that kept out uninvited guests, and nuisances; but it was a temporary building and such things could be considered quite invasive. "I'm sorry about that Rahal, but yes I suspect that her majesty will enforce a few sanctions and limit their access to certain supplies or magics that are controlled by the veil."
"Sorry." He murmured and closed the door behind him, standing at the back, cheeks pink with embarassment. He had forgotten that Aunt Catherine demanded better manners than that. Rahal watched with some amusement and then shook his head, not overly surprised it happened. His parents were prone to spoiling their fledglings absolutely rotten, and manners were very much ignored by most of them, unless dealing with outsiders.

Still, at least something would be done. He met Catherine's eyes searching. "I'm glad. And I hope you'll forgive Brandon, his misstep. He has been locked in his suite for some time now. I'm impressed he knows how to behave in public at all at this point. Or at least, vaguely act in public." Though not well enough for most people's standards, that was for sure.
Catherine noted her nephew's embarrassment with some amount of satisfaction as her attention was drawn back to the man sitting in front of her. It looked to her as if Brandon hadn't completely lost all of his humanity in the process of his turning; some did and some didn't, it was always a gamble as to what would happen to each individual from what she'd been told. But this information she was keeping close to herself and with holding from many, feeling as if despite her knowledge she'd still made poor choices in the end.
"I see, well hopefully he'll learn to interact with the rest of us philistines again." She remarked cynically. Forgiveness wasn't something she was sure Brandon needed, even if Rahal suggested it. Everything with the Dragon court appeared to be a strange set of calculated risks, missteps, and threats. It was beginning to make her head hurt and exhaust her in ways she hadn't realized was quite possible.

"Is there anything else I can do for you today Rahal?" Catherine asked noting the mage's probing and searching.
Rahal smiled, more amused than not at this point. "Not really. I should probably get going, make sure I'm not missing anything about this possible mage." He stood and stretched. "It was good talking to you Catherine. Thanks for sparing some time for an old man." And he was old, under the potions that hid it, that tried to reverse a process, but couldn't, not really. Outwardly reverse was the best he would do and he knew it. "I'll call if I find anything else pertinent." He offered, then grinned to Brandon. "See you later Catherine....baby brother."

Brandon scowled at Rahal's comment and grumbled under his breath that he was nobody's baby brother. Still he nodded to the mage and watched him leave uncertain. He waited until Rahal was gone to turn his attention back to his aunt, embarassment clear as he thought to how he burst in. That had been a bit much, hadn't it?
"Of course Rahal, anytime." Catherine said as she stood ushering Rahal out of her office. Briefly, she wondered how long the concoctions of potions and elixirs would keep the mage alive; after all he hadn't been terribly young when she had first met him bringing Brandon to him with the insistence that the boy learn at least a small modicum of control over himself and his talents. "Yes, please do. It may help unravel a few other cases I have in my stack." She added as she said goodbye to the mage then turned back around to her office where her nephew was.

"Sit." Catherine said bluntly and without much more ceremony as she returned to her own seat.

MCU HeadquartersSetting: MCU Headquarters


June surveyed the report that had been sent some time ago. "I'll be honest, I don't see a problem. Construction is coming along just fine, and most of the archives were salvageable." She said with a shrug. Humans could be some of the most destructive beings when given access to any sort of magic, it seemed to be something unique about them. Granted, June hadn't really observed any other sentient races a terribly great deal. Her scope of experience had really only been humans and animals; in fact really most of Terra's own flora and fauna to be exact. "You're better with all of this metaphysical nonsense than me Kas, you figure it out!" June added shoving the not so small ream of paper contained within a binder over towards her companion for this trip. Granted, June wasn't about to go diving headlong into whatever crazy wards were on the building; but some of them were keeping construction from moving forward further.

Galaxy CupcakesSetting: Galaxy Cupcakes


Pahas knew he should be searching out his wife, protecting her, but first he had to find her, and while she couldn't die, exactly, she sure as hell could go through bodies. It meant finding her much harder. So he was taking a break, a sachet on the table in front of him as he infused it with magic and nibbled on his slice of cake.

This place was amazing. He was kind of surprised Matumaini wasn't here. She had a killer sweet tooth. Given the sugary delight, he was nibbling on he couldn't exactly complain though. Beaming happily at the food, the mage admired the place, enjoying the scent. The sachet wasn't done yet, not powerful enough, and he sipped his herbal tea, unimpressed.

"Herbs are so...impotent." He grumbled. They took forever. He missed the old days when gods walked the earth and magic was stronger. Of course, largely, he missed the fact that he couldn't just go slay a dragon and use their heart for her spell, but Matumaini had made clear her feelings on these matters. Sentients were not to be harmed, unless they attempted harm first.
Sometimes a treat was in order, and generally it was easier to bribe difficult people when sugar was involved; then again she suspect that Kasimir was still rather put out about the garlic in his coffee. It hadn't harmed him, but it had definitely made the vampire think twice about leaving his cups out where they could be tampered with. June was convinced though that eventually the pranks would wear thin and that they'd be right back where they started; at one another's throats due to the stress.

"Hmm.. I'll take a slice of the death by chocolate, and a americano, cream, 2 sugars, please." June said eyeing the decadent chocolate cake in the case. Chocolate was one thing that mortals had gotten right, and subsequently devised all means of wonderful things to do with it. The greeks and romans had always been ones for honey or wine, which while it wasn't bad, could get boring after awhile. Especially when one wasn't terribly creative with spices or uses.
Pahas beamed. He did like chocolate. It was this wonderful invention that he adored and it was so much better. "Is death by chocolate good?" He called out, more than happy to talk to a complete stranger. He poked his cake, pleased with the taste. It was carrot with creme cheese frosting. He could only take so much sugar after all. He wasn't his wife.

Some inner instinct warned him and his hand shot out to grab the sachet before it took off. More amused than not, he tied it around his wrist, so he wouldn't lose track of it as it sought out Matu. "And what's an americano?" He hadn't tried coffee just yet. The tea was enough.
June turned and blinked at the man, mildly confused. "Uh.. yes?" She said as she took her card back from the girl behind the counter. "It's chocolate..." She added still confused as to how someone hadn't yet tried chocolate. "I mean.. it's not too sweet, but very chocolately." June tried to explain briefly noting the man's discomfort. It didn't seem from asking her, who was by all means a stranger, about a piece of cake and coffee.

"And.. an americano is espresso, hot water, and sometimes cream, or sugar, or both." June commented as she turned to take the items from the girl behind the counter. "Why?" She asked noting that he obviously wasn't from around here. His facial shape, bearing and maybe if she were devious enough to look, aura didn't match most of the rest of the city.
"I'm new to the area, and enjoying the sweets in honor of my wife." He shrugged and smiled. "Or her memory at least." Espresso. That was a type of coffee wasn't it? He'd try it later. Perhaps with a lot of sugar or honey it could be improved. "Chocolate is delicious. I'll have to try a slice of death by chocolate next time." It was not actual death it seemed. That was reassuring. He never knew with mortals.

"You wouldn't know where to find a magic shop would you? I was able to collect some of what I needed, but properly harvested herbs would likely work better." He had been a bit hasty in collecting what he had gotten. Of course, she might be one of the ones who believed magic didn't exist, but it wouldn't be the first time someone assumed him insane.

If June looked to his aura, she may notice the sheer age of it, if she saw past the half hearted shield meant to make him seem younger, aura wise, and weaker magic-wise.
Outside the shop a woman in a worn but heavy leather outfit. Her dull amulet caught the light the embossed symbol on it gleaming. The local badge on her hip proclaiming 'Containment Specialist' let her walk around with the weapons at her hip. She entered the shop with two etched hand-cannons and a host of throwing daggers from some strange mineral. The counter help

Finally let out of lockdown after long hours staring at a TV she very much needed mental stimulation. She'd had not much else than playing emergency alerts as they'd not let her bring interesting reading. Long hours of being in that dour stone fortress was enough to drive one mad. All she'd had in headquarters were a supply of MREs. The furnace got a little low running on nothing but cardboard and cafeteria food. Not really one for eating meat the sugary shop otherwise suited her husk's sense of taste quite well. Certainly one of the first things she'd repaired as one got tired eating through a world full of blandness to keep the husks moving.

She clinked over to the counter with an attendant human there the boots of Photu's husk thumping against the floor. The attendant greeted the 'Officer' but Photu hadn't paid attention to the mundane creature, "I'd like a dozen brookies, and the dark cherry cheesecake. To go."

The attendant balked, "Yes, the whole cheesecake. And a bottle of the concentrated cold-brew coffee with some sugar." She placed a credit chit on the counter to pay while the attendant worked.

Photu looked up at the two with a husk's hollow gaze and tipped her hat at them. One-way mirrored bits around her reinforced hat gleamed despite an inner dark. She hadn't a reason to look closely but if interesting creatures were here eating cake she didn't think they were trouble.
June nearly choked on her coffee and looked at the stranger oddly. "A what?" She asked reaching for a napkin to blot the coffee off of her face and jacket. "And why do you think I'd know the answer to that question?" June said as she flopped down in the booth across from him uninvited. "Magic isn't really something that, for lack of better word, happens." She added before taking a large forkful of her cake. There was no way she was telling him where to find Laura's shop, that was a recipe for chaos, especially considering what had happened recently with Nadya.

Eying the woman ordering a whole cheesecake and other sweet accouterments with great suspect, June returned to her new companion. "I haven't seen any such thing in this city ever... at least not since I moved here 20 years ago."
"A slice of death by chocolate. The cake you just ordered." His brow furrowed. "Did I say it wrong?" He had a faint accent, but he could have sworn he had said it like she had. Ah well. "And I've been asking everyone who feels the least bit other, truth told." He shrugged and smiled. "I'll scry for one a shop, I suppose." He preferred rune work, but that required tools and he hadn't exactly woken with tools handy. It looked like his resting place had been ransacked truth told. He offered June a polite smile. "A moment." He said and turned to Photu.

"Excuse me, miss. Do you know of any magic shops in town?" There had to be one somewhere. The planet was still brimming with magic, humming in his very bones. And he knew magic intimately, better than almost anyone he knew. Father excluded of course, but then again, knowing something better than his father would have been tricky...not including knowing his wife much better than his father ever would.
Photu looked at the man and smiled, "Energy engineer, mmm? Well, my little pile of secrets, I trust you're here to put the world back together the walls have grey eyes now. I hope you're the good kind of sapper or at least wait until after lunch. Though you'd get more leeway from the grey eyes in our walls than I ever would."

She removes a brookie to eat from a box first to arrive, "I get most of my resources with an intermediary through those black piles of sand walking around. They're in the boarded-up building on main street that feels like it's the first step all the way down. They don't have much for green energy though. Just old fossils delivered by pathologists and they'll build you sky for good puzzles."

"Though, have you ever been to Lutetia City? I hear Lumiena Square has a well stocked store for your kind of engineering. Careful of the man-sized ticks.", She added.
"What? No.. why do you ask?" June said pulling her attention back to man. There was something distinctly odd about him, and she wasn't willing to bet her lunch, even though it was mostly sugar, on what it was. It was unsettling, and June wasn't sure she wanted to look into why just yet, it was bound to ruin perfectly good cake.

But then the woman with the cheesecake started talking to the man, and she did have to agree that the man did appear to be a pile of secrets; a thinly disguised one at that. Because while he was so busy inquiring about a magic shop, she took a look beneath the hastily constructed facade of his and frowned.

Perhaps it was time to talk to the Council at large...
He laughed. "Energy engineer. I like that! And I wouldn't call myself a pile of secrets. I'm fairly open." You just had to ask. He found most people never did. "And I think of myself as a good man. I know my wife wouldn't have me any other way, after all, and she can kick my ass, so I try not to upset her." The sweet star that she was, he would never hurt her feelings, not if he could help it. Even if she was missing, he wouldn't chance it. She would find out. She always found out.

"Lutetia City, huh? Well, my broader scrying put her in Wing City, but I'll keep that in mind. It's not too much trouble to hop a shuttle." He didn't drive. He didn't know how. He also missed horses. They, at least, made sense. He then turned his attention to June, uncertain. "I asked, because you said 'a what' and I thought I might have named the desert wrong." He admitted, uncertain. "I apologize, I'm messing all of this up aren't I? I never was good at speaking with strangers." He had picked up some form his wife, but Pahas tended to be much more introverted than extroverted, and had to channel his wife to even speak with these people. But they were no help. Damn.
Box in one arm she put her chit back in a pocket once the food was paid for. She didn't really mind carting it around and the man seemed interesting enough to keep tabs on as the SCP foundation tended to watch the errant mages in new locales anyway. A free arm settles her hat while the little mi-go stood up in the compact space to make sure seals protecting it were secure. The quiet flow of the husk's own blood dances on the inside surface for a moment before Photu returns to animate the husk's face.

Photu smiled her voice soft and casual, "Well there's a disjoined part of the city where interested parties can trade outside prying eyes. You're not wrong asking for stores to my caring. It's just too unsafe from hostile armies for such stores to be above ground in this city. They won't mind me bringing a good buyer as well though I hope you're not a good mark. They otherwise likely have at least some of many such things you want. I wouldn't know enough to identify half of what you might need."

A distant sense of who she was speaking to crept across the neural ganglion played inside the front of the hat. She picked bits of thought out of it wondering at the power covered so badly by thin sheets tinted glass ahead of it. The other woman's aura made movements thought less human she opines. The ganglion was more of a passive eye it didn't pierce anything though one could see it was watching. The hat was conspicuously dark inside cloaked to third eyes as it was since Photu used the guns at her hip to protect her obvious void.

Photu eyed June, "You would be 'her'? Your husband's an odd one."
"Husband? Him? Oh hell no..." June replied to Photu shaking her head furiously. There had only been one man she'd even entertained a relationship with, an he was now married to someone much more suitable. "You're ruining perfectly good cake..." She sulked, as she finished the last bite. Sooner or later she'd have her answers, but couldn't she just go once without having her lunch interrupted? June now began to see why some officers were a bit testy when it came to food, it seemed to be a luxury they didn't often have time to enjoy.

"However.." She started to say now that the cake was finished, "You sir are quite the pile of secrets indeed. What are you hiding behind such a thin facade mage?" June stated bluntly a bit miffed that her sugary sugar frosted chocolate bomb had been ruined by the pair and their questions. "You cowgirl I know are SCP, and I might point out your organization doesn't know everything or tell you everything."
"She is not my wife!" He protested. "My wife is..." He sighed, his eyes gaining a far of look, his cheeks pinking. "She's...well, this lovely woman is not her." He assured them. "Not even close." He was trying not to be insulting about it, but he really did find his wife to be as perfect a woman as could be. The duo had never really left the honeymoon stage to the disgust of his brother's and her foster family. "My wife is...well, she's missing for now, and I'm searching for her."

He made no secret of that. "And I'm not hiding anything, except, perhaps my age." His cheeks reddened again. "I'm afraid I only recently woke. It was a rather long nap, given that we're now on a completely different way of counting the years." A nap was one way of putting it, though not entirely accurate. "I was triggered awake by a spell, an alarm that would wake me should certain protections need replenishing, and my descendants fail to do so." He shrugged. "My wife and brothers joined me in the stasis, but when I woke, she was gone though my brother's remained."

His love had always been a wildcard. "I promise, I'm not hiding anything. It's just rather rude to through your aura about willy nilly."
Amused the rough-skinned cowgirl Photu smirks at June, "Ah, My mistake. Though I have *no* idea what organization you're referring to. I and my current employer both work on a need to know basis and that's just how we like it. Sorry for ruining your cake, Ma'am. At least you get to have cake and questions. Most of the time it's just questions."

At both she continued, "It seems we're all out from under our respective rocks for a moment out from under the thumb. Apparently miss chocolate death knows of the circuitous compartmentalized knowledge I may or may not had to endure with MRE during the last few rumbling days. It could be worse. This blasted earthquake was likely what woke you up wherever your sarcophagus is sat I bet."

It occurred to Photu that moment the irony of finishing the installation of a working tongue in her husk's head just to end up experiencing cardboard-tasting MREs.

Photu shrugged the thought away, "Anyway, some markets just happen to be somewhere that regularly acquires noxious goods. People do let me in to a lot of places to contain hazardous things you energy engineers zot together. I don't ask the questions of how they get there."

Though the eyes still barely moved the warm face is sincere at Pahas as Photu extended the free hand, "If we're not keeping secrets then I was planning on following you around anyway good sir. Though now to keep troubles out of you than the reverse, I think. There's a lot of those around here right now, yet. You can call me Photu if you like."
June sighed and took a sip of her coffee, "Either way... watch yourself around here. Like Photu here says, not everyone is friendly." She added as she glanced at her watch as it buzzed and frowned. "Well! My time here is up! Enjoy your cake." She said as she slid out of the booth. She had more pressing issues at hand, and couldn't stay away for too long before they sent someone like Kasimir or Agathon looking for her.

Both could be so dour and unpleasant to deal with.
“A pleasure Photu.” He returned, smiling. “I’m Pahas-bel Shalafi, though please, just Pahas.” He was simply used to giving his full name. “And I have no clue what organization either of you is speaking of. It is possible though, that the earthquake effected the enchantments.” Though not his own. His father was out and about, and he could feel that in her bones. He shook her hand, curious at the gesture, but having seen it earlier. “And I won’t be going to the shops just yet. My charm will work well enough, for now.” Though it may fail. He lifted his wrist to show that even now the charm tied to his tugged at him, trying to lead the way.

“First cake. My wife would be upset if I left it uneaten.” He grinned, and then smiled to June. “And I will watch myself. I’m sure I’ll be fine, but the world is an unusual place, it seems.” Still, it seemed like she was leaving. How sad. Anyone who had cake for lunch couldn't be a bad person.
Photu nods at Pahas, "A pleasure to meet you as well then Pahas. Your full name is at least easier to pronounce than mine."

She raises a half eaten brookie at June, "Have a pleasant day's shadow then, Miss. They're not good at it but come to think of it I hear one of the dust-piles is trying to follow one rather like you around. She might be driven out of the city at present though. A hurting unit."

Photu nibbles the brookie setting it down while the two say their goodbyes to gather a small pocket watch from her hip. A large electrum pocketwatch clad in fine angular patterns of wrought iron retrieved by the albert attached to her belt. The button on the top released the cover but the ticking inside came at odd times. The inside was a moving torsion of symbols and language at angles painful to more common eyes. She examined the immediate area through her pocket watch but the slithering force that probed at things nearby didn't see much important.

She just pondered it idly, "No obvious trace of such a trail here but generalist objects of study tend to miss subtle inferences."

Wing City HallSetting: Wing City Hall


Periodically in front of Wing City Hall, a citizen's market was held. A combination of farmer's market and artist's market, Nadya liked to go there primarily to speak to some other Russian immigrants who she knew. Of course, given that she was now much more closely watched by her guardian, she hadn't come unaccompanied this time. It was a nuisance, but Laura had been very serious. She could either go with an adult, or not at all, and the not at all would be enforced.

Well, it hardly mattered. Nadya got to lead the way here! The teen cheerfully ignored most of the booths as she made her way through the farmer's market, to the edge of the artist's market. The sea of white topped tents changed from open sided here to ones with clothe walls, but the teen didn't have to go far to find the booth she was looking for. An elderly lady sat in a rocking chair in the shade, her booth beautifully laid out, honey in jars of all sizes and shapes available. There was more than the simple bell jars here, glass shaped carefully into bears, or bees, or honey hives. Nadya waved excitedly at the elderly woman. "Babushka Sokolova!" She called out, clearly happy to see the elderly woman. The grandmother raised her head and managed a smile, and greeted the girl in fluent russian.

"Hello Nadya. It has been some time. You worried this old grandmother."

"You're hardly old at all, Babushka." Nadya assured the elderly woman.
"Nadya... aren't you going to introduce me?" Catherine asked, reminding the young teen that manners were still a thing to be considered.
Laura had asked her to go with Nadya to the farmers market, taking full advantage of the fact that she could be quite soft hearted when it came to her or Brandon. There was also the fact that Council had issued her with mandatory leave during the period of the trial, apparently having expected it to last longer than it did.

Picking up a jar of honey, she listened to Nadya and the old woman talking. She also suspected half the reason Laura had asked her to go with was so someone would have some inkling of what the girl was talking about.
"Of course!" Nadya agreed, having no clue Catherine spoke Russian. She smiled. "Let's get acquainted." It was the polite introduction in Russian. "Babushka, this is my acquaintance Catherine Dumitrescu. She is a friend of my guardian." She explained brightly. "Catherine, this is Irina Sokolova." She stuck to the english introduction for Catherine. "She helped the refugees from the camps get settled in Wing City." But was much too old to take in a child, and that was obvious looking to her.

A few tents away, a head of bright red hair stopped, eyes on Nadya. Nadya didn't notice, but they had been followed by the same red head since they arrived. The teen smiled happily as she looked between Irina and Catherine, clearly happy to show off her Babushka, even if she wasn't really her babushka. The elderly woman smiled, and spoke in English.

"It is good to see someone took you in. You needed more love than that fool running the orphanage had in her." Nadya pinked and smiled brightly to her friend.
Catherine smiled politely as Nadya introduced her, having no clue that she mostly understood the conversation between the pair. "It's my pleasure to meet you Ms. Sokolva." She said in Russian, setting down the jar of honey she'd been looking at. "Nadya has said a great deal about your community." Catherine added, switching back to English easily. The conversation between Nadya and her babushka had been harmless enough, but she did need to remind the young teen that it wasn't polite to speak like that in public.

"And my niece is her guardian, and at times struggles... but does very much enjoy having Nadya around." She explained, thinking that that would be the easiest way to make the relationships understood. Laura's family had all but abandoned her after the months of chaos that had surrounded the discovery of what few abilities and magical affinities she had.
"Ah! You speak russian! I didn't know." Nadya's eyes were wide and she stared up at Catherine, clearly thrilled. Still, she stuck to English, just in case Catherine's russian wasn't very good. It would be rude, after all to continue on too long. "And the group home wasn't too bad, Babushka. She was just distracted a lot."

The elderly woman scoffed. "Come sit with me child, and don't tell me such lies. That woman had no class. I'm glad you've been taken in by a proper family." She assumed Laura spoke russian as well, given Catherine did. Thus it was clearly a proper house, as only a russian home could be. "Does your niece make certain that Nadya keeps up her dancing? Ballet is good for girls. Teaches them discipline and keeps them out of trouble."

"I insist you take home that honey you were looking at, Ms. Dumitrescu. You're helping take care of my Nadya after all, and this girl needs all the help she can get."

The red headed man moved closer, slowly, seemingly looking over the produce of the booth next to the russian woman's honey booth now.
"Ah, sadly my nephew never had the head for it." Catherine said nonchalantly. Rather, Brandon had never shown interest in the languages his aunt spoke, and it was usually English that was spoken at home. But that usually didn't stop discussions throughout his childhood with others who spoke the languages. "And he passed shortly after my niece came along." It was all an altered version of the truth, one that didn't necessarily need to be shared in public.

"But yes Nadya, I speak Russian and a few other languages; it's required for my job." She informed the teen plainly, as her attention wavered from the pair for a moment. Something felt off, but without using a fair amount of magic she wouldn't be able to tell. "To answer your question Ms.Sokolva, Nadya has been keeping up with her ballet. I believe there is a recital coming up soon?" Catherine said looking to the teen expectantly. The ballet was good for the other, it allowed her to bleed off some of the excess energy that drove Laura insane.
Laura had been close to not allowing the girl to continue lessons when Catherine had reminded her how good her own lessons as a girl had been. Granted it wasn't magic, but physical exercise could be as draining as the mental kind, and with time could allow for the clarity of the mind.

"Are you sure? I would hate for.." She added frowning as her attention lapsed again. Catherine thought that this must just be a side effect of the stressors from the last week.
Nadya nodded and dug into her pocket, and produced a ticket for her babushka. The details of the recital were on the ticket and she presented it with a flourish. "I'm too young yet to be the prima, but I am the best in my class." She assured the elder woman. The woman pat the teen on the head, certain that was the case. After all, she was the daughter of two talented dancers.

"I will go, of course. And it is no trouble. It is a single jar! That will not make or break my business. Consider it a thank you, for caring for a member of our community, and letting her keep her culture. That fool at the group home tried hard to take her people from her. I like you much better." Still, for Catherine to have a niece or nephew, well, she must be the youngest of her sibling. There was no doubt a large age gap, the woman decided.

The man moved to the booth, and began examining the jars, curiosity evident. A sharp observer would note that he was well armed with knives, most hidden carefully, though his jacket set oddly on his shoulders.
The fact of the matter was that Catherine had no siblings, and that her nephew had been from a previous marriage. But things worked in strange ways in the unseen world, families many times were cobbled together through adoption, rather than made by traditional means. "Of course then, thank you." Catherine said politely as she picked the jar back up, placing it a small net bag she had brought with on this trip to the market.

Noticing the man, and his bright red hair, she frowned again. There was something about him that made even her nervous. "Let's go Nadya, we need to finish one last errand before the place closes." She told the teen. She didn't want to be anywhere near that man and whatever he was up to. "Thank you again, Ms. Sokolva." She added, forcing the concern and worry out of her voice.
Nadya didn't even know they had errands to run at all. Still, she gave her friend a hug goodbye and went to join Catherine. It was better to go along with these things, given Catherine always knew when trouble was going to happen, and was a cop. The teen really did try and listen to people in positions of authority after all. She just didn't always succeed.

The girl had to pass by the redheaded man as they left, and did so without expecting anything, only to have him grasp her tight enough to bruise about the upper arm. Uncertain, the girl paused, and tried to tug her arm away. "Hey, that hurts." She complained and tugged, though the muscled man's grip was not to be budged.

"Matumaini." His voice was gruff and his eyes piercing as he kept his eyes on the girl. Nadya went very still at that name, and then began to struggle in earnest.
"Nadya?" Catherine asked after not hearing the normal happy chatter from the teen as they continued through the market. She had made it about three booths down before she realized that the girl wasn't with her. 'Oh bloody hell...' She thought rolling her eyes, suspecting that the girl had gotten distracted with some shiny bauble or interesting item. But Catherine was soon proven wrong as she saw the girl held firmly by the man that had been at the booth with them.

"Let the girl go." She said bluntly. Catherine had approached the pair silently and quickly, taking full advantage of the fact that she was capable of such things. "Drop her, before I drop you." She reminded the man, her side arm aimed at the back of his head, clicking as the safety went off.
Nadya fought harder at seeing Catherine. "Let me go! I'm not her, I'm not!" She protested, and tried to kick him only to get hauled up and tossed over his shoulder, an arm across her thighs holding her against him. She struggled, but couldn't do more than push her upper body up.

The man turned and looked to the gun, unimpressed. "You might shoot Matu." He pointed out, and held the girl against him. She was slight enough and his shoulders broad enough it was easy enough to keep her pinned like that. "I'm sure you don't want that, not the least because I want her in tact, as does Father, and upsetting either of us is a bad choice."
Why did this always have to happen on her days off? Chaos seemed more than intent on following her around lately.

"I doubt that." Catherine replied as her finger moved towards the trigger. She had no qualms about shooting the man, and wasn't about to use magic in such a public area. "She's too small a target, but you? You're a nice big bullseye." Catherine said plainly, hoping that if she did get a shot off, that the bullets with the runes would do their job. "Now drop the girl, I don't give a damn about upsetting someone, I've done worse."
Nadya, not content to be rescued, grabbed not the man's ponytail, but strands from it, knowing well which hurt more, then yanking hard enough to pull them out. "Dammit, Kissare Shalafi, put me down!" She demanded, struggling, teeth bared. "I'm not Matu, not anymore. I'm Nadya, and you're being a great, big, BULLY!" She shouted in his ear, trying to be as unpleasant a captive as possible.

The girl swore and fought harder. Kissare raised an eyebrow and swatted her rear. "Stop that." He ordered and then looked to Catherine. "Admittedly, it would be harder to fight you while carrying her. And I can see you aren't going to just let me have her." He said and sighed, dropping Nadya roughly to the ground and holding his hand to her. The girl was very promptly bound by roots to the ground.

"Kissare! Not fair!" She pulled against the bounds, any pretense of being a normal 13 year old thoroughly gone, and she knew it. Catherine was going to have so many questions.
Catherine momentarily lowered her gun and looked at Nadya incredulously. This was either going to go well, or result in even more trouble, and it looked to her like it was going to be the later. "Fight? You? In case you haven't looked around, the potential for casualties is astronomical." Catherine commented. She was going to do everything she could to avoid a fight, and get them the hell out of dodge before the man got any other bright ideas. "Let Nadya go, we have no business with you." She said mentally preparing the necessary spell required to free Nadya from the roots.
Nadya huffed and stopped fighting the roots for a minute and closed her eyes, concentrating. She had the knowledge of her old lives, but not the control, not the practice. Every body was different after all. The teen tried to think of how to get out of this and tried to think of what she would have done when she was Matu.

...Remembering that, she decided, was kind of useless. Matu had been stupidly powerful and ridiculously impulsive. Maybe a different life then....

Kissare sighed and pulled a long knife, almost a short sword, from under his coat. "I have never cared about the possibilities of casualties. People die all the time. If I bring their death, then so be it. After all, what is it those mage's books call me? The bloodthirsty?" He gave a wicked evil grin, too many teeth showing. Oh yes, he had earned his nickname twice over, easily, and he knew that well. "But don't worry. I won't hurt Matu."
"Mage books? What are you even talking about?" Catherine replied holstering her gun. There was too great a chance of hurting a bystander, and she'd rather not make herself more of a target than she already was for defending Nadya. Then the woman behind them in the booth started screaming at them in Russian, and Catherine just sighed. The tiny old woman then yelled something new, picked up a jar of the honey and hurled it at Kissare's head. The jar shattered on impact, flinging glass and honey everywhere.

"Woah!!" She exclaimed ducking quickly to avoid getting hit herself as the tiny woman behind her hurled another jar while screaming at the man in Russian.

However, this didn't stop some of the honey from getting on Catherine as she'd been standing close to Kissare. The front of her tshirt and jeans from the chest down was covered in random drips, and splotches of honey. A few glass shards had made their way into hair, covered with the same sticky goo.

"I think she likes you." Catherine commented, for the moment feigning stupidity with the man.
Kissare swore as he was hit with a jar of honey of all things and wiped it from his face, ignoring the gleeful encouragement Nadya shouted to her Babushka. "Clearly." That had surprisingly hurt. The glass had also cut, and he sighed, not impressed. Makru would never let him hear the end of this. Still, he shrugged. "Look it up." He sid, holding up a knife. "Matu likes you well enough, so I'd prefer not to kill you, but long experience says she won't care too badly if I hurt a bystander."

He smirked and pulled a throwing knife out with his empty hand. "Shall we see if that still holds?" He would be more than happy to do so. "Back away, woman, before you get hurt." He wasn't fond of hurting women. They were weak after all, and it was hardly a test of his skills, or even worth his time.

Nadya huffed and pulled at his binds and glared to Kissare. "If you hurt Catherine, I won't forgive you, Kissare, I won't!"
"I'm sorry, but I still have no idea what you're talking about." Catherine said bluntly, still feigning ignorance. If she could derail him long enough, to at least get most of the market evacuated, then that would be a minor piece of luck; miracles were something she wasn't inclined to believe in. But with enough luck and magic though she could likely cause enough of a disturbance to encourage the evacuation of the market on it's own. "Thank you Ms. Sokolova, but that's only making him angrier!" Catherine said to the tiny old woman who hurled yet another jar of honey at the man, screaming obscenities in Russian.

She didn't like using the magic, she didn't like the consequences that came with it, but this was a complicated situation. Reaching out, she cast an illusion designed to encourage the vendors and customers to leave. A herd of angry animals would likely do it, as most residents weren't afraid of gun fire anymore, but were somehow afraid of animals. "Back away? Not bloodly likely!"
Kissare dodged and sighed, kneeling next to Nadya. "Matu, you have fierce defenders." He murmured, amused. "And this is more trouble than I had counted on. Another time, little sister. Try not to get yourself killed in the meantime." He said simply and stood, looking down at her. "I'll let you and your knight figure out how to get you loose...without getting hurt." That would be the amusing part.

With that, Kissare took off, joining the fleeing bystanders, pulling up a hood to hide his hair so he was harder to spot. Nadya sighed and tugged at the bonds not impressed. "At least that fucking bastard got cut. He's always been such a jerk!" She had forgotten Catherine knew Russian, and the teen tugged on the roots again, unimpressed. Great. She has globs of honey on her, mixed with some blood that had dripped on her from the redhead, and now Catherine was going to have so many questions.

"Babushka, are you okay? That man didn't hurt you?"

"HA! Did you see how I got him with the honey? My heart is stronger than that, girl. Now, how do we get you free?"
Whether Catherine chased after Kissare or not, or tried to stop him or not, Lina would come over to see fi she could figure out how to free her friend.
Catherine absolutely no intention of chasing after this man, or any intent of biting off more than she could possibly chew. She'd already been down that road within recent memory and really didn't want a repeat. This time, it would all be above board and she would not be getting in over her head. "We can't take you anywhere Nadya." Catherine remarked as she picked a few shards of glass out of her hair and off her shirt. "And how the..." She added seeing now that the teen had been held fast and firm to the ground by roots.

"Oi... no wonder Laura wanted me to come with you." Catherine muttered to no one in particular. There were a lot of questions to be had after this, especially on all the part of all parties. "Language Nadya!" She then said turning to scold the teen, reminding her that she wasn't Laura and someone who wouldn't understand what had been said.

"But yes, how do we get you out of here?" Catherine asked slightly
"It's not undeserved language!" Nadya declared and sighed, looking to the roots. "They won't be cut-able. He's a jerk like that." The teen tugged at one and laid back, unimpressed. "And it isn't my fault. I don't ever go looking for trouble." She protested. And she really didn't. It was probably a good thing she didn't just sneak out.

The teen watched the clouds go by. At least it wasn't raining.

As if the thought summoned it, it began to sprinkle. The venomous look Nadya shot the skies could have melted flesh. "...try fire, but carefully." She suggested. "The entire family is a bunch of pyros. He'd enjoy watching me squirm from fire." A total jerk. She was now wet, had honey and blood on her, and was trapped against the ground, in the rain, by roots of some sort. The teen groaned in exasperation.

Lina eyed the roots. "I have a box cutter?"
"Maybe you're right, but still... I think for now it's not necessary." Catherine replied as she knelt down to examine the roots that pinned Nadya to the ground. They were definitely a thing created by magic, and resistant to most of the teen girl's efforts to extricate herself. "Fire? I don't think we want to barbecue you." She said carefully as she tugged at the roots herself, looking for weakness.

Frowning at Nadya's friend Lina, Catherine wondered if the other had really heard her friend. "That won't work, a box cutter isn't strong enough." She said shaking her head as she knelt there next to the teen. By now the rain was beginning to soak both of them through, with Catherine's once carefully styled hair, becoming stringy and plastered to her face and neck. "Stop squirming Nadya." Catherine warned with an exasperated look at the girl as she thought.

There was one spell, it wasn't terribly defensive or really offensive either, but it would likely do the trick. "Istalri." She said matter of factly, before placing a hand on the roots. The words produced a bright, hot fire that burned only the roots, never touching Nadya or her clothing.
Nadya held still, and the minute the roots were gone, she was sitting up, rubbing her belly, which one of the roots had lain across. "Thank you. That was really cool!" She hadn't seen magic like that. Not as Nadya. The girl could feel the memories draining back to behind the wall, so she could be Nadya. The girl sighed and stretched. "So, at least they don't want me hurt?" She tried, uncertain what to say.

Lina clucked her tongue and hurried girl and aunt alike under the tent. "Get under here before the two of you catch your death." She said firmly and dog into her purse, pulling out a throw and wrapping Nadya in it, and finding a shawl to wrap around Catherine. She herself was mostly dry still. "And help me pack up Nadya. There won't be any more customers, not with it raining." Obediently, the girl began to pack up, not paying attention as Lina pulled Catherine to the side. "Take care of that girl, will you? She had moments when she seems older than me, but mostly, she's still a little girl."
"Believe me Ms. Sokolova, I am trying... but Nadya can be a handful." Catherine said cautiously, accent apparent as she wrapped the shawl around herself. She didn't want to have to talk to June about this, or Laura really, as she was sure this was something that the gods were likely conspiring on. Old and new alike seemed to derive satisfaction from making some souls miserable. "But I do understand your concern, and saw what you mentioned today." Catherine added, finding herself with a lot of questions now.
She nodded. "And see that poor child gets someone to talk to. She won't talk about it, but she watched her parents die, Ms. Dumitrescu. She needs someone to help her stop ignoring that." And she was certain the girl had been doing just that. Still, the woman watched the girl pack up, carefully putting each jar away. "She's a good girl, obedient. She just needs a firm hand and to be kept busy enough trouble can't find her." That was a tricky prospect.

Nadya packed more of the jars away, carefully stacking the boxes as she finished them. There weren't too many, and it wasn't long until one of the other russians came tot he tent, and greeted Nadya happily before he began to take the boxes away. Lina watched with a smile. "That's my son. He's a good boy. He likes to wander the market, you see. Make certain no one is underselling me." Sabotaging them discreetly if they were. A good boy. "Between the two of them, everything will be quickly put up."
Catherine just frowned, concern clearly evident across her features, she had yet to really process her own father's death, much less find a way to help Nadya process the death of her parents. "I will talk to my niece and see what can be done." She tried to assure the other, but that was difficult enough as it was, as the old woman had already singled her out. "Yes, she is.. she tries hard." Catherine said again trying to assure the babushka. Keeping Nadya busy was going to be a headache and a half; for all persons concerned.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Ms. Sokolova, I wish circumstances had been better. Sometimes work follows me home on my days off." She told the other as she handed the shawl back.
"Oh it was exciting. It was good for this old heart of mine." She said and smiled. "Tell Nadya to come visit more." She instructed and accepted the shawl. "You and this niece of yours too." She insisted, and then went to shoo Nadya away to her guardian. Nadya left the throw there and joined Catherine, then looked at the rain, unimpressed.

"So. I guess there's gonna be a lot of questions?" She said, uncertain. "Ms. June should be there. She kind of knows, and can stop me if I'm about to say something I'm not allowed to." She wasn't supposed to talk about any of it, but it was pretty clear that she was not being given a choice. Her far, far flung past had come to bear.
"I'll be certain to." Catherine replied calmly, keeping her annoyance at bay. 'Ruined my day off... damn nosy babushka..." She muttered grumpily under her breath in Romanian. She would have rather dispatched the man then and there, but there had been civilians to take into account, and she really didn't want yet another reprimand stuck in her personnel file. Especially as things were going relatively well for once.

Sighing and looking at Nadya, as she pushed a strand of white hair out of her face, Catherine scowled at the thought of dealing with June so soon. "Yes." She answered as she headed back to the car. "And she will be."

Sol Avenue and Lady Une DriveSetting: Sol Avenue and Lady Une Drive


Catherine hadn't expected a simple trip to the farmer's market to be as much of an adventure as it had been. Instead of taking Nadya back to Laura's, she instead opted to text the other woman that everything was fine and that they were making a day of things; giving the Laura little chance to worry and enjoy a day without such a busy young girl underfoot. "Let's get you a set of clean clothes while we wait on June.." Catherine said as she unlocked the door to a sparsely furnished, but tidy apartment.

Bending down for a moment, she picked up the mail that had been shoved through the letter slot. "Well this'll keep Lex busy for awhile.." Catherine muttered seeing a large catalogue in the pile. No doubt her husband would find some new and unusual toy to try to build in their apartment much to her annoyance. But at least it kept him out of trouble, and gave him a respite from the insanity of the Council when he was home. "I think I may still have some of Laura's old clothes, they should fit well enough." She told Nadya as she shut the door behind them.
Nadya nodded. "Thanks." She said and looked herself over. "...I'll go clean up some in the bathroom while I wait?" She offered uncertain. It was a bit of a mess just looking at her. Still, she was more than a littler nervous. Laura had been told they were making a day of it, but this wasn't exactly the sort of day that Nadya much wanted made of anything. The girl sighed and bit her bottom lip.

"Um, where's the bathroom?" Lex...that was Catherine's husband right? She kind of remembered Laura telling her something like that. The teen looked around. "I don't want to make a mess trying to find it. Your apartment is nice." It didn't need to be messed up by the gunk on Nadya.
"Go ahead, it's down the hallway. First door to your right." Catherine answered as she continued to sort through the mail. It was mostly a few bills, and a lot of junk; which was normal thankfully. While life could be crazy, she and Alexander had agreed to have the chaos leave itself at the door. Unfortunately though, there were few times where this really worked well considering both of their schedules.

While Nadya cleaned herself up, Catherine went to find the girl something to wear and clean herself up as well. She knew that anything of her's was out of the question as it would likely be too big. But, she was fairly certain that she still had a few items of Laura's, as the other had never really gotten around to retrieving them.
Nadya headed to the bathroom and cleaned herself up as much as possible, thoroughly washing all her bare skin and finding a towel to drive off with as much as physically possible. The teen sat on the toilet once she was done, waiting, the door open so Catherine knew it was okay to come in. "Thank you for having me over." She said, pretty sure the other would be able to hear her. She didn't exactly have a quiet voice.

And she'd have clean, dry clothes to change into, which would be nice. That didn't always happen, so she considered herself lucky.
"Here, I don't know how well they'll fit.. but it's better than anything else." Catherine said handing the girl a pink sweater and pair of denim like leggings. "And at least it's warm right?" She asked offering the girl a small smile. Catherine knew that Nadya was largely uncomfortable with her, and but she wasn't going to push the girl to move past it either. "Hurry up and get dressed, June should be here any minute." Catherine added as she left, closing the door behind her.

No sooner had she asked Nadya to hurry up and get dressed, than the sound of a quick knock and muffled voices could be heard outside the bathroom. "I'm really sorry about this Councilor, but it happened again." Catherine said as she ushered the other woman into the living room.

It was well enough appointed, with comfortable chairs and a sofa. Bookcases stood against the wall, with a baby grand piano not far off. "It's okay, I'd rather find out about it now than later." June replied as she took a seat on the sofa.
Nadya nodded, uncertain. "Thank you." She closed the door behind Catherine and got dressed quickly, and toweled her hair a second time. A quick run through of her fingers meant that it was mostly neat looking. The teen left the bathroom after that and found June and Catherine easily enough. She hesitated in the entrance before joining them. "I'm sorry too." She said. "He wouldn't have gone after Catherine at all if I hadn't of been there."

She knew who it was too, and knew him well enough. "He was being stupid though. He wouldn't have hurt anyone where I could see." She promised the two, meaning it too. Kissare didn't like to hurt others in front of her, at all. He blamed it on her being a girl, and thus unsuited to seeing those things, but she thought it was something else. "He probably wouldn't have hurt you, Catherine. He doesn't hurt women."
Catherine and June exchanged looks before either one of them spoke to Nadya, it seemed as if some sort of communication had occurred between the two without words ever being exchanged. This was a sticky situation and tact was not something that either one of them terribly excelled at. "He didn't go after me Nadya." Catherine said as she motioned for the other to have a seat. "And people like that will do anything to get what they want. It doesn't matter who's with them or not with them."

Had he decided to hurt her or a civilian, Catherine would have been more than justified in her own defense against it. "Alright kiddo, enough moping, I get enough of that from Kasimir on the daily basis." June said, interrupting whatever train of thought the teen had going. "Now, I think it's time to sit down and figure out what the hell is going on once and for all." June added, looking all too comfortable sitting there in her chair. "And don't be afraid to speak either, the Warden here has had this place warded exceedingly well."
"Right." The girl took a seat facing them and bit her bottom lip, thinking of what to say. "So, story time I guess? Five years ago, Russia was bombed by the Aschen in an attempt to get Terra to do something." She shrugged not really understanding that. "The Alexeev family was home that day. Every member died, Mama, Papa, and Nadya." The girl shrugged. "But Nadya was important. The fate's needed her alive, for whatever reason. She wasn't supposed to die."

The girl managed a smile. "Two years ago, Hope Khon, an erutin, died in her sleep." The girl smiled. "Once she died, I returned to my ship. It's a space ship, and it's also my home, my real home. For a long time, space was a safe place for us to leave, me and my coworkers. Now, it's trickier, but space is big. Really big. So it's still safer than being planetside." They girl looked uncertain. "Hope Khon, on the ship, became Nadya Alexeev. And then I went back and I was found in the rubble. Instead of dying, I watched my parents die, and I was rescued. And now, until the Bosses are done with Nadya, I am Nadya. I have all her memories, and mostly...mostly I am only her. I'm not supposed to remember being anyone or anything else, until I need to go become someone else, or I die." The girl looked to them both, uncertain. "Um, does this make sense? So far?" There was more. There was obviously more.
Catherine frowned, remembering the bombardment well enough. "That doesn't surprise me, I worked for those bastards for awhile." She muttered under her breath. The Aschen didn't have the best of reputations among those on Terra, and the repeated bombings only added to this. But, both Catherine and June nodded, one having a rough understanding of the fickle nature of the fates and the other knowing full well how bad they could be. "You're doing good." June said coaxing the girl to continue.

If June had anything to say about it, she'd remind the fates that they weren't supposed to be operating of their own accord. "An emisary of the fates then, well I've heard weirder." Catherine said.
Nadya smiled, uncertain. "Being Hope was hard on me. Being Nadya was supposed to be easy." She explained. "I'm not supposed to be more than a side kick at best. But then something happened. I don't know what, but..." She hesitated. "Shalafi was out." She explained. "And I saw Makru on the news the other day, and Kissare today, and the only one missing is Pahas." She considered how to put it.

"A long, long time ago. Long enough I'm not sure when, I was a girl, a powerful mage, named Matumaini." She thought it over. "That was my first life, ever. I didn't work for fate back then." She admitted and smiled. "But I got into a lot of trouble. One day, I met Pahas Bel. I saved him. He wasn't so sick after meeting me, because of something I did." She shrugged. "He had two brothers. Kissare, the eldest, and Makru, the second born. And he and I, eventually, got married, had kids...and then I met their father, after our second child was born." How to put this.

"Shalafi was trapped then, but I almost let him loose. He seemed so nice, and he was definitely charming." She shrugged, uncertain what else to say. "And he liked me. He liked me more than he liked his sons. I don't think it was love. I know love, and this...it was different. Obsession. He said he'd stay, and not fight his bonds so long as I kept visiting. So I did, until something, and I don't remember what, but I'm not supposed to remember any lives, so I'm not too surprised...something changed, and Pahas and I and Kissare and Makru, we worked together and put Shalafi to sleep where he was bound. And then we put ourselves to sleep, deep underground, hidden. We woke up to renew the spells."

She bit her bottom lip. "While I was sleeping, the fates approached me, and I took a job with them. I've had an awful lot of lives since I was Matu, and I'm not supposed to remember any life but what I'm living. But..but when I was off planet, something happened, and I needed to know, so I did."
"Then was Shalafi the one we met in the grove?" Catherine asked frowning remembering the field and it's plants. She could see a pattern here, the man craved power, and would do anything to get it. But that still didn't answer the question as to how he had known her father, not very many people outside a select community knew the association. "I think I met Pahas the other day..." June said slowly thinking back to the man in the small cake shop. He had been very interested in her cake and coffee, which wasn't unusual, but then he had asked about a herbalist's shop. Something that technically didn't exist.

"So what happened to Matu? Is her body just laying somewhere or?" Catherine then asked mildly confused. This was worse than the craziness the fae tended to get wrapped up in.
Nadya shook her head. "I am Matu. This is her body. Kind of." Her brow furrowed and she bit her bottom lip. "Matu, I, when I excepted the job, got the ability to mimic the form of whoever I was going to become." She explained. "As Matu, I could do limited shape changing. The color of my hair. My facial structure. Now, I and de-age and age myself as needed." She explained, uncertain how else to put it.

"But yeah, that was Shalafi. I was lucky he didn't really recognize me." He must have been distracted. "But it might not have been him-him. It could have been a projection." At the note of seeing Pahas, Nadya's cheek turned a bright red. "And you saw Pahas? Did he look healthy? Was he, um, was he looking for me?" It was clear she still rather liked her one time husband.

She had had many husbands over the centuries. Pahas, her first, remained her favorite.
June raised an eyebrow at Nadya's reaction, "Yes, as a matter of fact he was looking for you or Matu." She answered. "But honestly? He was more interested in finding a herbalist than anything else." June added recalling that the man had been rather flighty when it came to questions posed to him. "He got frustrated when I refused to tell him about Laura's shop, I lied and said such things didn't exist anymore." The councilor said easily. It had been a half truth, a simple thing to tell the man, whom she didn't trust at all.

"A projection? That's not good." Catherine mumbled thinking for a moment. So far the two didn't seem terribly phased by Nadya's tale, but were more so concerned with this recent appearance of two individuals who shouldn't exist. "I spoke with a friend of mine a few weeks ago, he wouldn't go into much detail, but said that Shalafi poses a danger." Rahal had been incredibly tight lipped about it all, and still hadn't told her much other than to be aware of the risks the man and his sons could pose.
"Pahas prefers using a medium for his magic." She admitted and shrugged. "He'll turn up, I'm sure." She knew that one. The girl smiled. "Though he's going to be so confused for a bit, trying to find somewhere." She grinned, amused by the lie more than anything else. Still, the girl thought it over.

"My father in law wanted to own the whole world. He thought it was owed to him." she said simply. "And the only son of his he couldn't control was Pahas. I don't think Kissare was acting under his own power today." She admitted and curled up on the couch. "Shalafi is a jerk." She said simply. "An absolute jerk." There was little that could change he opinion on that. The woman thought it all over and then smiled, uncertain. "I think he's dangerous. If he's only a bit out, he'd be using projections. If he's all out, then maybe I'll ask if I can retire, because he's scary." Very scary, very dangerous. "And I don't want to be around. He's kind of basically the apocalypse."
June looked to Catherine and sighed, "This may require an elevated threat condition." June wasn't adverse to putting one into effect, but Catherine winced at the mention of one. "We haven't had that since.." Catherine started to say but then fell silent. Those types of threat levels tended to lead to casualties on both ends; mundane and unseen. "I know, but it may be necessary." The councilor replied, unsure of what would happen this time around. South America had resulted in catastrophic casualties, and the councilor didn't care to repeat it.

"Well there is one way to tell I suppose.." June said after listening to Nadya. "Warden, would you please?" She asked looking to Catherine who would rather be elsewhere. All she had signed up for was to take a teen to the farmers market, and give Laura a day off, not get further tangled up in this Shalafi mess. Catherine had hoped that it would all just pass over, and for once allow her to enjoy her time off. "If your okay with this Nadya, I'm going to ask Catherine to do something of a search.. this will tell us a little more about what's going on with the situation." June said looking over at the teen.

The pair weren't terribly phased by much of what Nadya said, but they were more certainly concerned.
"What kind of a search?" She asked, not certain why a search would need her permission. She didn't really know much of Catherine's abilities. Laura didn't discuss much with her at all. The girl bit her bottom lip and looked to Catherine, then took a deep breath. "I'm probably going to be okay with it, regardless." She admitted, still nervous.

She hoped they didn't hurt her friends. Yeah Kissare had tried to kidnap her, but she didn't have the whole story but she wanted it, needed it. And Makru...okay, maybe he shouldn't have unleashed all that trouble, but that was pretty in character for him too. Makru had always been...less than good.
Now it was June's turn to look mildly uncomfortable. "I don't know how much the fates have told you about this or how much you remember... but there's a veil between worlds. Then normal human world and the metaphysical world of magic ecetera." The councilor started to explain. "Several hundreds, of thousands of years ago magic was common place and strong, now it's not so much. Individuals who were born at the right time, and under the right conditions..." She continued struggling to find an adequate way to explain it.

"What Councilor Blackwelder means to say, is that there are some of us who belong to the veil, are a part of it, possess it within us." Catherine finally said bluntly interrupting her boss. "It's quite complicated." She said with an uncaring shrug as she removed one of the rings on her right hand. "However, I believe I have an idea of what to look for." Catherine added setting the ring aside on the coffee table. She wasn't even going to apologize to June for having figured out how to remove at least one of her restrictions.

This was one that effectively damped any sense of her possessing any sort of power. However once removed, if one was paying attention, it became apparent that there was an inordinate amount of power at her disposal. Reaching out and turning her focus inwards, Catherine began to scan, looking for the holes, tears, or runs in the fabric that would clue her into what might be going on.
Nadya burst into giggles. "Oh! No, the bosses don't tell me anything. I only know what Nadya knew, or for once I guess, what I learned before. Matu was way before the veil." She said, confidently. "Though that explains a lot! I wondered where all the magic went, and why it was so much weaker." The girl beamed, clearly pleased to have an explanation for the phenomena.

The girl smiled to Catherine. "Shalafi...hm. It's possible that there's a rip in the veil where we tucked him away at." She didn't know, not for sure. The girl watched Catherine, not sure what the other was looking for. Still, she could feel the power emanating from Catherine now that had been hidden before.

Catherine would find a long tear in the veil, not far from the edges of Wing City. It was a jagged tear, and near it was a powerful source of magic.
"Well that's helpful.." June commented sarcastically. She and most of the rest of the gods didn't much care for the fates. They were difficult to deal with even on good terms. "But yes... over time the humans grew to take it for granted. Many of them deciding to stray from customs and the old gods. So the veil was put back into place for one final time, and mankind lost all memory of the magic that had been. This was roughly 1500 years ago, and since then there have only been minor rips and snags in it." She explained patiently to Nadya. "Magic.. exists but like you said it's very much so weakened and pale in comparison with what existed before." June said offering the girl a smile. "But, there are a few individuals, like I told you, who are capable of dipping into that vast original wellspring of magic and directing for their own use."

Meanwhile as June explained all of this to Catherine had found the tear in the fabric of the veil. Examining it closer, she could sense the powerful magic source near it. Knitting the fabric back together would be far from easy, especially with how it had been torn in such a jagged and haphazardly fashion.
"Well, that's stupid!" Nadya declared. "Why would they move away from the old gods anyway. They're super powerful, and scary, but if they like you, they're nice!" Nadya smiled. "I got to meet some, as Matu." She gave June a rather amused look, knowing what she did. "None of the gods I used to worship have any worshipers left." She admitted. "And the temples are all broken." She shrugged not certain. "I doubt they still exist, given the lack of followers." She didn't know for sure. She thought back to that life. "Asalluhi was who I worshiped then. Nadya, before I got my memories back, didn't worship anyone."

Given this was a new life, she supposed she could find a new god to worship. "The bosses don't like it when we worship them though. They get huffy." She shrugged and sat back, watching Catherine with some curiosity.

As Catherine watched, a run would appear in the fabric of the veil, rather near where they were. It was small, and narrow, and easily missed, but it was clearly there none-the-less.
"Yes well that is only one reason the old gods are no longer worshipped." June remarked with a shrug. "Some still exist, wrapped up with new names into new pantheons, but over all the world has largely forgotten them." She added without much interest. For now it would be easy to keep Nadya's attention while Catherine worked, but not much longer though. "They're right, you shouldn't worship fate. Nothing ever bodes well for one who does."

The run near the tear concerned Catherine, as it only served to weaken the fabric of the veil, potentially allowing for thinning and other issues to occur. However small it was, she might have missed it had she not spent hours casting her own mind out and across it's surface, learning it's every nuance and varied surface. Unless one could see or sense the veil it was difficult to describe, to some it appeared as a vast web cast over the world, and to others a wall. "There is a very large tear and numerous runs within the fabric." Catherine finally said, her voice filled with frustration and exhaustion as she pulled herself back into the present. "What concerns me most is that they are close to here."
Nadya thought it over. "Maybe on of the greek gods. I like their stories. I like the norse god stories too though." She had time to decide, she thought. It wasn't going to happen right off, after all! The girl watched Catherine and considered something. "...It's been a long time. But, um, I think I can call Pahas here. He'd admit if any of it was caused by him." She could see it happening. After a lifetime of easy access to magic, the veil would have to be frustrating.

The girl considered her offer. "He'd come, and it's not something his dad would notice. His dad never paid attention to songs after all." And it was a song to let Pahas know she was thinking of him. She remembered the words and the tune, if she thought it over.
"Then call him." June said and Catherine nodded in agreement. Between the two of them, if anything were to happen it would be taken care of. But if Nadya were to be believed, then Pahas was the least of their worries, especially if what Catherine had to say about the veil was any indication. "I'll help you if you need it." Catherine added before slipping her ring back on.
Nadya gave the two a bright smile and nodded, then stood and began to sing. "Strange little bird, come home to me. Strange little bird, fly fast. Strange little bird, come and greet me, Say hey to Matu, Pahas." she sung, the words a rough translation of what they once were. There was a pause and then her smile split her face.

"He's singing." she said, and her eyes closed, as she swayed to a tune she could hear. After a moment she stopped and looked to the door, as if entranced. The teen began to walk towards it, longing clear on her face. "Pahas Bel, the youngest son, father to many, husband to one, come little bird, strange as you are. Matumaini awaits." Her eyes on the door, she waited patiently. "He's coming." She assured the two.
Catherine and June looked at each other again, slightly concerned for where this might be going. While both had never worked extensively with the other, they encountered one enough often enough to have some small level of comfort with the other. "She's loosing it.." Catherine said leaning over and whispering to the other woman. "And I would know..." She added as she crossed her arms back over her chest expectantly.

"Hush and give the girl credit for her honesty, and willingness to try." June said to Catherine with an annoyed look. The two still would butt heads occasionally, and much of that seemed to stem from the distrust Catherine held for the Council, with June being no exception to that. "Thank you Nadya." June then said to the teen with a smile.
Nadya turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Catherine, having heard the comment. There was a knock on the door a moment later and the teen crossed her arms and looked entirely too smug. She knew exactly who was on the other side of the door, though he was being incredibly polite. "Should I go ahead and get the door? Though it's not my house...."

On the other side of the door stood Pahas, dressed in jeans and dark blue sweater, his hair sticking up wildly. a wide smile on his face. Still, he knew better than to enter into another's territory. And just because Matu had called for him didn't mean that this was her home. Who knew what his clever wife looked like this time?
"No, you wait here." Catherine said as she crossed over to open the door. "The wards.. work in a certain way." She added without much explanation, meaning that only those who she'd listed as allowed to pass could enter without invitation. Catherine didn't want to explain how things were done, or really open either of them up to something less than friendly.

Opening the door, she looked Pahas up and down with an appraising glance before speaking. "You might as well come in." Catherine said plainly.
Pahas smiled and stepped inside. "Thank you. Your home is lovely. And I rather like your wards. From what I say they are well formed." He was impressed by him. Catherine didn't keep his attention however. His eyes fell on Nadya and he was by her side in an instant, though he hesitated at her youth and simply hugged her close to him.

Nadya returned the hug whole heartedly and held him close, hiding her face against his chest for a moment or so. "You're safe. Alam hasn't gotten to you yet?" The girl didn't want to let go, but did so briefly. Her once husband smiled down to her.

"Not yet, though he has Makru and Kissare. Now, introduce me to your friends." He teased. "I hate to be the only one not knowing who everyone is, after all." He smiled to June and Catherine, largely still thrilled simply to see Matu.

"Of course! This is June, and Catherine." She introduced both in turn, indicating who was who with an open palm. "And I go by Nadya now. This body is only 13 also, so we should probably not be as lovey dovey as we once were." It was frowned upon in todays world, she knew.
Catherine simply nodded and June offered the man a charming smile. "How was your cake?" June asked mischievously. She had a knack for remembering people, and generally took full advantage of it. "Because, I hear their carrot cake is quite good, but have yet to try it." June added. The small shop had become a have of respite from the chaos of the Council, Kasimir generally didn't eat, Alexander lived off coffee and nothing else, and Agathon was prickly enough to avoid communal meals.

"There will be plenty of time to reminisce and wool gather later. What's most important right now is there is a sizeable hole in the veil along with several smaller ones accompanying it." Catherine finally spoke, her tone not without some amount of apathy.
Pahas grinned at June, recognizing her now. "It was delicious, thank you. Though I believe you lied about the lack of a herbalist in the city." Not that he could blame her. A strange magician looking for a magic shop was an odd occurrence. He likely would have misled the stranger too. "If it's alright with her guardians, I will probably take Matu, excuse me, Nadya there sometime soon." Nadya grinned at him, rather liking that idea.

"If it isn't alright, I promise to sneak out." She offered him a smile, and he raised an eyebrow at this idea.

"And then I'll return you right back to them. How often have we discussed the value of rules and why you should follow them? I am a stranger to your family here Nadya. I will not push their boundaries because at one point, in another life, you were my wife. You are, as you said, currently 13."

Still, the veil, the abomination that it was, was the topic of conversation. He considered what he had learned of it since waking. "While I find the veil to be an abomination, against nature itself, from what I have seen, I can make a few guesses. How Alam was sealed likely tore the veil when it was undone. It would have taken a great deal of magic after all." More than most had and that was the simple truth. "At least one of the runs is my own fault. Another might be Kissare's. We're both unfamiliar with it, and I admit to seeing how far I could push the damned thing. Sare would have done the same."
"Yes, I'll admit it I lied.. but honestly it's unusual to have a magician asking for a herbalist or magic shop in general. Most practitioners don't tend to go poking around asking in cake shops either." June replied with a nod. The unseen community here was small, but fairly tight knit when it came down to it. For an outsider to simply start asking questions raised a lot of red flags with them, and they like anyone else would be prone to giving false information if it would make the potential threat go away. "As far as taking her.. neither of us is her defacto guardian. That would be the Warden here's niece." June explained. Many of them built families in their own way, especially when children of their own were something that they would have never been blessed with. So it wasn't uncommon for some individuals to take in those less fortunate, and in need of some amount of assistance. "However, I doubt neither one of us would mind if you took her sometime."

But, all things aside, at least Pahas was admitting some hand in what had happened. "Most of us aren't a fan of the veil and the restrictions it imposes on many..." Catherine started to say thinking for a moment, her mind wandering back to what she had been told about the veil itself. "It was either that or Gaia and Chronus would allow mankind to destroy itself. You'd be surprised at what mankind has done to itself with sufficient access to magic and means." Catherine continued thoughtfully. "Either way.. your right it will take a significant amount of magic to repair, and I suspect those tears are what allowed Alam through."
"I'll be sure to check with the warden's niece then...regardless of what Nadya wants." Nadya crossed her arms and pouted at this, slumping in her seat. She knew he had her number, but ti was still annoying to be called out. The man considered the veil and the repercussions. "Alam's released triggered the fail safes that woke me and my brothers. Unfortunately, Makru and Kissare are more easily commanded by him." He could admit that. "It has to do with how we were made. Though I am, physically, the weakest, magically I am the strongest, and my will is a match for Alam's." He wasn't about to fall under his father's spell again.

"I will, of course, contribute to fixing the veil. It is partially my own fault, after all." Still, he wondered how the spells on Alam failed. He'd have to look closer to find it out.

Nadya bite her bottom lip and looked around. "I'll help too." she promised. "I don't know how much I can do as Nadya, but I can still try." She was determined to help, and that was the truth.