A Change of Seasons IC

[Ridai]

As with the clouds lazily drifting through the sky, diffused light filtering through them that makes the world below appear as if most colors were drained from it, the children of the gods might think their struggle barely makes an impact in the grand scheme of things, like a small breeze trying to nudge a hole into the thick grey layer that stretches from north to south, east to west.

The latest push came in the form of an assault. The cult, corrupted by the titans, couldn't hide forever, the number of vanishing people and telltale signs too large not to be noticed. Two bands came together to storm their sanctum, a rusty monstrosity of a factory, the blood of mortals filling its rotten heart, the desperate scratches on the walls its veins, the screams of agony and writhing bodies its pulse.

The push was brutal, the sights and sounds matching the experience, but the frenzied cult fell, for the most part, as did the rampaging lindworm coiling through the complex before most was consumed in waves of fire and booming explosions. Though the threat ended that day, with the incident being explained away in logical, reasonable terms by the mortals, it didn't wrap up nicely. Two Scions of the second lost their short lives in the flames, the rest has not been seen again since the end of that night by their brothers-in-arms.

It has been a few weeks since then. It is the beginning of December in Boston, a quiet morning with cold wind blowing through the streets, heralding the end of autumn. Life goes on as usual while the Scions had time to lick their wounds and recover, in time for a very special invitation.


Lauren

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A now wet towel is still draped across Lauren's body, having just left the shower, as her hand reaches for her earrings' usual place, finding one and the distinct lack of another. Instead, the young Scion finds a piece of paper with an arrow that coincidentally points right at the door of the bathroom as she picks it up to look at it. Following the arrow leads to more arrows on the wall of her apartment's hallway (at one point finding an arrow made of Post-It notes, each with another arrow pointing into the same direction), leading her to her living room table and a mysterious green cup standing on it upside-down, inscribed with a question mark.

As soon as curioity becomes too much to handle, Lauren finds another sheet beneath it, along with a photo of her missing earring in front of a green-and-golden envelope. "Would you like a friendly little game? Don't worry, you'll get your earring back no matter what, but maybe you'll even get that envelope, too. What could be inside it, I wonder, I wonder. Be fast enough and you'll find out! The game starts in 3..." The way every single word has been written suggests style and energy, the ink seemingly having a certain golden shimmer to it that seems to disappear once Lauren focusses on it. There are more sheets of paper behind it, the second just showing a "2", then a "1". And just in that moment, her smartphone chimes softly.

A picture of the apartment building's entrance with part of the envelope in the corner of the picture, with the caption "Four minutes. Good luck." Getting down there within that time frame would be child's play. If Lauren were dressed.

Well, she'll just have to be a little quicker under these circumstances. She'll surely manage... somehow.

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Feel free to stunt and make Dexterity + Athletics checks as much as you like.

Arsen

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With the new responsibility of kicking titanspawn to the curb and taking names, Arsen's days of underground cage fights and UFC glory seem so far away. There is a certain gravity and fulfillment to his purpose, the certainty that what he does matters, that it changes something, that it is what he was born to do. Right?

Still, Ares didn't just make Arsen's past disappear, gone in a puff of smoke to be followed by the prestige of a magic show. Every once in a while, people recognize him as the UFC champion that he is, desiring photos, autographs and occasionally a little more in case of the some of the female fans he comes across. It happens again while the Scion is out and about this morning, this time approaching him in the form of an attractive young woman going by the name of Remy. A quick once-over reveals her being a few inches short of six feet tall, having auburn hair at chin-length, green eyes and an athletic body with curves any red-blooded male just has to notice. Arsen can't help but be reminded of someone, but who might that be?

He finds her very easy to talk to, especially because of the lack of a shrill voice, "like"s, "ohmigod"s and attempts to almost beg on her knees for his attention as rabid fangirls normally do. She seems quite down-to-earth as a dialog about martial arts (which she practices herself) and sports, but she can't hide her admiration for him, especially when she glowingly speaks about the time she watched Arsen's fight that made him the undeniable champion. It's a pleasant chat, Remy's honest enthusiasm being contagious.

"Um, you are probably very busy, Mr. Leos, but maybe we could get some breakfast? I know a nice place closeby that has really nice buffets and coffee and such." Remy eagerly awaits an answer, a cute little blush appearing on her cheeks.

The day is definitely starting on a good note.

Ali

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Another day filled with purpose begins. Ali finds his talents to be in demand more than several months ago, as he recognizes during a short moment of reflection. Boston's crime rates were nowhere near those of bigger cities like New York, Los Angeles and the like, and they still aren't, but they are slowly rising again without a doubt. A circumstance good men and women should not take lightly, as complacency only helps the wrong people.

A simple envelope that has been slid under his front door catches Ali's attention just as he wants to leave. As unremarkable as the brown paper is, there still are two red notes that stand out that much more because of it.

URGENT
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

A quick check reveals no sorts of dangerous materials or substances, but also no indication who might have put the envelope there. Still, there is a certain sense of intrigue and the envelope's contents are soon revealed. A number of sheets of paper, photographs and a map are revealed. Numbers, names, adresses, texts, memos and newspaper excerpts soon lie spread out on a table. Most of it looks like just a random collection of useless information, with nothing alarming or of importance. Still, Ali isn't most. His gut says there is more to what looks like an elaborate prank at first and his experience in his field of work has helped him numerous times already, helping the prosecutor to distinguish between truth and falsehood, red herrings and real leads. He can't shake that sense of intrigue. Taking a closer won't hurt anyone.

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An Intelligence + Investigation check, please.

Ellie

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The nights are growing colder out on the streets, but it's nothing Ellie can't handle. She awakes as the first rays of the morning sun illuminate the part of the park she is in. A nice place to every now and then, almost cozy by some standards. A small group of homeless people had flocked around her during the evening and is still there, a little like believers seeking the wisdom of their prophet. They look after each other and Ellie, so it's win/win for everyone involved. Well, apart from the occasional passerby who doesn't like to be reminded that there are, in fact, homeless people in the world.

The girl who came to see you last evening, somewhat pretty if a little thin, is still sleeping beside you, smiling a little. Her stomach is rounded ever so slightly, there are still a few months to go. Both her and the child are healthy and thanks to Ellie's help, her troubled mind found some peace and courage, as if she just needed someone who would listen and care. The Scion still remembers her will to try to get a job and a home, for the sake of the child, followed by thanking Ellie profusely.

That was yesterday, though. Time to find out what a new day brings. And it seems it will start out on a little more unusual note. She could swear that tree's shadow looks like a dog. And after closer inspection, it is a dog. One that seems awfully large, just sitting there, patiently looking at her. No one seems to notice, even though the world around the dog seems a little hazy with colors flowing into the others, with seemingly harmless flames occasionally running across the black fur?

It just sits there, looking, waiting, occasionally moving its tail from one side to the other, a kind of majesty radiating from the muscled body.

Everyone

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I really need to become faster at typing up posts. >_>

Let the game begin. Also, feel free to read all sections. The spoiler tags are just there to organize the content a little and make the OP look less huge.

I hope the individual parts are acceptable (like Lauren living in one of the upper floors of an apartment building or Ali opening the envelope). I'll change parts of them if they aren't, though.

[Lesingnon]

The bitch...and/or bastard! Those earrings had been a gift! Oh, and they let her channel her birthrights too, that was important. She let the towel drop to the floor as she all but flew back to her room, faster than even that Bolt guy from Jamaica or wherever she was from could manage, and dove into her closet. Panties and make-up were neglected in the rush, time reluctantly taken to pull on the sports bra only because she figured she'd be doing a lot of running and jumping and stuff. Then jeans, a t-shirt, a fleece, and a sturdy pair of shoes were all hurriedly thrown on. Even if they were all clingy because she was still wet, she hated that feeling. Especially since her hair was still all wet. She hated that too, and pulled it back into a pony tail even as she slipped her remaining relics into place.

It was at about that moment that her mind caught up with her body and she realized that some strange pervert had been snooping about in her apartment while she was showering! She made extra certain that her ring was in place on her finger.

Then she went not to her door, but to her window, grabbing her purse off the table before climbing out onto the fire escape. Silly whoever-it-was that did this, maybe they thought they'd grabbed a different relic. It was like that one guy on that one USA Network show...Burn Notice, said. Getting down from a building fast was easy, let gravity do it. The only tricky part was making sure you didn't get hurt from the fall. And that wasn't even all that tricky for the daughter of a Sky God like Lugh.

She takes a brief moment to look around, make sure no one's paying attention to her. Thankfully no one really looked up, and alleys were always kind of dark until the sun rose up overhead. Then she let a bit of the legend that ran through the ichor in her veins seep out of her; making the sky her friend, and falling damage an afterthought. After that she leaned out...and fell.

Her eyes closed for a brief moment as she felt the cold wind whip past her face, reveling in the brief freedom of being airborne despite her rush. Then her hand darted out, grabbing the second-to-last platform of the fire escape and swinging her over to land on the lowermost one with a crash that would have at least shattered her legs were she mortal. But she wasn't, back to that whole daughter of a sky god thing. And from there it was child's play to get back to the ground via a more conventional method, they did watch the ground, she supposed. Then a nice, leisurely little jog to the main entrance to snatch the next envelope.

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Activated Sky's Grace, Legend 9->8
And a Dex + Athletics roll for her little leap of faith
(13d10)[2][9][10][7][8][4][5][7][10][3][4][10][9](88) + 2 Auto Successes

[Limos]

A wide smile breaks out across Arsen's craggy battlescarred face. The warm glow of fond nostalgia a comforting warmth in his chest. He turns to the perky redheaded beauty and chuckles, "Yeah sure, I'd like that. Just promise to call me Arsen, and I'll call you Remy. None of that Mr. Leos business. You're making me sound old. Just Arsen is fine." He offers an arm to the girl then lets her take the lead.

His twin spatha jingle against one another as he walks, clinking together at the midpoint of the leather cord about his neck currently reduced to charm size. His peacemaker is out of reach, safely stashed in the Hummer. Arsen is currently wearing a white wifebeater and a pair of baggy camouflage fatigue pants. The black and gray kind with the geometric patterns for cities, rather than the green and brown blotchy kind for jungle undergrowth. On his feet are steel toed black work boots.

Arsen looks over at the girl as he walks and smiles happily. It's nice to get a bit of normality in his life, not to mention a pretty girl, with all the madness and violence that has been his daily grind ever since he met his father. Arsen has always liked having fans, the way they idolize him, the money, the nice things, the pretty girls. Being a celebrity was a pretty slick deal.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Ali looks at the contents of the envelope thoroughly. The Yazata know that there is a purpose and a reason for all things. Other pantheons know this too, but the Yazata are the only ones who seek to make sure that purpose is the best purpose it can be. He silently prayed to his father that this was that kind of purpose, and not some taunt from a would-be serial killer looking to play cat-and-mouse with the DA's protege.

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(6d10)[4][1][5][7][6][1](24) plus an automatic success from Epic Intelligence. That's doing it correct, right?

[The_Snark]

Today is a good day, Ellie decides. There is a special something about being up very early in the morning, like knowing a secret that hardly anybody else does. The sun is peeking through the buildings, she managed to find dinner last night so she's not hungry yet, and the night chill isn't too bad right now. The winter snows will come crashing down later this month, sending all the street people scrambling for a warm place to sleep; winter is harsh in Boston. But that's later. This morning is good.

And hey, here is someone to share it with. Ellie isn't too worried that nobody else seems to see the dog. That sort of thing happens to her a lot. "Hey there," she says, waving to the tree-shadow-dog from where she sits. What she sees isn't always real but that's no reason not to be polite. "You're a pretty dog, huh? What are you doing out so early?"

[Ridai]

Lauren

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Much to her confusion, nothing can be found at the building's entrance. Instead, Lauren is greeted by a familiar chime upon her arrival, that of her smartphone. A picture from the top of the statue in the middle of the park far down the road, the camera pointing towards her current, distant, location, the envelope in the corner, but with a new hint of silver on it. Outstanding! Don't want to insult your skills any more, so 3min. Two minutes to reach the top of the large monument. Impossible for any mortal. But the daughter of Lugh is much more than that.

Her stride is flawless, utterly beyond the imagination of most inhabitants of the World. Steps taken with utmost precision, obstacles failing to hinder her, instead becoming props in a lightning fast dance. Fate seems to smile favorably onto the young woman, her motions always disguised by what seems like a string of beneficial coincidences, be they the sound of a car screeching to a halt or an enthralling street performer diverting the attention of the men, women and children out on the streets or a bit of harmless smoke or steam shielding the Scion from potential watchers.

Lauren arrives at her next destination with time to spare, immediately receiving her next goal. The cycle repeats a few times, the destinations becoming ever more difficult, the time limits tighter, the short messages more encouraging and the envelope more silver. Still, the challenge is always fair, even though one message is received in mid-air, forcing Lauren to catch one of the flag poles she flies by to get to the ground again. The experience started in a frustrating manner, but seems to become more... enjoyable? There is a growing sense of freedom gained from her movement, like a course specifically designed for her enjoyment and creativity, challenging her in many different ways, allowing her to find paths on her own terms.

The final destination is a mixture of restaurant and cafe, called The Silver Lining. A fitting name, it seems, as the place is one of the nicer examples of its kind all around (which Lauren has already experienced a few times) and the contestant arrives with time to spare, her clothes and hair barely wet anymore. The wonderful scent of fresh baked goods, coffee and everything one might think of to round out breakfast greets Lauren as she enters the door and is promptly greeted by a waitress, a momentary look of confusion quickly replaced by a welcoming smile. "Welcome. Ah, you must be Lauren. Someone is expecting you, would you please follow me?"

The waitress leads Lauren up a flight of stairs and through a double door, where she leaves you. Soft sunlight shines through the large windows onto the table in front of them, with five chairs around them, none of them occupied. There is a steaming pot of coffee and a filled cup on the table, but no one else seems to be there, even upon closer inspection. Before Lauren can consider whether this is some cruel joke, she hears clapping hands behind her. "Simply beautiful. That's my girl." The voice is very familiar and there is honest pride in it.

As Lauren turns around, she sees a young man, dressed casually, grinning from ear to ear. Her eyes are immediately drawn to him, his presence filling the room with ease. The auburn shock of hair, the emerald green eyes filled with energy, that smile that could melt the heart of any woman and make any faults forgiven and forgotten. The last time they met feels so close, yet so far away. Lugh spreads his arms, beckoning his daughter to come to him.

Arsen

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"Promise," Remy answers, showing another instance of those cute smiles of hers as she takes Arsen's arm. The coldness of this particular morning is quickly forgotten, time seeming to fly by in her company as your pleasant chat continues on the way, leisurely navigating towards their destination without a worry in the world. At first glance, others might think the pair might be a couple.

Arsen gets to know her a little more, learning that she is from New York too, but had to move to Boston several years ago to help support her family. Remy easily elevates herself above the usual fan, clearly being a woman who has seen and done a lot despite her age, one who can take care of herself and has learned to roll with whatever life throws her way and stay her course in the process. Most men would probably find it hard to believe that she isn't in a relationship already. Perhaps the gods are smiling down upon Arsen today.

"There it is." As you round a corner, Remy points towards a small cafe and restaurant, the sign saying The Silver Lining. The name seems fitting enough, considering the circumstances. Just before the entrance, Arsen hears the muffled sound of a cellphone ringing. Remy fishes her own out of her pocket and her expression shifts slightly, a tinge of anxiety sneaking into her features. "Could you excuse me for a little moment?" She flashes an apologetic smile and steps away a little to answer the call.

Arsen can't really understand who she is talking to or what the conversation is about, as she lowered her voice, but he hears "I'll be there soon." at the end, only to see Remy looking a little saddened as she returns to Arsen's side. "I... won't be able to join you. My little sister's in hospital and someone needs to be there when they want to run some tests. I'm really sorry, Arsen."

Ali

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The prosecutor's vigilant eyes wander across the material, analyzing, categorizing. He knows full well that some things can be hidden right in plain sight, while others require a different approach. Several pieces of the material having something in common or contradicting each other could create a starting point for solving this puzzle that has been presented to Ali. In some cases it could also be what specifically isn't there or something even more convoluted.

Individual pieces are moved, mental notes are made. The constant rearranging and reevaluating might seem like some form of inscrutable oracle, actions seemingly without rhyme or reason, but Ali's actions are driven by a very specific purpose, each step taken to steadily approach this goal as his mind shifts into a more abstract way of thinking, like an intellectual analog to what is occasionally referred to as a "zen-like state of mind". Slowly, connections between several pieces emerge, red herrings are weeded out, parts of the puzzle slowly being put together.

The efforts prove to be successful, the fruit of vigilance and duty. Before Ali lies a collection of evidence, decoded from emphasized passages, places and the like, pointing towards a handful of men that might be connected to as of yet unsolved serial murder cases, including one Ali is currently involved in, in terms of investigation, and a local politician. It isn't enough to take them to court, but the existence of more complete evidence that has been left out is also suggested, along with a telefone number to learn more.

The whole puzzle seems like something inspired by thrillers or spy movies, but just ignoring it might prove to be a mistake. If nothing else, seeing this through to the end will tell what this is all about, so making a call seems to be the next logical step.

"I see you were successful, but I still have to make sure. Tell me what you see and what you think." The voice on the other end of the line sounds deep, but also hushed.

Ellie

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The strange dog, seemingly understanding Ellie's question, but lacking the means to answer, stands up and moves its head in a way as if it wants to say "Follow me". Ellie notices just how big the dog is, even from her distance, easily just over five feet tall at the shoulder, a truly impressive being that still doesn't seem to make a sound despite its size and mass. No fallen leaves are rustled, no blades of grass are bent to the ground, no tracks are left. The hound is just there, beckoning Ellie, and the world seems to follow suit. Colors shift subtly here and there, branches and leaves moving in the wind seem to guide your eyes towards the dog as if telling her that everything is alright, that she should go.

The dog patiently waits for the Scion, also letting her touch it, if she wants to. The fur is soft, with the powerful muscles underneath easily noticable by touch, the impression completed by the otherworldly and pleasant feeling that accompanies the dog. It escorts Ellie through the park, like a loyal guard might accompany his esteemed charge. Sounds and sights work together to mark the path ahead that is only perceptible by them, like some shared secret. The entire journey has a dreamlike quality to it, even as the pair leaves the park and heads along the sidewalks and over the streets. Do the other people see them? What other surprises might be waiting in the world around them? It is hard to tell.

Everyone

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Still introduction and "fast-forward" mode. I hope the posts aren't too long, it's sometimes just difficult for me to formulate my ideas in a more concise way. All the characters will meet during the next update, so I can actually start to make one post for everyone at once and reduce the amount of text and stop "pushing" the characters, please bear with me.

[Limos]

Arsen is crestfallen, frowning at the girl. Everything had seemed to be going so well, he wonders what he might have done to scare Remy off. "Sorry to hear that, Remy. You need a ride? We can walk back to my car and I'll drive you there." He says hopefully, "We can do dinner instead." Arsen met nice, interesting girls seldom enough that he wasn't about to give up a golden opportunity like this so quickly. Most of the fans he met were either airheads, or meatheads. People that want to gush over how tough he was, or guys looking for a fight. Take down the big guy, prove their macho-ness.

[Lesingnon]

The absence of the envelope was frustrating, if not surprising. Somehow...she'd figured that that mystery-pervert was planning to lead her on a chase across the city. Not that she was happy about it. But mystery-pervert still had her earring. So she was off.

Deft feet moved unerringly through the crowded streets, divinely-empowered leaps sent her bounding forward through the air when she was shielded from mortal eyes. Despite the frustration, and indignation, she could feel the thrill of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Despite it all, she did take a measure of enjoyment in knowing that she was tracing a grateful dance across the city in a way that no mortal could dream of emulating.

Then she was at the cafe. And she wondered, briefly, how she must have appeared to the waitress; hastily dressed, disheveled, slightly damp, and a bit out of breath. She probably thought Lauren was making a stop during a walk of shame or something. Oh well, it was a better explanation than the actual reason.

So Lauren just puts on her best, brightest, smile as she starts to follow the other woman. "Of course." The mention of someone waiting for her caught her attention too. That must be mystery-pervert. And when she entered the room her arm was held out to the side, elbow slightly crooked. Someone skilled in sword fighting would recognize it as a good position to bring a blade whirling up into offense or defense...if she was holding one. But mystery-pervert might not know that her ring could transform into a blade.

Then she heard the voice, recognized it instantly, and spun around on the ball of her foot. All the frustration and indignation melted away instantly, her expression simply one of beaming joy. "Dad!" And with that she sprang forward into his open arms. Divine strength, combined with the mastery of the sky he'd granted her, allowing her to cover the distance between them in one, bounding, tackle-hug.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"What I see are patterns and hints. What I think is that someone who throws up this much smoke and this many mirrors either has something to hide, wishes to stay hidden himself, or is looking to mess with me as a part of some sick challenge. Which is it with you?" Ali replies plainly.

He didn't like secrecy as a rule. Mithra was a sun god, forthright and honest before all things mortal and divine. Ali held himself to the same standard as closely as he could, though obviously he was fallible as only mortals are, and he had the added issue of being fallible as only gods are as well. In any case, he needed to know just what he was up against, and listened carefully, his senses primed for the even the slightest hint of a lie or a secret. If there was any truth to be found in this person's words, Ali was confident he would find it. He always did.

[Ridai]

Lauren

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The rush of joy is mutual as Lugh catches and tightly embraces Lauren, giving an upbeat, hearty laugh. A small moment of peace for father and daughter upon their reunion.

"It's good to see you again, Lauren. Hope you liked my little parcours. Here, as promised." With a little flourish of his hand, the missing earring seems to simply manifest itself in Lugh's hand before he lets it join its golden counterpart hanging from Lauren's other ear. A sudden, warm breeze gently sweeps through her clothes, leaving them dry and comfortable and fixing their disheveled nature (and it does the same to her hair), as if getting the earring back brought the Scion's balance back to her in every way. The God takes a moment to take a good look at Lauren, like a parent who sees that his child is all grown up now, a woman among girls, to put it in the Scion's own words.

"I owe you a certain envelope, don't you think? How about breakfast beforehand, though? Our guests should arrive just about now." Lugh smiles at Lauren and faces the double door with her, his still around her shoulders.

Arsen

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Remy's face regains some color and she shows a warm little smile. She seems like someone who had to deal with her share of hardships already and Arsen's offer visibly brightens her mood. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll get there myself, don't worry. I got a ticket on my birthday for that opera premiering at the Colonial Theatre tonight and I'll be busy for most of tomorrow, but if you're free tomorrow evening, we could get dinner then?" The young woman exchanges phone numbers with Arsen. "Be sure to give them a shot. It's really worth it," Remy says and points towards The Silver Lining. "See you soon, Arsen. Already looking forward to it." Remy waves him goodbye, definitely leaving in a better mood than she was in after the call. As for the son of Ares, he can't seem to shake a certain feeling of familiarity, as if he has seen her somewhere before.

The waitress inside the cafe greets Arsen as he enters the building, stating that he is being expected and politely asking him to follow her. She asks him to head through a double door located upstairs. Inside the room, he finds Lauren, with a young man standing next to her who bears a lot of resemblance to the former. The room-filling presence and what Lauren told the band makes it easy for Arsen to recognize Lugh himself. "Good morning Arsen, glad to finally meet you," he greets the Scion with a likable smile, firmly shaking his hand.

Ali

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"Someone who wants something to be seen only by the right person and I think that will be the case. I do not expect you to trust a stranger and I understand that this process is suspicious, but I'm someone who wants to help. Come to the cafe The Silver Lining, the waitress will expect you." And from one moment to the next, the connection is closed, leaving only silence behind. There is still much left unknown, uncertain. The voice seemed sincere, at least that is the first impression which, as anyone representing the law knows, often has to be taken with a grain of salt, but still. Sometimes, one has to take the plunge.

The Silver Lining is easy to find, a nice little cafe and restaurant in the better parts of Boston with a certain inviting charme to it. Finding a parking spot closeby turns out to be quite easy. As Ali enters the building, he is almost immediately greeted by a waitress. "Welcome. Excuse me, sir, but are you, by any chance, Mr. Baraz?" she asks him after a closer look. She doesn't have anything suspicious about her, obviously never having seen him in person. Just someone who works at the place and has been asked a favor by a customer, it seems. The waitress asks Ali to follow her and brings him upstairs. In the room upstairs, he find Arsen, Lauren and a young man who has quite the resemblance to Lauren, with a few telltale signs identifying him as a very powerful being, namely Lugh himself.

"Good morning, Mr. Baraz. I heard a lot of good things about you and I hope you'll forgive my little charade. I do have something for you a litle later on, though." Lugh firmly shakes Ali's hand and winks at him, making it very hard to fault him for anything.

Ellie

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The wondrous dog leads Ellie on an even more wondrous journey through the streets of Boston, new and exciting sights and sounds discreetly revealing themselves to her continuously on the way. Eventually, the large black canine stops in front of a small cafe called The Silver Lining, sitting down next to the entrance, facing Ellie. The establishment has a beckoning warmth and wonderful smell coming from the inside. The dog bows his head to Ellie and motions towards the door, his duty seemingly fulfilled, having safely brought his charge to this place.

As she steps inside, she seems a little out of place, getting a few looks here and there, but mostly of the curious kind, nothing serious. Judging from her standards, the place is downright fancy, but in a good way with a down-to-earth quality to it. A waitress soon comes by, at first seeming a little confused, but soon correcting the small flaw in her composure. "Welcome. Um, are you Ellie?" Upon answering, the waitress flashes a smile, already in the process of warming up to Ellie (like almost everyone who ever meets her in person), asking her to follow her, as she is being expected. Soon, she meets the other members of her band in addition to a rather (as in extremely) charming looking young man who seems to be related to Lauren and is soon recognized as her father Lugh himself. "Good to meet you, Ellie. Always nice to meet friends of Lauren." He doesn't seem to mind her appearance and takes Ellie's hand and kisses it alongside a little wink, making the Scion's heart beat noticably faster. The room seems to have become quite a lot warmer.

"Thank you for coming, everyone. You might wonder why you and I are here, apart from meeting Lauren in my case, of course, but we'll get to that soon enough. Now then, with everyone gathered, how about breakfast?" Lugh motions towards the table and seats himself on one of the comfortable chairs next to Lauren. Soon after, waitresses bring a large variety of food and drink, filling the table with many enticing options and the room with mouth-watering smells. "No need to be shy. Enjoy!" Everything tastes as good as it looks and smells. Lugh amicably chats with his daughter and the rest of the band throughout breakfast, his presence alone making the whole experience more enjoyable.

"Now, Lauren, I let you wait long enough." Lugh holds a hand out with the palm turned upwards and lets his other hand slide across it, seemingly letting a golden-and-silver envelope materialize out of thin air as his hand passes over the other before giving it to his daughter. "Have a look inside and be sure to show the others, too."

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Phew, checkpoint one: bringing the group together.

[Lesingnon]

Lauren finds herself laughing along with him, she just can't help it. In addition to her own good mood upon seeing him, at being hugged by her father for one of the very few times in her life, his own laughter was just infectious. "It was fun! I don't get to just run like that often." Or dive off of tall buildings, but that part went unsaid. She does wrinkle her nose slightly, though, glancing down at her clothing. "But can you wait until I'm dressed next time?"

Then she got her earring back, felt that warm breeze sweep through and along her. And she couldn't suppress a shiver, that felt heavenly. "Ooh...you have to teach me that trick some day." Just imagine how much time she could save drying her hair.

Then the rest of the band started filtering in, and Lauren dutifully introduced everybody. Well, introduced her Dad to everyone at least. He seemed to know who everybody was already. Which she supposed wasn't all that surprising. Then it was time to eat, and she put a surprising amount of food away for a woman her size. Not just because athletes tended to have healthy metabolisms, either. Lugh's message had come before she'd had a chance to eat breakfast at her place, and sprinting through a city was a great way to work up an appetite.

By the time breakfast is over she's all nice and satisfied. The band all together and talking, one of those all too rare opportunities to talk to her Dad. It was nice, and with the war against the titans ever raging she firmly believed that you had to enjoy the moments like this while they lasted.

She was certainly eager to get her hand on the envelope once it was procured, though. Curiosity had been nibbling away at the corner of her mind ever since she first saw it. After a brief examination, turning it over in her hands, she slit it open with a fingernail and pulled out its contents. Eagerly reading/examining whatever was inside.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Ali is immediately suspicious of the caller, but decides to check out the cafe. For safety, he call up the chapterhouse of the Cult of Mithra in Boston and has them send a few members to help him should things go south. When he arrives at the cafe, however, and sees the other Scions and Lugh, he breathes a sigh of relief.

"You can go, for now."

He shakes Lugh's hand firmly but respectfully.

"Please forgive my impudence over the phone...um...forgive me again but I'm not entirely certain how to address you."

When Lugh explains, Ali nods.

"It is an honor and a pleasure to meet you. You are a person of many talents, something that does you and yours well, and it is humbling that you would come to meet with us in person."

He helps himself to the breakfast, filling a plate with a few things and then getting some coffee. When Lauren looks at the envelope, he leans closer ouit of curiosity.

[Ridai]

Lauren

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The God chuckles as he hears Lauren talk about the "next time". "Sure thing, dear. Pulling the same trick twice would be a bit dull after all, wouldn't it?"

"A little bit of practice and imagination and you'll be good to go," Lugh explains his little trick, trusting in his daughter's inherent creativity. "Thinking about someone you like helps with getting it right, at least in my case. The trick has some other uses as well, but I'm sure you'll discover those soon enough." There is a (most likely deliberate) mischievous hint in his voice and features.

Ali

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"Good to hear," Lugh comments as he shakes Ali's hand before he appologizes and gets to the always a little etiquette question. While some Gods might have picked a reason of their choice to be offended in some ways, it seems like this one isn't too concerned about that. "I think you acted the right way, don't sweat it. Just call me Lugh. You okay with me calling you Ali?"

The God chuckles at Ali's last statement. "I appreciate it, but no need to be so formal, we're not at court or anything. Sometimes I just want to handle things the old-fashioned way and I can't really visit my daughter through omens and 'coincidences'."

Anticipation builds as the envelope is given. It is like when people try to guess what's inside a present, carefully weighing it in their hands, trying to feel the contents before opening it up. While the sleek design of the envelope makes up for a few shortcomings, opening it still lacks the glee of ripping the gift paper open, but it'll do.

Inside, Lauren finds four tickets, the words "Lines in the Dark" printed on each. For people living in Boston, it has been hard not to have heard about it over the course of the last few weeks, as people from nearly all walks of life have built a lot of hype surrounding the musical or opera or whatever each individual might label it as, the work seemingly defying easy classification. Many are curious, as few people have caught glimpses of it, sometimes contradicting each other in the process of reporting what they saw and heard, but the opinions were always overwhelmingly positive. What might simply be a "normal" media phenomenon, with tickets being highly sought after, carries the possibilities of something more below the surface to Scions. And apparently also the Gods.

And it seems the band will be attending the premiere this very evening.

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Damn, I forgot to include this bit in the last post. D:

[Limos]

Arsen, seeing the God Lugh and the rest of his band there, frowns and pulls out a chair roughly. He turns it around backwards and then sits at the table, grabbing a handful of bacon and sausage and digging right in. After munching silently for some time and letting the others say his piece Arsen points to Lugh, "Seems you've been dragging us all out here this morning. The girl, she real or just something you set up to get me here?" He munches on another piece of bacon while he thinks.

"Kind of a coincidence that a nice girl would want to go to breakfast at this very place, then have to leave right when we get here." Arsen glares at the deity, "If she was a trick then next time just call me or something. If she ain't then you better tell me. I'm tired of not knowing what's what anymore."

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"Arsen! Show respect! You know who we are in the presence of. We should be grateful he deigned to speak to us in person at all!"

[Limos]

"I answer to Ares. I'm here because I like you guys, and because I like fightin' Titans." Arsen drops his meat and scowls at Ali. "Beyond that, if he wants something from me he can ask. But I want to know if he's been messing with me or not. Seems nothings ever what it should be anymore."

[The_Snark]

Ellie gets up and follows the strange dog, absently petting it from time to time as she ambles along beside it. The early morning city-noises are curiously muted, and the world almost seems to bend around the two of them, a bubble of curving reality that separates them from the rest of the world. She wonders if anyone can see her, caught up in the black dog's wake of invisibility as she is. Of course, she is invisible to a lot of people anyway, because of how she dresses. Ellie doesn't mind. That's just how things are.

Soon the dream ends; she walks into the restaurant, and the waitress sees her. Her nametag says Denise. Ellie smiles at Denise, who smiles back (most people do), and follows her obediently to the table. There's Ali, looking uncomfortably stuffy in that way she has come to learn he likes, and Arsen with a slight frown on her face, and Lauren talking and laughing with...

Oh, wow. Is it weird to tell someone else her dad is cute? Ellie checks with her (rarely-used) internal gauge of what other people think is Normal, and decides that yes, it is. Oh, well. You can't help what you think! For Lauren's sake - and because it would be a little silly - she restrains a giggle as Lugh-in-the-flesh kisses her hand. Totally old-fashioned, but also really sweet.

Lauren is of course enthused about seeing her dad, and Ellie is happy to meet him too, but Arsen and Ali look less comfortable. Ali thinks there should be more bowing and yes-sirs and beg-your pardons involved with meeting a god, when it's obvious that Lugh doesn't care about those things any more than Ellie does, and Arsen... Ellie looks between the two as he makes his grievance clear, silently attentive. She wants to tell him to be cool, but how can she do that until she knows what happened? Arsen won't listen to her unless she has reasons.

[Lesingnon]

A little practice and imagination, hmm...made it sound like something she was already capable of, or could be. A knack? Were there any of those that could actually physically effect another person? So a boon then, from a purview she could channel through one of her relics. The wind must've meant either Sky or Illusion, but Illusion would just be a temporary thing. So...Sky, Sky's Grace maybe? It let winds catch her and avoid being sent tumbling head over heels so it was kind of similar, she guessed.

See, she can think critically. On the occasion she actually puts her mind to it.

And she's excited as she sees the tickets. How could she not be? Word of the show seemed to be on everybody's lips lately, and most of the town seemed to want to see it. And she'd get to go see the opener. Inevitably, girl thoughts followed. What would she wear, how should she do her hair. Ooh...maybe she'd be able to get Ellie into a dress for an event like that.

And she's abruptly snapped out of her reverie as she hears Arsen speak. And she can't help but glance juuust a bit nervously over at her father. In her (admittedly limited) experience he always seemed pretty easygoing and understanding. But then, this was the first time she'd actually seen angry with him. Still...she didn't think he'd react all that harshly, hoped he wouldn't for a whole bunch of reasons.

Boy, the mood of a place could sure go from easygoing to tense real fast. Hopefully it would turn back just as quickly.

[Ridai]

There is an ominous instant, like the echoes of Arsen's words. The sheer difference in power seems vastly amplified in this very moment, one can only wonder how other Gods might react in Lugh's place (like, for instance, Ares or Tlazoltéotl), increasing the tension filling the room. The wrath of a God can take many forms, some direct, some invisible, but never should it be taken lightly. Lugh subtly raises a hand, signalling the Scions to calm down. "If everything was like it should be, we wouldn't be fighting the Titans." The God lets Arsen consider the implications of his own words for a moment, before continuing, seemingly unfazed.

"As for that young lady, you only have Fate to blame. I had different plans to bring you here, but then she simply happened. It's the way things go sometimes and I believe there is are truths to be found in that one should keep in mind." No further elaboration follows, letting the Scions dwell upon the meaning by themselves.

"Anyway," Lugh begins anew, clapping his hands together, the sound and lighter tone drawing an imaginary finishing line below the preceeding episode. "Gods of several pantheons, and some of their most distinguished children in the role of assistants, will soon be meeting to discuss a possible collaboration against the Titans, which will be a first in history. Your respective parents will also be attending the meeting, I believe. It's a step in the right direction, but it'll take time. In the meantime, I want all of you to remain ever vigilant, perhaps moreso than before. Big, singular events like that premiere almost always have a certain draw to them, so I'd like you to attend the show and see if you encounter anything to worry about. Let's call it a hunch." Lugh pauses for a moment, letting his words sink in.

"Be sure to enjoy what you can, though. These times are grim enough already. Any questions?"

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"Forgive my asking, Lugh, but do you believe this show has some sort of connection to the information you sent me?" Ali asks.

[Ridai]

Lugh shrugs. "Not as far as I know. The information is something I came across recently. Thought I might as well share it. You'll find a little something in your car."

[Limos]

Arsen nods at Lugh's words, satisfied that he wasn't being tricked yet again. "This shindig gonna to be Black Tie? I gotta swing by my apartment and pick up the old monkey suit."

[Lesingnon]

Oh, phew, she was right, he hadn't minded. That was a relief. "Was it Sky's Grace that you used?" Yes, her mind was back to divine methods of straightening her appearance now. Well, partially. She was also pondering the premiere. What could Titanspawn be planning to do there? The thought that Dad's hunch was wrong didn't really cross her mind.

Hmm...she'd have to prepare too. Wear a little something extra beneath her dress in case she had to fly, bring a pair of sensible shoes in case she had to fight. At least she could sneak her sword, in ring form, past any security they might have easily enough. But what about throwing weapons, "Does the theater have metal detectors?"

[Ridai]

"You guessed it," the God replies to Arsen's question.

"It certainly is a good base to start from," Lugh answers his daughter's inquiry about his trick. "I don't remember any detectors, but I haven't been to the Colonial Theatre in years, so a little research might be a good idea."

[Ridai]

"Well then," As the Scions seem to have asked what they wanted to ask, Lugh stands up. "it's been a pleasure, ladies and gentlemen. We all have dark times ahead of us and only a fool would deny this. Take good care of each other, never give up and always remember what you are fighting for. But," he adds with a smile and a glance towards Lauren. "don't forget about the good things in life in the process."

The God shakes Ali's and Arsen's hands, tests Ellie's capabilities to supress signs of affectation yet again with a hand kiss (and offers her to let the staff pack the considerable leftovers for her to do with as she pleases) and wishes them farewell, but motions to Lauren to wait a moment.

Lauren

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With the others leaving, Lugh turns to his daughter. "I wish I could spend some more time with you, Lauren." He shows an apologetic smile, but also one showing a father's pride before he embraces Lauren and kisses her on the forehead. "I'm looking forward to meeting you again. And the moment you'll join me as a true goddess." Another small moment of peace before Lugh finally bids her farewell.

Ali

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Returning to his car, Ali finds a big folder lying on the front passenger's seat. A quick thumb-through reveals an extraordinary wealth of evidence against a good half-dozen criminals of various kinds from nearly all echelons of society, as well as the circles and corrupt parts of the organizations they are involved in. It will hardly fix all of Boston's problems, but one would be hard-pressed to wish for a better foundation to start from. A good number of people might be tempted to use the material to enrich themselves, were they in Ali's position, via blackmailing or making deals to avoid hard decisions or having to take the arduous, sometimes dangerous path of justice.

But it is in Ali's hands, a sign of trust by a certain benefactor.

The cold morning has just begun, with the sun bringing some solace to those braving the streets, wind picking up a little as it sweeps through the city. There is still plenty of time before the beginning of this peculiar event that has entrenched itself in the minds of mortals as of late. Hundreds will witness the story unfold before their eyes, but its significance in several much grander ones, those of the children of the Gods, remains to be seen, shrouded in mystery for now.

Everyone

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We are officially at the end of the introduction.

Feel free to RP what your characters are doing during the day before the event starts. I'll continue the game in a day or two.

I hope the game (well, what little is there already) is enjoyable so far.

[Lesingnon]

Lauren hugged her father tightly during their goodbye. Well, by her standards at least. It'd probably be a while before her strength could really compare to his. And the kiss to her forehead was reciprocated with a peck to his cheek. "I'll be coming to Tir Na Nog before you know it." And there is absolute, unwavering, certainty in her voice. Maybe she was taking an ungodly difficult task a bit too easily, but there certainly wasn't a thing wrong with her confidence.

And once he's gone Lauren turns to fix Ellie with a nice, big grin. An "oh god the Cheshire Cat just ate a canary" grin. She must have inherited it from her father. "It's black tie," a god had even said so, "We need to get you a dress." Red or purple, probably, would look best on her. Lauren wasn't sure if any of her own dresses would fit her bandmate, not that that bothered here. It was an excuse to go shopping! And maybe she'd even be able to convince Ellie to get a manicure and pedicure or something too.

[The_Snark]

Ellie's pleased expression at the gift of food (and yes, at the farewell kiss too) fades into a slightly worried look at Lauren's grin. "Dresses don't have ties," she points out hopefully.

[Lesingnon]

Lauren shakes her head slightly, the grin not fading in the slightest. "Girls don't wear ties to black tie events. They wear dresses." Obviously she wasn't going to be dissuaded so easily. "Come on...I saw one in a storefront on the way over that'd look just beautiful on you."

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Ali lets the girls have their fun. He had plenty of suits he could use. While waiting for the show, he busies himself with following up on Lugh's evidence, using it to nail some of the lowest-tier criminals. With an investigation like this it was best not to rock the boat until it was absolutely necessary. He didn't want hitmen coming after him this early in the game.

[Limos]

Arsen stalks away from the restaurant and treks back to his hummer. With action in the works he makes sure to retrieve his peacemaker from its hiding place and put it within easy reach. He then makes the short drive back to his apartment to retrieve a tuxedo. The garment in question is stiff, almost new, having been hanging on it's hook ever since he had put it back there after the one and only time he had worn it. Some benefit dinner that he was invited to after the championship. Arsen wasn't really one for formal events anyway.

"The name's Leos, Arsen Leos." Arsen says into the mirror, posing with his peacemaker in the crisp tuxedo. He laughs at his own antics. "I look ridiculous in this thing."