[Changeling] A Gathering of Mists IC

[Anarion]

For about 3 seconds, you're all pretty certain that Swifthoof is going to have a heart attack. His eyes bulge, he puffs out his mouth, and seems to stop breathing. Then he lets out a deep breath and says "Kindly don't do that again. Easily startled. Gazelle, you see." *He clears his throat* "If willing to endure sun for a few seconds, can take you in car back to my home. Will pull shades, very dark. Have food there as well, or could get delivery. Hm, young darkling girl feeling unwell, unlikely to have broad tastes, likely to enjoy pizza."

[SiuiS]

She dropped noiselessly down from the ceiling from behind Swifthoof. "I have slept for two and a half hours last night. The last time I slept was forty hours before that. I literally cannot even remember the last time I ate, and all I had this morning was a cup of coffee. Oh, and the sun is made out of knives. Can we please do something about that?"

"I must protest, young miss!" Charlotte's voice seems to break at the volume of slightly loud conversation, and she clears her throat. "We were discussing how to keep you comfortable and you sneak away for a nap? Most ungrateful. And I was worried[i] about you." She looks as if she is considering lightly hitting Stephanie; her shoulders square and her arm tenses, but her hands remain firmly clasped in front of her. She instead settles for a stern, pursed frown. Or pout. It's difficult to tell with the threads on her cheek.

"And you, sir, are you okay? We should get you home, after all, let you relax a bit. Picking up four strangers and being tasked by a dragon to watch them must be a little unnerving."

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attempt to distract Swifthoof from exactly what Stephanie was doing when she disappeared.

[Thanqol]

For about 3 seconds, you're all pretty certain that Swifthoof is going to have a heart attack. His eyes bulge, he puffs out his mouth, and seems to stop breathing. Then he lets out a deep breath and says "Kindly don't do that again. Easily startled. Gazelle, you see." *He clears his throat* "If willing to endure sun for a few seconds, can take you in car back to my home. Will pull shades, very dark. Have food there as well, or could get delivery. Hm, young darkling girl feeling unwell, unlikely to have broad tastes, likely to enjoy pizza."

Stephanie calmly waited out the panic. She was serenely aware that if she cared too hard about anything right now it would backlash. "You have won me over with your implication that there might be pizza. Lead on."

"I must protest, young miss!" Charlotte's voice seems to break at the volume of slightly loud conversation, and she clears her throat. "We were discussing how to keep you comfortable and you sneak away for a nap? Most ungrateful. And I was worried[i] about you." She looks as if she is considering lightly hitting Stephanie; her shoulders square and her arm tenses, but her hands remain firmly clasped in front of her. She instead settles for a stern, pursed frown. Or pout. It's difficult to tell with the threads on her cheek.

"And you, sir, are you okay? We should get you home, after all, let you relax a bit. Picking up four strangers and being tasked by a dragon to watch them must be a little unnerving."

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attempt to distract Swifthoof from exactly what Stephanie was doing when she disappeared.

Unfortunately, Charlotte had badly misjudged the awareness of her partner in this con. "I wasn't napping. I was snooping." Stephanie said, with an equal touch of pride and defiance.

[Anarion]

Swifthoof places a hand over Stephanie's shoulder, gently but firmly, and begins guiding everyone away from the large Chinese room. Quickly. "Come" is all that he says.

[Thanqol]

Stephanie was glad the conversation had been ended, and with clear direction. She was prepared to sacrifice some self-determination if it meant a decent rest.

When they went outside she kept her hood up, and head down. When they reached the car she would have fallen asleep in the seat instantly if there wasn't painful sun in her eyes, so she just kept her head down and tried to survive it.

[Raz_Fox]

Marchande ignored the humorous series of events concerning Stephanie vanishing and reappearing to scare Timothy, too busy ruminating over what the Queen of Spring had said.

Room and board for one night, and then they'd need another place to stay. They'd need some way of making money, if they were going to stay together. She cast her mind back to that night, outside the opera house, to the feeling of wishing Stephanie good luck, to the crackling of the hearth. Maybe magic could be sold...

She'd talk to Charlotte about it later. The two of them, they could come up with a solution.

So Marchande followed Timothy to the car, lost in her thoughts once again.

[Anarion]

Swifthoof's car is not the same large black van that you drove in earlier. Rather, he owns a Chevy, forest green with a few years of age and a bit of salt staining that looks like it needs a touch up with the paint. Still, it fits everyone, and the ride back is not so long as it could have been.

He drives around Market street and back up, turning into the Castro after about 10 minutes. He pulls up and into the garage of a smallish Victorian house, tall but very narrow, painted in a shade of not quite white, not quite gray, with an inverted V-shaped roof.

When you get out he says, very politely. "Welcome. Abode is humble, but quite...pleasant."

Then he moves to open the door for everyone, showing you a home that looks to be three stories, but with only one hallway barely wide enough for one person and several tiny rooms. He also notes a set of stickers on his window: a sticker of the Golden Gate Bridge, and next to it, tilted at a slight angle to the left a Rainbow Flag, demonstrating gay pride. He explains that this is the sign of a protected changeling home. There can be no conflict while inside, lest he who starts such a conflict earn the ire of the courts. He also notes to you that there are some open sanctuaries around the city, which allow any changeling of the freehold to enter without invitation and provide protection. These sanctuaries (primarily restaurants) are marked with the same bridge+flag and also have an Audubon conservancy sticker placed above the other two, forming a tight triangle.

The layout inside is a kitchen in the back on the first floor, small living room on the right as you come in, bathroom and closet on the left. 2nd level has two bedrooms, right and left, which you'll be sharing and one bathroom on the right side. Third level is Timothy's room and a deck that looks out on a spectacular view of the city, showing almost a full 180 degree view of the bay and the downtown buildings. "Especially beautiful during sunset" Swifthoof notes when you first see it.

[banter away then. I'll do experience at some other time.]

[Thanqol]

"Food please," said Stephanie, not appreciating the view because of all the burning fire in her eyes. "Coffee too."

She retreated to the lounge room, which at least had the decency to be dark, and flopped down on the couch.

[SiuiS]

Charlotte grins, takes a step forward and lays her fingertips on Timothy's arm and asks "Kitchen?"

[Anarion]

Swifthoof sighs at Stephanie and leaves her to pull the curtains and surround herself with darkness.

He smiles at Charlotte, however, and leads her to the kitchen, which is straight back from the main hallway. He has a few pictures hanging, mostly flowers and drawings of animals from Africa, although there is a picture on the left wall by the stairs showing a smiling man with a woman and a young boy standing in a field looking like they're prepared to go hiking in black and white that looks out of place with the rest.

The kitchen is small, as with all the other rooms. It has a refrigerator, a stove with 2 burners and an oven, a small cabinet above the stove with pots and pans, a smaller cabinet above the fridge with some various liquor in it, and then on the left wall there are two drawers and two cabinets with dishes and silverware and one cabinet above them with cereal and canned goods in it.

[SiuiS]

And then Charlotte realizes that cooking might be harder where physics never sneaks off from its watch to catch a few winks.

Circling the kirchen several times, taking stock, she thinks. Timothy lives alone, probably doesn't have the time to cook often. A quick check shows he doesn't have gourmet kitchenware (whether or not she knows what that even is, aside from these pots are not it), so quick food. The refrigerator has some eggs, the simplest of bachelor staple, milk, little else. Some greens? Charlotte scans fr anything resembling a salad.

Eggs, milk... Bread? Surely he would have bread. Everyone loves sandwiches... An he's clean. If there's bread, it's fresh. And Stephanie wanted coffee... Looking for coffee... Well...

His eyes bulge, he puffs out his mouth, and seems to stop breathing. Then he lets out a deep breath and says "Kindly don't do that again. Easily startled. Gazelle, you see."

Charlotte nods to herself. Coffee is probably not a mainstay for the poor gazelle. Tea? She's never really had tea, but I'd it's stron enough maybe it's like coffee? No no no, she is slipping back into just sort of going along. Focus, please.

Timothy. Gazelle. Earnest. Bunks visitors. What manner I host wouldn't have even a token supply of food for guests? And there, behind a can of water chestnuts ([i]whatever that is...[i]) an old, half full travel ja of instant coffee.

Pans. Pots. fire and whisks, a bowl, some spoons and a spatula, a money of panic - Where is the flippy thing?! I need a flippy thing! - and a lesson in eggs being flammable and baking powder being not so flammable, and Charlotte emerges to grab Marchande whisk her away to practice at being the waitress and no the owner for a change, serving inexpertly fried eggs, French toast, cups of tea from water boiled in a sauce pan, and served to Stephanie, a spoon, the jar of instant and a mug of piping hot coffee-like drink, black as the devil's own heart.

"I'm sorry that took so long. Will you come down or should we come up here and talk, Miss Stephanie?"

[Thanqol]

Stephanie felt betrayed that she'd been cheated out of her promised pizza, but ate like a starving girl nonetheless. It felt unnatural to eat sitting down at a table like this, but she was too hungry to care.

Having eventually reached some approximation of normality, stomach aching from having to remember how to digest food, she finally started to relax properly.

[Anarion]

As Charlotte works, Swifthoof weakly offers "Was going to order pizza...nevermind, unimportant. Will buy groceries later."

While they're eating, he says
"Seem tired. Rest first, will provide further court information later. May be difficult working with nocturnal darkling, however. Hmmm."

[SiuiS]

"I don't know how to order pizza, miss. Everyone always just decided on what to have and it showed up at the door, and you gave a stranger money for it. Perhaps it is a contract we do not have?"

Charlotte eats meticulously, with exaggerated care to avid getting anything on her new clothes. She pauses when down to her last perfectly trimmed square of egg. "This was fun. I should like to learn to cook... Properly. What do you plan to do now, miss?"

[Thanqol]

As Charlotte works, Swifthoof weakly offers "Was going to order pizza...nevermind, unimportant. Will buy groceries later."

While they're eating, he says
"Seem tired. Rest first, will provide further court information later. May be difficult working with nocturnal darkling, however. Hmmm."

"Pizza for dinner," Stephanie said as a compromise, unwilling to let the hallucination of fast food go quite yet.

"And I'm sorry. I just... I can't handle being out during the day like this," Stephanie said, feeling kind of pitiful that she hadn't managed to even slightly adjust to it yet. "It hurts and stabs and nothing makes it better."

"I don't know how to order pizza, miss. Everyone always just decided on what to have and it showed up at the door, and you gave a stranger money for it. Perhaps it is a contract we do not have?"

Charlotte eats meticulously, with exaggerated care to avid getting anything on her new clothes. She pauses when down to her last perfectly trimmed square of egg. "This was fun. I should like to learn to cook... Properly. What do you plan to do now, miss?"

Stephanie looked at Charlotte and briefly understood what Qain meant when she said that she was insane.

"I plan to sleep for forty hours, get up after dark, and generally recover," Stephanie said. "I'm too wrecked for plans."

[SiuiS]

"Well then what do you like to do? If you sleep away your day you'll never get used to the sun. So let's talk, s'il vous plaît?" Charlotte hefts a bundle of rolled denim. "You could help me return these once the night unfurls her shawl, non?"

[Raz_Fox]

"Plans," Marchande says to no one in particular, stepping into the dining room, smelling like cheap shampoo applied to a wet dog, fiddling with the cufflinks of a suspiciously immaculate suit. But, then again, who ever heard of moonlight that became wet, or shadows that became rumpled?

She smiles to herself. Fact: running water is said to wash away evil magic, and because it is said, it's true. That's the way Faerie works. The fright of running, the oddness of Spring, her own frustration at being so passive, at not commanding her own fate- fate and luck and hearthlight.

She takes a seat, sitting primly across from Stephanie, her tail swishing softly against the floor. "Mister Timothy, I'd like to ask you some questions about magic, if you don't mind. How well-informed are you on the subject- and if you're not the right member of Court to ask, who should I direct my questions towards?" Magic and whispered fortune, and the taste of fire.

[Anarion]

"Can answer basic questions. Personal talent is primarily moving places very quickly when necessary, sometimes in obtaining small quantities of luck. Am aware that you will presently be receiving introduction to 'Autumn.' Should be able to answer most questions thoroughly."

[Raz_Fox]

"Small quantities of luck." Marchande's smile slips slightly, like a poker player who's just realized that two prized jacks don't beat four kings. "I don't suppose that's a... common trait among us who have returned?" Please don't say yes, her voice betrays.

[Anarion]

"Common, somewhat vague term. No contract especially common. Granting luck, perhaps more frequent than others, however. Hard to measure, don't know every court member."

[Raz_Fox]

"To change the subject slightly..." Marchande shifts in her seat slightly, sitting back, seeming nonchalant. "Do Court members use their newfound abilities for profit? After all, obtaining luck seems like it would be a very useful commodity."

Not the only useful commodity, though. She remembers the oddest things - fruits, trinkets, baubles and promises...

[Anarion]

"Not unheard of to use powers for advantage. Highly discouraged however, leads to insanity and may bring police or other authorities to investigate mistakes. Disloyal to court to recklessly create police investigation."

[Thanqol]

"Police huh? So we have to hide our powers from ordinary people? Why?" Stephanie said. "Using magic makes us insane? And there's seriously a big coverup for everything magical that happens in the world?"

[Anarion]

Swifthoof looks taken about, especially when Stephanie gets to big coverup.

"Much more simple. Magic makes people interested, and many who try to make profit hurt people while making profit. Sometimes by mistake...sometimes not. We want to live happy lives, having police investigating court members makes other changelings uncomfortable."

[SiuiS]

"Oh, I see." Charlotte nods to herself and finishes off the last spot of French toast. "The oath. A police investigation can bring the kind of harm w are all sworn to prevent, now. But... What of justice?"

[Thanqol]

"What? Can we use magic freely and openly or not? If not, why? Do we run a coverup keeping normal people from learning about magic? If so, why? Does magic have weird side effects? If so, what?"

[Anarion]

Swifthoof's eyes dart back and forth from Stephanie's rapid-fire questions to Charlotte's demure yet striking question. Then his ears droop and his shoulders slump. He waits a moment for them to stop talking and then answers.

"Will need to make your own decisions. Courts do not hold trials, as such, but extremely reckless behaviour could lead to banishment." *Having taken the oath, you all have a deep feeling in the pit of your stomach, as some unconscious part of you understands the magical aspect of banishment.*

Swifthoof then thinks of one thing and looks right at Stephanie
"Weird side effects, yes. Insanity, one possible side effect, especially showing mien to humans. Has been tested before, can cause mind to shatter. Using magic for crimes or to hurt people, also leads to insanity. Very dangerous."

[Thanqol]

"So being evil makes you go crazy," Stephanie said, nodding as if that was the most logical thing in the world. "But is there a coverup? And explain to me what you mean by weird side effects. If I spider climb a wall in front of a crowd of people, what happens? What happens if it's broadcast on TV?"

[Anarion]

"Not...you do not..." He seems to be struggling for words, though Swifthoof suddenly seems to have a bit of inspiration

"Climbing building, with or without television, would attract attention. Attention would be reported. Eventually, government would hear of it, and would send agents to arrest you for study. Very unpleasant. Court would not be able to break you free, too dangerous making government angry. Could lead to arrest of several other changelings, even attract True Fae attention."

[SiuiS]

"Shush, Stephanie! Poor Timothy is having a hard time keeping up."

Charlotte collects the plates, probably eliciting a snarl from Stephanie if any coffee remains.

"Why cannot normal people see us? If they do, they can go... Crazy...

"Because Stephanie is Darkling and made of shadows and Ka... Rose is Fairest and is an Archangel, and Marchande is 'beast' and they would think she's a werewolf and, I'm... An ogre." Her face crumples, and it's obvious she is upset at the thought. "Why am I an ogre?"