[Changeling] A Gathering of Mists IC

[Thanqol]

"It occurs to me that you may not have a complete understanding of what happened to you. I do not dispute your words, nor the existence of this 'Dr. McClaw' but I do wonder if other events were occurring that were not visible to you, Stephanie. Perhaps the events that made you as you are?

Can you describe to me what the trip was like when you first went to the place where you became a superhero?"

"He's not a doctor," said Stephanie reflexively. It was starting to bug her how many people got that wrong.

"Okay, uh. It's really hard to put my finger on a moment when I started changing. So many things happened, and the entire time I was just getting faster and better and I kept picking things up along the way. The first trip, right, I was invited by a representative of the British Museum who wanted my help in recovering an idol from the Amazon Rainforest. It was apparently carved out of a meteorite and contained radioactive material, which would help turn it into a nuclear explosive. That trip was hard. It was scary, muddy, dirty, left me hungry and tired and I couldn't do anything right. I basically relied on the others to get me through, and they all got knocked off by McClaw's men and the wildlife until it was only me."

Stephanie's head swum. That wasn't right. They stuck around - they just changed. She could tell the story easily but trying to explain it in terms that might be useful made it baffling. There were parts of it that her mind just skipped over, like a bad VCR - or like scenes deleted in editing.

[Raz_Fox]

Marchande makes a note to herself to bring up the subject of the house the next time she's in contact with the Court. The coincidences seem far too malevolent. The work of a curse or a rogue Changeling? She'd have to look. But for now-

"Greetings, men and beasts."

And the newspaper ends up tossed into another of the stacks, Marchande standing behind Rose, peering around one shoulder, slipping further into shock as the video continues.

Gods and tricksters, the illusioned people. Close the ways, burn it all down. Make war against the gods. And she hears herself, several days ago, saying: close the ways, make them shut. Maybe he has a point, maybe if someone told him the truth, maybe if they worked together, men and changelings, to close the doors- but that would kill too many, the Queen had said, kill too many.

But it was a difficult moral-

"Kindling for that man's fire..."

"Screw him. Screw him where the sun doesn't shine."

Hadn't meant to say that out loud. Whoops. Slips in control, but if there's something she's learned from stories, it's that heroes get angry, not at their servants and their pets, but when something is so very wrong that it hurts. She stands behind Rose, by her shoulder, and if you were specially trained and were looking clearly, you might be able to tell them apart. Tightness, trembling, long teeth shaking. "The fairies are bastards," she growls, "And closing the doors to them... is good. But threatening the victims? Hurting children? Bugger that!" The room's too small for her, her voice's roll, the tightness of the suit, the sudden hotness at her eyes.

[Anarion]

"You wanted to know how I got shot." She points her finger at the screen, jabs it twice at the darkened space where the video had been. Her whole hand is trembling. Words tumble out, and she can't stop them, "Her name is Anna. She isn't more than twelve years old. Last night, she was being carried off to become kindling for that man's fire..."

At that, Autumn gasps. Loudly. "A kidnapping. You're certain it was him and that he arranged a kidnapping?"

But threatening the victims? Hurting children? Bugger that!" The room's too small for her, her voice's roll, the tightness of the suit, the sudden hotness at her eyes.

"Yes, yes, no." Autumn starts pacing, almost feverishly. "So valuable, but so dangerous. I should tell the Court, but would they act? What would they do?" She's running her hands through her hair as she walks, the line of pink flipping up and down hypnotically. Then she stops and turns to Rose, Marchande, and Charlotte.

"You're not going to like this, and I won't make a pledge for it. But, if you happen to have the opportunity, that Paladin fellow seems like a Changeling that has lost his clarity of sight and gone mad. If you can get him to access one of these sensor stones before you cut him down in righteous fury, I'd really appreciate it."

Stephanie's head swum. That wasn't right. They stuck around - they just changed. She could tell the story easily but trying to explain it in terms that might be useful made it baffling. There were parts of it that her mind just skipped over, like a bad VCR - or like scenes deleted in editing.

"And did you change into a shadow during this trip down the Amazon? How did that happen?"

[Thanqol]

"And did you change into a shadow during this trip down the Amazon? How did that happen?"

"It wasn't like I went through a ritual thing and I changed," said Stephanie. "I didn't even notice it was happening. I just picked things up along the way."

Something about that was still wrong, but she still couldn't see it.

[Anarion]

"It wasn't like I went through a ritual thing and I changed," said Stephanie. "I didn't even notice it was happening. I just picked things up along the way."

Something about that was still wrong, but she still couldn't see it.

"Try to focus. For example, do you remember a moment when you looked at your own hand or arm and it was no longer yours? You started out by coming to me and saying that you're not human. If that worries you enough to bring you to your faith, then I think it's worth focusing on how it came to pass."

[Thanqol]

"Try to focus. For example, do you remember a moment when you looked at your own hand or arm and it was no longer yours? You started out by coming to me and saying that you're not human. If that worries you enough to bring you to your faith, then I think it's worth focusing on how it came to pass."

"No, it was a gradual thing," said Stephanie, a slight note of desperation in her voice. "I didn't think about it. Didn't notice it."

[Raz_Fox]

"Yes, yes, no." Autumn starts pacing, almost feverishly. "So valuable, but so dangerous. I should tell the Court, but would they act? What would they do?" She's running her hands through her hair as she walks, the line of pink flipping up and down hypnotically. Then she stops and turns to Rose, Marchande, and Charlotte.

"You're not going to like this, and I won't make a pledge for it. But, if you happen to have the opportunity, that Paladin fellow seems like a Changeling that has lost his clarity of sight and gone mad. If you can get him to access one of these sensor stones before you cut him down in righteous fury, I'd really appreciate it."

Valuable. What in the world does she mean, valuable? Valuable to her research on the Hedge? "The Court," Marchande says, trying to think coldly even as she wants to bite, "The Court would take time to organize. Time children might not have." Why hadn't she asked? Why hadn't she pulled this out of Rose already? Because she was an idiot, she was just making assumptions left and right! "We might be able to stop him. Practically expected. I can talk to Rogers, see if she can pull any strings for back-up, but that's not a given. Stephanie's good at this, but she's gone to pout again, Rose is a spearhead, but can't fight alone, Charlotte's useless and I'm a hell of a liability in a gunfight, but following might be able to keep her lucky until I run out of Glamour - why us?" She says, smacking her hand down on the computer desk. Because they are Rose's hangers-on, of course. The dog and the squire and the- rrrrrrgh.

Autumn makes a request. Marchande evaluates it. "Well, if he isn't trying to stab us, we could see what to do. Of course, he could be an ensorcelled mortal gone bonkers. Which is what I'm guessing he is."

[PhoeKun]

"...Marchande." Rose's voice is strained and quiet, "I... thank you. But please leave the fighting to me. Do not even worry about the fighting. I have done more of it than you ever will, if you live to be one hundred years old."

She pauses, stirs. Stares deep into the eyes of Marchande and Charlotte. No, she decides in an instant, she has no right to ask them to involve themselves. Stephanie knew this sort of living, but not these two. The fire is there, but the panic is proof that they might die, and... well, really. This is her last stand, too.

"Once upon a time, I found a sword that rivaled any weapon for beauty and power. With it, I was invincible. With it, I could cut down this entire organization in a single night. But when we came... home, I left it behind. Now I have nothing to fight with. What I would ask for, the help I need more than any other, is finding something, anything to act as a replacement. You're good with these things. With people. I am not. Help me find him, help me get people to safety, help me find a way to act quickly. Leave the rest to me."

It tumbles out of her mouth now, getting easier with every word. When was the last time she said so much in front of anybody? Her eyes glance down at her red soaked stone with the tiniest measure of hope. Maybe Rose and Kalina Rogers weren't too different after all...

[Anarion]

"No, it was a gradual thing," said Stephanie, a slight note of desperation in her voice. "I didn't think about it. Didn't notice it."

"Alright, alright" he says, putting up his hands and motioning for calm. "Instead of me asking questions, why don't you decide what you want to talk about? I'm all ears."

You're good with these things. With people. I am not. Help me find him, help me get people to safety, help me find a way to act quickly. Leave the rest to me."

"Oh, Oh, pick me pick me!" Autumn is practically hopping around the room she can't contain herself. "You should have told me you needed a weapon! Here, I've got just the thing."

She runs over to one of the filing cabinets and begins rummaging around, then she pulls out a little white cylinder. It sort of looks like an egg, but it's flat on one side and there's a big crease in the middle of the oval part, like it could slide open.

"Okay, this isn't actually a weapon, but stick this baby onto anything you're using to bash stuff, and it will also deliver a pretty strong electric shock! Isn't it cool?" She practically swoons. "Try not to put any stress directly on the egg though, it might explode. Or, you know, put stress on the egg, but when it's front of people you want it to explode in front of."

[Thanqol]

"Alright, alright" he says, putting up his hands and motioning for calm. "Instead of me asking questions, why don't you decide what you want to talk about? I'm all ears."

"It's not that I don't... want to tell you," Stephanie said hesitantly. "It's just really hard. There are bits that -" she looked away.

"You said that if I didn't do anything I'd turn into a monster?" she said, coming down on a distinctly gloomy topic.

[Raz_Fox]

Spoiler

Show

"...Marchande." Rose's voice is strained and quiet, "I... thank you. But please leave the fighting to me. Do not even worry about the fighting. I have done more of it than you ever will, if you live to be one hundred years old."

She pauses, stirs. Stares deep into the eyes of Marchande and Charlotte. No, she decides in an instant, she has no right to ask them to involve themselves. Stephanie knew this sort of living, but not these two. The fire is there, but the panic is proof that they might die, and... well, really. This is her last stand, too.

"Once upon a time, I found a sword that rivaled any weapon for beauty and power. With it, I was invincible. With it, I could cut down this entire organization in a single night. But when we came... home, I left it behind. Now I have nothing to fight with. What I would ask for, the help I need more than any other, is finding something, anything to act as a replacement. You're good with these things. With people. I am not. Help me find him, help me get people to safety, help me find a way to act quickly. Leave the rest to me."

It tumbles out of her mouth now, getting easier with every word. When was the last time she said so much in front of anybody? Her eyes glance down at her red soaked stone with the tiniest measure of hope. Maybe Rose and Kalina Rogers weren't too different after all...

"Rose," Marchande snaps back, "You're going up against a lunatic carrying a magic sword, and God-only-knows how many of his thugs. You'll need luck on your side. If I were willing to let you walk in alone, I wouldn't be here. You're beautiful and harder than iron and rescue children, but I'm not... I'm going to give you every advantage I can."

And then, because she is Marchande, she listens to Rose's description of her marvelous sword, she listens to her list of needs, one hand to her chin, finger tracing the edge of her lip. And then, though it hurts her, she says: "We need Stephanie. We need the Wicker Man, and Speaker Rogers, and I may have to have Jason's assistance, but Stephanie most of all. If there's anyone who can wreak havoc while you're smashing in the front door, it's her. An enemy without a sword and without hostages is doubly declawed. After that, police assistance. Maybe we can pin them to the kidnappings happening recently - for all we know, it is their fault. Acting quickly, though, it all comes back to that. There's only one 100% mortal I could ask to act on our behalf, and he's not the best at infiltrating secret societies. Autumn, if you have any recommendations, they'd be appreciated. The same for you, Rose. Because without someone running infiltration, someone who can talk their way in... unless. Unless." Mad grin. "Unless Stephanie knows how to teach that little trick she knows." Another pang of jealousy - of course it was Stephanie who figured it out. "Because if Stephanie knows how to teach that little trick, the trick of looking human to everyone, things will go much smoother all 'round. Probably a magic trick. Probably. Autumn, is there documentation of changelings being able to strengthen the mask so that it is also seen by fellow Changelings?"

[Anarion]

"It's not that I don't... want to tell you," Stephanie said hesitantly. "It's just really hard. There are bits that -" she looked away.

"You said that if I didn't do anything I'd turn into a monster?" she said, coming down on a distinctly gloomy topic.

"Stephanie." He looks serious, staring at her intently. "Your body has changed, but when I look at you, within the shadow, I see the young girl who came into this house of worship asking for help. You're not a monster. As long as you keep God's commandments and the Mitzvot close to your heart, you will never become a monster.

I did say that you might become a Qlippoth, but that is not a monster, it is simply something that is empty. And of that I am concerned. That's why I want you to try and remember. I think something was taken from you, and you should try to get it back."

Autumn, is there documentation of changelings being able to strengthen the mask so that it is also seen by fellow Changelings?"

"Uh yeah, duh. It just takes some glamour, and it doesn't last very long, like 20 minute maybe. Oh and it doesn't change your shadow."

[Thanqol]

"Stephanie." He looks serious, staring at her intently. "Your body has changed, but when I look at you, within the shadow, I see the young girl who came into this house of worship asking for help. You're not a monster. As long as you keep God's commandments and the Mitzvot close to your heart, you will never become a monster.

I did say that you might become a Qlippoth, but that is not a monster, it is simply something that is empty. And of that I am concerned. That's why I want you to try and remember. I think something was taken from you, and you should try to get it back."

"I - don't know how to be angry. Or scared. Or even sad, I think," said Stephanie, prodding the soulstone with a finger. "I mean, when I saw this thing... I just skipped right past all those and started running. Not scared, just - something. And I ran and climbed until I came up with a good idea, and then I did that and came here."

Even then, that wasn't right. There had been that moment when Rose had been about to punch her and she'd been terrified...

"The girl said that green was adaptability. Like that's all I've got left."

[Raz_Fox]

"Uh yeah, duh. It just takes some glamour, and it doesn't last very long, like 20 minute maybe. Oh and it doesn't change your shadow."

"...that sounds dangerous," Marchande admits. "But as long as it's feasible, I can still try to pull off an infiltration. I can probably talk my way in better than Stephanie could - besides, hiding's her specialty."

[Anarion]

"I - don't know how to be angry. Or scared. Or even sad, I think," said Stephanie, prodding the soulstone with a finger. "I mean, when I saw this thing... I just skipped right past all those and started running. Not scared, just - something. And I ran and climbed until I came up with a good idea, and then I did that and came here."

Even then, that wasn't right. There had been that moment when Rose had been about to punch her and she'd been terrified...

"The girl said that green was adaptability. Like that's all I've got left."

"You were not always like this, right? At some point you knew those feelings? Do you remember them? Do you remember when or how you lost them?"

"...that sounds dangerous," Marchande admits. "But as long as it's feasible, I can still try to pull off an infiltration. I can probably talk my way in better than Stephanie could - besides, hiding's her specialty."

"Well look, I'm gonna tell Qian tonight. You should get anyone you think can help. Folks here don't like to fight much though. It's dangerous, when you're Lost. Not just that you might get hurt, but for your mind too. Kidnappings are a big deal though."

[Thanqol]

"You were not always like this, right? At some point you knew those feelings? Do you remember them? Do you remember when or how you lost them?"

"I remember that I had them," Stephanie said. "I used to be really angry, all the time. I don't - I can't remember how I lost them,"

She wished he'd stop asking those kind of questions about when and how. It made her head swim and her throat close up. She was short of breath and her eyes were getting blurry.

"I can't," she repeated, almost pleading.

[PhoeKun]

"Okay, this isn't actually a weapon, but stick this baby onto anything you're using to bash stuff, and it will also deliver a pretty strong electric shock! Isn't it cool?" She practically swoons. "Try not to put any stress directly on the egg though, it might explode. Or, you know, put stress on the egg, but when it's front of people you want it to explode in front of."

"Well that's certainly... interesting." Rose turns the egg over in her hand, not really understanding at all what it is or how it works. Not that she'd ever ask. Of course, it still leaves her without an actual weapon. Maybe a hardware store could supply her with a half decent sledgehammer or something. Maybe she'd even get really lucky and it wouldn't be cut in half by a crystal sword. She barely has time to register the thought before Marchande is on her.

All Rose can do is blink. She sighs, feeling overwhelmed. Things are rapidly spinning beyond her control.

"The kidnappings are their fault," she adds, "The man I stopped admitted as much without coercion. But the police won't act without evidence. We have to be the ones to crack them, first."

She tosses a sidelong glance at Autumn, "Which is why it's important to fight. Somebody has to, because not everybody can. I don't care how dangerous it is. What the hell does that matter, when there are people and things that need me to protect them?"

[Anarion]

"I remember that I had them," Stephanie said. "I used to be really angry, all the time. I don't - I can't remember how I lost them,"

She wished he'd stop asking those kind of questions about when and how. It made her head swim and her throat close up. She was short of breath and her eyes were getting blurry.

"I can't," she repeated, almost pleading.

"It sounds like your journey must have been difficult for you. Why don't we talk about something else instead? What was your favorite adventure?"

She tosses a sidelong glance at Autumn, "Which is why it's important to fight. Somebody has to, because not everybody can. I don't care how dangerous it is. What the hell does that matter, when there are people and things that need me to protect them?"

"Whatever floats your boat."

[Raz_Fox]

Autumn's on their side, good. Like Charlotte, but with connections. "We do need Qian to know about this, even if she can't provide a lot of assistance. We're going to raise hell, one way or another." Maybe she shivers when her mind is brought up. It's not like she's been under enormous pressure for the past week or anything, right?

She turns to Rose. "A few strings pulled, and the police can show up for a reported riot. Or the sighting of a serial killer. Their reasons for being there aren't as important as them being there."

[Thanqol]

"It sounds like your journey must have been difficult for you. Why don't we talk about something else instead? What was your favorite adventure?"

Stephanie breathed out a faint sigh of relief. She thought about it.

"Ohh... I'm going to have to say the Sorcerer of Antioch. That was crazy. Climbed the wall and slipped into his tower and burned his main spellbook - but what I didn't know was that he had another one where he wrote all of his weird experimental spells in.

"So he kicks down the door as I'm standing over this pile of ash and he goes straight ballistic, head spinning on his shoulders and red checkerboard eyes and everything. He hexes me straight up, turns me into a duck before I can dodge. I tried to wing it but flying is hard, so it turned into a really fast waddle, and he's chasing me down the steps bellowing about the soup he's going to cook me in. Chased me through the kitchen, knocking over everything that could physically be knocked over, before trying to hex me into something easier to catch - and the way he sees it, my normal body is really fast, right? So he turns me back into myself and switches minds with me, so now I'm him and he's me, and he's got a knife. So I run, and man is his body out of shape, and there's mine catching up scary fast.

"So instead of running any more, I turn around at the last second and deck myself with a right hook to the jaw. While I'm on the ground I grab the book and try to read what looked like a counterspell. Turned us both into baskets of apricots. We had to sit there for thirty five minutes until it wore off..."

Stephanie trailed off with a faint smile.

"Went on like that for about three hours before I finally lost him."

[PhoeKun]

She turns to Rose. "A few strings pulled, and the police can show up for a reported riot. Or the sighting of a serial killer. Their reasons for being there aren't as important as them being there."

"If you think it best."

Rose is cooling down. The more people swim around the edges of involvement, the more convoluted and complicated it becomes to her. Maybe it won't kill her, but now she's going to jail. Or maybe the whole thing will wash away and she won't have done anything more to stop it than telling someone else.

So long as Paladin is stopped. So long as those children are safe, that's all that matters.

Isn't it?

[Raz_Fox]

"If you think it best."

"They'll be there one way or another, Rose," Marchande says. "And- you can't do this alone. Wouldn't you rather have the police behind you than to go in alone? At least as an option if things get hairy."

[PhoeKun]

"They'll be there one way or another, Rose," Marchande says. "And- you can't do this alone. Wouldn't you rather have the police behind you than to go in alone? At least as an option if things get hairy."

Rose shrugs.

"I wouldn't know. I've never had the luxury of thinking about things like that. I don't know how quickly they'd act until after there's a situation. I don't know if they would scare away Paladin. His lackey claims to have never met him, I assume that means I'm going to have to drag him out of hiding by making a nuisance of myself. And I don't know how a major operation would interfere with that, either.

... I trust you. But I don't like putting other people at risk."

[Raz_Fox]

Spoiler

Show

Rose shrugs.

"I wouldn't know. I've never had the luxury of thinking about things like that. I don't know how quickly they'd act until after there's a situation. I don't know if they would scare away Paladin. His lackey claims to have never met him, I assume that means I'm going to have to drag him out of hiding by making a nuisance of myself. And I don't know how a major operation would interfere with that, either.

... I trust you. But I don't like putting other people at risk."

Marchande frowns. "He's the kind of psycho who works anonymously? I see two ways we can exploit that- we can fabricate a situation that he won't be able to resist coming out in person to secure. Maybe there's a way we can leak that the tricksters will be moving a Weapon capable of closing the ways out of San Francisco. Or we can intercept someone's rendezvous with his agents."

[PhoeKun]

"I know the location of a warehouse they were using as a dropoff point. Intercepting someone would be much easier. Workable. We should focus on tracking down Stephanie for now. And a... hammer or something to stick this thing on. I don't know."

Rose seems to recognize Autumn as being in the room for the first time in a while.

"I'm assuming you want me to bring back data about this thing, as well? Or do I owe you a different favor?"

[Anarion]

"I'm assuming you want me to bring back data about this thing, as well? Or do I owe you a different favor?"

"No no, I just want detailed descriptions of how it works. If you could take notes right after you use it, that would be best, but you can just tell me later if you want."

[Anarion]

"Went on like that for about three hours before I finally lost him."

"Mmm, what a fascinating story" he says, leaning back in his chair. When she is done, he looks down at his watch then back up to Stephanie. "Ah, it's about 4:30. I have another half an hour, but I really should be going at 5:00. My wife is cooking dinner tonight. You certainly have a unique case, and if you want to speak more, we can make another appointment. I also suggest that you come to services on Saturday morning, I think it would be good for your soul.

For now though, is there anything else you want to talk about?"

[Thanqol]

"Mmm, what a fascinating story" he says, leaning back in his chair. When she is done, he looks down at his watch then back up to Stephanie. "Ah, it's about 4:30. I have another half an hour, but I really should be going at 5:00. My wife is cooking dinner tonight. You certainly have a unique case, and if you want to speak more, we can make another appointment. I also suggest that you come to services on Saturday morning, I think it would be good for your soul.

For now though, is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"Oh. Uh," Stephanie's mind cycled wildly looking for questions. "When I first came in you didn't look surprised at all and said something about Astral somethings. Should I be worried about that?"

[Anarion]

Should I be worried about that?"

"No, it's nothing to worry you. I'm just not very easily startled."

He doesn't seem to have anything else to add on that topic.

[Thanqol]

"No, it's nothing to worry you. I'm just not very easily startled."

He doesn't seem to have anything else to add on that topic.

"Okay," said Stephanie. That sounded legit to her.

"So, uh... last thing, is there anything I should or should not be doing? Other than the obvious, that is."