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Post by Kai Rose on Jul 9, 2021 20:03:13 GMT -8
Kai Rose attended the Chasseur manor that Summer night with Spring's blessings on her laurels and divine purpose in her heart.
The Freehold was shaken to its core, mistake after mistake bringing disorder and dismay to the Lost. Linden was dead, with Afterparty reeling. Roger and Agrippa were missing. Fawkes was in a coma. Bonnie Hill and Rowan were due for trial for crimes. Spring's dominance was beginning to shift, the new and the undedicated realizing that Desire was fleeting in the face of chaos and driving toward Summer to actually take action.
It was easy to want things when your survival was assured. The swathes of death through the Freehold in the last few months had proven conclusively that it was not. However, when you got down to it, the sins that had brought the Freehold to its knees had come down to misguided dreams and desires of the few put above the needs of the many.
Enter Buck Chasseur.
Nobody knew their hearts like he did. Much was owed, but tonight, they could be even. Tonight, he could help her protect them all.
Draped in a stunning red cocktail dress drawn from Ivory's closet, Kai buzzed at the gate and declared herself present to see the Sunset Prince.
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Post by Buck Chasseur on Jul 10, 2021 22:39:24 GMT -8
Lancelot didn't signal the surprise, but Kai easily picked up on it. He made sure she waited in a space that felt casual rather than waiting for an appointment at an office, calling Buck in front of her and asking if she needed anything without sounding like it was customer service. He kept conversation flowing easily enough, only stiff in the sense of Wyrd influences while he tentatively asked how she was doing—Linden had been through a crisis with them, where they had escaped the shadow of a Keeper by the skin of their teeth. The news had come as a complete shock, and after a pause, he admitted that Buck was feeling it hard—but would likely avoid the topic and regret that fact later, so he was going to ask instead.
The familiarity was different, but it seemed like Kai had earned the status to be talked to like friend rather than passing ships in the night.
Buck Chasseur was a uncharacteristically roughed up. Where skin was showing, the level of physical activity was apparent with various scrapes and healing bruises and one of the golden prongs was missing a tip. His attitude had not changed however, lighting up at the sight of her. "Kai! Long time, I'm afraid." His attention flicked, not used to seeing her so formal—the last few events in bathing suits or athletic wear. "You look fantastic. I Hope everything is going well with your business and your motley mate. She asked about lunch that one time but life takes us strange places," he laughed, signaling he was still happy to repay the help she have freely given. He gestured whether she wanted to stick around in the study or head outside, Lancelot politely taking his leave like a seamless Onyx ghost. "I should stop by sometime, damn good idea! Very happy you were both able to get it off the ground. Lancelot mentioned Solomon is getting out more as a result." He winked, shaking his head at the idea but clearly approving at something going well.
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Post by Kai Rose on Jul 11, 2021 16:08:08 GMT -8
Lancelot's question was hard, harder than Kai wanted to admit. Tears welled up as he asked; Linden's death and Agrippa's disappearance were fresh wounds. It had only been a few days before that her and Ivory had helped the unicorn get out from under Hartman's thumb, and Linden had been a steady hand in very dangerous waters. "We lose people, but what I can't stand about it is the sheer fucking waste. Linden survived War itself, and gets killed by... what? A fuckin' ghost monster in a completely needless experiment?" Her anger flared with her Mantle. "The uneducated and well-meaning being taken advantage of for a science project... Hill's guilty as hell, and I hope King Samedi sets a fuckin' example. We're not playthings for Fall's hubris."
It was hard to stay angry under the weight of adventure pouring off of Buck Chasseur, and she smiled as the tousled Joyeux joined her. "Too long, Buck. You look great, too. You know, in a 'just fought a group of people with a sword' sort of way. You okay?" She waved to Lancelot as he went and followed Chasseur outside. The compliment to the business brought a smile to her face. "You really should. I didn't know Sir Solomon warranted such close attention, but hey. He's actually a super good horse trainer?" She laughed. "Bring Lancelot by sometime. The four of us can race. I figured tonight, though, I'd ask you for a favor and drag you out for beverages after. So. You may want to suit up."
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Post by Buck Chasseur on Jul 12, 2021 10:07:59 GMT -8
The satyr blinked before he realized she was referring to his state. "Thank you! Still getting used to the Season withdrawing favour," he admitted with a chuckle, touching one of the cuts across his temple as he fixed his hair. "We'll get it back, I'm sure. For now I just need to stop acting like I'm invincible."
He seemed entertained by the idea of Solomon getting overwhelmed by social attention—though it was ultimately good natured. "Oh God, it's been years since I've ridden a horse," he said, sounding surprised with himself. "My family kept them- oh! A favour?" Buck gave a rueful grin, "I'm a dressing up to match before or after?"
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Post by Kai Rose on Jul 12, 2021 12:52:36 GMT -8
"Withdrawing favor? Like, how?" Blink. "Fuck. Is this what happened because those people weren't allowed to be sacrificed...?" Her lips pressed flat together and she had a worried pinch around her eyes. "It's fucked that that's what has to happen for powers here to work. Cinder mentioned that the wards here are all connected to these weird rituals, and now that Philicia has outlawed human sacrifice... god. Is that what it takes for us to have our power? Really?" Kai's skin took on a queasy green color. "The fucked up shit here runs deep, Buck."
The favor...
"I'm hoping you can help me push back against it. People here keep doing insane shit, between human sacrifices for power, crazy occult experiments that get people killed, abusing Spring's magicks to control people's minds..." She shook a little, the queasy green color burning with red within. "Linden. Agrippa. Apollo. I'm really tired of seeing people die because of people not giving a fuck about the consequences of their wants. I'm sure there are baby Springs who think fucking around and doing whatever you want no matter the cost is the way, but... I don't think that's true. I think part of Desire is caring about what happens when you get what you want and accepting the consequences when you step on other people to get what you want. Am I understanding the Creed right? Or am I just on crack here?"
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Post by Buck Chasseur on Jul 12, 2021 14:16:40 GMT -8
Buck looked equal parts alarmed and concerned, "...Do you want to sit down?"
He didn't know exactly what she was talking about, getting her some water as he listened to put some pieces together. "...I hadn't known. I assumed it was due to any number of things, including the recent deaths affecting the collective spirit of the Freehold." His jaw was tight, but he seemed surprisingly composed about the information.
"All these projects...from what I've gathered..." he bit his tongue, being careful with the gravity of how much shit the Summer had been putting up with, "This is outside the norm. It sounds like a lot of the older courtiers are worried about the future, and trying to find ways around it. People volunteering for dangerous research, or trying to control their environment with their supernatural ability? It's shocking when it's one thing after another, but finding the root of all this desperation will save a lot of needless suffering."
He hooked one leg over the other as he looked back out over the yard and the city beyond. "As for the Creed, it's like any political philosophy and changes with age and culture. We cannot judge what people seek for a better life, but when we pursue these paths we accept the responsibility of what comes. To not answer for our crimes is an ultimate cowardice that we would carry with eternal shame. So where's the root of the insanity, then? I think selfishness is too easy of an answer. And that's a fight you will never stop finding."
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Post by Kai Rose on Jul 12, 2021 15:02:01 GMT -8
"No, no, that's not necessary," the Polychromatic replied. A pulse of gold started at her core and forced outward, purging the green to some extent. She did accept the water. "The wards are powerful enough to keep the Gentry out. The Hobs call this place the Valley of the Dead. They're connected to death somehow, and sacrifices are required. There are folks worried about what happens when Saturday and Nahoilpi die of old age, and others yet who are concerned about the morality of it all. I'd be willing to bet that the desperation relates to a complete lack of information, but I also get why they aren't handing out operations manuals to an incredibly complex defensive system. It's complicated, and every damn Gravewight and would-be occult expert in town quietly wants to poke at it because they're well-meaning children trying to comprehend the work of Gods."
She frowned, looking out over the city as she sipped the water.
"I don't envy Philicia the hard work she's having to pursue to protect the innocent, and I support her in it, even where it's hard. What wasn't expected was... the weight of the public's expectation of safety is falling on Solomon and I, now, with all these new Courtiers coming to join us from Spring. What's strange to me is that Spring was always the ideal Court to be aware of people's wants and needs." She shook her head. "I'm giving talks to them now, about how their social connectedness from Spring is actually still one of the best ways they can make a difference, just by being there, really listening, and then acting when they see something that needs to be acted on. So many of you can read what people want just by being there, it's incredible. But between you and me, I'm not sure the gangsters all care to look?"
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Post by Buck Chasseur on Jul 13, 2021 15:57:16 GMT -8
Buck offers a sardonic smirk at the mention of occultists getting in over their heads.
"Some escape the Keepers with a fragile sense of self. For Vegas, Spring is the obvious answer to feel better about the past and move forward, but I can see the sudden public revelations spinning the wheel back to an offensive. People want to hit things they can see, rather than contemplate something out of their control...it's very cathartic," he laughed. "Be careful with them. Court shifts en masse are a sign of a Freehold's failing health, where the weaker spirits are showing just how volatile things are becoming."
Buck wasn't used to seeing it, being from a culture where such Lost would be gone within the year or the next. They never had much to offer the Courts or gain lasting protections from the Seasons. "The fact that they have somewhere to go, instead of running to madness and betrayal speaks to what you Knight is offering at least."
The focus on Desire earns a small shrug, his attention narrowing as he starts to pick up on what she was building towards. "You can too. What you pulled off with my motleymate's doppelganger I don't think I've seen before." He tips his own glass towards her, grinning. "That was incredible! And the timelines I certainly couldn't see and understand must be quite the duel of fates. And only the winner would know," he mused, thinking on it for a moment.
"...Knowing what someone wants most in the world and how to help them get there is two different things. The point of the insight is because Spring itself wants us to create those opportunities and feed hope." He gestured helplessly, his chuckle a little darker as he delighted on an idea. "But we're people, right? No matter how far we go down the path back to Fairy, we won't be Them, and will make these mistakes that keep us connected to humanity."
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Post by Kai Rose on Jul 14, 2021 12:32:43 GMT -8
Spring's concept in Vegas was very peace-time. Now that people sensed war on the horizon, they were getting serious. "I will, but I'm not sure that makes sense to me when you think about it. Our Court structure is kind of fucked to begin with. Summer has been operating on a skeleton crew for a long time, with an over-sized Spring Court only being possible because we've been behind perfect walls. A re-adjustment now that we're starting to see the reality things again... I'm not sure that surprises me?" She shrugged. It wasn't a harsh rejection of what he was saying, and his point was well taken, but wasn't there supposed to be equilibrium to some extent? "At any rate, we're going to have a lot of pressure on us going forward. Your support would be appreciated. Lancelot's, too. The reality of this situation is that Solomon is a driven and effective cop. But he's not rich, and he's not connected, and he definitely doesn't have a Sun Banisher's training. Ivory helps as much as she can -- and it's huge -- but she's not..." She gestured at the house and at Buck himself. "You? Even backing him up in the court of public opinion would make a difference. We've got your Queen's back, and yours."
The point about knowing what people wanted and being able to create hope was met with a slow nod.
"I think that's a beautiful thing. And I want to be able to do that, too. Both for the good we can do for the Freehold by being able to steer someone in a better direction, and for what we can all build by creating opportunities that support the public good."
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Post by Buck Chasseur on Jul 15, 2021 14:22:38 GMT -8
Buck chuckled, though not in a matter that sounded condescending. "Different perspectives on what the seasonal mantle means. I, personally, didn't see an ascending Spring as a fucked up structure when I chose to relocate from a very different world. Summer getting the support it needs is a boon with all the unproductive violence, yes. I suppose I can meet with Uriel myself if her Verdant Grace hasn't seen the need to ask me to fund her alliance herself."
He gave a self-aware wink, tossing Kai a line of politics she hadn't considered. His small gambit with and Emerald-blessed Icarus to test the waters had ended with the She-Wolf nipping him very publicly. The Runnerswift wasn't surprised to find that the Magistrate knew exactly what was going to happen, but preferred the fun surprise.
He hovered a hand close to her face, gesturing for permission to fix her hair, "Do you mind? I'll demonstrate."
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Post by Kai Rose on Jul 15, 2021 14:35:27 GMT -8
"That's something I hadn't thought of, I'll admit. Someone like Ivory tosses money at a Summer project, it's just a young Spring Courtier being eager and nice. When a paragon funds something, it's a statement." She frowned gently. "Perhaps I'm overstepping. This middle-nobility thing is... new."
She leaned in slightly to allow him the touch, a curious look on her face. No effort was made to prevent his magic from taking hold, though it was readily apparent on her face that she knew when it came.
"I suppose a world where Spring can be so well-populated and Summer doesn't need a standing army would be like a dream most places, wouldn't it?"
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Post by Buck Chasseur on Jul 15, 2021 15:12:32 GMT -8
"The thing that a lot of weaker Emeralds don't understand about Cupid's Arrow..." he murmured, eye's flashing as he gently ran a thumb along her jaw to stroke her hair. "Is that diving into someone's heart's desire will always be an intimate act."
He examined his hand, continuing with the same intense tone of reverence, "And as you hold it, you're opening a door to someone's ultimate drive—where they might not even know it themselves. The information you glean is as personal as it gets, and to toss it aside as a quick tryst for power violates what we stand for. I now have the power, if I want, to decide this won't make you happy, and alter its course to bring you closer to a dream."
The glamour dissipates as he frowns, "You watch the Lost, from time to time, snatch hands and pluck hair for the cheap thrill of the moment. Children embarrassed about a kiss. controlling it for something that makes them feel happy over another's needs." The satyr's expression grows darker still, quiet.
"It's watching bar drunks play grab-ass. But it can be so destructive and violating to the person being touched. I am not merciful to those who skirt our code of conduct. Your Desires Are Your Own—what does that mean to you?"
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Post by Kai Rose on Jul 15, 2021 22:53:41 GMT -8
Unconsciously, Kai leaned into the touch a little bit. It had been a long time since she had allowed herself to be touched in an intimate way, and the deep red lines flowing through her gold skin from the contact with her jaw were hard to miss. She didn't worry about it. A paragon of Desire was teaching her about the truths of his Season, the intimacy and respect that Spring demanded of its people. Summer's hate could start wars and create weapons, but as he spoke on about bringing people closer to a dream, his Mantle overpowering her senses, she found herself realizing something and tears filled her eyes.
"Your Court in its purest form is the most beautiful thing any of us could ever aspire to. Ours is not to be part of it, but that I can help bring it closer to perfection..."
Ours. Hers, Oren's, Solomon's -- the sin-eaters, the ones who had to burn the rot to allow new life to spring forth. The teardrop ran down her cheek, her colors wild against the weight of the Wyrd. What was Summer and all its vengeance for if not to protect this, to allow others to become one with the Wyrd and their Dream in a more perfect union? Was this what Solomon knew, why he fought for Philicia's dream? To purge and purify evil wishes and bring hope?
"Your Desires Are Your Own..."
Focus.
"People should chase their dreams, but they have responsibility for the consequences and their desires will inevitably not align with everyone else's. Desire without accountability and consent chokes out agency, hope and life itself with overgrown ivy."
Her eyes were wild with color.
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Post by Buck Chasseur on Jul 16, 2021 22:57:20 GMT -8
Buck's expression softened, "You can be part of it, and you're asking to be. The one you trusted Pledge with is Emerald as well."
The Beast withdraws, giving Kai a breather from her deeper bearing of one's emotions. "The courts are phases of the same experience. We can find balance by exalting each other's strengths, which is the whole damn purpose of a Freehold," he chuckled.
"So with this Contract, Kai, are you looking to forge the way to your vision of a safer and united community? What does safety mean to a Summer in Vegas, anyway?"
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Post by Kai Rose on Jul 17, 2021 19:14:07 GMT -8
The withdrawal of the overwhelming power of Spring calmed the Polychromatic's wild colors, her focus starting to ease as the Joyeux's overwhelming influence faded back a couple of feet and a couple of megatons.
"It means doing what I can to help lead our community onto a path of... I don't know, righteousness? Not in a religious sense, but like, not doing shitty and cruel things for personal gain. Part of that is stabilizing the inter-Court fighting going on and doing things like help pull Autumn out of the shit so we can face things as one again. Part of it is stopping people like Stheno from murdering humans for magical gain, and Hartman from twisting people's minds and trying to trap people into service like Agrippa." She looked downright mournful at that last part, clearly wishing the unicorn was still around to deal with his book problems. "It's helping Lucas Chevalier get a wider audience so he can help mind people's sense of self; it's bringing Rowan back from the brink so he can be okay and help us learn from his experience..."
She paused, thinking it over.
"I guess as I look at the common thread, I want to cut the tensions and enhance what each Court brings to the table so we can be balanced again, and get people looking out for each other across the board. Because when you get right down to it, I don't think we are, and we're suffering for it."
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