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Post by Gavin Graves on Nov 29, 2021 0:59:30 GMT -8
Gavin was perplexed by the undertone of Aster's response as she was leaving the room. She obviously wasn't happy with him. Another thing to check back with her on later.
Was he losing his focus again?
Returning his attention to the silvery dragon, "Sounds like you are familiar with the Contract then." Telling people what they already know was a good way to make them feel smug, Gavin knew. It made them more likely to highlight just how much they knew, as well as what they didn't. "So then you must also be aware the sandals belonged to you long enough for the Wyrd to reinterpret who owned them, much as you just updated it. If he took them from you for that contract, whatever was driving Tanner's actions considered you an enemy in that moment. It could be as simple as the breach of privacy in his head set him off. It could be far from it, like an idea being implanted in his dreams or possession." It was a narrow rope to walk questioning with implications as heavy as these. Gavin was taken aback by the sudden focused attention from the Dragon. He was quickly reminded he was dealing with a well established member of the Freehold, and all that entailed. Even pinned in place, the Razorhand's elbows instinctively bent and his talons found themselves pointed toward Golden Boy, a readying reflex he could not contain. "I didn't say he did." He gradually relaxed his hands back to his waist, as he was released.
The Beast was also learning that getting someone angry about something he assessed in an unfavourable light, and they would often conveniently correct him. It had worked to a degree. 'Would not' was not the same as 'could not' and 'did not.' Gavin now knew Tanner could push people and things forward in time for later. There was no mention of the other Contracts he had asked about. Presuming his motley actually wants Tanner found, not telling him Tanner could magically avoid being followed, or could teleport through mirrors would just be beyond the pale. Gavin was open to new and terrible things being possible these days, having learned some lore from Grendel. "I thought I said as much out loud. Didn't I?" Admitting the possibility of being imperfect often had a disarming effect, and he didn't want to unnecessarily antagonize. The moment of usefulness for a confronting posture had already passed. "Half the reason I was asking you was to get you thinking whether or not he might have thrown magic at you that Tanner didn't know." It was a binary state of inquiry. Either more than Tanner knew was shown, or it wasn't, but Golden Boy needed to be open to the idea and sharing. He had to hit the nail on the head or this wasn't going anywhere. "If it isn't Tanner as you know him, we need to know. If we go running off after where we think Tanner would go and Something Else is piloting him, what good would that do anyone?" The rhetorical question intended to remind Golden Boy he was actually trying to help and take the edge back off."This is all in the interest of finding him and getting him back safely, yeah."
"Now, you just mentioned swapping. What did he pick up from you that we're going to need to be prepared for?" The Beast was not easily swayed from the hunt. "How do we best talk him off a ledge?"
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Post by Aello on Nov 30, 2021 21:17:30 GMT -8
Gavin seemed to ignore Aster’s suggestion to speak with members of Tanner’s Entitlement, neither referencing it nor seeming to acknowledge the Serpent’s presence at all. The only thing her words seem to have been met with is silence. Maybe it was the Razorhand’s investment or maybe it was a silent statement regarding the value of her opinion. In either case it did little for the Venombite’s confidence, she already felt the matter was above her pay grade. The investigation was already proving to be another reminder that other Beasts had faired better in the development of their knowledge and education following their painful Returns. Even Gavin, an avian Lost bristling with claws and menace proved himself to be beyond his shape. The reality that Aster had not left a bitter taste in her mouth. And it showed. The agitation crept across her face despite her best efforts to keep her cool. When Aster gets her approval to look into Tanner’s belongings, the Scholar likewise spoke up, finally granting his fellow Beast an ounce of recognition, even if only to give her a task. The Serpent almost sneered, but she’d see to Gavin’s request. Finding Tanner was a bigger priority than seeing to her wounded pride.
“Yeah, let me see what I can fetch for ya,” she added, unable to resist the embittered dig. She’d be a good little Hound and try to find clues for the real investigator Dame Chunhua had meant to dispatch. For now. With that Aster left upstairs following the harpy to Tanner’s room. She’d sift through in silence, rummaging through delicately as she searched through the items in order to find some clue, if any, of where the rabbit had gone. Given the fact that he had over seventeen hours ahead of Aster and Gavin, she wasn’t liking their odds, but they had to try. Their success also depended on Aster being of use and thus she prayed her eyes would make up for a blunted mind. The search done, Aster’s eyes look to Aello, concern cracking into her features as the harpy fought to keep the Lie. She’d stand nearby and mouth the words ‘What’s going on?’
Even if the matter Aello was discussing was not associated directly with Tanner, it sounded as if it could be a road block. Whoever was on the other line was clearly looking for him as well and, with Aello’s deflection, it seemed clear the man was not among those who could peer into the truth of the Freehold. Aster had a feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated. Aster's attention naturally went to the laptop for potential conversations or recent searches, but knew without proper equipment she wouldn't be able to access it. It could be passed along to someone with the right skills or Contract; Aster had seen people whisper to objects during troubled times. Tanner had supposedly left without taking much, and those items would more likely be on his phone. The locked cabinet was left as the last bastion of secrets—the fact that Golden or Aello hadn't busted it open themselves spoke to either their reluctance to breach their motleymate's obvious boundaries, or maybe something like a Promise was in place to prevent mentioning or looking at it. The name 'Sage' was on one of the notes, with dollar signs and Rx dated back a week ago. Aello continued the conversation on her end, making a face as another male voice blasted through the speaker, "If you come up here you won't like the results, dick," she snarled back, hanging up. At Aster's hovering, she smoothed her raised feathers while maintaining the grimace, "Some mundie dealer's harassing one of our mutual friends. He's tripping on something and one of his girlfriends brought a bat, I guess. They're not doing anything but it spooked him enough to call us." Despite the agitation, she didn't seem convinced the threat wouldn't escalate further; or if it did, her motley was more than capable of handling it. |
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Post by Golden Boy on Nov 30, 2021 21:49:32 GMT -8
Gavin was perplexed by the undertone of Aster's response as she was leaving the room. She obviously wasn't happy with him. Another thing to check back with her on later.
Was he losing his focus again?
Returning his attention to the silvery dragon, "Sounds like you are familiar with the Contract then." Telling people what they already know was a good way to make them feel smug, Gavin knew. It made them more likely to highlight just how much they knew, as well as what they didn't. "So then you must also be aware the sandals belonged to you long enough for the Wyrd to reinterpret who owned them, much as you just updated it. If he took them from you for that contract, whatever was driving Tanner's actions considered you an enemy in that moment. It could be as simple as the breach of privacy in his head set him off. It could be far from it, like an idea being implanted in his dreams or possession." It was a narrow rope to walk questioning with implications as heavy as these. Gavin was taken aback by the sudden focused attention from the Dragon. He was quickly reminded he was dealing with a well established member of the Freehold, and all that entailed. Even pinned in place, the Razorhand's elbows instinctively bent and his talons found themselves pointed toward Golden Boy, a readying reflex he could not contain. "I didn't say he did." He gradually relaxed his hands back to his waist, as he was released.
The Beast was also learning that getting someone angry about something he assessed in an unfavourable light, and they would often conveniently correct him. It had worked to a degree. 'Would not' was not the same as 'could not' and 'did not.' Gavin now knew Tanner could push people and things forward in time for later. There was no mention of the other Contracts he had asked about. Presuming his motley actually wants Tanner found, not telling him Tanner could magically avoid being followed, or could teleport through mirrors would just be beyond the pale. Gavin was open to new and terrible things being possible these days, having learned some lore from Grendel. "I thought I said as much out loud. Didn't I?" Admitting the possibility of being imperfect often had a disarming effect, and he didn't want to unnecessarily antagonize. The moment of usefulness for a confronting posture had already passed. "Half the reason I was asking you was to get you thinking whether or not he might have thrown magic at you that Tanner didn't know." It was a binary state of inquiry. Either more than Tanner knew was shown, or it wasn't, but Golden Boy needed to be open to the idea and sharing. He had to hit the nail on the head or this wasn't going anywhere. "If it isn't Tanner as you know him, we need to know. If we go running off after where we think Tanner would go and Something Else is piloting him, what good would that do anyone?" The rhetorical question intended to remind Golden Boy he was actually trying to help and take the edge back off."This is all in the interest of finding him and getting him back safely, yeah."
"Now, you just mentioned swapping. What did he pick up from you that we're going to need to be prepared for?" The Beast was not easily swayed from the hunt. "How do we best talk him off a ledge?" Golden Boy counter-offered. "Unless you can look into the past, we can spin on that for quite a while."His tone kept even as he stalked around Gavin flexing his hands, putting his nervous energy into movement as his eyes danced along the claws. "You're wrong, is what I'm getting at. With the other thing, but I'm not going to argue semantics." The dismissiveness of his statement had the callous confidence Gavin had heard in Fairests before, but never when arguing occult matters with an Autumn scholar. Whether he found the lack of childish vainglory annoying or worrisome was up to the Beast. Golden Boy seemed pretty sure that he was more learned than Gavin, and didn't care about his Court's blessings or the age difference. Rather, it felt like being treated like an obstacle, as the Thief checked for the keyhole. "Being stuck as the person with the memory wouldn't write him into a Contract, he would have to do that himself with the knowledge he took. He gets caught up in the snapshot, but that doesn't mean he can know that person to become them wholly. Right?" The Winter made eye contact again, raising the hairs on the back of Gavin's neck as the other searched for a connection to land. The greater nuances of socializing wasn't the Fae-child's strong suit, and cordial interaction with a stranger was a puzzle. "What you're calling imprinting is always temporary. Um...a fugue? But then when he's out of it, he can't track the transition, so it's all stitched together like a scar. The more you do it, the harder it is to see what you used to look like."
His jaw clenched, looking away as he swallowed. Being asked about Tanner's Banes and searching for a reason for them to be fighting was testing his already frayed nerves as Gavin stomped through the mine field.
"Uh- some clause adju-" The question about being talked off a ledge was interpreted literally, prompting the Dragon to freeze as he stared through the wall. |
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Post by Aster Blau on Dec 1, 2021 0:00:00 GMT -8
Aster looked over her findings with a slight frown, the items discovered within offering potential promises of progression, but nothing that looked like a hard read. Nonetheless, she would gesture to the laptop.
"I'll be taking that when we're done here if we don't find anything else more solid," she says, "It's... a long shot, especially since Tanner took his phone. Anything pertinent is probably on there, but if he's whispered to it or left something on it mundanely it could be helpful."
The runes on the mirror were noted as well. Aster assumed it was Golden's handiwork given his ability to step through mirrors, but then again the marks were on this side. She'd have to mention it to Gavin to make sense of what it might mean.
However, the only thing Aster physically grabs for the moment is the note. Dealers weren't known for their understanding when they were owed. Sometimes the most frightening enemies a Lost can face are not supernatural at all.
"Sage, yes?" Aster said, holding the note up, "Tanner's been buying pills from him. He with the Cartel? Golden presumed he was looking for the money Tanner owed him, but you seemed unconvinced. You said it was about something else?"
The Serpent had been listening it seemed and the beginnings of a new working theory regarding Tanner's disappearance began to take shape. With luck, Sage had no association with Aster's own contacts. That would make breaking him easier if it came to it. If Aello didn't know, she'd need to make a call.
"It's kinda strange that it isn't pertaining to money Tanner owes him, if that's the case," she continued, "This was dated a week ago. Does Tanner visit Sage for pills that could help with his addled state post-Entitlement? Has he mentioned Tanner at all?"
The potential existed for the scenario to be more grounded in mundane dangers. If this was true, Aster had a better handle on how to deal with it. The chance existed that Tanner could have gone to Sage after coming to and that made Sage a person of interest.
Given the man's threats to Aello and her friends... he was not likely to enjoy the attention.
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Post by Aello on Dec 2, 2021 22:26:00 GMT -8
Aello's feathers raised again, undoing any previous preening.
"Uh-" she blinked, thinking through the surge of old wounds and anxiety around the topic. Last time she had stuck her nose into Tanner's addiction issues, the motley had almost blown up. "Laptop's fine. Whatever helps, I don't give a shit," she forced, leaning into the protections her Court's sphere of emotions provided, "Sage- I don't- does the Cartel work with white people?"
She blushed a bit from her lack of knowledge on how that world worked. "I never heard about anything like that, or, think that Tanner would be involved with that. The guy sells what you would expect on a campus, you know? I don't think he would flaunt if he wheeled in harder drugs...Like, I've never heard of this guy getting aggressive or dangerous before. I didn't think it was about money, because he was mad about someone named Paisley where it sounds like he's saying he hurt her?"
The Beast's attention ticked to the stairs as Golden's voice dropped from the conversational tone she had been keeping tabs on. She knew the Fairest could come off as 'difficult' to people. Quiet sometimes meant the Dragon was getting into one of his Moods. She didn't dare take her eyes off Aster for longer than a half-second, however.
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Post by Gavin Graves on Dec 2, 2021 23:29:25 GMT -8
Well at least from the tedious battling back and forth, Gavin was grinding small useful details out of Golden Boy. He could be reasonably sure the Dragon hadn't witnessed or remembered the usage of magics the Rabbit didn't know. Even the half sentence that trailed off was enough to extrapolate they had traded Seeming specializations within contracts they shared knowledge in. That detail reduced the likelihood of a possession being at work, but didn't eliminate it.
Gavin and the Dragon had both done the math. Probabilities considered, either Golden Boy knew Tanner could do something else with the sandals, since he suggested it was for a Contract, or he was stuck on the implications and back-pedaling. Gavin decided to sort out whether it was a more thorough bleed or a possession with Aster later. No one was buying the highly improbable suggestion that a dazed and confused Tanner would go out of his way into the Dragon's room to dig through his closet for a pair of sandals to wear at this time of year rather than take shoes from by the door. It was far more likely an intrusive imprint or being had taken over or substantially influenced him.
Gavin wasn't really fixated on Tanner having willingly gone rogue as the answer. He was frustrated to deal with someone who was so closed to possibilities that evidence didn't seem to matter to him. So much so that the Fairest refused to let him consider it. This was the Dragon whose friend--whom took his phone with him--and now wasn't taking his calls, or couldn't. Tanner whom had been working a ritual that made himself open to an external source of memories. Such an openness could have made him ripe for possession by a Hedge Ghost that worked its way in through the opening created by the Bastion breach. The Bastion breach itself could have made any imprint that bled through more thorough. The Motley could have been caught up in the imprinting process themselves, one intentional imprint and the two interlopers combined in a Frankenstein's monster of memory and intent. The Dragon that just finished losing a day through what was described as a psychic trap that came as a torrent of incoherent thoughts and memories, was somehow certain no possession had happened. He may well be right, but his assertion was based on feeling not reason. What's worse, he was trying to define Gavin's reality based on those feelings.
Dragons are the worst to deal with.
Manic stream of consciousness Razorhands were likely not a treat to deal with either. Here they were together, stumbling over each other.
Looking back to the unblinking stare pointed at the wall, "Well, let me know when you think of what might help the man if he's in dire straights when we find him. I don't know him well enough to cobble him back together without the help, but I'll do my best if I have to." Gavin was quite sure the near stranger of a Razorhand giving Tanner a hug would not do the trick.
"Hmm. When did all the messages from this friend about things that don't quite make sense start piling up, Aello?" Gavin raised his voice and projected it up the stairs. Having heard her continue to have two streams of conversation, there was a possibility the problems were related. He kept an ear out for a response. She might not have heard him through the two other conversations she was embroiled in.
Bedlam was the immediate idea that passed through the Beast's stream that he considered worthy of mention.
Turning back to Golden Boy, "Okay, I know you didn't like my earlier thoughts. He's your friend, I get it. I'm sorry I pushed." He moved in front of the Dragon to make sure his communion with the wall ended, and his attention was back in the room, braving the uncanny eyes to get the message through.
"I'd like to work through other possibilities with you that might fit the fact pattern we have," It was an attempt to get him on board by vocalizing dropping the old idea, even if he didn't permanently jettison it internally.
"We know Tanner's mind was open to an external set of memories through a ritual, right? He was having trouble with bleed when even when it was contained. The barrier that usually allows a semblance of control over the memories was ruptured. What if it hasn't ended for him? What if he's just a lightning rod for a continuing stream of those memories and they are channeling through him and coming out as wild emotional fits and spots of Bedlam?" Gavin's alternately yellow and orange eyes had opened wide and were scanning Golden Boy for a reaction and an inkling he might assist with the thought experiment.
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Post by Golden Boy on Dec 3, 2021 0:00:19 GMT -8
"A few minutes ago," Aello called back down.
As Gavin moved in front of Golden, it became very obvious that he was trying and failing to hold back silent tears. The genuine request for the Fairest to come up with a proper phrase or emergency plan to stop his motleymate from killing himself was met with a lip tremble and a manic glare that informed the Beast that he had in fact been desperately mulling it over.
He nodded to acknowledge the apology, still stuck, and nodded again as Gavin asked to continue brainstorming.
Talons drawing blood from clenching his crossed arms, he blinked. "I think the problem is that he doesn't have an eidedic memory. He lied about that," he offered in a hollow tone. "Can't backtrack where he starts."
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Post by Aster Blau on Dec 5, 2021 14:49:16 GMT -8
The Serpent grants a nod as Aello affords her permission to take the laptop, making a mental note to grab it if Gavin felt the need to take it to folks with the skills to read any secrets it might be holding.
“If I’m is anything to go by, the Cartel will work with anyone,” Aster answered, her expression not shifting to take tease the Harpy about her lack of knowledge, “No worries if you don’t know, I can probably make a call if I need to.”
At Aello’s musings, Aster shrugged, “Prescriptions are prescriptions,” she said, “If he’s got a source for Adderall and antidepressants, he could probably have a source for heavier shit or knows someone who can. Whether any of it could help Tanner’s state, I don’t know, but it’s worth exploring if the Graves doesn’t come up with anything else.”
There was some pause as Aello mentioned Sage had said Tanner had hurt another person. The glint of surprise on her face was obvious.
“Never imagined he’d do something like that,” she offered, “but given the bleed it may not be him, not that someone like Sage is gonna give a fuck. Either way, could explain why he isn’t pushing for the cash. Especially if Sage is sweet on Paisley.”
Might have gone to Sage after he woke up and lost a little control…
“If he’s seen Tanner, we might need to talk to him, whether he wants to or not,” she continued, “No matter what he’s probably an obstacle that’ll need clearing. Think we got enough for now, let’s head back down stairs.”
Returning downstairs the Serpent would eye her goblin-eyed partner.
“Most of the shit up there is about what you’d expect from a college kid,” she said, moving right into report mode, “Laptop, heavily notated textbook, that sort of stuff. Aello is willing to let us take the laptop if we feel it can get us a lead, but considering Tanner took his phone, I doubt we’ll find much of use. Couple other things stand out though. The mirror has some runes carved into it. Whether that’s Golden’s handiwork or not I don’t know, but since he was able to enter the room and unlock it, it ain’t likely that its something meant to keep Golden from coming in. There’s also a locked cabinet, Aello says it contains some rare editions.”
There was a sigh as she lifted the note denoting Sage’s name, the dollar signs and ‘Rx’
“We may have a bigger problem though,” Aster admits, “Tanner’s been buying some pills from a guy named Sage. Don’t know if he’s independent or affiliated with anyone, but I might be able to find out by tapping some friends. The guy doesn’t have a history with violence as far as Aello is aware of, but sounds like he’s running hot right now. He called claiming Tanner hurt a girl named Paisley. Given the time line of his calls and Tanner’s disappearance? I think he could of been a point of contact after Tanner went missing and, from the sounds of his threats, he might be close by. Person of interest at best, obstacle at worst. Either way, he's a problem that might need to be solved.”
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Post by Gavin Graves on Dec 6, 2021 19:05:44 GMT -8
There is was. The painful and secret detail the Dragon was withholding. Very likely it was the core of the problems Tanner was facing. He did not have a near perfect memory for detail. Gavin recalled back to Tanner's description of the ritual and then to what was learned here. In combination the outwardly disparate things began sliding into place and formed more coherent thoughts with less wild supposition. The Order of Eternal Echoes, an Entitlement capable of preserving and experiencing memories that were not ones own, were duped into letting an unprepared college kid into their number. Or were they? Gavin wondered.
Perfect memories were easily tested for. It's not like it would require much specialized anything to see if someone could look at today's newspaper and recite it verbatim. Or to show an image with 12 discrete items in it and ask how many had yellow circles on them. It would be one of the simplest capabilities to test for. It's not something someone could simply lie about and get away with. Someone whose responsibility it was to screen for that characteristic was either extremely negligent or deliberately chose to admit him knowing he would suffer for it. Since speaking with Icarus and Grendel, Gavin was aware that the local chapter head of the Eternal Echoes was Dame Chunhua. As careful and deliberate as she was in dealing with Gavin previously, as involved as she seemed to have been with the events leading to the Revenant Crisis, Gavin felt the balance of probabilities shift toward the case being a deliberate choice.
Chunhua knowingly let this happen or even encouraged it despite the consequences to Tanner. He was being used. He might even be bound by Promise to keep a lid on this.
Gavin began simmering with anger which he carefully contained and certainly directed away from Golden Boy.
What did it mean for Tanner right now? The Razorhand was redoubled with purpose.
A blurring of lines. Imprinted thoughts and memories not ones own. They lingered beyond the ritual's end. An inability to sort out what was his own and what belonged to another. Feelings that did not belong. Disconnected memories and emotions from their context. The ideas about what might proceed from the conditions described to Gavin continued to flow, which only fueled the Beast's anger. The thought of constantly doubting your own memories, feelings, and quite probably realness of self as one immersed themselves repeatedly in those of others, was by itself a hard thought to engage with.
Depression and desperation and myriad other problems could easily follow from such an experience for anyone enduring it. Tanner was one of the Lost which made the concept all the more intolerable. How did he make it this far? By being very selective about when and how often he used it, Gavin imagined.
The drug use was not at all surprising.
It was about then that Aster and Aello had returned from Tanner's room.
He wanted to share everything that was implied by what he'd just learned. It would however be entirely politically untoward to share information that would create scandal for the Leaden Mirror. How much did he care right now?
"Those are really good finds. It says to me he cares enough about his schooling that he's keeping his laptop even when aggressive drug dealers are provoking an issue with money. You'd expect maybe some pawning to get by." Gavin was conscious of the mindset drug users tended to have when encountering problems like this. A Changeling with money troubles engaging in self-treatment would likely be restrained from stealing valuable items from his Motley to fill the gap by the Wyrd. Stolen sandals not withstanding. A set of rare texts that a tech savvy occultist had copied into digital versions would in many cases be sufficient. The physical book would just be superfluous and a possible source of emergency resources. "Maybe he paired his phone and laptop with a where is my device kind of app or has a list of contacts that could be useful for follow up. I'm not a computer genius or anything so that might require someone else if we find we need to."
"So far, it looks like he didn't fall into another dimension. He's probably a bit mixed up right now and trying to cope with his memory bleeding from the ritual. My latest supposition was he might be leaking his or otherwise imprinted feelings more readily right now and we might need to look out for signs of Bedlam, due to the Bastion breach." Gavin caught Aster up on the majority of what had been covered in the intervening time. He kept the politically sensitive elements to himself, for the time being. They had both been sought by Dame Chunhua and he could not be sure what her and Aster's relationship was. At least that was how he rationalized keeping the political secrets. The emotionally sensitive things that he noted for sharing with Aster he saved for when they were away from Aello and Golden Boy.
"I agree, the drug dealers are a great place to go next." The Beast nodded at the Serpent's suggestion. "Relatedly, does he have a 'go to' place when he's trying to cope with this type of thing? Does he have a favourite totem object that we might use to help him remember a part of himself that we could borrow?"
"Oh!" The Courser exclaimed as his manic mind had come to yet another thought that just had to be shared, "did you check the weight of the locked container or to see if it was still locked? Might give us an idea of which direction he went if that was unlocked and or empty." As curious as he might otherwise have been at getting an opportunity to look at some rare editions, the only important detail here was whether or not the books were present. When the pair looked apprehensive about it a moment, Gavin shot Aello a regretful smile that said 'I hate to trouble you with this' and left it hanging in the air. It would be less of an invasion of privacy for Aello to do the check anyway.
When she returned with the answer, Gavin forwarded an offer, "If there is anything that you are hesitating to share that you think might be helpful with finding him, that you would share with us if we were held to an Onyx Pledge, I'm open to the idea. Finding and helping him are what's important right now." He looked to Aster to gauge how amenable she was with the idea before turning back to Golden to see if he might finally be willing to answer how to best help his friend.
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Post by Krakenbox on Dec 6, 2021 22:59:23 GMT -8
Aello's feathers raised as she glanced at the state of Golden, eyes flaring as they danced back to Gavin Graves and pulled her motleymate away from him.
"The runes are just a simple ward telling you to fuck off," the Fairest explained flatly, not thinking about the context in how his words would come off. Rather than aggressive, he seemed withdrawn and in his own head.
"I don't think Tanner is organized enough to think of a tracker app," Aello offered, flinching at the Thief's callous delivery despite her defensive posturing over him. With the offer for Secrecy, Golden's attention flicked back to Gavin, uncrossing his arms and extending a hand.
"If you Promise to work alongside us—We're coming with you."
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Post by Gavin Graves on Dec 7, 2021 1:44:04 GMT -8
The sudden about face on their intent to cooperate caught the Beast's attention. Even on the heels of his offer for Wyrd enforced secrecy, this was drastic. Golden Boy wasn't really honing in on that offer. He was after something else. The hand out was what pushed Gavin over the edge in suspicion. He looked at it skeptically, and then to the Dragon's unblinking black eyes. Something in his posture and the way his mouth hadn't quite closed fully with an expectant expression just said he was worried about getting cut out of the loop if he revealed everything. On top of that Gavin was feeling manipulated through his eagerness to find answers.
"You've obviously been sitting on some information. You want to know how things are going in terms of finding your friend and you think as soon as you talk and we leave you're just going to be left here climbing the walls wondering exactly what is going on until a result drops, yeah?" The Razorhand was pretty sure he was in the right area.
"Right, well you both look like you are well and truly clapped out." It was a fair assessment of how they looked.
"I think you might actually physically slow us down right now with how banged up you are. I asked you how to best reach your friend if we find him in a bad way and you started cutting on yourself too," The Beast really hadn't known what to make of that response other than note its extremeness and conclude it would lead to similar difficulties at future stressors. "We could look at making a promise to make an effort to keep you in the loop on what we find and what we're up to. I intended to keep in touch with you anyway. As we found out more, we'd need your insight into his possible choices or reactions. How else are we going to get him home to you safely?" Gavin was doing his best to be empathetic and not show his annoyance that Golden Boy was going to keep possibly vital information to himself when his friend's life might be in the balance.
This was also a subtle use of Autumn's lessons. Call out the card Golden Boy had been trying to play to show Gavin knew his angle, and thus void its power, and then quietly lean on his fear of exclusion through applicable reasons. Finally give him a more palatable out than his worst fear. He should be apt to bite at the offer.
Gavin did not relish the thought of further steps in the Leaden Mirror's play book: leaning on Golden Boy's fear of being or feeling responsible for the outcome if he refused to help. That was the path of burned bridges though. The Dragon was sorely tempting him anyway.
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Post by Aster Blau on Dec 7, 2021 2:34:54 GMT -8
"That's the thing," Aster offered as Gavin spoke on the 'aggressive nature' he perceived was common among dealers, "This guy doesn't have a history of aggressive behavior with Tanner and he hasn't said shit about money. This is about Tanner allegedly attacking someone named Paisley."
It was an important detail. Sage was acting out of character.
The talk of the cabinet was met with a confused blink, as Aster believed they had already settled on how to proceed next. "It ain't exactly designed to be moved easy and it's definitely locked," she said, "Either way, I'd prefer staying on course. Let's look at the more worn paths before we go offroad, yeah?"
As Golden offers his brief answer to the runes, Aster shrugs. "Good to know," she says.
Then it came. The thing that Aster was afraid of... two wounded members of Dawn Catcher wanted to help by coming with her and Gavin. More than that, if Gavin's words were anything to go by, they were holding information hostage. Despite the dangers of taking them along, Aster understood where they were coming from. She'd lost people too.
"Alright so, listen," Aster started, "I get it. I do. You want to get him back and you want to make damn sure he gets home personally. You want it because you've lost people before and back then you weren't in the position to help them. You want it because Tanner gave a shit, right? About you, Aello... fuck, he's cared about the whole damn Freehold given all that he's done. I get it, Golden, because I've been there. And before you pull off any of that Hallmark shit saying that there is no way I could understand, let me remind you... I watched Chico burn."
The Serpent's eyes locked with the Dragon's as she spoke.
"I watched Hollows get torn apart and people that I cared about, that I loved, get butchered or, worse, pulled back into the same fucking Hell all of them fought so damn hard to get out of," she continued, anger and grief trembling in her voice as her tone grew louder and more impassioned, her pain clearly expressed as features shifted to the picture of anguished sorrow, "And I couldn't do a damn thing because I was too busy bleeding out in a fucking hole! I just... wanted to keep fighting, but others kept stopping me. They knew if they let me go I'd be punching a ticket either back to Arcadia or six feet down."
Realizing she was yelling, the Serpent would pause looking away from the group for a moment as she wiped away errant tears and bit back her emotions. Eventually, with a deep breath, the Beast would speak again her eyes traveling between the harpy and Golden himself.
"And that's where both of you are at. We ain't saying you're incapable, or weak, or whatever else... We're saying you're hurt and your ability to help out there in the sticks is a bit fucked right now," Aster concluded, "Thing is... you got something I didn't. You got people in your corner who stand a chance to get your family back. Just... stay put and let us do this. Please."
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Post by Golden Boy on Dec 9, 2021 21:19:13 GMT -8
"We don't get tired," Aello sniffed with Gavin's comment, before her eyes widened a bit at the callous remark about Golden Boy's stress. Graves sensed the glamour put on his promise, though like all Lost he had the opportunity to shake off the power woven into his words. The harpy seemed ready to launch into a defensive criticism of the Autumn's behaviour, but Aster's raw emotion and the flare of her Mantle evaporated whatever was forming on her lips. Golden ticked back a bit as the Venombite started shouting, expression sealed off as he stared dumbly at chords being struck but not in a place to give anything back. As Aster turned to collect herself, his breathing was shallow as he looked away as well. "...M'not stopping you-"
The high pitched screech punched through the building, followed by the punctuated sound of glass popping and shattering started to fill the house beneath the percussive blast. Expecting blood, hands came down from ears with only an undercurrent of temporary tinnitus. Golden rolled his eyes as a few stray tears escaped, having stuffed something in his ears in a smooth motion and moved towards the door. An unfamiliar Spring-Turned-Summer Elemental Nightsinger beamed as he waved through the cracked window, the edges of his mien blurred and flexing with visible vibration as he asked if they were all right. The Constable of Calefaction stood next to Solomon's vassal, gesturing soberly to his phone. Aster and Gavin's cellphones buzzed, the screens regrettably just as cracked as the windows and picture frames. "Confirmed they're infected.
Remove yourself immediately while we take care of their quarantine."
As they read, Golden threw open the front door, waving his diamond-tipped hands mockingly as if the whole Freehold had sights trained on him; Aello yelling for him to stop escalating going unheard. The year-long tortured Changeling had barren fields of fucks to give, clinging to the one last sacred bastion of having control over his life. "You know you can't stop me," he drawled, fronting sarcastic confidence despite his obvious distress from earlier. He winked at Lucky Jack, before keeping his eyes shut as he threaded glamour with a serrated grin. "But I Promise to keep my distance."
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Post by Gavin Graves on Dec 13, 2021 18:42:45 GMT -8
Gavin allowed the Wyrd to settle on his words despite his intent and language for it to be a negotiation not a direct promise. It wasn't even clear who had decided to bind the statement. He hoped it might settle the Motley's nerves and leave them more open to helping later.
His phone, now a font of rainbow cracks and light, had only offered a brief warning of what was to come. The damage was nothing he needed to be concerned with since Wayland's little adjustment to it after the first four had suffered claw related mishaps. It would not be long before the cracks sealed themselves as they had done many times before, but only when out of view.
"Yessir, moving." Locking eyes with Aello briefly, he called out a string of numbers slowly and deliberately as he gathered his things and putt on his shoes. If she was quick on the uptake, he had given her his phone number such that he could try to make good on the recent promise.
Given what he'd just learned, he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to keep the Dragon marginally in check, weaving Glamour into Golden Boy's overt promise. Whether he intended the offering to Santiago or the pair tasked to help find his friends, the words would be imbued with the weight of the Wyrd if he meant them. If he didn't allow it, another very expected message would be clearly and immediately received: this Dragon was not to be trusted.
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Post by Aster Blau on Dec 14, 2021 4:09:47 GMT -8
Golden's distance was expected. Aster was a survivor too and this stuff was never easy to talk about or acknowledge. However, it was Golden's refusal to recognize the unnecessary restriction he was trying force on Gavin's investigation that annoyed Aster.
"By withholding information that is exactly what you're doing," Aster said, responding to Golden's claim he wasn't trying to stop them.
Then came the shriek, the cracks, and the text. The whole event caused the Serpent to curse audibly.
Following behind the murder bird, Aster couldn't help but let out a quip as she moved to pass Golden and leave the house.
"Yep. Keep escalating, I'm sure that's what your friends need, right?"
With that Aster would depart the house unless prevented from doing so.
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