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Post by Croupier on Feb 13, 2022 18:43:30 GMT -8
With a hearty handshake, Dan completed his business with Henley and made sure to give him his number before parting company. By now, his glass was empty save for the dredges of ice, and Dan felt the need for another drink. He caught sight of the Razorhand Henley had pointed out earlier and took a moment to study him. For the occasion, the Autumn Beast looked quite underdressed, which made him all the more intriguing to Dan. A cross between casual wear and honest working man, like so many of the people who came to play at his tables. Gavin seemed transfixed on the elaborate light displays set up around the room, as if studying them like a first year art student. Probably in the same way Dan was looking at him.
Dan made a quick stop at the bar and ordered himself another pair of Seven-and-Sevens. The drinks were easy enough to go down, and even quicker to have prepared and readied in hand.
With both drinks at the ready, Dan shuffled through the crowd, maneuvering between dancers and party goers having a grand old time until he reached the light display which currently enraptured Gavin.
Clearing his throat, Dan spoke over the music as he offered a drink, "Cheers to the Rite?"
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 13, 2022 19:22:46 GMT -8
He had been absorbing the patterns simply to make them familiar. His street experience had given him a decent understanding of how hallucinogens could cause upset when the user was anxious or overstimulated. The night had something of the sort in store for him so he set about preparing for the eventuality.
He had been at it a bit more than an hour when Miller joined him.
It had been pleasant enough, but he'd not yet reached the quiet Zen he'd recently become accustomed to. The approaching Spring's disorienting Mantle definitely wasn't helping things along. Tuning things out had become second nature. Now he was going to find out if he could hold onto it while conversing.
In an even and measured tone "Yeah, alright. Bear with me though, I'm tuning myself to the space. Let's not rush and try not to startle me, please."
He slowly turned toward the man making an effort to welcome the feeling of disorientation so as to not lose his place. Taking the drink. "Cheers, mate."
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Post by Croupier on Feb 13, 2022 19:36:45 GMT -8
A cool wind shot over Dan as he offered the drink to Gavin, only to step back at the Razorhand's even tone. He had still been riding that high of talking with Henley, and had not anticipated Gavin being lost in his own meditations.
"Sorry about that." Dan extended the peace offering when Gavin was good and ready, "Should have given you a moment. Dan Miller, by the way."
The Leechfinger raised his own glass to cheers and took a long drink, considering his options for salvaging the conversation. Glancing at the fixtures, Dan nudged his drink in their direction, "They do seem a bit much, don't they? Even for a rave."
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 13, 2022 20:04:29 GMT -8
"It's alright." He maintained his demeanor and slowly partook of the offering savouring the different notes of the whiskey and saccharine sweet of the fizzy drink.
"If you've ever done any LSD or mushrooms you'd know they tend to cause sound to become pretty colours, lights and patterns drift and merge to take on other shapes going all fractal and the like. Probably meant to help with making that part interesting later." Most others he figured would just get caught up in the party vibe and roll along well enough with it anyway. For himself he was concerned what altered perceptions would unleash in an instinct driven Razorhand on a bad trip. The ritual was the ritual though, and he wasn't about to punch another hole in the Wards by failing to play along.
"You know how the Hedge picks up on how you are feeling at the time and shifts itself to gradually to reflect you inner world and feelings, yeah? It's like that except in reverse."
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Post by Croupier on Feb 13, 2022 20:46:28 GMT -8
Dan listened to the education the Razorhand was giving him on the nature of the Hedge with intent. He had heard others talk about their experiences in the Hedge before, and all that guru talk about finding your center and clearing your head to keep from putting bad shit into the Hedge. From what Gavin was saying, it seemed like no matter what, the Hedge always found a way to crawl into your head the longer you are there.
"Believe it or not, I haven't had much experience within the Hedge, myself." Dan admitted, "Outside of my own escape, of course. But I was talking to Henley just now and he mentioned something people do called 'Hedge Diving', I think it was? Going in to find memories or the pieces left behind by people. Do you know anything about that?"
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 13, 2022 21:09:20 GMT -8
Gavin chuckled quietly. "Asking for the really small things right out the gate, yeah?"
"You haven't spent much time in the Hedge, but you want to brave a memory market or dredge the Thorns for one in the wild?" It was rhetorical. This was not the first time a Spring courtier had approached the guide about such a thing as if it were a casual affair. "You prepared to face a Huntsman? I've done two major dives on behalf of the Freehold. Both times had harrowing run ins with them."
Turning his back to the man, he stretched a single talon over his shoulder to trace the spiral scar. "Cold Iron's kiss."
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Feb 13, 2022 21:43:20 GMT -8
Somehow, along the way, the Playmate had gained a sick pair of shades and a tray full of liquid nonsense that ranged all the colors of the rainbow. His steely skin glistened with condensed moisture, cheeks flushed to a rose gold with alcohol and exertion. His oversized tank top stuck to his skin in places because of the sweat. Drinks were flowing, bodies were grinding and flirting was coming his way. One word - heaven. There was no need to think, to need to mask. He only had to exist.
He had noticed Gavin from a distance, the tug of budding friendship and Beast-to-Beast simplicity fuelling his steps with purpose as he balanced the tray over the crowd of dancers. Suddenly, Golden Boy dropped out of a mirror, Winter Crown in tow, followed by one Anthony Cartwright, ward to Nate Henley. He frowned at the delay, and possibly the Crown. His knowledge of Mirror Travel said that the chain shouldn't have been broken. He also wondered briefly in how much danger Tony was, before deciding it was Golden Boy's and Nate's problem, not his.
His stride was broke once more a few steps before reaching his friend, realizing he was talking to another Emerald already. Perfect.
"Heeeeyyyyyy, Gaviiiin!" His slurring speech indicated an advanced state of party. "I'd fist bump you but this tray is heavy with the bounty I provide. If only someone could help me lighten the load!" His shades slid down his nose as he looked at the Fairest, revealing black dilated irises. "I'm Yuan, Gavin's friend." The tone stated it as an accomplishment. "Let's. Do. Some. SHOTS!"
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Post by Croupier on Feb 15, 2022 12:19:03 GMT -8
The sight of the mutilated scar was enough to turn any Lost's stomach. The mark where iron touched their bodies is a horrific, painful reminder of their frailty. And yet, as repulsed as Dan was by the injury, he was equally intrigued by it. There was an off-kilter beauty in the way the body recovered from damage, as if cells and immune systems looked at the devastation left by an injury and saw a chance to make beauty in its place - a memorial to what was there before.
Before the Leechfinger could answer, the world seemed to explode all at once. From a mirror above the dancers a crowned figure burst onto the scene, followed by someone Dan did not recognize, but instinct informed him was a human, of all things! Dan must have been more drunk than he thought. Or the drugs they laced all the drinks with were finally taking their toll.
To add to the cacophony; a fellow Spring Courtier broke into the conversation using a tray laden with multi-colored shot glasses as a battering ram. Everything about the figure told Dan he was already hours ahead of them in the party department, and he was here to speed thing up.
The Beast's name made Dan's ears perk up. "Dan. Miller." he offered his own name in return and took one of the shot glasses in hand, "You can call me that, or Croupier. Whichever you'll remember better." With a fluid motion he downed the shot in a display of brave stupidity. A wave of warmth rushed through him and Dan felt like a mule had burst out of the crowd and kicked him in the groin. A tingle similar to cinnamon coated his tongue, and Dan laughed from the heat and sensations coursing uneven through his body.
"Henley mentioned you to me earlier." Dan added, taking another.
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 15, 2022 16:32:00 GMT -8
"Heya mate. Having a bit of fun, yeah." It was not difficult to anticipate where Yuan was going with this. "I'll help ease your burden; bend an elbow."
Scooping up one of the scintillating drinks, "I see you're well prepared for this evening's enlightenment." A slight tip toward the three lensed glasses the Beast was wearing.
Taking care to not spill any of the beverage gave him something specific to focus on among the inundation of distracting stimulus.
Nodding toward Dan, "He heard about our little adventure in the Thorns and has decided he wants next. Maybe he wants to help Mitch with his project."
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Feb 20, 2022 13:18:57 GMT -8
With a slight delay, as if its owner had moved too fast for it to keep up, Yuan's Mantle swept up in a flurry of tiny dandelion parachutes, each seed urging people to indulge in the moment, reminded all of the importance of connection. He smiled as Gavin and Dan- Miller- Croupier- indulged his whims. "Oh, these?" He took off the shades and considered them. "I'm going to level with you G-Man, I have no idea where I got them." G-Man? Just roll with it.
It took the Courser a moment to focus on the name. "Oh! Henley! Nate Henley! Yeah, I know Nate. We've done some crazy shit together." He downed a shot, teal and slightly fluorescent in the black light. His face scrunched as the laced alcohol went down. "It was wild." His eyes glazed over for a moment, where he seemed lost in his own thoughts and the carefree facade slipped. "Anyways. Nice to meet you. I think. I don't know yet."
"You want to go into the Hedge? I mean, you're talking to the right guy. Guys. Nate and Gavin that is. It's kind of Outback's thing so you're in good hands."
Yuan went for another shot, but decided to maybe pace himself. "What did Henley say about me? Not that it matters, really, I'm just curious."
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Post by Croupier on Feb 21, 2022 20:31:35 GMT -8
"Likewise." Dan replied as he helped himself to another glass. This one was full of a bright crimson fluid with a cloud of gold dust that swirled and sparkled like sunlight on a pond. Its contents went down like syrup and tasted of fire and cinnamon.
"Yeah, Nate was just giving me a lay of the land, find people so I could lend a hand; do my part and all that." Dan tried to make it sound all altruistic, but he was sure that barely a word came out as intended between the flowing booze, loud music, and the chaos erupting around them. His head vibrated and he felt emboldened by the drink, "He also said you were the kind of guy to see about a business opportunity. Said you needed someone with experience, which I got." He blinked hard. Was the room always spinning? "But we could talk about it later. Or get another round!"
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 21, 2022 22:21:59 GMT -8
"Right, I mean I'm open to the idea. You just have to know what you're getting into, yeah? The mention of these things to the others was enough to make them rethink their want of it. If the idea of being actively hunted by the Hedge and sometimes a Huntsman isn't enough to dissuade you, then we at least have cause for further conversation."
He turned a bit to take in a stream of patterns coming from one of the large screens as it synced up well with the beat of the music pulsing in his ears and tingling through the barbs of the feathering at his temples.
"I mentioned Mitch because he's made some arrangements that might take him in the direction of that Trove again. Could at least make it a two birds one stone sort of arrangement. Helping with that project might somehow help with your intended purchase."
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Post by Croupier on Feb 23, 2022 16:13:37 GMT -8
"I appreciate the candor." Dan assured Gavin as he held the next shot at the ready, "I've heard some horror stories of the things that go on in the Hedge, but my mind's made up if you'll have me. We can always talk about it later, if you want. Business was probably the last thing on anyone's mind tonight, after all."
Stealing a glance over in the direction of the Winter King and the chaos ensuing on the other side, "Of course, who knows what was on anyone's mind when this night started?"
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Post by Gavin Graves on Feb 25, 2022 9:37:47 GMT -8
"Yeah, I didn't really come here to scout business. Going to focus up here so when the drugs kick in the instincts that come with these claws don't ruin everyone's night." He scooped up another scintillating blue shot from Yuan's platter. "Talk later, yeah?"
With a slight nod to each, he then turned to wander deeper into the den of patterns and lights to find his Zen. He did not get far before becoming engrossed in a particularly hypnotic exhibit. The hypnotic pattern carried on for a while, but then turned hyperactive and flashy at an inopportune moment further disrupting the Beast.
It took him nearly an hour before he found his center and was fully ready to face the active environment head on.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Feb 27, 2022 15:54:08 GMT -8
Worry crossed the Playmate's covered face for a moment, before disappearing under the surface. "Absolutely, my friend! You have my number if anything comes up, yeah?" He let his gaze follow the Autumn for a while before returning to the conversation at hand.
"He's not wrong, you know. We barely know each other and you're already discussing business. Where I'm from, we like to get to know potential associates before getting all serious-like. Wine and dine, that kind of stuff." Yuan didn't expect a Westerner to know or understand Guanxi. "Besides, it's Imbolc! A time of purging. Let's make it two birds in one stone - I have shots that need emptying. We've started already, but we're down a man now. So."
A moment to focus and for the room to stop spinning. "Let's have a drinking contest. That way, we get to know each other and if someone gets sick, there's the purging." The Courser wiggled his eyebrows behind the tinted lenses.
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