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Post by Mitchell Carr on May 6, 2022 23:19:22 GMT -8
Lotus of Siam was in the neutral area of Downtown just north of Autumn's fiefdom of Paradise, which technically painted a target on Carr but the Squire had a passive flippant confidence since obtaining his Icon. Plus, Gavin wasn't exactly low profile either. It had great reviews but wasn't over the top in its venue, even leaning towards the realm of casual. Though Mitch suspected Gavin would have preferred something more spaced out, the seating wasn't crowded and he was more aggressive about getting a table that let the Beast put his back to the wall and close to an exit.
Americans of Thai descent also bothered to eat there, so that was as hint as any for Mitchell's overwhelmingly European palette in assuming it was good. When Gavin arrived the Fairest was clearly more put together these days; in the sense that his ticks were rare, and his movements less painfully alien like his Keeper was still breathing down his neck. Still, Carr could never shake the ethereal quality that everything was performative or better suited for a film set. Greeting, seating and hand talking all felt like the scene was about to transition into a musical number, and the warm demeanor clashed with the black voids he now had for eyes. Henley had a shadow for a ring-finger for that trade off, but Mitch wasn't as practiced with Goblins and they had been on a very limited clock with the Huntsman. He still bore the ravages of Cold Iron along his jaw and asymmetrical ear to match the hit Gavin had taken, though the Beast noted some additional ones along the clavicle, hairline to scalp, and forearm — had the Archon of Blades returned during the plague? Or did he run into it when dealing with the civil unrest in his Court?
Mitch had changed a lot this year.
"Hey, we made it! I have the worst schedule... Still. Different, but still," he shrugged, chuckling sheepishly. "And you only took down a Title in the meantime. Congrats on the promotion, by the way. Also, holy shit I heard about the helicopter and Satan child, and getting Tanner out in one piece. I'm surprised you haven't been drafted by the Golden Standard."
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Post by Gavin Graves on May 7, 2022 0:25:02 GMT -8
Gavin had been looking for an excuse to try out this restaurant for a while now. He had made a habit of checking reviews on a variety of ethnic food joints. He wasn't sure as to why they called to him, but the siren would get its due today. The place had floated him around some of the landmarks he recognized in the hectic running around he'd done trying to stay ahead of the invasion. It stirred fleeting anxieties of a hunt resuming on his trail. He was glad for the seating arrangement when he saw where Mitch had posted up.
"Yeah, mate. Been a while. You've been keeping busy rearranging the furniture. We've both been flirting with some big iron too it seems." Gesturing vaguely at the new marks on the Fairest referenced out on Gavin. He knew most people did not enjoy when a Razorhand pointed at them, even a friendly one.
"Right, I did the big damn hero schtick, but I really try to keep it casual." He knew he'd done some astonishing things for the Freehold, and with more than a little help, but for him it wasn't about the accolades. "They might see what I did and say it's the right kind of audacity, but it's Henley propping me up there in the light to be seen. I think they know it too. That ain't me." He didn't mind being dressed up in the role for a bit to boost morale though. It was also his hope that he put on a good example for others to see the value in Autumn's niche offerings.
"I think the Wardens or Gilded Thorn are more my speed on that front. Though I'm still waiting to see what the Bigwigs have in mind for me now that the Season took proper notice." It was still quite new to the Beast to be seen as part of the middle nobility. He had enjoyed the freedom to engage headlong into the study of strange things and just be generally helpful. Politics were going to drag him back to reality very soon.
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Post by Mitchell Carr on May 7, 2022 22:22:59 GMT -8
Mitch snorted, shrugging with embarrassment as Gavin referenced some of the damage. "Yeah, it's something I wouldn't really wish on anyone. I can tell you, though, that whatever was done to me in terms of reaction time and flexibility doesn't go away when I'm exposed. So, I guess it's more active, like, just the Contracts or glamours in general?"
He tried to offer some occult information from first hand exposure, where he felt he would likely be dead or gone if he had to rely on natural human ability alone. Contracts failed immediately with Cold Iron contact, but the Dancer still moved beyond what one would expect from mortals. "Um, as cool as Henley finds the scarring to brag about, I'm finding it's giving me a bit of reputation I don't really want. So if you know a Goblin that can somehow fix this sort of damage that would be awesome." It was a vulnerable question, but at this point Mitch was connected enough with Gavin that he didn't think the Razorhand would judge or run with it. Still, he tried to spin it as a practical need over vanity.
As they paused to get water and wait for the mundie to move on, the Dancer mulled what Gavin was saying. "Henley's probably propping you up so people don't take you for granted. Our Season can consume people with good intentions. I think it's also like a morale thing we've been needing, where people can recognize you instead of a big group. Though, sorry if it's been a lot of attention you didn't want. I haven't heard any stupid gossip about you, so he's clearly been managing how much exposure you're getting." His smile was encouraging, trying to reassure that the going trend wasn't that the Razorhand was drowning in hubris.
"Entitlements usually wait for someone to come to them. Not because they think they're too good for you, it's just a...I think it's a local cultural thing with us, because it impacts you the same as oaths and contracting. I think-" he blinked, musing on it now that he was immersed in politics and being forced to learn some things, "-I think that maybe one of the monarchs pushed for that before, to stop them from pressuring people or aggressive recruiting? Else you'd see every impressionable Elemental and Ogre in the Tolltakers, or Fairests in the Satrapy. Anyway, if you ever feel like people are being slow on the uptake it's probably because they don't want to be seen as desperate or politically opportunistic. Entitlements are sensitive about their rep."
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Post by Gavin Graves on May 8, 2022 1:23:38 GMT -8
"Yeah, that stuff will cut through all the red tape like it wasn't even there. A crossbow bolt is fucking nightmare fuel for us. Moves fast enough its a rare breed that can even try to evade a good shot and Cunning does not a thing to help. Either be out of sight or be fast enough to remain close enough to them where you can manage their weapon with your hands. Oh and from first hand experience, you can't portal out of it."
"I can definitely point you at the right Hob, but I'm passable only at getting a better deal for myself. It's something between fear, respect, and recognition as a guide that I bring them business in general. If you want to avoid getting raked over the coals for your mods though, you'll want to involve Henley. It won't involve a deep dive either. It makes regular appearances in a tucked away corner of Aftermath. I got my eye done there. It doesn't deal so much on common debt, so expect to come away with more differences than you ask for. Sort of a 'parts' exchange," paused to make a scooping motion toward his own body, "and if it doesn't want anything you've got, it will sometimes take a substantive memory instead."
"Hasn't been too much yet." The Beast shrugged at the added attention. "I've also been making sure to make my own requests along the way. Mostly useful esoteric knowledge so far." The prompt reminded him that he should probe the gratitude of Chun Hua and Golden Boy. It was likely he could learn much about the True Fae and the dark arts of Necromancy respectively. One served his ambitions to make moves on the grand board, and the other to delve into the nature of the Freehold's defenses. "That ongoing interest is likely to attract the usual Autumn rumours before too long. I don't mind my good intent being conspicuous to offset it as it has so far. Helps to showcase the good reasons to know the deeply unnerving things. Did my timely study of the Verderers save the Iron from disappearing on you?"
"That's good to know. Our little niche orders is one subject I haven't given much attention to, with a few situational exceptions." His oath to Tanner prevented naming details from the Bodhisattvas, not that he was inclined in the moment to do so. Gavin already knew plenty of Spring secrets, and it was probably best not to advertise it widely, even to one of his sources. "I'm sure this promotion is going to demand I become some form of political animal, as much as I loathe the idea.
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Post by Mitchell Carr on May 8, 2022 13:33:50 GMT -8
Mitch greyed a bit on reflection, nodding as he kept his eyes on the menu. He had really only survived because his Huntsman was locked into a model that preferred close combat, and had no means to interact with the mundane world to trap him. Battering rams were easier to get out of the way of when you were built like him, and had Contracts lent during his tenure as a Bishop. Without Steed he would have been down more than an ear.
"...But it can fix damage done by Cold Iron?" he responded, sounding surprised. "That's cool. But yeah, thanks for the advice. I mean after the whole mermaid thing I feel like the Market is a lot less...intimidating."
At the mention of the sabers, the Dancer straightened, "Oh! Shoot- 'excuse me, one sec. I'm going to forget again. I left it in the car- not the sword," he added to reassure Gavin before moving out of his seat. A minute later he breezed past the staff with a discreet box in a Sheplers bag, offering to the Beast before he sat back down. His expression and prompt indicated it was safe to look at in a public environment, and the shoe box contained handmade leather hiker's boots.
"Wayland worked it. You can take off the toe cap when you feel like you need to kick someone with the iron plating, otherwise it's covered for a safety measure? Also after asking people who know better than I do, I guess the iron will stop the talons from sprouting so you don't have to constantly manage where you're stepping and who's bumping into you. Seems like it would be a pain for crowded venues, or the bus, or sitting with people at the same table," he explained, not wanting to imply that the Razorhand's natural mien was a problem that needed to be managed.
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Post by Gavin Graves on May 8, 2022 20:10:34 GMT -8
"You wouldn't so much be 'fixing the damage' as replacing the damaged parts whole cloth. We're talking skin grafts here." The Beast was confident in his assessment. "If you're comfortable handling the dealing yourself, that's fine. I can point you in the right direction when I'm on shift there. Easy Peasy"
While Mitch was out at his car, Gavin continued thinking about the situation being presented. Carr was still being rabidly hunted by his Keeper. Even with the Wards being restored, other angles would be explored for reaching him. It likely wasn't beyond the realm of possibilities that another Huntsman could have been tasked to come at him through indirect means.
The Razorhand pawed his way through the bag gingerly so as to not unintentionally shred the contents, opening the box for a looksee. "Ooh, wow, these are nice! Mate, thanks. You have no idea the odd looks I get strolling around in sandals during the cooler and wetter days. You're right about the rest. The anxiety of conscious movement for your every movement takes a toll." He was going to need to figure out how to manage shifting forms with them on now. The Iron couldn't be effected by magic by perhaps the leather around it could be enchanted to adjust around his metamorphosis. His mind almost raced fully down that path distracting away from his growing concern for Mitch.
"Now, I don't mean to tell you your business, but I feel like you might need heads up." It wasn't like the Fairest wasn't aware of his predicament, but he might have needed a prompt to get out from behind it. "I get the sense that you're kind of in the same situation as Tanner was, with just a tad more breathing room due to the Wards. You have a plan for when the game turns indirect and maybe goes at the people you've nudged to the periphery?" Gavin was worried perhaps his friend hadn't considered the myriad angles those creatures could take a swing at him. Mitch really wasn't shy about making enemies lately.
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Post by Mitchell Carr on May 8, 2022 21:15:54 GMT -8
Mitch nodded about the Hob, putting it on the backburner for now. He was reluctant to ask Henley for more favours when he hadn't really presented anything in return for nearly dying on Samhain. He trusted Nate when the Ogre swore up and down that the act wasn't meant to garner debt, but he was still self conscious about taking people's generosity for granted.
"Happy it works! Wayland can adjust it too if it needs to fix better? The rest of the metal I put together for your motley, too. I just keep forgetting to actually get it to you guys," he admitted, flushing a bit. He couldn't point to his Arcadian madness as the source of the mistakes, where it really was just his bad habits and being busy. "Like I saw Yuan a couple of weeks ago and remembered just as he left."
His expression was oddly detached, or maybe even a little satisfied as Graves spelled out the danger he might be in. The wheels seemed to be turning a bit as the Fairest was trying to cue up an answer that wouldn't sound weird to the Razorhand before the waiter returned to take their order.
"I mean I don't have an entire army of enslaved mundies coming for me, so I wouldn't compare apples to oranges," he reassured. "I also don't think mine's capable of cutting deals. More like screaming until it gets what it wants... I don't think it can, like, conceive anything outside the Vision as sentient or capable of service?"
Even for Carr not having the reputation of a scholar, his flippant response seemed naïve even for him. He was wearing several strikes of Cold Iron already, and had eaten several bullets from artillery fire, but was still smiling like a puppy.
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Post by Gavin Graves on May 9, 2022 0:14:15 GMT -8
Mitch had been busy. He remarked on it at every point of contact Gavin had with him since Samhain. The Beast didn't really have a baseline for the man other than that, but given just how many apple carts he'd been upsetting lately, there was probably more to it. The man had become more of an unstoppable dynamo than some Elementals he had met. Fairest could be high strung too, but this was a lot. "Right, you seem to be running yourself ragged. It's no wonder some things are slipping your attention. I'll let them know you have something for them. They'll work their ways into your schedule somehow." If he was too busy to meet up with friends, he was more than likely avoiding the Lost he wronged on the way out of hell. "You ever pass along that 'message in a bottle' Icon to ... I don't remember who it belonged to. Yeah?"
"You're still operating on the assumption that you have only one Verderer coming for you. The little Devil wasn't assigned in the traditional way to Tanner. It wasn't sent to capture either. She was happy to murder both Tanner and I before returning to the trail of her usual quarry. That means the different Titles can cross pollenate their minions when they get right mad. When their Bane is learned for example. The last wave we faced before getting Tanner to relative safety was a gang of the Loyal." The Razorhand kept a weather eye out for the positioning of the waiter when dropping the alien terminology. "Also, Their rivals could be just as interested in what you know. Shit's pretty real, yeah?"
Gavin searched Mitch's reactions for any hint that wisdom might break through. He grew in worry at the apparent disconnect between wisdom and Mitch's plotted course.
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Post by Mitchell Carr on May 9, 2022 15:12:53 GMT -8
Carr was likely self aware of how he filled his schedule to avoid commitments to people. It wasn't exactly subtle at this point and something he had maintained even after dialing back his involvement in the Freehold's emotional labour; he traded one chore for another. At the prompt about the Icon, the smile became painted as he zoned out for a moment. The mental record scratch kicked off with the Fairest offering a nervous laugh, before snapping his fingers and reflexively clearing his throat.
He nodded to what Graves was saying about the risks of Huntsmen, tracing lines on the table like he was waiting for the Autumn to explain what exactly he was supposed to do, then. There seemed to be an unspoken frustration that wasn't relating to present company that the Spring Squire wasn't addressing. The Mantle was effecting the lighting around them. The fact that they had the rapport they did likely meant that Mitch felt talking about it wouldn't go the way he wanted.
"...So, the Icon- I can make excuses, but I think I'm kind of worried to," he admitted after an awkward pause. "It's not a- it's complicated." Mitch sank a bit in his chair, clearly guilty and feeling ridiculous for it.
"It's Fawkes'."
The Dancer was spinning the conversation in a controlled direction.
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Post by Gavin Graves on May 9, 2022 16:16:02 GMT -8
"If you hadn't considered those angles or were spinning as to just what to do about them, I have a few suggestions. One, don't do it alone. It took how many of us to burn down the Fields? Yeah. Two, get some advice from experts. There's bound to be someone around here that knows a thing or two, maybe a book, or someone with centuries' experience handling the indirect hunt." Chun Hua or Samedi would be the top of his list for approaches. Gavin would want to clear it with each respectively before pushing for a meetup. "If you want I can reach out to some folks. Get you some ideas." Gavin had only just learned Mitch was up to his ears in problems greater than those he created for himself.
Fawkes. Holy shit.
The Beast's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Not at the name, but at the weight of what Fawkes had been through recently.
"I'm sure you've got some complications burning away in the background. From what the Big Fish in the pond had to say in dealing for it, it sounded like there was a friendship set on fire in the mix." It would not be an easy approach for anyone really.
"The timing for him regaining an Icon probably could not be any better than right now. Primal being like him giving up his control to a rampant Dream thing. The lingering effects on his Bastion. Losing his hand to pin the Title to a single form so everything we all went through meant something. Coping with all that could not be easy." Mitch was the Elemental whisperer. He knew all too well what Fawkes would be going through. Gavin just didn't know if it was common knowledge that Fawkes did those things. Henley had done a pretty good job of pinning the credit for the result on Outback.
"How can I help you uncomplicate it?" Gavin wasn't leaving Mitch a lot of ground to stand on, so it was only fair to put some skin in the game.
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Post by Mitchell Carr on May 9, 2022 17:23:00 GMT -8
"Don't do what alone? You can't kill it forever, so..."
He smoothed his hair, "I'll as Nimbus and Piper about keeping an eye out for threats, but we're already watching our backs too, so that's good. Thanks for looking into it." The gratitude didn't radiate as much as usual, though, again as Gavin was paying close attention to cues it didn't seem to be about him.
It was likely private that the Elemental consistently relied on him as a pseudo-therapist for the last few years, and moving a paranoid who kept having the carpet ripped out from under him onto a different Bishop while he was going through back to back crisis had been a nightmare in itself. But after discovering the contents of the Icon, Mitch knew he wouldn't be able to maintain that dynamic in a healthy manner.
"I feel like I need to do it, or the fallout will be worse if I ask one of you guys to instead? But I also might need some help to prevent him from popping off harder than appropriate."
Fawkes had slit Loki's throat in the past.
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Post by Gavin Graves on May 9, 2022 20:01:19 GMT -8
The waiter had stopped by to check in for an order. Gavin was there for a curry and asked him for his recommendation. Eyeing its image on the menu, the Beast nodded emphatically. "Yeah, I'll have that. Thanks."
The issue in discussion, it was a matter of scope. His friend kept focusing on 'it' singular and as though he merely had to manage his nemesis Huntsman--As if that was a small task itself! When you evidence knowledge of a Title's Bane, it ceases being a matter of collecting wayward property for It. You've transcended from being a peripheral retrieval project for one of its powerful minions and you gain the personal attention of the Title itself. A Keeper may have handful of Titles and a variety of minions with wildly different approaches.
The moment of Vainglory in the Thorns had followed him home. He had become reckless. He was fighting on too many fronts. It was all a recipe for disaster. Gavin imagined the path ahead for Mitch was going to end up short and violent and ending with treachery planting a knife or three in his back. The situation called for a much defter hand than his own. Gavin decided to flag it with Henley and Yuan with a fall back plan of speaking with Nimbus or Buck, neither of which he knew well.
"You're used to the Archon. That's relatively old hat for you. You could handle that fairly well on your own apparently." Most Lost would struggle in a direct fight with their Hunter. Mitch was clearly no slouch. "It's like a different game now though, and with so many more pieces arrayed against you. You represent an existential threat to it, not a missing part of its plan. We saw what was sent after Tanner, and the way one can patiently and insidiously build a power base inside the Wards. Other Verderers can stare at you and learn your important connections and then leverage what they learn to turn people into agents for its agenda. Now add to that you've pushed a bunch of business outside the Wards. That angle is only a matter of time." It was possible Gavin was overreacting and that the increased footprint of Autumn was ramping his own paranoia, but he'd seen and learned so much recently it was impossible to ignore his instincts.
With the Elemental's history on the table, "Yeah, I can see why you'd want it to be you then, and for more than one reason. Henley and Yuan would probably be down to follow up on what we all helped bring back. They've definitely got the skillset to help, particularly if you give them a primer on what to expect."
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Post by Mitchell Carr on May 9, 2022 20:52:26 GMT -8
Mitch frowned as the Beast was getting agitated at his expense, "Listen, Gavin, I hear what you're saying and I'm taking the threat seriously. I can't...really control the fact that my Icon came with its Bane, but all the mermaids know it, and really so does your motley. So with that attitude we're all walking a knife's edge of this Fae's agents. I don't really know what to tell you? I'm not connected with my family — my parents watched my Fetch pass away in the hospital after a car accident. My mom buried me. They're not part of my anchor network, and the space I use is also used by other high profile courtiers. Technically my connections are protected by the Chevaliers and the gang they're with." The Dancer freely shared where someone could hurt him, more focused on reassuring Gavin than anything else, "So I could look at this and stop teaching or never talk to the student's I've been coaching since they were, like, six, or I can just manage my shit. I can't ignore civil disputes when my squires oath asks for direct interference — my liege lord is a Claviger. I don't have the resources Henley has and I'm not really looking to alter my pattern by picking up the Gambit Victor's used for you guys. I'm also not going to throw mundies at Keeper agents."
He straightened, taking a drink of water as his brow stitched.
"...I'm done keeping my head down in this Freehold. My court chokes the life out of people if you just let it run rampant."
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Post by Gavin Graves on May 9, 2022 21:45:04 GMT -8
"I understood there was more too it than just the surface and assumed you had considered a lot of it. I wasn't really intending to suggest you stop being who you are, or doing your work. I guess I just primed to your initial 'it's all fine' demeanor and your stacking injuries and worried things were getting lost in the long grass you were wading into." He couldn't help but remember how he looked into the face of a Mind Shattering Terror. Having stood right next to it to complete the last and inner most Seal. "I guess the best I've got after running up and down this path a few too many times is to just be cautious of those that were driven to the periphery that suddenly 'see the light' and come back inside."
"Also," changing his tone indicating an alternate line of thinking on the matter and not wanting to press his concerns too hard, "from what I've seen in my singular direct experience with this kind of escalation is it happened when Tanner evidenced his knowledge. Like applied it in a way It could feel. Maybe it won't change the game on you if you don't make any attempt to use it?" He offered a rationalization to quell the issue and perhaps soothe away the certainty he had from the start. It was perhaps wishful thinking, but Gavin could go get the answers to settle his own nerves later.
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Post by Mitchell Carr on May 9, 2022 22:23:27 GMT -8
Mitch smiled, "Sorry, it's a habit. I'm not really big on showing my hand...? Or, I guess I don't show a lot of emotion in public because I don't want people to...worry, I guess." He was repeating himself a lot, but it was way easier to talk about Lost other than himself. "I can start freaking out, or just accept that's how it is and look at what's positive in this situation. After where my head was at, and how close I was to the cliff, it's hard for this to land as somehow worse or scary. I feel like in this instance at least I'm actually making my own decisions, instead of just reacting."
His head tilted at the notion of 'using' the Bane. "Gavin. It works in a fantasy land to tear your heart out and stab it so a fairy's head explodes, but now unless I'm planning on staking some Unicorns...vampire hunter style, I don 't think it'll come up," he chuckled.
"All right, so the plan is that you're going to chat with your people and I'll chat with mine. And sooner than later I'll give Fawkes his Icon with you guys providing some oversight? Though, I guess Fawkes doesn't really know your crew, aside from Yuan helping him in the Dream and you all being really dedicated to the Freehold. I think he'd be more volatile if I involved people closer to him right now...he's pretty intense about compartmentalizing. I think he wouldn't want his friends seeing his raw reaction."
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