Nettle closes her phone, and puts it back in her bag. Positioning the bag diagonally over the chest, she leaves the store she was waiting in, and rides her bike the rest of the way to the coffee shop.Parking her bike, she walks in the shop scanning for Veil.

Veil pushes open the door and walks past the shop patrons, keeping her face averted from the staring people. Her face is powdered white, and her black lipstick accentuates her lips. She is wearing a tight black velvet corset and black vinyl pants that cling tightly to her legs. Her boots are laced to the knees, the heels making her at least 2" taller

Nettle turns when she sees Veil enter and waves her over to an empty booth. She smiles when she sees you and sits down at the table. Waving over a waiter she orders coffee, black, and then asks you, "So what's up?"
Nettle: "Well, let me start from the beginning. We were sitting in the chantry last night, when the vampires Sylvan and Damion came-- very badly injured..."
Nettle: "They said Sleethe's men had tried to kill Sylvan and his vampires because they were trying to kill Sleethe-- that Derek was dead-- and that the vamps would be leaving to try again tonight."
Veil frowns
Nettle: "Jason said we would be joining them..."
Nettle looks down nervously
Veil: "So you guys are going after Sleethe tonight? Wow. Well you know I'm in! Nothing like a good fight to get the juices going.." Veil grins
Nettle: "Really?? Oh good!! I thought I was going to go into this alone! Well...without you, I mean!" Nettle smiles blushing
Veil: "Girl, of course you're not alone!! I'm here for you, you know that!"
Nettle: "Jason said we were supposed to find out as much as we could from our sources about Sleethe.."
Nettle: "I thought we could ask the high priest or priestess..."
Nettle: "Thank you, Veil!!"
Nettle smiles a relieved smile
Veil: "Well we can ask, but I don't know if they will want to get involved this deeply in inter-tradition politics.."
Nettle nods
Veil: "Attacking the Progenitors outright will bring much unwanted attention to everyone involved."
Nettle: "I just want to know if they're heard of him...I wouldn't want to bring them into this in any way.."
Nettle: "Sleethe is...a Progenitor??"
Nettle gets a furious look on her face
Nettle fumbles around on her leg for her dagger, and pulls it out--inspecting it closely in the light
Veil nods
Veil: "Hey, not in public!"
Veil puts her hand on your arm
Veil: "yes, he's a Progenitor..lives somewhere out in the desert, I'm not sure where. He's got his place pretty well defended, from what I've heard."
Nettle looks up with a determined look in her eye...then the look clears as she focuses on Veil's face
Nettle puts her dagger down out of sight and sighs
Nettle: "If he had anything to do with Alex and the others that were killed..." Nettle thinks
Veil: "yes, I understand your frustrations...Progenitor scum.."
Veil's eyes glint in the light
Nettle: "Pretty well-defended? I hope we can come up with a good game-plan then...I don't want any of us to die or I'll hunt Sleethe down myself!"
Nettle grins when she sees the look on Veil's face
Veil: "Well, there is always that danger when going into battle! We should just make sure that we are as prepared as we can be. What have you all decided so far?"
Nettle: "Nothing yet-- we're going to meet back and talk about it after we've gathered our information."
Veil: "Good idea. Well, shall we pay a visit to Gretchen and Alaster?"
Nettle gets a big grin on her face when she hears Alaster's name mentioned
Nettle: "Yes..although I don't think Alaster will be happy to see me, eh Veil?"
Veil shrugs
Veil: "You know men, I'm sure that he's found something else to play with by now!"
Nettle laughs and nods
Veil: "I wouldn't worry about him"
Nettle: "Yes, especially him!"
Veil: "though he still might be feeling a bruised ego! That was quite a fight, short-lived as it was. Alec doesn't know how to play fair! I wanted to see the show.."
Nettle gives a genuine laugh

Nettle: "Yes- I was hoping to be able to lay back and enjoy being fought over! I had no idea Alec was such a trainer fighter! I guess he just doesn't know how we go about things yet!"
Veil nods
Nettle grins and hands Veil a sugar-packet
Veil: "Explain to him next time that it's not an actual fight.. it's more ritualistic than anything. We always know before the fight who is going to win. Heaven forbid someone not in your favor should win you!"
Veil rolls her eyes in mock shock
"You need something sweet in your life, Veil!" Nettle smirks.
Nettle laughs and nods
Veil takes the sugar and cackles at your joke as she pours it into her coffee
Nettle: "Yes, he's having problems thinking that he's going to have to fight for me every month, or something!"
Nettle grins with admiration at Veil
Veil: hahahaha
Veil: "Not quite!"
Nettle laughs nodding
Nettle: "He said he'd do it, but, and I quote, "I don't want to have to fight someone just to fuck you!"
Nettle blushes bright red
Veil blinks
Veil: "Well, he sure knows how to romance a lady!! I hope that you made him earn his goodies.."
Veil: "men don't appreciate what they don't have to work for, I've found."
Nettle thinks
Nettle: "Hmmm...that's very true. And he's especially used to having to work for his "goodies!"
Veil: Hahahaha!
Nettle laughs
Nettle: "Well, I'm his first girlfriend since...well, since his last one..."
Nettle gets a concerned look
Veil frowns
Veil: "What?"
Nettle: "The rest have been women he picked up at Spivey's. His friends seem to think I'm not going to last." Nettle snorts a laugh
Nettle: "Well, I don't know a lot about his last girlfriend...Sylvannia. He won't talk about her. She was his mentor."
Veil: "Ahh...the mentor-student relationship. That can get kind of intense..."
Nettle nods and grins at Veil
Veil looks around, getting an anxious expression on her face. "Hey, lets go sit outside, i'm absolutely DYING for a clove. You want one?"
Nettle: "It must be confusing, too."
Nettle grin
Nettle: "Sure, baby!"
Nettle puts her dagger away and gets up
Veil stands and grabs her coffee, going out front
Nettle follows her like a lost puppy
Holding her coat tightly against her to ward off the chill, she clears the snow off of the table and sits down

She holds her hands around her coffee, and you can see goosebumps rising on her skin
Nettle sits down and puts her hands around the warm cup to keep them warm, and smiles at Veil
After a moment, the goosebumps fade and she smiles comfortably at you from her seat in the snow as she lights up a clove, offering you one
Nettle takes the clove-- still feeling a little green at smoking anything-- and fishes her lighter out of her bag
Veil: "oh, sorry!"
Veil offers you her zippo
Nettle laughs
Nettle: "I always carry my lighter around-- it's part of some of my foci!" Nettle says lowering her voice at the last part of her sentence.
Nettle takes a drag-- not too deep this time-- and relishes the sweet smoke
Veil: "Oooh, that's right! I should have remembered that."
Nettle grins
Nettle watches the people pass by with casual interest as she enjoys the clove
Veil finishes her coffee then stands. "Shall we call on Gretchen? She should be home for a little while longer."
Nettle nods and rises, still holding the lit clove
Nettle: "I'll just grab my bike and put it in the back of your car, as usual!"
Veil grins
Veil: "Sure, that's why I bought a car with a big trunk!"
Veil opens the trunk to her jag and helps you place it inside
Nettle closes the lid-- admiring Veil's car-- and walks around to the passenger's side
Veil starts the car and your ears are assaulted by the dischordant tunes of Atari Teenage Riot
Nettle jumps when the music starts, but then settles back smiling
Veil turns down the volume to a more tolerable level and drives out into the street, careful to keep her car from skidding on the icy roads
Nettle cracks her window a little to tap the ash out of while finishing up the clove
Veil gets on the freeway and drives south towards Sandy
Nettle turns to Veil
Nettle: "I-I had another seeking last week, Veil."
Veil: "Oh! That's right! You told me that you were going to go on a seeking - how did it go? I assume you were succesfull.."
Nettle: "Yes...things that happen in your seeking don't forshadow things that are going to happen in the future, necessarily, do they?"
Nettle looks nervous
Nettle: "I'm sorry-- I just don't want to see these new cabal-mates shot down..."
Veil: "Well, Seekings can be many things.. I do believe that your Avatar can see glimpses into the future, but as to if that's what she showed you or not.. who can say?" Veil shrugs
Veil: "Only time will tell..."
Veil stops and hugs you when she sees your worried expression
Nettle: "You're right, Veil. And certain parts of my seeking were proven to only be tests..."
Nettle hugs Veil back and exhales
Veil: "Don't worry - the future is not set in stone! Maybe her showing you that will alter future events to avoid it altogether!"
Veil: "Which parts?"
Nettle: "Well, you know what happened to me when I was 16-- the family friend trying to rape me while he was stoned..."
Nettle: "I had this huge fear that Alec would become violent if he was stoned and we were alone..."
Nettle: "So I faced a violent, stoned Alec in my seeking...but it was only one of his clones. The real Alec rescued me."
Veil: "Ouch.. seekings are never easy.."
Nettle: "I also had to face my, um, Masochism fetish.."
Veil gets a faraway look in her eyes
Nettle nods
Veil smirks
Nettle: "But Derek is dead now..or so they say...in either case, I'm cured of my vampire-curiosity!"
Veil: "He's dead? That's interesting...how did that happen?"
Nettle: "I don't know-- the vampires didn't get into detail. In the fight with Sleethe's men, I believe. You know? I actually miss Derek!"
Veil frowns a bit
Nettle watches Veil carefully
Veil: "Well, that IS something.. Sylvan's trio is now reduced to two..." she trails off in thought
Veil shakes her head
Nettle: "What are you thinking, Veil?"
Veil: "Well anyway, it's probably for the best. Someone with your...fetish...should not get too involved with vampires. Too much blood and they lose control..next thing you know your heart's blood is pumping out onto the floor.."
Nettle grins, and then the grin falters as she remembers a scene from her seeking
Nettle: "Y-yes...I'll be very careful, Veil"
Nettle looks sincere
Nettle: "Athough Derek WAS very attractive...they all are..well, WERE before they were injured. Poor Damian. Sylvan really bosses him around!"
Veil nods

After a few tense moments of Veil weaving in and out of traffic, she finally gets to your destination - a large house nestled at the foot of the wasatch mountains
She pulls into the driveway and stops, opening the door which lets a cold blast hit her in the face, flushing her cheeks
Veil: "Vampires are very different creatures than us. They might look human, but they are far from it."
Nettle opens her door, gets out, shuts it, and squints up at the large, beautiful house
Nettle listens to Veil, and after a few moments she nods
Nettle: "That's really true, Veil. I'll keep that in mind. That's true..." Nettle trails off.
Veil leads the way through the snow towards the house
Nettle walks in Veil's footsteps to keep from slipping on hidden ice
Veil: Stamping her feet on the porch, she tries to get most of the snow off before knocking on the door
Nettle waits after Veil knocks, stamping her feet, as well
After a moment, Gretchen answers. She stands 6' tall and has long auburn hair braided down her back. She's wearing a simple blue dress, and has various necklaces and bracelets adorning her body.
She smiles when she sees you and welcomes you into her home.
"Veil, Nettle! Merry meet! What brings you here?"

Nettle looks up at Gretchen in respect and smiles
Gretchen nods her head in acknowledgement
"Hello Gretchen," Veil hugs Gretchen affectionately
Nettle glances at Veil and then back at Gretchen
Nettle walks forward and shyly hugs Gretchen, as well
Gretchen returns the hug warmly and smiles down at you. "Welcome to my home, child. This is the first time you've been here, isn't it!"
Nettle: "Yes, Gretchen. Thank you for allowing us into your home! We have something to discuss..."
Gretchen looks at you curiously. "Certainly! Come in.."
Nettle walks through the door and waits for Gretchen to show them where to sit
She leads you back into her living room. A large astrology tapestry hangs over the couch, depicting the signs of the zodiac encircling a large sun/moon picture. She sits on a chair near the couch and motions for you to take a seat
Nettle sits down, glancing around at the room in appreciation
Nettle: "I want to apologize for my, um, boyfriend Alec hitting Alaster..."
Nettle: "You know those Cult of Ecstacy men! They never think with their heads!"
Nettle: "Well, not the RIGHT heads, anyway!"
Nettle laughs
Gretchen sighs. "Well, you really should have instructed him in our ways before inviting him.."
Veil: "This is not something that Alaster will soon forget!"
Nettle looks ashamed and bows her head
Nettle: "You're right...Alec really jumped the gun."
"But you are new, and did not realize..." Gretchen pats your knee comfortingly. "Do not worry! No lasting harm was done."
Nettle sighs in relief and raises her head again
"Good. We will accept friends from outside the coven to our rituals, as long as they can obey the rules. But if they do not.. know that next time, your honor protects your guests and if they err by ignorance the blame is on yourself."
"You are excused this time, but you have been warned.."
Nettle looks shaken, but nods her head quickly and sincerely
Gretchen looks over at Veil. "And YOU should have also have better instructed Nettle on guest etiquette!"
Nettle thinks to herself that she might not be taking Alec to any more rituals...
Veil's eyes bulge and she closes her mouth tightly. "Yes mother.." she says, chastised.
Nettle looks even more penitant as she hangs her head very low and averts her eyes
Nettle: "Please don't blame any of this on Veil, mother. She DID tell me to instruct Alec before I brought him, but I made an error in judgement. I thought I could get away with whispering to him what was happening as we went." Suddenly feeling brave, Nettle looks up at Gretchen. "I think Alaster was greatly at fault in this, too. He started the ceremony prematurely out of jealousy when he saw Alec...I'm sure Alec took his actions to be violent, and that's why he was so violent in return. I'm not saying this to excuse Alec or I, I'm just telling how it looked from my end of Alaster's arm." Nettle keeps her head up, but castes her eyes down a little.
Gretchen raises an eyebrow. "Well, the young one has spirit! Good, you're going to need it." She smiles kindly at you. "Is this the reason that you came to visit? Know that you have my forgiveness, and that of the others as well."
Nettle looks at Gretchen in obvious surprise and relief, and then nods and smiles. "Thank you, mother!" Calming herself, she answers, "No, the reason we came is of much more gravity. Have you ever heard of the Progenitor called Dr. Sleethe?"
Gretchen nods solemnly. "Yes, I have heard of him. Why do you ask, child?"

"Most of the members of the cabal I joined last month have been kidnapped or effected in some way by Sleethe. I can tell that they all want to rid this world of him soon, and after Veil told me he is a Progenitor, nothing's going to stop me from joining them." Nettle breathes and calms herself again. "So each of us are going out to our individual sources to see what we can learn about Sleethe. We don't want to attack him hastily. Do you have any advice for us? Do you know who works with him? We were thinking of attacking his sources first." Nettle looks at Gretchen with excitment in her eyes.

Gretchen purses her lips thoughtfully. "I make it my business to stay as far away from the Technocracy as humanly possible. But if he seems to be taking an interest in your Cabal... well you should take out this threat before any more of your members are hurt. I don't know anything about him, luckily he has not come after any of us so we've had no need to pursue him. Perhaps he is going after you because you do not have the backing of the Traditions and so he feels that you are easy prey. Now that you are organizing your Chantry, you should present a more dangerous quarry for him."

Nettle thinks for a moment, and then nods. "I hope so. From talking to our cabal-leader earlier today, it sounds like we're going to take as many precautions as we can, and not rush into this. I believe he wants to try to alert the Technocracy to Sleethe's presence-- make our enemy their enemy, and maybe let them take him out for us." Looking down and smoothing her burgundy velvet pants, she continues. "I thank you for your help and advice, mother. I hope to make the Order proud of me!"

Gretchen smiles and stands. When you also rise, she takes your head between her palms and kisses you once on the forehead, whispering a blessing from the goddess as she does so. You can feel a warm chill go down your spine and you shiver. She does the same to Veil then smiles at the two of you. "Now go, and I expect to see the both of you at the next sabbat!"

She leads you to the door and you are left standing on the porch, watching your breath cloud in the cold air. "Mmmm....I love it when she does that! Now I'll feel tingly all day." Veil announces, grinning at you. "C'mon, let's go get ready. Where do you want to go first?"

Laughing, Nettle starts walking with Veil back to the car. Rubbing the ring of gold circles on her right forefinger she answers, "Well, no word from Alec through our mind-link, so we don't have to rush anywhere..." Smiling at Veil she asks, "Did I mention we've been linked since I left the chantry? I'm a little...no, a LOT paranoid about something happening to him! They're off surveilling Sleethe's place right now-- if they're not still getting equipment together." Pausing to think for a second, she continues. "I suppose if Gretchen doesn't know who Sleethe's underlings are, Alaster won't either, right?"

Veil shakes her head. "I doubt it.."

Nettle nods. "Well then, I guess we're ready to head back to the chantry. I'm not sure what's going to happen tonight-- a lot of that depends on what the others find-- so once I know, I'll know what I need from my room. When we get back, I'll try to talk to Alec thought the mind-link and see what those three are doing. Do we need to stop by your place on the way there?" Nettle opens the passenger-side door and waits for Veil to answer.

"Well, I really should pick up some attire for this evening.. I don't think this is quite suitable for scrambling around in the dark spying on a Techno!" Veil grins. "Vinyl would reflect the light.. what do you think, leather or velvet?" she asks as she gets in the car.

Nettle sits down in the car and shuts the door-- a mischievious look on her face. "Wouldn't it be lovely if we showed up in skin-tight, full-body leather suits with matching boots?" Nettle grins. "I know black is your color of choice, and since we're sticking to dark colors so we won't be seen, I guess I better not go with the favored red! Perhaps they have something in purple...although matching black would be very unifying and powerful! Do you already own something like that, or would you like to stop by one of those clothing stores in Sugarhouse? I know I would!" Veil can see the look of enthusiasm in Nettle's eyes as Nettle gets ideas.

"Mmmmm....I knew there was a reason I took you on as my student!" Veil exclaims. "Your excellent sense of style...I'll bet that the Blue Boutique has just the thing we're looking for." Veil starts the car while somehow lighting a clove and takes you to that lovely store. You spend an hour or so shopping around for just the right outfit and accessories. When you're fully satisfied with your selections, you head back to the Chantry with your bags of goodies.

Nettle peeks in her bag for about the 10th time and grins excitedly. "I don't know who's going to be at the chantry when we get there-- we're supposed to all meet back by 6:00, and the danger-time is 7:30 for going to find missing persons. That should give us some time to change into what we bought-- and I can show you around my finished room! Just don't look in the closet!" Nettle warns, laughing.

"Hmmm....keeping secrets from your mentor? Now you know that's not allowed..." Veil gets a gleam in her eyes and then dashes in the direction of your room.

Nettle gives a playful shriek and chases after Veil-- letting her stay just ahead. When Veil reaches Nettle's room and opens the closet, she sees a box full of chains, shackles, handcuffs, blind-folds, and masks, and another box containing a collection of whips and riding-crops. Nettle stands behind Veil just to her left with a gleeful yet naughty look on her face. "So you've found my little collection, Veil! The first box goes with the iron loops I had installed in the ceiling." Nettle explains, flicking her eyes upwards at the ceiling for a moment. Turning and putting her bag on her bed, she calls over her shoulder with a smile, "I hear you're pretty handly with a whip?"

Veil grins evily. "Oh, you know it babe! When the mood strikes me..." she pantomimes cracking a whip at you. "Though I haven't even seen half this stuff, let alone used it." she looks over your shoulder at your closet goods with a half-nervous look. "You've a high tolerance and a love for pain, Nettle. Something I can gladly say I will never have." She smiles. "Hey, I heard you say that you've got a hot mineral spring here - I am dying to try it out!"

"Oh yes! Thank you for reminding me!" Nettle rifles through her closet until she sees what she wants, and pulls out two silk robes-- one red and the other black. Handing Veil the black one, she grins and comments, "these robes are just for the trip between my room and the springs...we can't expect everyone living here to have the same comfort-level and appreciation for nudity as we Verbena do! Then again, I don't really think anyone else is in the palace right now..." Turning her back to give Veil a little privacy, Nettle undresses and slips into her red robe. Keeping her back turned, she calls, "And don't worry about my pain-fetish too much-- I've found it gives me quite the advantage while fighting! It confuses the enemy when I laugh and ask for more!" Nettle laughs and fastens the belt around her waist.

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