Currently the moon is in the waning Half Moon phase (55% full).
Currently in Saint Claire, it is a cloudy day. The temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius). The wind is calm today. The barometric pressure reading is 30.13 and rising, and the relative humidity is 32 percent. The dewpoint is 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 degrees Celsius.)
It is currently 12:26 Pacific Time on Thu Jul 12 2001.
Whispering Pines - Roger's Apt(#2598RAJL)
This apartment gives a look of high expense, not in the building itself, but it's contents. The walls and ceiling are painted pure black, and the carpet matches the darkness, save for some off color fuzz, being that it's a pretty new carpet. Across from the door in the living area is a large black entertainment center consisting of a not suprisingly black 42" TV, a large fully digital stereo system with CD and tape players, AM/FM stereo, a setting for the TV, and a useless setting called 'phono'. There are various gaming systems tucked into the entertainment center as well, baring names like Dreamcast, Playstation and Playstation 2, various systems with the word 'Nintendo' upon them... 3D0, NeoGeo, and finally something called a 'colecovision'. This system is complemented nicely by a high quality Bose surround sound speaker system. Two black leather couches are on the left and right of the living area, angled at the entertainment center. A large chest rests on the ground between the couches and the entertainment center, working as a foot rest. The only sources of light are the LEDs on the stereo, the TV, and a small blacklight bulb in the fan in the center of the apartment. A door to the right of the apartment leads to Roger's bedroom(+view) and the small kitchen is visable on the right side of the apartment, almost a part of the living room. The kitchen is lit up by a hallogen lamp, resting next to the front door, pointed towards it.
Dizzy knocks on the door.
Softly sighing, Jeremy's fingers stumble over the keyboard. "Ok.." The kin keeps his gaze lowered, not really concentrating on the screen anymore, or whatever it is he was doing.
Sophia walks back to the door, peers out, and opens it. Her expression is less than cheerful. A whole /lot/ less than cheerful.
Standing near the doorway, his hand only just having left the door handle, John watches Sophia open the door, and tilts his head, looking at Dizzy. A quick jerk of his head gestures for the raggie cub to get in, and he looks back to Jeremy. "About last night. I came down hard on you. I wanted to apologize." His tone is low and gruff, but without any embarassment or shame.
Dizzy's smile, turns to a concerned look as she sees her roommate, she slides in at John's prompting, "Did I come at a bad time?"
Jeremy glances over at Dizzy, then blinks at John. Biting on his lip, he takes a deep breath. "... I was stupid, I deserved it. I should be apologizing."
Looking around, Dizzy decides that this probably _was_ a bad time. "I can come back later," she offers with a weak smile.
Sophia's defenses lower somewhat at this odd turn of events, but she still watches John distrustfully, her eyes unfocused so she can catch the slightest movement. She crosses her arms over her chest and leans against the wall. She doesn't reply to her roommate's question, not wanting to be here herself.
John nods curtly at Jeremy. "Fucking stupid is more like it." He tilts his head and looks at Dizzy, now. "Not a bad time. I'll be leaving soon." Slowly, he looks back to Jeremy. "You perhaps don't realize how much danger you were in. Kin have been killed, often, during a cubnapping. Even with Garou around. What you did was irresponsible and naive. Not to mention fucking stupid. But that doesn't mean you've got to slink around with your head down and your tail between your legs, waiting for me to beat the shit out of you for it. Just... be more careful in future. I will /not/ have my d-" He blinks, and pauses momentarily, catching himself, then recovering smoothly. "...cub, cutting herself up out of grief for /your/ death."
Sophia's arms fall to her sides, she chuckles very quietly, and shakes her head.
Dizzy looks to the side, avoiding looking directly at John. "Actually, I had a question for you, rah... rhya." The last word is said slowly, making sure she pronounces it correctly.
Maybe, perhaps, Jeremy -did- know how much danger he was in and thats why he did it. The kin keeps his eyes lowered, focused on his keyboard. "Yes Sir." Cheeks flushed, he simply sighs gently.
John nods, eyes darting quickly to Sophia, and frowning at her. A slight colour rising to his cheeks... though only slight. "Good. Just don't forget it. Or I /will/ kick your ass." he grumbles, gruffly, and then turns, stepping closer to the door. Fixing Dizzy with a stare. "What?"
Dizzy catches her breath, and looks at John, this is important, "Am I going to miss this next semester?"
John chews his lip for a minute, frowning. "Apply for taking the semester off, yeah. You won't do very well if you're going to train up properly. But an education's important." The Ahroun jerks a thumb at Sophia. "Better Rite her soon, so I can stuff her back in school."
Jeremy goes back to typing away at the keyboard, eyes trained on the screen. His eyes seem focused as always, tuning out the conversation among the Garou.
Sophia grins proudly. "Know anyone who can get me a fake diploma? I wanna go to college like everyone else."
Dizzy sighs, that wasn't the answer she was hoping for, but she nods, understanding and accepting. She looks up at her roommate, "You could take the G.E.D. You don't want to jump into college without proper education first."
John turns his head to eye Sophia with a wry twist to his mouth. "You're going to finish school where you left off. Never went to school, myself, but I hear it's good for you. Now, if there's nothing else?" He looks about at the other three, for questions, about to open the door.
Jeremy remains silent, simply typing away at the screen.
Sophia shakes her head, her grin still shining.
Dizzy asked the question she needed to. She steps out of the way of the door, so John can leave.
John eyes the cubs and kin again, warily, opening the door. He gives Sophia a vaguely worried frown, and points at her grin. "And stop that. It's annoying. Make me think you're turning Raggie on me..." he grumbles, stepping out the door and closing it.
Sophia laughs happily, shaking her head. "So. Boss is gone, we can party!"
Jeremy blinks his eyes once. ".. Um.." Party with two Garou cubs? Riiiight.
Dizzy giggles at the raggie comment, and turns to Jeremy and grins, "Hey, we're a fun bunch. We can run in the woods, howl at the moon."
Sophia nods and gets a devious look in her eye. "And dance naked at midnight!"
Jeremy blushes slightly and adjusts the glasses on his nose. ".. Um.." Embarrassed? Yup.
"Oh, you've got to tell me the clothes secret, Soph," Dizzy looks pleadingly at her.
The corners of Sophia's mouth try to escape, running off the sides of her face. "I can tell you the secret, but I can't do it for you. See, there's a rite that will make your clothes a part of you."
Jeremy glances back over to them and raises a brow.
Dizzy says, "Well, I need to have that done then. Clothes are expensive, and I'm assuming that 'training' will involve me changing."
Sophia nods, deep in thought. "I know Kaz can do it, but... she's kinda hard to find. Maybe... I think... I don't know. We'll have to find someone. Maybe, and this would be a lot better in the long run, maybe we can find someone to teach us how to do it ourselves."
Jeremy turns the power off on his laptop and clicks it shut, starting to pack it away inside his bag.
Dizzy nods in agreement. "Give a boy a fish, he lives for a day, teach a boy to fish, he lives for a lifetime," she quotes, sagely.
Sophia turns to Jeremy. "You probably have no use for information about who teaches Rites, do you. Well, hmm. We could go for a walk in the woods and hope we find someone... that works a lot of the time, I've found."
Jeremy tilts his head to Sophia, thinking for a moment. "Elan, he's the big guy for the Gnawers. Um.. Daisy.. "
Dizzy is a bit surprised, "You just walk around in the woods to find people, how many of us are there around here?"
Sophia frowns, calculating. "Oh, not that many. A few dozen."
Dizzy looks to the other two, "So, where to, then?"
Sophia shrugs and glances at Jeremy. "You up for a walk in the woods?"
Jeremy is dressed in a pair of frumpled sweats and its obvious he hasn't even gotten around to showering. His hair is all miffed up. "Um.... I dunno.."
Dizzy grins, "You guys are lucky I'm here. You don't have to worry about walking everywhere any more."
Sophia just shrugs. "Either that, or you could learn to shift into lupus form so it wouldn't be a big deal."
Dizzy motions to herself, "I'd do it, but like I said, clothes are expensive."
Sophia wrinkles her nose. "No big deal. We'll just wrap you in tinfoil or something 'til you get it figured out. Then you can take off anything you don't want torn up."
Dizzy snickers at the suggestion. "Yeah, and then Roger can use me as an antenna while I'm hanging around here."
Jeremy grins at the two as he watches, letting out a soft breath between his lips. Standing up, he picks out some clothes from his suitcase and heads for the bathroom.
Sophia nods. "Or we could tape some newspaper together to make a dress... but then, you'd still end up ripping it when you went through glabro, and it's still kinda embarassing to be naked in glabro."
Dizzy points out, "I could change in the bathroom here, and then change, but then there is the problem of when we get where we are going."
Jeremy comes back out after a few minutes, changed into a pair of simple jeans and a microsoft shirt he got from a vendor last year. His hair is at least brushed into place.
Sophia frowns. "But how are we going to get you changed all alone in the bathroom? It's hard the first few times unless you're pissed off, and..." she directs this comment to Jeremy now, "It's not a good idea to drive people insane just to make them change."
Dizzy motions towards the bedroom, "In there perhaps, or Jeremy could wait outside." She turns to him, "If you don't mind."
Jeremy glances over to Sophia and chews on his lip a bit, then heads out the front door to wait for them.
Dizzy looks surprised at the kin's immediate resignation, "Oh... okay."
Sophia wrinkles her brow. "Now, let's see if I can think of how to explain doing this. Can you remember how angry you felt the other night, how scared and furious? Now, don't try to get that feeling again, that's not what we want. Just try to remember /where/ you felt it."
Dizzy nodnods, and begins to disrobe, setting her clothes neatly on the couch. Still a tad embarresed, she leaves her underwear on. She closes her eyes and echos, "Where I felt it?"
Sophia keeps her eyes averted, and says "That's right. Where. It's like... in the pit of my belly... might be the same for you, I don't know. It's the part of me that knows it can change. So, try to focus on that... try to get ahold of it. Make that the place where your thoughts are coming from."
Sophia continues, "Now I want you to become bigger than yourself. Grow. Right here, right now. Grow like an oak tree on fast forward. Feel your strength increase, your body become more powerful."
Dizzy removes the last of her clothing and sets it with the others. Closing her eyes again she concentrates as hard as she can, following Sophia's words and concentrating on doing the same thing she did when she was last in this appartment. She opens here eyes again, looking down from a higher spot than normal for her. She blinks in realization of what's happened.
Dizzy shifts into Crinos form.
Sophia glances quickly at Dizzy, and chuckles. "Good job, kid. You went farther then I thought you would. I was just trying to get you into glabro, but hey. That works. Ok. Now let's see. We need to take this a little farther. But first, how does that feel? You feel ok?"
Dizzy tries to talk, but the sound of air escaping is all that's going to happen in this form. She nods instead to the question.
Sophia smiles. "Good. Now... you've watched shows about wolves on TV, I hope? Or seen them somewhere?"
Dizzy nods.
Sophia nods. "Ok... Imagine being that. The freedom, the peace of being such a beautiful, dangerous animal. Reach into that same place again, and push yourself into that wild feeling. Give it a try."
Dizzy nods and closes her eyes again, concentrating, and thinking about becomming smaller, trying to tap into her inner wolf.
Dizzy shifts into Hispo form.
Dizzy opens her eyes and is surprised to find herself as such a large wolf, she looks to Sophia for an explanation.
Sophia nods in approval. "There ya go. That form, that's called hispo. It's good for fighting when you want to be smaller and faster than in Crinos, but you still want a lot of power. Ok. So, are you ready to keep going?"
Dizzy looks around, excited. She nods again, this is pretty weird, and a little cool.
Sophia grins. "Alright. This is the funnest part of the whole deal, I think. So just take that wild feeling, and stretch it. Make the wild become everything you are. Pack all that power into a little doggie bag. Find your wolf!"
Dizzy tenses up her muscles and concentrates. Be a wolf, be a wolf she repeats to herself. She grins a bit at the doggie bag comment. Slowly, she gets what she is trying for.
Dizzy shifts into Lupus form.
Dizzy is estatic, she tries to get up and move around, but falls, unaccustomed to having four legs to move, instead of only two. She looks sheepishly at her roommate.
Sophia laughs and laughs. "Don't worry. It was exactly the same for me. You're like a new puppy, not really sure how to work all those legs yet. Just try standing up for now."
Dizzy uses one leg at a time, first the front legs, slowly. And when she's sat up she starts, slowly, shaking, attempting to stand up on all fours.
Sophia nods. "You're getting the hang of it. I'm gonna let Jeremy in now, ok?"
Proud of herself, she looks to Sophia for approval, she's a wolf and shes standing up! She nods her head, Jeremy can come in and see what she's accomplished. This is great.
Sophia smiles, giving the cub a thumbs-up. "You did really well. Now once you find your legs, you'll be in good shape!"
Dizzy looks around, wondering if she should try and even walk. One paw forward, and then another, and on the ground again she goes.
"Now you just keep getting up every time you fall down. You practice that for a bit while I go find Jeremy, ok? And... hehe. Don't piddle on the floor." Sophia says with a smirk, heading out the door.
Jeremy heads back into the apartment after Sophia fetches him from outside, glancing over at the small wolf that is of Dizzy. He blinks once, then glances back to the other. "... ok.. we going?"
Sophia walks in, shutting the door behind her. She shakes her head at Jeremy and holds a finger up to her mouth. "So, getting the hang of those legs yet, Amanda? Lemme see you walk."
About the time these words are spoken, the locks on the door begin to unlock one at a time and Roger opens sesame.
Dizzy looks up to Jeremy pleading. This wasn't as easy as she had thought it would be. Walking is tough. She takes a couple of shaky steps towads him, then stops.
Jeremy glances over his shoulder to Roger and blinks once, then lets out a breath. ".. Um. Hi.. Roger.."
Roger is about 5'11" with dark brown hair and pale skin. His eyes are reddish green in color. He isn't the most handsome or hideous man you ever met, but instead boringly dull looking. The only standout feature about him is his long upper-back length ponytail. But even that, can be easily overlooked when in a room with other people who are anyway more interesting. He wears khakis and a dark blue button down shirt, and a black leather jacket. Some with the perception for it might notice a small lump that is always under his left armpit. He seems to shy away from those around him, fighting the urge to run away. Occasionally he will look about the room and then close his eyes as if a bad headache had come over him.
Roger steps into his apartment. To a kinfolk, a cub, and a wolf. "What the fuck...?" are his only words, shaking his head as he heads over to the kitchen with groceries he brought home with him.
Sophia says "Yes, it is tough, Amanda. But hey, look at it this way. You're already communicating, and no one's even taught you yet. And .... hey! That was pretty good!" At Roger, she waves, giggling a little. "You've met Amanda, right?""
Dizzy looks to the new arrival. She hasn't seen him before, and by the way he's acting, he must be Roger.
Jeremy follows quickly after Roger to help him out in the kitchen. "Um.. Hey.. this is a new cub, one I found. She's of our tribe."
Dizzy glances quickly over to the couch where she left her folded clothes. Maybe this wasn't as good of an idea as she had thought.
Sophia nods at Jeremy's words. "I've been teaching her the forms. Only this is the first time she's ever been in lupe, so she's still a little shaky with it."
Roger drops off the bags then looks to his carpet under the Garou cub in lupine form and just frowns. "You're fucking vaccuming tonight." With that his demenor calms a bit and he steps over to the cub nodding gently to Sophia. "Good evening Amanda. I am Roger Cohen. Cliath Galliard and Mule of the Glass Walkers of St. Claire and the hidden walk, your new home. You and about 5 bazillion other walker cubs all of a sudden. Do you know your auspice... the moon you were born under?"
Dizzy watches Roger intently as he speaks, she nods at the last question. Her and Sophia went over that last night.
Jeremy starts to put away the groceries quickly from the paper bags, being orderly about it.
Sophia interjects, "This is Amanda. Ragabash Glasswalker cub. She doesn't know the wolves' language yet, or even how to introduce herself properly."
Dizzy nods towards Sophia in thanks.
Roger nods. "I noticed. She is a quick learner though, which is good for a ragabash. They need to be smarter then the other four auspices put together at any given time. Well, Amanda. Can you shift yourself back to the form of your birth so we can talk properly?"
Dizzy shakes her head, negitively. It's not that she can't do it, she's pretty sure she can, it's just... she looks towards her clothes longingly.
Sophia picks up the clothes and sets them in the bathroom. "Good. Posture is a lot of communication in that form. Now here... you can shift in the bathroom. Bark or yip or something if you need help. Do you think you can get back to homid form on your own?"
Dizzy walks, slowly, very slowly into the bathroom. She stops and nods an affirmation to the question before moving again.
Jeremy works on another bag of food as he moves about the kitchen. The fridge opens from time to time, but mostly its the cupboards.
Roger glances towards the cub on her way to the bathroom and just sighs. "Modesty and embarassment are such annoying human traits."
Sophia shakes her head. "She just found out two days ago, and her whole life is tipped upside down. She's sacrificing everything for this, don't make her give up her pride, too."
After a little while, Dizzy opens the bathroom door, back to her normal self, and back in her clothes, "Sorry about that," She apologizes.
Roger glances over at Sophia with a dangerous looks that clearly states that she watch her mouth, but forces himself to calm slightly before looking back to Amanda. "Good good. No need to apologize, you are new, for now. Now lets see. You are a no moon, a ragabash. Do you know what this means?"
Sophia watches, certain the girl will be able to answer the question well.
Dizzy nods and indicates Sophia, "Yeah, last night we found out what moon I was born under and she told me that my job is to question what we do, so that the others will not become complacent."
Roger nods to this simply and waves his hands in a 'go on' fashion towards the cub with an expectant look. "Anything else?"
Jeremy finishes off with the groceries and starts to fold the bags up now, placing them under the sink for reuse later.
Sophia smiles, watching and hoping the girl will include some smartass comment in her explanation of a ragabash's job, and yet... really thinking it better that she doesn't. She laughs quietly, just waiting.
"Um..." Dizzy thinks hard about this. That was mainly the point Sophia had made to her, "A new moon usually plays pranks or tells jokes in order to do this? Or being a smartass." The last part she adds because that's what Sophia had called her when they found out her auspice.
Roger thinks on her response a moment and seems to come to a conclusion. "Yes, you will, as much as I hate to admit this, spend some time with Lucca. I've got the sneaky part of being a ragabash down, but she knows all about the tricks."
Dizzy relaxes a bit as Roger tells her this, relived that she seems to have passed the test.
Sophia explains to Dizzy. "Remember I told you that Lucca was a Philodox? Well, here's the thing, see. She's decided she doesn't want to be a philodox anymore, and so she's changing her auspice. I think some people do that, but not very often, because Luna doesn't like it. Is that right, Roger-rhya?"
"You can change?" Dizzy asks in half amazement, "That makes sense. Having your horoscope tell you how to live your life is kind of silly."
Sophia shakes her head quickly. "No. You shouldn't. Luna chose your auspice for a reason. I'm sorry, Lucca outranks me and everything, but I think she's wrong to do it."
Roger snaps his teeth in a quite lupine manner at this topic, nods to Sophia, and frowns. "Nothing to do with a simple horoscope. Luna is a living entity that guides us in the form of the moon. She tells us what we will be by allowing us our births on the sacred rotations of his silvered surface. There is a higher power of a ritual that allows one to pass over to a new auspice, but it costs much. All that you currently are as a Garou is wiped away and you are in a sense, reborn. I doubt Lucca has the balls for it, and shes a fucking idiot even if she does. But that is her path, not mine. I'm a galliard. I sing, I play instruments, I tell stories, and I pass messages. But while this is my focus, I know I have talents that lie elsewhere. I can sneak into places undetected, place explosives and get out... detonate them and no one would /ever/ know it was me. I can do all this, but in the end... if I couldn't tell the story it doesn't matter."
Dizzy hangs her head "Sorry, I meant... your auspice choosie your task, right? So, logic dictates that _sometime_ someone has got to feel they've got the wrong job. I can see why it's frowned upon, because you get your job from a divine source, right?"
Sophia nods. "That's more like it, yeah. Hey, Roger? I've heard some people have gotten to go to talk to her. Is that true, or is it just a fairy tale?"
Roger thinks on Dizzy's words a moment then looks to Sophia with a smile. "You want to hear a story about Walks-the-Path-of-the-Stars?"
Sophia's eyes widen and brighten. "Oh, Pleeease, rhya?" She heads into the kitchen and approaches in the fridge. "Rhya, do you have a soda in here I could steal?"
Jeremy heads past Sophia and glances over his shoulder to her, smiling. "I guess I'll just um... go out an do some chores since you three are going to be busy."
Roger quickly nods to Sophia with a sour expression on being call 'rhya' then looks to Jeremy and smiles. "What, not interested in Garou tales?"
As it looks like there's going to be more to listen to, Dizzy leans up against a wall to get more comfortable.
Sophia brings out four sodas, one for each, and sits on the couch to listen. "Don't tell me you have a hangup about Rhya, too, Roger... How many people do I gotta call 'Boss'?"
Jeremy ums slightly to Roger and shifts a bit on his feet. "Um.... I.. don't know. Kin weren't included in stories back home in Portland, at least not really the good ones.." Rubbing his neck, he nibbles on his lip. "I will, if you want me to stay.."
Sophia nods emphatically. "Stay! Come on....." she says, half pouting at Jeremy.
Roger grabs a soda and shakes his head. "Please stay, Jeremy. And other tribes can call me rhya all they want. I expect to be called Roger or Mr. Cohen or Howls-when-Dreaming or Dreamer by those in my tribe... not rhya or any varient of that if at all possible. Now. This is a tale of Stargazers... not Glass Walkers. And indeed, Kin are involved... though in an odd fashion."
Dizzy takes a soda, thanking Sophia and turns to pay attention once again. She feels, however, that she needs to ask an important question, so, just like if she were in class, Dizzy raises her hand.
Roger glares at Dizzy like shes the 'special' kid in the class. "Don't... don't ever raise your hand like that. Find another way to ask questions. What do you want?"
Dizzy sighs, resigning. "Sorry, it gets professor's attention. I know that we're Glass Walkers, but what classification is that, a pack? You mentioned Stargazers, and... I suppose the Gnawers that someone mentioned are another."
Roger ahs and looks to Sophia. "You want to explain... I could easily do so, but I want to see just what you know as well."
Sophia nods. "Sure, I'll do it. This is fun. Um.... Ok, you know how there's all kinds of stereotypes out in the world... lesbians act like this, Germans talk like that, the French wear funny hats? Well, in a way, all that stuff is amplified with Garou, because, well... because we're highstrung. And so these divisions of people, over time, became real bloodlines. We're all related of course, but you're more closely related to the people in your tribe. And that's what these groups are. Tribes. Your tribe is Glass Walker."
Dizzy nods, listening. She's been called a Glass Walker plenty of times over the last three days.
Jeremy flops down onto the couch and listens to them.
Sophia says "Want me to keep going, Roger?"
Roger nods to Sophia. "Please do, and get to the point. Stargazers."
Sophia grimaces a little. "I've never met a Stargazer in my life, but they're rare and sneaky... they're supposed to be very wise, like Zen masters."
Dizzy nods. "Okay," she says as she makes the mental note. She figures she'll probably get the list some other time as she looks at Roger. He probably wants to get on with his story.
Roger thinks on her explaination and can only think of one thing to add at the time, "Another big thing about them... and this is on the whole Zen thing. They are masters of the mind and soul. Gods of enigmas. No puzzle is beyond the reach of a Stargazer master. As well, they have their own form of martial arts that is seldom if ever taught to outsiders... but is for another time. On with the story. Many years back, before the red star shadowed the umbral sky there was a garou who was called Walks-the-Path. A stargazer cub who was blessed with the rare gift of being intune with the dead of his ancestral past. He was wise, powerful, and honorable... and rose quickly though the ranks of the Garou. He gained his deed name for in his rite of passage, a grizzly affair that set him across umbral planes longer then the total surface area of the earth... he came across a path in the woods. One was a known shortcut that would return him home with little delay, and little gained in the way of knowledge. The other was an unknown path... but tinged with the telltale signs of danger. He knew there was a chance of never returning home should he take the second path... but his curiosity was piqued, and the path was a boring and tiring affair as of yet."
Sophia shivers, rubbing her arms. She leans toward Roger just a little, to hear him better.
Dizzy drinks her soda, listing intently. She hasn't been to the umbra yet and can only imagine what lies there.
Roger goes on to paint pictures of umbral skies that by all accounts defy nature, but somehow inspire the purity of nature as well. Blues and reds and whites and yellows and colors not known by human eyes are found there, spirits both friendly and deadly course the shadow's depths. "So Walks-the-Path stepped on the second path, the fated path of doom that caused him more wonder then fear. And instantly found himself elsewhere. In the silver rivers... A place that just existing inside makes being chopped up slowly with slowy rotating chainsaws coated with liquid salt appealing by compairison. He was wracked with pain, and struggled to maintain his sanity... a simple cub he was unprepared for this... but like I said before he was blessed. He had his ancestors with him in powerful form and they indeed had been through Erebrus on more then many occasions between them all. So they guided the cub's form through... for they knew this path. Eventually after the cub's already untainted soul was rewashed with Luna's silver he was returned home in the moment between a blink of an eye. Dripping liquid silver from his suddenly crinosed body. What was several eternities to Walks-the-Path was but a day to those who still sat in meditation, waiting for his return. A strange bird sat on the Stargazer Alpha's shoulder. A kind of a mix of a man and a bird of prey. Li-Kao. The bird moved his beak as if to talk, but his strange high and low pitched voice only came through the Alpha's mouth. "You have walked the path less travled, and it has made all the difference... as a famous author will say someday. Welcome home Walks-the-Path... but listen well to prophecy. There is a path even less traveled. Someday in your future, before you die... you will visit /her/, and she will recieve only you among many."
Dizzy ignores her drink as she listens with intense facination.
Sophia's jaw has dropped open at some point during Roger's story, and as he finishes, she picks it up again to speak. Blinking, eyes wide with wonder, she asks, "And did he ever make it? And what is this place with the silver river? That sounds... terrible." She shudders at the thought of swimming in silver, and starts to scratch at her hands just from imagining it.
Jeremy runs a hand back through his hair and takes a deep breath, swallowing heavily.
Roger looks each of the listeners in the eye, in turn before glancing back to Sophia. "Erebrus... it isn't terrible. Just cleansing... it's the place of ultimate cleansing. Those many of great power never make it out, so many powerful artifacts are left behind there. I plan on visiting someday, but this is a someday far in the future. And as far as him making it... just listen to the rest of the story." With that his tone returns to that of a master story teller, "So he grew stronger and wiser over the years and his challenge for Fostern came and went successfully. Now considered a great man among his people, though some would use jealous thoughts to think of him. He eventually heard the calling, it was there throughout his whole life... it just wasn't until now that he heard it. On the night of the perfect new moon, when none of Luna's light shone in the sky he dreamed of her. Luna. In his dream he saw the path. In the deep umbra of shadowed outer space. He awoke and immedatly set upon learning the way into the deep umbra all on his own. He left without much warning to sept or tribe... though he did have the decency to leave a message for his alpha that perhaps, he would never be seen again by the living. Again. "
Sophia gasps softly, takes a sip of her coke, and stares, listening carefully to every word.
Dizzy slowly slides down the wall, to sit on the ground. It's much more comfortable than trying to stand throught the story.
Roger glances evenly about again and closes his eyes as he describes the next scene. "If you think you've seen space... then you are dead wrong. Nothing you've seen describes 'space' in the way that Walks-the-Path now saw. The sun was the center, but yet was not. In all his glory Helios reached out his his tendrils and smote darkness with warmth and pure atomic power. The planets seemed farther off in their orbit and unatainable by the young Fostern... but the moon was as it was in his dream, and the path was the same as well. He travlled for was seemed like years, no more... were it not the umbra he would have lived more lifetimes then the earth had in his walkings. But the ever present beckoning of the moon called him ever forward, occasionally he saw others on the path... but they never spoke to him and he returned the favor, for here on this path a mistake would mean worse then death... it would mean an eternity of being lost in the deepest of depths. Not even the pains like the silver of Erebrus to keep his soul company. So he walked, and walked, and walked... the moon never appearing closer... but he knew, he felt the path was being transversed correctly."
Sophia's expression is zombie-like as she listens, transfixed by the story.
Jeremy stares into space, completely blown away by this. He's never heard a Garou tale before. Woah.
Whoa is right. If this is any indication of the garou storytellers, Dizzy is looking forward to hearing more.
Roger goes on with the tale as he gauges the response of his listeners. "So as he walked he eventually felt resistance. It wasn't so much a wall as a thin veil of cloth... unseen and unbreakable, but forever yeilding, allowing the Stargazer to venture as far as he wanted on the path and become enclosed inside the soft velvet absent vail. It felt like protection, it carried it's own riddle of some form and the Gazer pondered it as he walked the path perfectly. The path of his dreams. The path of the Stars. What felt like another earth cycle passed in his mind before he broke through... it wasn't a physical breaking. His mind finally figured out the puzzle. It wasn't a veil, it was her. It was Luna's skin. He simply realized this and suddenly broke through, he tumbled forward but quickly gained his footing again, and found himself on the surface of the moon. What comes next I can hardly describe. This story is old beyond telling and has no doubt been altered with time's passage, so I do not speak for Luna herself with my words... I simply relate that which has been reported to have happened." With this little disclaimer he continues, "He felt, rather then heard, Luna singing. He looked about for other Garou but saw none. The singing went from percievable to perceptable and his whole world shattered. It was beauty personified, and he felt to his knees and for the first time in his life wept tears of fear and joy. Luna was with him, and he now knew this as her voice grew louder. A piercing sound that got to the root of things, the marrow of the bones, the heart of the soul. He stood slowly upon shaking knees and asked the silver surface of the umbral moon, "I have thought on this for millenia, and still I cannot fathom the answer. Why... why did you call on only me among the many?"
Sophia's eyes are impossibly wide. She leans forward on her knees, her whole world disappearing, leaving only wonder at Roger's story.
Dizzy listens, eyes wide, hanging on every word. She moves a couple stray strands of hair out of her eyes as watching Roger talk is part of the experience.
Roger continues, "Then, his world shattered a second time as Luna actually spoke to him. It was an ancient voice, but new as well. The perfect cycle of the moon was reflected a million times over by her voice. It was clearer then a soprano bell, and yet deeper and more resonant then the bells of the eldest churches and the voice felt like silver itself, cutting his soul open to reveal it to the woman who was in the end, his true mother. She even spoke in the mother's tongue. ~Welcome home He-Who-Walks-the-Path-of-the-Stars. I did not call for you. You called for me... your ancestors searched your soul and found in you greatness... they sent you here.~ These truths were barbs on a whip... though it was not pain he felt, but a rending of falsehood... only truth remained. It was true Zen for the Stargazer. "Then what lesson is it for me to learn here?" ~That is for you to decide. As you have come a long way to find us, I'll answer any one question for you. One truth will be yours.~ Her words carried a proxy with them... as if they weren't her true words, but only the shadows of her words that spoke in the only way his soul could understand. "Then tell me this... for I have traveled long in the umbra and no longer know myself as a thing of the physical world. What is the triangle of forces that we call The Triat?"
Sophia turns to the side and inclines her head as if Roger's about to tell them a secret.
There's an audible knock on the door.
Jeremy excuses himself quietly and heads to the door and peers out it, then starts to unlock it with a smile on his face. Opening it up, he glances at Cindy. "Hey you."
The sound breaks the spell the story has over Dizzy, she looks over to the door as Jeremy gets it, and then back to Roger.
Roger glances towards the door and watches Cindy enter, his eyes widening to see he and he gestures his tribesmate into the room. "Please, I am just about to reach the climax and ending of true falsehoods. It's an old story but one I felt needed to be told."
Cindy offers Jeremy a crooked grin when the door is opened and she holds up her hand to show off something she carried with her. Between her delicate finger and thumbnail wiggles a large black cockroach. "Hello Jeremy." The Cliath steps into the apartment and nods her head towards Sophia before letting her gaze fall on Roger. "Hello Roger."
Cindy appears to be in her late teens. Her figure is short and healthy, and her body is in good shape, though by no means is it athletic. She stands at around five and a half feet. Her hair is dark black in color and shoulder length. She currently has it tied back in a ponytail with a thin rubber band. Her small eyes are brown in color. Her skin is tanned from many days in the outdoors.
She is currently dressed in a pair of blue, denim jeans. The jeans are worn at a snug fit on her thighs and calves, though the fabric widens near the ankle to offer a wider cuff. A black leather belt runs through the beltloops. A white T-shirt is worn on her upper body in a loose fit and it's bottom hem stops an inch or two from the waistband of her pants, exposing part of her tanned midrift. A logo made in bright red lettering reads 'Dog in Heat' across her chest. A dark women's leather jacket is worn over her shirt and left unbuttoned on the front.
Roger then notices the cockroach in her hand and looks puzzled. "Is this important, Cindy?"
Sophia makes a sour face at the bug, which she tries to cover by looking away.
Dizzy rolls her eyes, quietly to herself. Not only did this girl interupt the story, but she seems to be yet _another_ girl highly lacking in fashion sense.
Jeremy closes the door behind her and locks it up once more, then peers at the roach.
Cindy shakes her head and she offers Roger a crooked grin. "Important? It depends on what we are relating it to. I found it under my couch..." She trails off into silence and moves over to the side wall.
Roger nods and grins. "Wonderful." he says with a pleased expression and tone of voice. "I'll finish the story then." He says as his expression again gains a look of mysticism and he waits for the undivided attention of those wishing to listen to the end of the story.
Pleased that Roger is continuing the story, Dizzy turns her undivided attention back to him.
Sophia blinks, and decides to ignore the bug for a minute. She shifts a bit in her seat, takes another sip of her soda, and listens for more of the story.
The half-moon's attention stays on Roger as he begins to tell the end of the story. Cindy stays quiet for now and she leans one shoulder against the wall.
Her answer wasn't in words... but a scene from her heart. Walks-the-Path-of-the-Stars floated freely in what felt like perfection. It was indeed. This was the time when the Wyld, the Wyrm, and the Weaver were in perfect balance. Energies were spewed forth by the Wyld, the Weaver made this energy solid and gave birth to limitless creations, then the wyrm reaped the sudden excess back into the pure primal energies that the Wyld took up again. All was pure, and perfect. He saw with his own eyes, that imperfect and changing moment that was the undoing of unity. The Weaver... she who is the mother spider created a particle. It was hydrogen. And the Wyrm moved to break it down to the energies that would allow it to be reborn into something else. The weaver had created perfection in this single microscopic molecule however. She didn't want her creation to be destroyed. So when the Wyrm came near the Weaver asked to spare this one thing. The wyrm refused, for it would do as it has always done... for this is what was made all what it was. So perfect. The Weaver was incensed with the protective fear of a true mother of a child and fought to protect her true first born. She flung her web upon the Wyrm itself, and the wyrm roared in pain as the web calcified, and so to part of the wyrm calcified... the part that was bent on destroying this small particle. Hydrogen. That which symbolized stasis in the Wyrm's mind. The Wyrm roared and Rage was born. This was before the Wyrm was what it is today. The wyrm was not at fault here, it was indeed the weaver. Though the Wyrm didn't accept that things would change. It would destroy as it always had. But this single act of the Weaver's defiance of the Wyrm, was viewed by the Wyld... who was serviced by both the Weaver and Wyrm in turn, and she knew fear. The Weaver had to create more, for the Wyrm went on a path of destruction, seeking to break free of the web. It was futile. The Weaver created faster then the Wyrm destroyed and the Wyld was weakened greatly, not being a part of the conflict though, the Wyld didn't learn how to defend herself. She didn't know what to do... she just stayed as she was and watched. Eventually the Weaver started to pull in the Wyld to her web and the Wyld... now knowing the pain of the Wyrm, but being pure chaos was impossible to hold onto escaped. The weaver did not persue, but sealed her away. This happened over a course of time that is smaller then we would ever wish to desire to fathom. A nanosecond is an eternity in comparison... but it was all it took. Then He-Who-Walks-the-Path-of-the-Stars awoke, and found himself home again, and found himself now an old man... soon to be passed his deathbed. He quickly called for the eldest Galliard among them and related his story... the story I now tell you. The words that were told by He-Who-Walks at the end of his relation of Luna's presense were these. "Seek not destruction... seek balance. Bring that which refuses to be, together and find the harmony that was lost so long ago. And everything we have fought for
will be attained. We'll all fall into the Wyld energy and return to the prime. So seek the path you choose and follow it. But in the end, know that we will be final. Either destroyed by the Wyrm in totality, forever trapped in the forms defined by the Weaver's naming of all things, or reincarnated in the Wyld's chaos."
Fat tears roll down Sophia's expressionless face, ignored as they roll across her lips. She doesn't move, doesn't speak, barely even breathes.
Dizzy is in a state of frozen, open mouthed, awe.
Cindy offers Roger a faint smile and she nods her head once. "Well told, Roger."
Jeremy blinks his eyes a few times, then shakes his head, running a hand down his face.
Roger opens his eyes and and sighs deeply. "At least that is how it was related to me by Sings-the-Ancient-Words back home... my mother."
"That," Dizzy says, bringing up her soda for another drink, "Was probably the most profoundly... beautiful story I have ever heard."
Sophia rubs her eyes, feeling like a sleepy toddler. "Thank you, Roger... that was beautiful." She wants to ask him if it's true, but decides the truthfulness of the story is unimportant.
Cindy offers the group a wave of her hand, "I was just dropping in to say 'hello'. Tell me the start of that story someday, Roger. It's been a while since I heard it last." She offers him a smile and begins to move towards the exit.
Jeremy hops up to his feet and follows after Cindy. "Hey, you aren't going to stay?" He asks.
Roger waves off Jeremy's question and looks to Cindy and then the cockroach. "What are you going to do with her?"
"Drop it in an alley down the street." She replies while glancing down at the wiggling insect. "Unless you want to hold onto her?" Cindy glances over her shoulder and grins again. Jeremy receives a wink.
Roger thinks on this a moment and nods. "Well, yes actually. There is a crack in the kitchen wall near the floor that looks like it is the enterance to the perfect roach dwelling." If he is disturbed about the idea of inviting roaches to live in his walls, he doesn't show it.
Dizzy blinks at Roger's decision to let the cockroach live in his walls. Though, if the past couple of days has been any indication, there is probably more to his behavior. On the other hand, he's probably stark raving mad.
"It would make a good symbol for our home. A mascot, of sorts." Cindy turns away from the door again and she approaches Dizzy. The half-moon holds the large insect out to the cub. "Here you go. This bug is an important lesson upon itself. She represents the spirit of our tribe. The Cockroack is versatile and it can adapt to almost any environment or situation. She has existed for over three hunded million years. She has a lot in common with you and me, take care of her." She drops the insect onto Dizzy's lap and winks.
Jeremy turns around a few times in confusion, then sighs, rubbing his neck.
Dizzy eyes Cindy warily as she comes over and talks to her and absolutely _shrieks_ when the bug is dropped in her lap. Before, it wasn't so bad, but now it's crawling on her. As fast as she can, she's on her feet and trying to brush the hideous bug off, commanding, "Off! Off!"
Sophia opens her eyes wide and blinks, calmly standing up and stepping away from Dizzy as if the insect doesn't bother her a bit. She uses, as a pretense for escape, the excuse that she needs to give Cindy a third rule from the litany.
Jeremy heads over to the bug and straight plucks it off Dizzy's body and shrugs, carrying it to the kitchen. He's used to being around bugs. Gnawers and Walkers, roaches and rats.
Dizzy puts a hand to her chest as she breathes heavily, reeling from the experience. She rests her back up to the wall and shoots Cindy a look of pure hatred.
Sophia says "Cindy... If you're going, I need to give you my third litany law first."
Roger growls in a human fashion with a scowl on his face and starts to head towards the cub. Roger seems mildly pleased by Jeremy's actions, and just looks at Amanda with a frown worn fiercly on his face.
Cindy raises an eyebrow when Dizzy rises up and she purses her lips together firmly. A brief glance is offered to Sophia and then Cindy steps backward.
Dizzy looks over to Roger frowning at her and brushes a few loose hairs out of her face. "What?" she asks the galliard, "I didn't expect she was going to hurl the bug at me."
Jeremy deposits the bug near the crack in the wall so that he can join in with another family of insects, then washes his hands off in the sink.
Roger just sighs and returns, "The /bug/ is your god from now on as far as I'm concerned."
Sophia whispers loudly to Dizzy, "Cockroach is an important spirit to the tribe, and it will get angry if you treat its little ones like that."
Cindy nods her head towards Roger, "Hit the nail on the head." She begins to make her exit again. "Farewell Roger, cubs, Jeremy."
Jeremy nods his head to Cindy, waving his hand. "I hope to see you soon Cindy!"
Dizzy looks to Sophia and then back at Roger. "Sorry," she says, a lot more sincere, hanging her head. She lifts it back up, "Do I have to go apologize to it?" She ignores Cindy's exit intentionally.
Roger turns now to Cindy, his expression instantly softened. "I'm glad to have you back again, Cin... I hope you decide to stay this time."
Sophia calls out. "Wait! Cindy! Before you go! Submission to those of higher station!"
Cindy offers Roger a wink after pausing in the doorway, "We'll see where my path takes me, but for now it has me here for good." She snaps her fingers towards Sophia and laughs softly. "I almost forgot. Thank you Sophia."
Jeremy slips onto the couch and leans back some, gazing over towards the Half moon Cliath. "I'll call you tomorrow ok?"
Roger glances over towards Dizzy. "It wouldn't hurt... but isn't nessisary. It's a physical manifestaition and most likely wouldn't understand you. Now, when we take you to the umbra eventually we'll have you apologize then. Don't worry about it... you didn't know. But now, you do."
"Sure, Jeremy." The cliath nods her head towards the gathering before she steps outside. "Bye." Cindy calls out before closing the door.
Dizzy nods to Roger, "Okay."
Sophia frowns. "I don't think Cindy remembered me. She sounded... well, like I was crazy. Or like I was trying to remind her of the litany, like she didn't already know it."
Roger looks to Sophia with a gentle chuckle. "Don't worry yourself, what is... is."
Sophia looks particularly disturbed now. "But... orders are orders, right? Even if the person who gave them has forgotten? And I still have ten rules to tell her!"
Jeremy glances over to Sophia. "She's been in England for a few months ya'know? She's been busy helping family over there. She's probably distracted."
Dizzy picks her soda off the ground where she set it and goes over to sit on the couch to drink.
Roger motions with stern expression towards the can and the people drinking them. "If anything spills, there will be death... just fair warning."
Sophia shrugs. "Eh. So, she thinks I'm nuts for the next few weeks. Anyway, Diz? You had said you wanted to go grocery shopping, right? Still up for it?" She finishes her coke, and looks to Roger. "Where's your recycle bin?"
Jeremy holds up his hands, tucking a thumb against his palm playfully. "He's already chopped off one of my fingers cuz' I drank the last of the milk."
Dizzy nodnods, with a grin to Roger and turns her attention to Sophia, "Yeah, the appartment is in desperate need of some stocking."
Roger looks between Sophia and Dizzy and frowns. "I dunno if I want her just running around with one other person. Hrm... Jeremy, go with them."
Roger then adds to Sophia. "There are two trash compactors in the kitchen, its the one with the red handle."
Jeremy looks up at Roger and blinks. ".. Um.. " Good answer.
Roger glances over at Jeremy. "What? I know I can trust you more then I trust most Garou... so I want you to go with them. How hard is that to understand?"
".. Its.. um.. Nothing.. sure. um... ok.." Jeremy seems hesitant for a moment, but he swallows and simply crumples, comforming as always.
Sophia tosses the can in the compactor. "I can handle her, Roger. She's pretty tame. And I think John's already mad enough at Jeremy over taking over cub stuff. I don't think he'd like that idea. Really, though. I can take care of her. And I can take her down if I have to, too."
Dizzy stands back up and giggles at Sophia's boasting. It's true, but that doesn't make it any less humorous.
Jeremy sighs heavily as Sophia pretty much just spills the beans.
Roger looks between the three and frowns again. "Was I asking you a question? Because then I'll accept a no as an answer, maybe... no I'm pretty sure I was giving an order. Jeremy will go with you."
Sophia grinds her teeth. "Jeremy is always welcome with us."
Dizzy grins, "Buck up Jeremy, you get to protect two vicious werewolves. How is that not fun?"
"After last night, obviously you know about how much 'not' fun it is for me." Jeremy says as he picks up his jacket, sliding it over his body.
Sophia pats her pockets, making sure they have everything they need. "Just one thing, Roger. He pulls shit like he did last night, have I got your Ok to pick him up and carry him right back here?"
Dizzy frowns, she was trying to cheer the boy up, "How's this, then. You'll get to be seen around town with two girls, everyone will think you're a pimp."
Roger looks to Sophia and nods. "Sure... but then again... if oddities occur and he somehow ends up fixing a potental problem, I'll be glad to have sent him along with you. After all, you are only getting groceries. It's not like the wyrm will follow you to publix. This is a matter of sociality, not protection. Just stop trying to understand my judgement and accept that I'm correct."
Sophia starts to snarl, but checks herself quickly, so that it might have looked only like the beginning of a sneeze. She nods and walks toward the door. "Are we ready?" she asks.
Dizzy checks her pockets for her keys and cellphone, "I'm ready." She takes out her red-tinted sunglasses and puts them on, "Let's go get some food."
Sophia turns to Jeremy. "Ya coming?" Rhetorically, of course.
Dizzy ohs, remembering something, "Do you know the clothes rite thingy, Roger? Or someone we can talk to about that?"
Roger shakes his head and thinks on this a bit further. "Don't have it myself, no. Hey... You know...? given two nights ago... we'll just make a night out of it. I'm coming along too."
Jeremy zips up his jacket and nods to the two girls, then shrugs to Roger. "Its alright, its just the store.."
Roger glances to Jeremy and shrugs. "And I'm bored. This'll give me something to do for now."