Currently the moon is in the waning Crescent Moon phase (21% full).
Currently in Saint Claire, it is a cloudy day. The temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the north at 8 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.03 and steady, and the relative humidity is 74 percent. The dewpoint is 52 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees Celsius.)
It is currently 13:03 Pacific Time on Tue Jul 17 2001.
Walker Safe House(#2832RAJL)
This small tenement building, is a work that any interior decorator would be proud of. The building is somehow filled with light, and space. Despite the fact that the room is far from large. Mirrored surfaces and lush, green pot plants are much in evidence - jarring only slightly with the video cameras that perch unobtrusively in various locations. A small sign on the wall lists the number of apartments upstairs as eight. There are no names next to the apartment numbers. Downstairs leads to a very thick door, with no visible method of being opened - except a keypad next to it.
The lobby branches off into what appears to be a small recreation room; for use only by residents and their guests. Much like the rest of the building, mirrors are prominent. There is a pool table set up in one half of the room, while the remainder is dominated by a large home theater system, with an incredibly expensive-looking couch in front of it. The couch nearly screams out, 'Don't spill anything'. For those who might, there are also two matching side-chairs, and a bean-bag on the floor - far too close to the television to be good for anyone's eyes.
Corey looks defeated as well, with a hangdog expression that works particularly well in this form. Now, he /really/ feels guilty since all the cubs are affected by what was partially his blunder.
Showered, dressed, but looking very tired and not yet completely awake, Dizzy wanders down into the basement. She raises a hand to those gathered down there, "Hi."
Jonathan blinks. "C-can't..." he pauses, and then in a very Fianna like manner states the important part. "Drink?!" he shakes his head. "Whoah, since when?"
Alicia is lying asleep on a cot, her hands tightly wrapped in bandages. Sophia sits with the other cubs at a table across the basement, dressed differently today for whatever reason. She waves Dizzy over with one hand, holding a 'sh' finger to her lips. She then turns to Jonathan and says softly, "Since always, as far as I know. Ask an elder if you want confirmation on that."
Dizzy walks over and sits at the cub conclave. In a zombie-like voice she drowns, quietly, "Coffeeee."
Jonathan snaps his fingers and sighs. "Later." he mumbles to no one in particular. There is a brief pause and then he looks to Sophia again. "So what exactly am I doing here other then a lot of nothing?"
Sophia laughs softly. For once, the smartass comment has struck a chord in her brain. Gently, she says "First of all, stop talking like a Ragabash before you get around the Elders, cuz they'll knock you down for it. But other than that? You're here to learn. You need to train. You need to be wise enough to run from the Wyrm if you have to, tough enough to kick the holy living shit out of it if you can, and smart enough to survive in the world. Not to mention that you need to develop honor, pride, and a sense of your true identity.
Jonathan nods, and pulls the Mobilon out, quickly it is flipped open and he scribbles in it, while talking out loud. "Okay. To do list. Open. Devolop Honor, ten minutes. Develop pride, Done. Got too much already. Develop sence of true identity, see notes about life goals." He smirks and then puts the mobilon away. "Oh.. I mean.. sorry. No more ragabash. Nope.. none at all."
Corey pads over to Dizzy quietly, gives her a nose in the back of one knee as a greeting and returns to where he was sitting. He listens to the 'training' comment and sighs.
Corey pages to the room: And here I moved my birthday between revisions of my app to get away from that effect...
Noticing Corey, Dizzy gets out of her seat and gives the younger ragabash a long hug and whispers something to him.
Dizzy whispers "How're you holding up?" to Corey.
Sophia stands up and begins to pace around in front of the chairs. Her hands are on her hips, her elbows pointed backward, scratching her head every now and again. Think. Thinkthink. Think.
The whisper elicits a short whine from Corey. This one thought he was okay, until he heard what happened last night after running. Now he feels the restrictions are partially his fault.
Dizzy sits there, absent mindedly petting her cubmate. "Sophie..." she asks, "What happened last night?"
Jonathan just watches to Sophia curiously, in a tone that sounds oddly curious he adds. "You're thinking about hitting me, aren't you?"
Sophia is startled. She stops abruptly, swiveling at the hips to look at the cubs, without moving her feet. She looks back and forth from Dizzy to Jonathan, not knowing who to anwser first.
==Sophia==
People with keen senses and delicate sensibilities will not want to get close to this girl. A faint odor surrounds her, sweet yet bitter, and vaguely smoky - and completely revolting.
Her eyes, normally a vivid green, are dull today, used up. Her drab brown hair hangs by the side of her head, lifeless. She's dressed for comfort; a little blue T-shirt, black sweat pants, and white socks. The jewelry that normally dangles from her ears and wrists is gone. Adorning her instead is an air of sadness and anxiety.
Dizzy looks over to beer-boy, wondering what he said that makes him expect to be hit, and focuses back on her roommate. It's quite important that she knows if everyone is okay.
Jonathan can't hear Dizzy's thoughts, but if he could he would wonder why people suddendly need a reason.
Corey sits calmly, the petting having had the wonderful effect of cooling any jangling nerves that tried to get uppity at the memory of last night.
Jonathan waits patiently for Sophia's answer, his eyes following her movements.
Sophia breathes in quickly and opens her mouth, about to say something to Dizzy. She then turns to Hops, simply says, "No," and turns back to Dizzy again. "John was attacked by a glass bane, which killed him. He brought himself back to life, purely by being pissed off at the world. His eyes were gone, and Alicia saved them even though her hands were a bloody pulp." She pauses meaningfully for a few seconds, letting that sink in. "The wounds on her hands are why she's here, and why I can't leave the basement. There's no one to heal her."
Jonathan glances over at Alicia again, then over to Sophia. "Want me to draw up an e-mail about this? Will save you time from explaining it over and over." he smirks, and then shakes his head. "Unless you still don't trust the weaver things?"
Dizzy hugs Corey tighter and asks, her voice a little shaky, "That was... a Wyrmthing, right?" Fear shows in her eyes.
Corey almost squeaks, but turns his head and tries to nuzzle Dizzy's chin reassuringly. Then it clicks that Alicia is the one on the cot, and stretches his neck to get a better look.
Sophia shrugs at Jonathan. "They're useful, in their place. Gets under my skin when people use them in the middle of a conversation, though. Actually, though, a Galliard would be better than an email." To Dizzy, she says, "That's right. And there are some new rules handed down by the boss-man, regarding that whole incident. But before I get into that, I wanna hear what happened before I got there, and why you didn't meet me like you were supposed to. Don't bother avoiding the question." Not even the faintest hint of anger is evident in her voice. It's a simple, honest demand.
Dizzy gives Corey one last rub on the top of his head before she returns to her seat. She looks at the tabletop as she speaks, "We got jumped by a gang. Took us by surprise. We didn't shift because..." She pauses and looks up at Sophie to see if she can read her roommate, then looks back down, continuing. "Well, you know. I heard the phone ringing, but couldn't answer, because we were getting the shit kicked out of us at the time."
Corey nods as Dizzy tells the story, though the guilty look comes back into his expression, this time for effectively forcing the other ragabash to tell what happened.
Sophia nods, accepting the answer. "Ok." she says, calmly and softly. "Why and how did you get jumped by the gang?" Her tone is unusual for her; not angry, not condescending. Tired, trusting, and with a slight edge to suggest that she is willing to insist that Dizzy account for what happened.
Jonathan smirks, suddendly latching on to an idea, mostly because of Sophia's strange tone of voice. He quietly raises his hand, all schoolboy like.
Dizzy rests her head in her hands, elbows on the table. "We were just walking along, I've never seen a gang act like that before, just looking to beat people up I guess. Must have been hyped up on something. They didn't even try and rob us or anything."
Corey didn't find this behavior odd in itself. But then, he's been used to getting kicked around for no good reason other than he was there. Motive in these cases is a mystery to him.
Sophia frowns at Dizzy and holds up a finger for Hops to wait. Her cheeks shake, almost like she's close to tears. "When did John get there? And when did things start happening with glass?"
Jonathan growls slightly and folds his arms one over the other. The look on his face is one that can be described simply as 'well /fine/', and he looks around the room again.
Hidden in her hands, Dizzy shakes her head, tears rolling down her cheeks, "After they dragged us into the alley, th-that's when John showed up. Everything is a bit blury. I-It happened so fast, until you came and we just ran and ran until we, until we got home."
Dum dum da dum dum--dum dum! That's the sound of someone knocking on the door.
Sympathetic tears rest on Sophia's lower lids, and she walks up behind Dizzy, wrapping her arms around her and holding her. "It's gonna be Ok, sis. You two did the right thing, not changing, even though it meant you got hurt worse."
Jonathan just watches silently and sighs, seems he missed all the fun, and with the new rules he won't be getting in on any new fun either.
Sophia blinks at the door and looks pleadingly to Jonathan. "Ask for a name before you let anyone in you don't know."
Dizzy nods her head, unable to say anything more. Fearing if she does so, she's going to break and submit to just crying her heart out.
Corey perks his ears and faces the door, sniffing futilely. He'd answer it, except for the whole thing about not having hands, or a human voice.
Helen, ever so patient, stands there outside the door, murmuring things to herself.
Jonathan rises from the chair and gives Sophia a dirty lookas he trudges off up to the ground floor. He slips out and to the front door. With the chain still closed he opens the door and looks out. "Can I help you?" he inquires quietly.
"Hey. M' name's Helen. Can I come in? I'm a friend of Alicia's," the pretty young woman says, peering at Jonathan rather condescendingly.
Alicia stirs a bit in the cot as she starts to waken, a low groan echoing from her lips. The Galliard's hands are bandaged with soaked bloody gauze, her hair a mess, clothing torn and shredded as it barely clings to her body from the shift. Her chest and arms are cut up, a good sized gash is in her stomach, but at least its quickly healing from her stay in Glabro. The hands tho', are the worst. Shredded beef, would be a nice way of saying it.
Jonathan looks Helen up and down, a brief whistle offered in appreciation, then he returns to the matter at hand. "Umm, she can't come to the door right now, can I take a message?"
Helen's jaw clenches slightly. "No. You can't. Let me in," she says, eyes burning with a sort of anger, muscles working. She mustn't be violent, though. It isn't the way of the ragabash, after all. Just make fun of everyone. Belatedly, she adds, "Please. Sophia and Dizzy know me."
Corey's attention moves to the cot again as the occupant makes noises of awakening. Not good noises, but from what he understands signs of life are good noises at the moment.
Dizzy doesn't even want to look up and deal with the world right now. She puts her head on the table, covered by her arms, sobbing.
Jonathan nods, and closes the door in Helen's face. Although the reason is apparent after an infuriating pause, the chain has to be opened. He then pulls the door back. "Come on in. Welcome. I'm Jonathan, cub of the Glass Walkers." another brief pause, "And you would be?"
Sophia turns to Corey. "Don't let her get up." She leaves Dizzy's side briefly and tromps up the stairs. Peeking out the basement door, she says, "Who is it, Hops?"
"Helen." The name is given in a sort of annoyed tone, but she goes on to add, "Black Fury new moon. Cliath."
A light whimper escapes Alicia's mouth as she shifts in the cot, blinking her eyes for a moment. "..ngggh.."
Jonathan blinks several times, then steps back. "Umm.. I mean, sorry about the whistle." he mumbles, then moves off towards the door, just in case he should have to go out.. very quickly.
Corey worms his way out from around the furniture and almost leaps over to the cot as he spots more movement. He puts his forepaws on the edge as lightly as he can and presses his chin against the galliard's chest, hoping she gets the message. Stay. Stop moving. Rest.
Sophia smiles weakly at Helen and says very quietly, "Come on in. Everyone is down here. Make sure you shut the door good behind you, if you don't mind, Hops." She holds open the door so Jonathan won't have to bother with his key. She is exhausted, but it's nice to have so many people around for reassurance.
Helen steps into the safehouse and wanders down into the basement. Dark eyes scan the room, and she says to Sophia, "What happened? I heard there was a fight." Alicia gets an appraising, maybe sad, glance, and she purses her lips as she looks to the theurge Glass Walker for an explanation.
Shifting with a wolf on her chest, Alicia's eyes slowly open as she moans out in pain, lifting her hands up to stare at them. Gross, sick, disgusting. "..gods..." She softly says, sucking in a huge breath. The adrenaline rush last night didn't give her much time to think of what happened. "... Helen..?" She murmurs, hearing the voice of her packmate, struggling to right herself so she can see.
Dizzy looks up with a tear-streaked face as Helen walks in. Sniffling, she gives Helen a nod. She's glad to see more people as well, even if she doesn't seem to be all that glad right now.
Jonathan nods and moves town towards Sophia. "I need to do some stuff in my room." he says, and then motions upstairs, waiting to be dismissed before leaving.
Sophia nods to Jonathan and sighs, preparing to tell the story again for Helen. "Yeah. Two of our cubs got jumped by a gang, and John showed up. Of course it turned into a gun fight. And... no one seems to know how it happened, but there was a glass bane, which attacked John just after I showed up to find the cubs."
"Fucking Weavery shit," the dark-haired Greek girl snarls. "So, apparently y'all got hurt." Dizzy gets a look complete with furrowed brows, but Helen sidesteps her way over to Alicia. "Shut up, Little Sister. You shouldn't move. Hurt yourself worse."
So much for hoping. Corey retreats and slips to the far side of the cot before shifting slowly to homid, trying to keep himself mostly hidden from the room's view. He finishes and whispers to Alicia, "Hey. Hey, settle back, you want to rip something open again?" and lightly places a hand on her shoulder for (mostly symbolic) restraint.
"Hurts too much ta' hurt worse." Alicia moans softly as she continues to stare at her blood soaked hands with the tightly wrapped gauze. Sucking in a deep breath, she bites on her lip hard for a moment and then tries to tear her gaze away from the digits to focus on her best friend and sister, voice wavering. "Tell Tom.. please..."
Sophia leans over and whispers something to Dizzy quickly, almost desperately.
Sophia whispers "Will you go upstairs, please, and find something he can wear? Most of my clothes aren't too girly. Or even... a sheet, maybe?"
"What? That you're gonna die? Not on my watch, kiddo," Helen says, fiercely. "Now shut the fuck up and try and heal, or I'll have to kick your ass again." A small grin. Corey gets a look--just a _look_--and she turns back to Alicia.
"No, jus' tell 'em that I'm here, an to not worry." The Galliard softly says as she lowers her hands down across her hips. Taking a deep breath, she lifts her head back a bit to peer at Corey, then back to the others. "John is ok.. right?"
Dizzy wipes her eyes and sits up, nodding. She exuses herself quietly and heads out.
Sophia walks up to Alicia and smoothes her hair down gently. "Shh, Rhya. Shhh. He's fine, thanks to you. Everyone is fine. You need to rest and heal now, until we can find you a healer."
Corey sighs as he catches that _look_. He can tell he's screwed up again, and shifts back down to lupus, disgruntled. Wrong tactics, wrong place. The cub walks over to the door and tries to exit before it's closed again.
Helen informs Corey, "You should get your clothes dedicated. I can do that for you, if you want. So you won't pop up naked."
Alicia quiets down a bit at Sophia's words and slinks her eyes closed, breathing lightly. "Jus' Alicia.. don't call me Rhya." She whispers.
Dizzy meets Corey at the door with some of Sophie's clothes from their room. "Here you go, Core. Where would you like me put these?"
Upstairs, there's noise as someone enters the Walker safehouse, then closes and secures the door.
Corey slips into the laundry area when Dizzy comes back down. Here's good.
Dizzy tosses the clothes on the floor where Corey indicates and turns around, letting him get changed.
Helen pats Alicia's forehead in a gentle, sisterly manner, and glances to Dizzy. "What's wrong?"
Sophia frowns at Alicia, but lets the issue rest. At the beep that is made by the opening of the front door, she tromps up the stairs again to see who it is.
Alicia settles down a bit and actually falls back asleep, her body exhausted with the lack of connection from the mother used in healing, and her wounds.
With her head hanging, Dizzy answers quietly, "Core and I got attacked. John-rhya and Alicia-rhya saved us, but..." She trails off. Alicia's condition should explain the rest.
"Hello," Daisy greets Sophia as the cub ventures up from the basement. She's apparently not missed the additional noise and voices coming up from the basement. "How are you?"
Corey emerges from the laundry area in homid, pulling on his left shoe. It appears he's also recovered the jacket he bought last evening. Once he gets the laces retied, he asks Helen almost pitifully pleading, "Would you please? I already destroyed my favorite clothes by accident."
Dizzy nods her head slightly towards Corey, "We still need to get your clothes and my car."
Sophia looks at Daisy with a pitiful expression. "I'm not hurt," she says. "None of the cubs were hurt, and neither was Rina." She beckons downstairs, holding the door open.
Daisy cocks her head slightly to one side in a decidedly lupus-like gesture of inqusitiveness. "All are family?" she asks as she starts down the stairs to check up on things.
Sophia nods. "There's... three cubs counting me. And Helen and Alicia, too."
"Accident? I wouldn't really call it an accident," Helen says to Corey, cracking a grin. The Black Fury approaches the Walker cub and purses her lips, reaching out to murmur some words under her breath and grab the shirt the cub wears in a hand. She releases the shirt and her hand drops. "There. That's how I do it."
Corey looks down at where Helen pinched the shirt, with an expression of 'that's it?' He excuses himself, walks into the corner and experiments a moment before coming back out, fully clothed and apparently content. "Thank you, this is a relief."
Daisy looks around at the (relatively speaking) chaos in the basement. ~Who are these people and what happened?~ It's like mom has come home to find out that the kids have used her kitchen to make mud pies.
Sophia can sense the anger, but can't understand. She sputters, and grimaces apologetically at Daisy. "I... I can't understand you yet, Daisy-Rhya." The look on her face suggests that she is afraid of her own ignorance.
Dizzy sits back down in the chair. "Yeah, a lot more simple than I thought too," she notes to Corey.
The lupus-born Walker gets a curious glance from Helen, and the Black Fury approaches the door quietly. "I'll be leaving. Farmhouse if y' need me, or something."
Daisy tries again in English, though with difficulty and nowhere near as eloquently. "Who are they?" she says, motioning towards Helen and Alicia with a hand. "What happen?"
Sophia shifts into Lupus to tell her story, so that Daisy will understand. Bad men attacked these cubs, Spins-In-Circles and Hits-the-Nail. Walks-thin-Ice stopped them, and killed the bad men. Then a glass bane attacked him, and Guards-the-flame and Shows-the-path tried to pull it off, while Ice's mate-woman distracted the police. Guards-the-flame healed Ice who was hurt to death, but there was no one to heal her. And the Fury just came by to visit.
Corey glances at Sophia, but fails to follow what feels like rapid-fire wolfspeech when not in the form. He looks to Dizzy to see if she's understanding this.
Dizzy shakes her head at Corey, she's not that good yet. "I'd say let's get the car, but..." she frowns.
Daisy crouches down on the stairsteps, eyeing the Fury and the Coggie briefly. "All is no problem now?"
Stepping up the stairs from the basement, the new moon Fury is suddenly gone.
Spot walks toward the cot where the wounded Gaian sleeps, her hands bandaged tightly. She needs to be watched, so I am staying in the downstairs. Ice is sleeping, mostly healed but very tired. Ice gave new rules for the cubs, to keep them out of danger. His mate-woman is safe, too. All the bad bodies are gone from fire. Shows-the-path and I were not hurt. We need healers and cleansers, now, but no one is getting worse.
Daisy seems to think about the appropriate gesture, then nods a little too exaggeratedly. "New rule. No cub can leave house without cliath. Everyone understand rule and why rule is made?"
Dizzy gives Daisy an affermative nod, understanding.
Corey winces. This is even tighter than John's rules. But he nods he understands.
Spot looks surprised and a little hurt at the increased rigor even from last night, but forces her posture to be submissive.
Daisy doesn't overlook the long cub faces. "Losing cubs is bad. You may die. But we do not want any death to be stupid."
Spot walks up to Daisy, head and tail low. We used to go out together sometimes, to find Rhyas to teach us. Is that still permitted?
Dizzy notes, "I'm going to need to get someone to come with me to get my car, then. It's still over on Silver street."
Corey nods again to Daisy. "May I be excused, rhya?" is all he says in reply, though.
Daisy nods again towards Corey. She suggests to the remaining cubs, "Use cell phone. Invite them over."
Dizzy nods, resigningly.
Daisy then adds, "We get new Playstation, too." Sometimes being a Walker cub is very good.
Corey leaves the basement quietly and heads straight back up to his apartment after retrieving his keys.
The urge to resist rises in Spot's lungs, but she swallows it quickly and lays down next to Alicia's cot. She wonder's what's worse, the confinement, or the stupid weaver-things that keep intruding on her life. Computers, palm-pilots, glass banes, and now a playstation? Life sucks for Spot right now.
Looking down at the table, Dizzy suddenly realizes that either she's going to have to find a cliath to go for coffee every morning wtih, or she might possibly tear her hair out.
Daisy rubs her nose with a fingertip. "Her." She motions towards Alicia. "Someone heal yet?"
John catches the question as he comes down the steps of the basement. "I doubt it. We also need cleansing. Wyrm taint. The both of us." The Ahroun's voice is a little softer than usual, and he moves with a slight stiffness, rather than his usual, easy grace.
Spot looks up and whimpers. Not yet. Bane cut her bad, spitting glass and screaming.
Dizzy looks up a John, still unsure of how he's going to react towards her, she shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
Daisy examines John briefly from her crouched position on the stairs. Then the theurge announces, "You are not tainted." She stands and begins moving over towards Alicia, switching tongues. ~Nor is she. Taint is a dangerous thing. But those who are tainted hide it. Admitting that you are tainted, asking for Cleaning, proves that you are not.~
John winces, and eyes the two cubs, before looking back to his Elder and tilting his head a little. ~Consider me paranoid. The things were covered in filth, and may have spread it very well inside our bodies. Still.~ He inclines his head respectfully. ~A crescent would know better.~ A slight smile on his face as he starts to move toward Alicia, to check her over.
Dizzy smiles weakly at her roommate, "Looks like we'll be spending even more time training together, eh?"
Spot nods. I expect you to take an example from Hops and not give me trouble, no-moon. Don't spin /me/ in circles.
The ragabash cub mis-reads her roommate's message. She looks very surprised and a little angry, "What? You're blaming me? Core and I were just walking. I didn't see you saying anything when you left to walk home alone."
Daisy examines the injured Alicia's sleeping form thoughtfully, lost in thought for a time. ~Ice? The threat was taken care of completely? We won't need to do a follow up attack?~
John comes to kneel before the Galliard, and lifts her bandaged mitts, to examine them toughtfully. He ignores the bickering cubs for the moment. Business is more important. ~Completely as far as I know. They had the power to become invisible, but none attacked when I lay dying, and Guards-the-Flame healing. All I saw, I believe we killed.~
Spot rolls over, belly up, and looks at her roommate, who now appears upsidedown to her. You don't listen. I give up.
Now even more confused, Dizzy tilts her head to the side looking at Spot lying on the ground. She brushes her hair behind her ears, "I'm... listening. It's just... hard still."
~Excellent work,~ Daisy comments to the ahroun. ~There is a new rule for the cubs to follow. They are not to leave the safehouse unless a Cliath is escorting them. If these cubs had been alone, they'd likely have been overcome by enthusiasm. If they were lucky, they'd be dead. If they were unlucky, they might have been turned. Then we would have to hunt them down and kill them ourselves. A truly unpleasant situation. Particularly if the Wyrm learned where it is that we lair and ambushed us.~
John nods, curtly. ~I ordered that no quarter be given. Shows-The-Path was there, and fighting, too.~ The Ahroun continues to cradle Alicia's hands for a while, before looking up at the cubs. "Has anyone changed her bandages today, or found a healer?"
Daisy stands up and begins moving towards the stairs. ~I will heal her in a bit. I will be back shortly.~ She proceeds upwards towards the ground floor.
Roger steps in about now, the lingering smell of strong acid tinges the air almost aggressivly. "There is that Get of Fenris theurge... Jim or James I think. Hes a compassionate sop to anyone who's fought the good fight. I'm sure you tell him your story and you'll be all healed and cleansed in moments with little asked in exchange." he spouts off as he enters in that fashion he often does when he enters a room, like he waits for something to respond to as he enters a room.
Spot looks at John. I was afraid to touch her. She kept moving. No healer yet because I didn't want her to be alone, moving so much. The cub then walks over to Dizzy and lays down, right on top of her feet. I'm not mad at you, sister.
Dizzy blinks at her roommate, "Not mad? I'm confused."
John looks up at Roger from his position near the cot. "Daisy doesn't believe we are in need of cleansing for taint. And, as heard, can heal. Still. Contacts are good. Tell me more about him, some time. 'Little in exchange' are words I like to hear." He turns back to look lingeringly at Alicia's bandages for a while, before standing, and watching the two cubs, some more. "All the bodies cleaned up?"
Roger simply nods to the question and goes on. "Dunno him that well. He wanders back and forth between the city and woods on almost a daily basis. The dogs of the city see him often, but hardly ever staying in one spot. He spoke briefly at the last moot, introducing the big Get of Fenris pack. Odd thing was... he wasn't in it. And I could taste the bitterness due to that fact dripping off his words as he introduced his tribe mates. I think there is some animosity between the members of that tribe... if that is useful or not, I've not decided just yet. I mean, it /is/ the Get of Fenris after all... but this James seemed perfectly capable, just a little outcast."
Spot continues to lay on Dizzy's feet, not bothering to explain. It's too complicated.
John hmmms, thoughtfully. "Too many Fostern Get in the city." he notes. "And they have territory claimed, as well. We'll have to work towards doing something about that. Something preferably /subtle/." The Ahroun peers once again at the cubs, and now - with Daisy gone - he asks quietly, "So. How are you two feeling about what happened last night, and this new rule? Honesty, rather than acquiesence born of self-preservation, thanks."
Dizzy ohs and looks over to John as he addresses her. She sighs slightly and her eyes roll to look up, "Well, it's strict, but if last night taught me anything, it's necessary."
Spot looks up at John and says bluntly, It's wrong, boss. Elders aren't around enough to make that possible. And if we can only be taught by people who have ringers, we'll learn less. It will slow us down and weaken the tribe. But I'm going to abide by it anyway.
As a kind of bizarre coincidence, the third cub involved in last night's activities comes sliding back down the steps. "You want to know what I think?" Corey stops in front of his elders. "Honestly? It may be necessary, but that doesn't stop the measure from being draconic. Hell, I've barely seen either of you since you brought me to this place, so where are we supposed to get cliaths to teach us if that keeps up? I don't know about the other cubs, but I'm stagnating here." Having said his piece, he sits down in the nearest chair.
John clears his throat, and looks around at the gathered cubs. "Good of you not to mince words. Yes. More of us should be around. In fact, from now on, I promise to start making myself available most mornings before lunch, for sparring. Getting you used to fighting in the different forms. We'll shift some furniture in the rec room, and I'll do as I've done with Sophia. You always have the litany to go over and discuss with us, and I /do/ live in this building. You /can/ knock on my door. First floor, you all should know where it is." He tilts his head the other way, watching the cubs. Waiting for protests, or some sign that this is sinking in, and okay.
Fiddling with something in her pocket, the elder ragabash takes out her cellphone and hits a couple of buttons on it, "Can I get your number, John-rhya? It occured to me lastnight that it would be a huge help."
Spot pants happily, totally ignoring the cell-phone and Dizzy's question. Ice! I didn't tell you this brother-one's new name. It's Hits-The-Nail-On-The-Head. Nails. And I'm calling the sister-one Spins-In-Circles till I think of one better. Almost out of clothes and none Rited on, I'll stay in lupus for some time. They need word-names so I can say them. Also, Defiant-Storm-Rhya offered her downstairs for you to play-fight with us in.
Corey tries to take in what everyone else is doing, but starts to get a headache and decides one thing at a time. Since he can't translate Sophia quickly, yet, he waits for John to give a number for emergencies. Like, say, getting jumped by a gang. Otherwise, he just stays quiet.
John tilts his head, looking at Sophia. "Did she, now? Hmmm. I'll have a talk to Signe about that." He rubs his tired face with one hand as he hands out a little black book, and tosses it to the cubs. "Copy out as many numbers from that as you can. Front half only, and you'll know what I mean. City Garou and kin contacts. Learn where people live. Learn who they are. Information is important, and using it more so. And when you've finished that, someone is going to sit down and explain very carefully to me, what happened last night."
The elder ragabash stands up and snatches the black book. She sits back down and starts entering the numbers into her cellphone.
Corey gets up and reads over the other nomoon's shoulder, memorizing a few numbers for people who seem important, or whose names ring a bell.
Spot tilts her head at John, her ears perked up. Want me to tell the story again? I'm getting good at it.
Daisy comes back down into the basement, rejoining the cluster of Walkers and again taking a seat on the stairs.
John shrugs at Spot, and settles himself down on the cot Alicia's sleeping on. He looks to Daisy expectantly, and gestures to the girl's hands, then turns to face the cubs again. "No. I'd like to here it from the two cubs I watched getting beat up upon. Everything."
Dizzy glances at Corey, finishes with her cellphone and drops it back into her pocket. She moves the black book closer to Corey so he could look at it. "We were just going for a walk after shopping for new clothes for Core," she starts explaining, "Spot had gone home because she had something to do and it was a nice night. We were just talking when the gang jumped us and dragged us into the alley. I was expecting to get robbed or something, but they just started kicking us, over and over. Then you showed up." She ends by placing her hands together and setting them on the table. "You know from then on."
Spot looks up at Dizzy pleadingly, then at the book. Write it down for me? Please? I'll make you bitter-drink tomorrow morning while you sleep.... please?
Corey leaves the book closed for the moment. "To be honest, Dizzy, by the way they were talking I was expecting them to try raping you." He seems to have nothing else to add to her explanation.
Dizzy nods to Corey, "Yeah, I was afraid of that. I'd have broken the veil if they had tried that though." She looks down at her roommate, "Um... you want the numbers? I can give them to you later? Okay?"
Spot nods. That works.
John grunts, and frowns. "You didn't shift. That's good. Then you would've had to kill them all. Can't breach the veil without fixing it. However unpleasant." He leans back a little. "Yes. There wasn't much you could do. I will teach you more of how to fight in homid, than the other forms. It's more useful in a city, where we can't be shifting at the first hint of danger."
Corey lets out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding since John started talking. He looks relieved, eager, and apprehensive at the same time.
Opening her hands as if showing her hand in a card game, Dizzy starts to say something, but is interrupted by a ringing coming from her cellphone. She apologizes to John and takes it out, "Hello? ... Dads! Um, yeah, nice to hear from you too. Can you hold on a second?" She places her hand over the speaker, "Is it okay if I take this call into the lobby?"
John eyes Corey, and he just sighs. "You see why the rule is there, now? It's probably something I should have instituted earlier, but I prefer not to have you all tagging around while I conduct business." He rubs at his face again. "I don't know. I may have to get you all used to the streets." Definitely very quiet, and more soft-spoken than usual, John.
Corey stops himself from asking about John's business. From what little he saw last night, he's not sure he wants to know. He merely nods in acknowledgement.
Assuming that she has permission, Dizzy retreats into the lobby to finish her phone conversation.
Spot walks up to John and nudges his leg with her nose. Boss, I need to learn the Mother's Tongue bad. I could have put someone in danger last night by not knowing my orders.
John reaches over and scruffles the lupe warmly, with a look of resignation on his face. "Yes. You'll find it easy to get the hang of, but..." An eye strays to Daisy. "Unfortunately I haven't been using it around you. Exposure. Go learn a few things that Theurges should know, so /you/ can be the one telling /me/ how to fight them."
Corey reviews future lessons in a low voice, mostly to himself but still audible. "PE, history, social studies, foreign language courses... sounds like a full credit year." Oddly, he doesn't seem particularly overwhelmed or unhappy by the idea. The courses promise to be interesting, at least.
Daisy eases off the stairs as the serious discussion comes to an end. In a smooth, gradual, fluid motion, she drifts through the varied forms and into lupus, padding over towards the prone Alicia and sniffing quizzically at her myriad wounds.
Re-entering the basement, the elder ragabash walks back in, hands in her jacket pockets. She watches the floor as she slowly steps down back into the room.
Spot waits for Dizzy to sit down again so she can continue sitting on her feet.
As if having read her roommate's thoughs, Dizzy slides back into her seat. She looks to John and says quietly, "Sorry, did I miss any thing?"
John shakes his head at Dizzy, and stands up to let Daisy get better access to the sleeping Galliard. "Watch this, though. It should be interesting." Looking down to the Tribal Elder, he folds his arms, and takes another step back. As if heading for the basement steps.
Corey does as instructed, though his eyelids seem to be closing already. He waits patiently to see what the tribal alpha does.
Spot sits on Dizzy's toes and watches Daisy work.
Cat-Killer finishes her precursory examination of the injured Child of Gaia's wounds, then cocks her head slightly to one side. Carefully. Gently. She extrudes her tongue and begins running it over the length of Alicia's open, oozing wounds. The first lap is slow and gentle. The second faster. The third at rate one might be accustomed seeing a dog lick itself with. As the licks progress, the wounds seem to heal and close up as if by magic. Daisy finishes worrying at the nastiest of the wounds and then moves to another. The wound she first tended to is now merely a scabby mess rather than an open, leaking gash in her flesh.
Dizzy watches Daisy as she does her work, wondering if it's another rite, like the clothes one.
John watches, his lips thinning and setting into a grim expression as the healing takes place. Standing on the steps, waiting til it is done.
Corey raises both eyebrows. Impressive. He asks a quiet, one-word question of Spot. "Gift?"
Spot nods. Good, Nails.
Cat-Killer continues her work, slowly tending to the CoG's shredded hands for nearly half a minute. She finally, finished, backs away and settles onto her haunches as if the effort might have taken something out of her in the process. She responds in lupus: Yes. A gift.
Having not heard of these, Dizzy must ask, "A gift?"
John inclines his head. "A most useful one. It'd be nice if as many of us as possible knew it."
The male nomoon considers John's words, and compares them to what he remembers Bernie telling him about Gifts. "Is it something we can learn -- Dizzy and I, I mean? I think someone said they're linked to auspice?" He seems unsure he remembered correctly, given the Gnawer's way of speaking.
Spot watches closely, interested in this question herself.
Corey gets up and shakes his head, deciding he can wait for the answer. "If you'll excuse me, rhyas, I'm not sure I'm thinking straight anymore. Good night," he pauses, and adds to Daisy, "and good hunting." He walks quickly out of the room, up the basement stairs, and goes completely out of sight.
John chuckles, standing to one side for the tired cub, and looking back to Daisy with a slight grin. "I'd best leave you to it. I've been neglecting my kin for the last few days, in favour of business. I have to make amends."
Cat-Killer briefly eyes the other two cubs. You both understand the lupus tongue? Or would the Mother tongue or human tongue be best. Human tongue is very difficult for me, unfortunately.
Cat-Killer huffs a farewell to John as he departs.
Spot watches the others leave, frustrated by the trouble communication will be now. Spins knows neither tongue. I know the lupus tongue, and a few phrases in the Mother tongue. I can translate the lupus tongue for you easily, but I would have to be in Glabro or Homid form... and I would be naked. I would go get clothes, but I can't open the doors.
John continues to chuckle at Spot's modesty, on his way out. "Nothing we haven't seen before, Sister." he murmurs, closing the basement door. *click*
Dizzy watches as the last of the men leave the room, her question still unanswered, "Um..."
Cat-Killer flicks an ear, mildly annoyed at the language barrier that's emerged. Well, perhaps we could do something else? Yes?
Spot grabs ahold of Dizzy's skirt, tugging and shaking it. She then bolts up the stairs, scratches at the door, and bolts back down the stairs, barking once at Dizzy.
Dizzy follows Spot up, opening doors as needed.
Spot leads Dizzy up to their apartment. She goes into the bedroom and shuts the door with her nose. After shifting into Homid, she puts on a cute little outfit; something she bought for her first date with Jeremy. Other than a set of pajamas, it is her last set of clothes.
Cat-Killer leaves the Child of Gaia unattended, seeing as she's much better off now, and follows the cubs upstairs.
Sophia's Apartment(#4128RAJ$)
Small, bare, and uninviting, this little apartment is clearly not the dwelling of a homebody, nor of a person accustomed to entertaining. The sitting area has only bright white plastic lawn furniture that looks as if it might have been manufactured by Tupperware. Makeshift shelves of cinderblocks and 1"X8" boards bow with the weight of scores of books. Titles like "Rescuing the Bible From Middle America" or "Zarathustra: Modernism in Antiquity" can be seen here, along with dozens of dime-store paperbacks.
The kitchen looks as if it might never have been cooked in. A small microwave on the counter is still blinking "12:00", no one having bothered to set the clock. Beside it is an electric can opener. The only evidence of use is a single glass in the stainless steel sink and a few fast-food bags in the trashcan. The sole decoration on the refrigerator is a postcard bearing a photograph of a monstrous, grimy power plant with "Come to Hanford!" printed on the bottom in fluorescent green.
Through a door opposite the kitchen, the tiny bedroom looks slightly more lived-in. On top of a black particle-board dresser sit a hairbrush, a few hair-ties, and several plastic hairclips, along with a small pile of cheap costume jewelry. A frame designed to hold several of snapshots is hung squarely on the wall. The small writing table is bare, nothing on top, nothing inside. The bed is made, a bright yellow bedspread bravely trying to cheer up the room.
Walking into the apartment, the women find things in a mild state of disarray. Dishes haven't been done, books are laying on the floor, and the place generally looks like its occupants have taken an abrupt vacation. Samantha is asleep under the writing table, oblivious to the world.
Dizzy gahs at the state of the room, she can't belive she let it become this bad. She supposes that this is what she gets for not having her morning coffee.
Trudging up the steps, Alicia has found a pair of sweats tucked away somewhere and has put them on in replace of her torn up ones. Her hair is messy along her shoulders and her hangs are scabbed up in the unhealed places. There is even a solid black and purple bruise on her neck, which looks like she got pummled by a baseball bat. She uses her foot to tap on the door, thud, thud.
Spot walks into the bedroom to change... and to change.
Cat-Killer noses around the room, taking in the various scents here and there, investigating things, and eating something that someone dropped and forget in the kitchen.
Dizzy opens the door for Alicia and ushers her in. She whispers something to the Gaian as she passes.
Dizzy whispers "Thanks, for last night." to Alicia.
Alicia trudges in on bare feet, wiggling her fingers a bit. At the whisper, she lifts her chin up a bit and glances over to Dizzy, staring at her for a moment. "Anytime, its my job." She says softly, offering a weak, tired smile. ".. I healed too fast.. who gave me a touch?"
After Alicia enters, the ragabash closes the door and leans on it, leaving the lawn chairs open for the guests.
Sophia comes out of the bedroom after a few minutes. She is wearing... less than usual. She smiles at seeing Alicia, and offers her a gentle hug for reassurance.
Daisy quietly shifts upwards to homid and, almost as if it might be a habit, begins poking at the microwave's buttons. It accidentally starts up at one point, but Daisy opens the door and shuts it off. She soon gives up. Apparently setting the blinking 12:00 is beyond the lupus Walker's abilities. "Nice home," she says politely.
Alicia smiles and leans into the hug, giving Sophia a good squeeze with her arms, minding the hands. "So.. who healed me?" She asks, glancing over to Mayo eating girl.
Dizzy profusely apologizes, "I am so sorry it's such a mess, Rhya. Usually it doesn't look like this, and I am trying to get some decent furnature."
Sophia rolls her eyes at her roommate. "I don't see what the big deal is. The place looks fine, Spins-In-Circles."
Daisy raises a paw....er.... hand in response to Alicia's query. "Very nice. No spiders. Not hot. Not cold. Fridge." In comparison to a dog house, this is the Ritz.
The ragabash cub blinks at her roommate for a second before giggling, realizing the pun on her nickname. She grins at her, "That's cute, Spot."
Alicia glances over to Daisy and gives her a bright smile. "Thank you Daisy-Yuf."
Daisy extrapolates from Alicia's statement, "No longer cub?"
Sophia joins her tribal elder in the kitchen and asks, "Do you want to do some more training tonight, Rhya?"
Alicia shakes her head. "Nope, I rited a few weeks ago actually. I am now known as Guards the Flame. Anyways, thanks again guys for letting me hang here and bleed. But, I should be off to tell the story to my tribe mates. So, I'll be out of your hair now."
Dizzy steps out of the way of the door for Alicia. "You can stay, if you want to, Rhya."
Daisy considers Sophia's question. "Getting late to start big thing. Maybe something easy? Or question? Do gifts tomorrow."
Sophia nods. "I do have a small question. Are cubs allowed to learn Rites? I need to have clothes dedicated to me again, since I gave Corey my other set. And now they're dedicated to him." She looks down at herself and adds quickly, "Not these clothes."
Alicia nods her head to Dizzy and smiles, correcting her. "Just Alicia. An ordinary girl in an ordinary world right? Later roaches." With a wink, she heads out the door and down the stairs.
Dizzy closes the door again and heads over for one of the lawn chairs, "I'll take you shopping before you get your clothes dedicated again. Buy you something nice. Dads is going to front me some extra money."
Daisy replies, "Sometimes. Start with easier rites, though. Say hello to the sun. Say hello to the Moon. Thank what it is that you killed to eat. Small rites. Best left until more important things taken care of." If she were aware of it, she'd probably try harder to not sound like Zathras from Babylon 5 fame.
Sophia nods. "Alright. Thank you. Can you tell me... I know I have a lot of things to do before I am ready for my Rite of Passage. Can you give me advice about what I should be learning now?"
Daisy thinks for a moment. "Tell me about the Tribe." Even through badly spoken English, she still manages to put that special emphasis on "tribe" when she's refering to the Glass Walkers.
Sophia half-frowns and looks around the room, confused by the response. Finally deciding that this is training in how to be obscure, she breathes deeply and begins her explanation with a little bow of the head. "Yes, Rhya. Led by the spirit Cockroach, the tribe is treated like scum. We are called Urrah, and people look badly at us. But those people don't see what I see. A Cockroach lives in filthy and depressing surroundings. People stomp on it, and poison it, and try to kill it. But it survives. It adapts to its surroundings and lives like a king, causing no harm. We are like the cockroach, because we adapt. And because we keep coming back no matter how the Wyrm tries to poison us."
Daisy seems to have difficulty with a few words here and there, but asks a follow-up question. "And you think this true?"
Dizzy listens to what her fellow cub says and ponders it quietly in the lawn chair.
Sophia nods once. "Yes, Rhya. One of our tribe falls, and another appears. We do not give up." She hopes beyond hope that Daisy hasn't misunderstood the intent of her analogy.
Daisy states, "Sound more like Gnawers. How are they different?"
Sitting up in the chair and turning to hang her legs off the side, Dizzy stays interested in the questioning.
Sophia looks down to collect her thoughts. "Cockroach is more sneaky than rat. He can sit on a person's head and the person will never know."
There's a slight knocking on the door from the outside, gentle and quick, three strokes, a trademark.
Daisy prompts, "Good, but more than that." She doesn't provide any answers, however. Or clues.
Dizzy stands and walks over to the door, still listening. She opens it, and welcomes the kin in with a finger to her mouth to indicate he should stay quiet.
Sophia looks at a crack in the wall, remembering Roger's new pet cockroach. "Rat can be controlled with food. People put rats in mazes with cheese at the end, and the rat will find a path through the walls other people set up. Cockroach will not do that. He would climb over and under and through the walls to find the cheese, and then he would climb out of the maze to make a nice home for himself. Cockroach changes the rules."
Jeremy slips inside silently, holding a long stemmed rose in his hands. Peering at the three behind his glasses, he lets out a soft breath, listening.
Daisy leans forwards and starts for the door. "Good," she says. "But missing some." She pauses to look the new arrival over and caution him. "No upset cubs again or you upset me." That seems to be the sum total of what she's going to say on that subject.
"... um.. I.. I upset them a first time?" Jeremy stammers out softly as he stops in mid step, a journey over towards Sophia.
Dizzy opens the door up for the elder, still thinking about what Sophia just said.
Her brow wrinkled in thought, Sophia is so absorbed in her own thoughts that she barely, barely remembers to wave goodbye to her elder before she leaves. She makes up for this by smiling wide and saying, "Thank you, thank you, Daisy-rhya. I see what question I have to ask myself now."
Daisy raises her hands demonstratively over her head and leans on towards Jeremy. "Raaar." It's intended to be more of a refresher than intimidating, but.... The hands go down. "No.... provoke," she says as she finds the right word.
The young kinfolk boy blinks his eyes once and takes a quick step back, as always in instinct. ".. um.. I.. yes.. ok..." He softly says, eyes downcasted to the floor quickly as his oddly dyed mop flops into his face.
Daisy raises a hand and pats Jeremy on the head. "Good boy." Humor? Certainly not. "Good night!" she says to all three Walkers. "Sleep tight," she says on her way out the door. "Don't let the bedbugs bite!"
Dizzy grins at the elder Theurge, "Good night, Rhya."
Sophia giggles at Daisy, and walks out into the living room. She sits down on a lawn chair, glances at it, and hops back out of it immediately. She steps over to the computer, inspecting the back carefully.
Jeremy follows after Sophia quickly when Daisy leaves, raising a brow. "Hey.. wait up." He says, offering her the flower he brought by.
After closing the door after, the ragabash cub heads into the kitchen to pretend to look for something to eat. Of course, she's more interested in the other two occupants and their conversation.
Sophia smiles at Jeremy, surprised - as if she's just noticed him. She throws her arms around his neck and whispers something very softly, right in his ear.
Jeremy blinks at the embrace and stumbles back a few steps, careful to not smash the flower between them.
Jeremy blushes slightly and nods his head, a light clearing of the throat heard. "... What /are/ you going to do?" He asks, softly.
Dizzy pours herself a small glass of milk, partially to keep up appearances, and partially just because she is feeling a tad thirsty.
Sophia grins and goes back to studying the back of the computer, not touching it. She kneels, just looking, perfectly still. The only part of her that moves, even slightly, is her eyes.
Jeremy kneels down next to her and stares at the back of his computer, then looks over at her questionably, not getting it.
Dizzy walks into the living room with her milk, she is also not understanding her roommate's actions, but is more vocal than the kin boy. "What are you doing, Soph?" she asks.
Sophia eyes Jeremy warily, almost warningly, and stands up. She winks at Dizzy on her way into the kitchen, finds a glass, and fills it with water before she returns to the living room.
Jeremy looks confused, as always.
Dizzy stands there, blinking, she turns to watch her obviously insane roommate implement whatever insidious plan she has cooked up.
Sophia steps up to Jeremy, holding the glass out in front of her. It is /just barely/ hovering over the front of the computer. She looks down at Jeremy and says simply, "Stand up."
Jeremy blinks and stands up. ".. Hey.. um.. don't pour water onto it. It'll ruin it forever. Thats a delicate piece of machinery." He whimpers out the words.
Dizzy leans up against the wall, watching Sophie and finishing her milk. There wasn't much in it anyway.
Sophia grins and pauses. After a few seconds, she holds out her hand. "The flower? It is for me, isn't it?"
Jeremy nods his head to her. "Yah, its for you.." He glances from her to the computer quickly, then lets out a soft breath.
Sophia takes the flower out of Jeremy's hand, drops it into the glass of water, and sets the glass on the makeshift shelves. She pecks Jeremy on the cheek. "Don't help me, I said. Have a seat, and entertain us for a little while." She kneels back beside the computer and stares at the wires for a little while, then unplugs on of them gingerly.
Jeremy watches her warily for a moment, then leans back, breathing in a sigh of relief. "Thats your PS/2 cable you just popped out, that is what makes your mouse move." He doesn't know how to entertain two Garou women.
Dizzy drops the empty glass into the sink and heads toward the bedroom. "Okay, you crazy guys. I'm taking a shower and going to bed."
Sophia lowers her eyes at Jeremy. "Don't." She calls to Dizzy, "G'night, Sis!" and then unplugs another cord, with slightly less timidity. She follows the wire with her fingertips, and says, "Keyboard."
Jeremy nods his head slowly and continues to watch her, nibbling on his lip.
Dizzy waves as she dissapears into the room, "Goodnight."