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Marjorie the Shrouded
It was High Winter, and the Hollow was cold and crisp this time of year. Never too cold to be a danger, but to reflect the season.
The Queen's Cottage, next to the phone Booth, had wreaths and decorations of the season as well. Nothing of a ny particular religion, but to still represent and welcome. Frosted berries or snow covered eaves. Like so many say, it was like a postcard that outdoes anything that others can print.
When Bobo asked for the meeting, the Queen was happy to hear from the Page and gave the time for the meeting.
Asbolus
Asbolus arrived to the Winter Hollow a few minutes before the arranged time, taking in the space as it reflected the season at its peak in all its subtle glory before heading to the cottage and knocking to announce his arrival.
Marjorie the Shrouded
The cowled Queen opened the door herself, with a smile beneath the veil and the Winter Crown a top of it.
"Welcome, my Page. Please come into my Cottage. Is there a drink or anything I can offer you?"
She moved with that inhuman grace and even her attempts at kindness filled the room, if not the hollow with her force of personality.
Asbolus
He smiled in return, giving a polite nod as she opened the door. "I am good for the moment, Your Grace, but thank you for the offer, and for being willing to meet."
Marjorie the Shrouded
She moved towards the hearth, and a hot chocolate that she had already prepared at her seat. Familiar waffles with oreos, bananas, chocolate syrup and whipped cream sat there as well. She picked up the plate and started to eat very precisely.
She's had many years of practice now, eating while veiled. She waited for Bobo to present the story and the reason for his presence.
Asbolus
He moved to join her at the hearth, claiming a seat for himself with a similar level of superhuman grace. "I came to see you to inquire about taking up the mantle of Sun Banisher. I had spoken with Sturm to offer my assistance in the recent matter with Ylva to prove myself for it, but as that has since been handled I wished to speak with you and see if there were any other issues I could offer to take point on."
Marjorie the Shrouded
"Oh? That is..." she thought quietly and considered her wording, as she usually does.
She produced her tarot deck and began to read them with practiced ease. Today's set was a Nightmare before Christmas deck, and after scanning them she spoke, "fortuitous. There is a situation of which I've been made aware."
She took another bit of waffles, making sure to get a little of every bit of the topping and took a bite.
"Have you had the pleasure to meet Toshiba Queen? She came to us just after the solstice. She came from Them just after the solstice."
Asbolus
Asbolus spared the cards a brief glance before shaking his head at the question. "I have not, no. What sort of situation has come up?"
Marjorie the Shrouded
"She is a Gargoyle and a Chatelaine. As such, she wanted to work security when she came home. It was ... the cards did not like the Idea, but I am not one to tell others what to do with their own lives. Once it hit our court... that is a different concern altogether.
"She was guardian of a car dealership. Someone tried to steal a car. After they had a confrontation... she ended up throwing a car at the thief."
Asbolus
Cue a high arch of the eyebrow at that little tidbit. "I see. What happened to the assailant, and where is she currently?"
Marjorie the Shrouded
"She is currently," she motioned to a direction of one of the cottages, "over there. Like Ylva, it was decided she might wish to stay here. The Assailant is paralyzed from the neck down, and in a coma at the hospital. Also of note is the security feed. And any others that may be in the area."
Asbolus
He nodded quietly, the gears slowly turning in his mind. "I have someone I can speak to who may be able to assist with the security footage. Tracking down potential witnesses from there should be simple enough."
Marjorie the Shrouded
"You've been a Page for some time. This would be an appropriate change for you, if you succeed."
Asbolus
"I have indeed, and I thought the time was right to step up and assist the court more directly. Is there anything else I should be aware of involving this particular situation?"
Marjorie the Shrouded
"If you need help, then the Left-Hand Knight, Lumi, is your point of contact for anything except coordinating with other Courts or societies, which is where Izzy, the Right-Hand Knight, comes into her specialties. As much as I wish to help, right now, I have the entire Freehold to uphold."
Asbolus
"Of course, and you do so admirably. Not that you need my praise, however." He added with a small smile. "Thank you for the opportunity, I will not let you down."
Marjorie the Shrouded
"If I may, out of my own curiosity, who do you think can help you with this situation?"
Asbolus
"Alexis Shaw, one of the local vampires who was among the Avowed before becoming such. She has quite the technical acumen at her fingertips."
Marjorie the Shrouded
"Interesting. I would certainly loop in Izzy, if you need to do something more involved."
Asbolus
"Certainly." He nodded, looking the Queen over. "Is there anything else I can assist you with, Your Grace?"
Marjorie the Shrouded
"Do not, under any circumstance, endanger Winter further. Other than that, go forth and Banish this problem."
Asbolus
"As you so decree it, it shall be done." With that he stood and gave a proper bow. "Thank you again for this audience."
Marjorie the Shrouded
She gave a formal bow of her head in recognition, and remained silent this time.
Asbolus
Once excused from her presence Asbolus stepped out of the Queen's cottage, heading over to where their errant Chatelaine was currently camping out. He knocked on the door twice, speaking through it after a moment. "Miss Queen? Do you have a moment to talk?"
Toshiba
"If you are here, you must be of Winter, yes?" A resonant Alto voice, an edge of anger and sadness both recognizable spoke.
"DO you mean me harm?"
Asbolus
"I am, yes, and I do not. May I come in?"
Toshiba
"Please."
Asbolus
With permission granted he moved to enter the cabin, staying near the door for the moment as he looked over both the space and its occupant. "I am Asbolus. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Queen, but that it could have been in better circumstances."
Toshiba
Her form, here in the hedge, is that of a living action-figure. One part Barbie, one part G.I. Joe, her skin looks like hardened plastic, with articulated joints. Her neck down looks likes some sort of transformation anime hero or 'Power Rangers' style uniform, beneath her clothes. She currently wore simple linen clothes, and some warm furs from the Hollow.
She sat in the chair near the hearth, similar to the queen. The Ogre, however, was currently whittling, and with some skill.
She blew away some of the shavings and switched the knife to her left hand, to offer her right hand.
"It is a pleasure Asbolus. Regardless of the situation, I like to meet those like us. What is it that you desire?"
Asbolus
Asbolus took the offered hand, his own sporting the phantom sensation of a wickedly sharp edge to the point that one might feel the urge to check for cuts left behind when the handshake was completed. "I've been asked to assist with clearing up the aftermath of the recent events that led you to residing here for the time being, and I wanted to speak with you directly on what happened that night."
Toshiba
SHe did indeed check for cuts, and a low throatty sound came out in warning, but then she took a breath and nodded when she wasn't hurt.
The words felt like a slap, "I was always the one cleaning the messes. The Broken Toys. The Blood. Couldn't let anyone steal his toys either."
Asbolus
The low rumble made him pause for a moment, offering an apologetic look when she calmed back down again. "Do forgive me, the Wyrd has granted me quite an edge in a more literal sense than some."
He nodded quietly, making a 'may I?' motion towards the seat beside her. "I see. A difficult task indeed. I can see why you would take up a similar role now that you're back."
Toshiba
"Sorry. I've been... razorhands, leach fingers, and the like. I've... that just felt.. my apologies if that offended you. I've still been very... it's... the memories are fresh, but also so mixed. Are they real? Do I remember things correctly or have they been altered somehow?"
A sigh and a nod, "Please sit, yes. I'm sorry, I haven't offered you anything. Bad. I'm being a bad host..." she stood and moved to pour some water from a pitcher for him.
Asbolus
"No offence taken, and...a bit of both, in my experience. What we can recall is cloudy at the start, but as one grows in the Wyrd the clarity of those memories returns, for good and ill."
He took the offered seat, along with the glass once it was passed to him. "It's alright. You've been through a lot, not including having returned only recently."
Toshiba
She nodded and sat down, "I... I was five. Now I"m ... look at me."
Asbolus
He paused briefly at that revelation, giving her a small nod and a sympathetic look that had no hint of pity in it. "Being taken at such a young age is a harsh fate indeed. All the more impressive that you were able to make it back."
Toshiba
"I... I remembered, of all things. Ice Cream."
Asbolus
"Something worth remembering, certainly." He said with a small smile. "For me it was a line from a play I was in at university. Sometimes something small is enough to do the trick."
Toshiba
"So..." she took a drink of water and smiled for the first time since Bobo entered, "...Asbolus? was it? How can I help you clean My mess?"
Asbolus
"I wanted to know more of what happened from your perspective, and anything notable about where it happened so I know what to expect when I investigate it further."
Toshiba
"He was taking ... Mast--- the to-" she sighs, jumbled again, "He was taking the car from my job. It was my duty to care for and see to the needs of those at the dealership. He shot me. It... and it hurt. At that point... I don't remember much, it was... very Red."
Asbolus
He remained quiet as she spoke, letting her push past the fog of her time beyond the Thorns at her own pace. When she finished he nodded, looking her over. "Do you recall if there was anyone else there that night who may have seen what happened?"
Toshiba
"it's possible one of the Agents were there... the custodian... I don't know if they had signed out while I was on patrol."
Asbolus
"Noted." He nodded again, looking her over. "You mentioned things being 'red'. Is that in reference to a contract you may have used?"
Toshiba
"Yes... yes. I called upon the misery of the world... those that would steal from others. You're right."
Toshiba
Asbolus has heard about those who deal with the Sword and Elements. Those who wield passion and rage like Summer's Wrath, and become true berserkers against their enemies.
It is called the Red Revenge.
Asbolus
The Darkling went quiet for a moment, mulling over the possibilities before one clicked into place and he nodded. "I'm aware of that particular contract and know it can be quite potent. Are you aware of what you did while it was in effect?"
Toshiba
"...He's struggling for his life... could die... and he's ... they said I broke his spine."
Asbolus
"Modern medicine can do wonders, so he may make a full recovery yet." He offered, giving her a reassuring look. "I know you were likely working on instinct, put back into a position that was far too familiar. How you reacted was not your fault, but can be a lesson for how to respond to such things going forward."
Toshiba
"Thank you. Asbolus. May I hug you? I haven't gotten many real hugs in a reallly long time."
Asbolus
"You may, yes." He said with a smile, opening his arms for her to boot.
Toshiba
She stood and moved over, shorter than Asbolus but felt of plastic-hard muscles when she gave a hug. It might have been almost too strong.
Asbolus
He let out an oof at the strength of the hug but returned it in short order, letting it linger for as long as she needed it. "As rough as things have been you have people here to support you now." he said quietly. "We'll get you through this."
Toshiba
"Thank you, sir. Thank you," and she scooched back to her seat.
Asbolus
"You're welcome." He smiled warmly, retaking his seat once he was released from the hug. "Is there anything else I can do for you in the meantime? Something you'd like brought from home, perhaps?"
Toshiba
"Ice cream. Rocky Road," she said with a child like affect.
Asbolus
"Consider it done." He nodded firmly. "I'll bring some the next time I come by."
Toshiba
Glamour flittered between them, to Seal the pledge.
Asbolus
Asbolus smiled as he felt that flicker of Glamour, making no effort to unweave it. "It was good talking with you, Toshiba. I look forward to seeing you again soon."
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