|
Psyche was currently in a booth at Maddy's. In front of her was an untouched bit of waffle and a half drunk coffee. Also in front of her was a plate of turkey sausage. One such sausage was currently floating, currently swirling around Rook's head while he tried to go CHOMP. She had a half smile on her face as she watched Rook, who's service vest was on the bench next to her.
In comes Kenzie, feeling good despite the cold, though the weed probably helped, the smell on her fresh. She saunters on in before looking around and takes in a long deep breath of the beautiful smell that is Maddy's. The tiny mage is dressed in a coat that is pulled off once in the warmth, a cropped black tank top, black sweat pants with an old 90's choker on, definitely channeling some vibes. Her eyes land on Psyche and rook. She offers a sweet happy smile and heads to her table and sits. "Why hello there pretty boy." Speaking to rook happily. "And to you Mrs. Grump. --- How're holding up?" Compassion in her voice.
Rook finally chomps the sausage and looks to Kenzie, head on his paws.
Klaire meanwhile frowns at the nickname, nevermind that it makes the nickname true. "Psyche works. I'm doing fine Kenzie. How are you?" (edited)
She chuckles softly and shakes her head. "I'm good, no real complaints except that I am acclimating a bit to the warmer weather here so when the cold snap hits I am freezing." She flags down a waitress to give her order when they were free to do so. "But really, how are you doing? Bone told me you're looking for a new group to hang with, that the council wasn't for you any more. Which, I'm not here to sell you or tell you how amazing they are. I have no motive except to make sure that -you're- doing ok."
Rook scoots over to put his head on Kenzie's lap. Those big puppy dog eyes that just say PET MEEEEE.
Klaire takes a deep breath.
"I quite enjoy the cold. But yes, the cold snap can be quite a surprise. I am...adjusting. I recognize I was in the wrong that evening, and I am trying to adjust my worldview to be more inclusive and less like my parents. I am just building up the courage...and withdrawing money...to talk to Charleville."
Another deep breath, keep the emotions in check. Maddy's has rules.
"I'm thinking the Silver Ladder, and I am talking with Sirius about that. I've had thoughts for a while that the Free Council wasn't for me. I joined for motives I no longer have and so I am adjusting that as well."
She happily pets and loves on the rook as she chats with Psyche. "Look at me, hear my words, Psyche. You stood for what you believe in, I love the idea of you in the council because you dared to challenge a belief and to stand by your own. The council is about that, if an individual will tell you that or not after a fight. I am proud of you for standing up for -your- view. If, or when you talk with him, keep that in mind. You're a strong woman, the ladders will be lucky to have you." She offers a reassuring smile.
She gives a genuine smile. "You have wisdom beyond your age. Thank you Kenzie."
A moment of thought as she sips her coffee.
"I stood up for my view, but have learned I need to expand. My partner came from that side of life, I came from the other. That was...my first time on that side of a protest, and all I could see was pain. I recognize now that it was...pain being shown publicly, not pain gained from the protest."
"I still feel as if the Council is not for me. I am rarely a rule breaker. I enjoy the aspect of the Silver Ladder that deals with bringing up those around me. To take steps along a path that brings everyone up together. I see too much pain in those around me to want to sit idly. Thats is...honestly why I became a PI. Helping those in the worst spots, often missing a loved one, to recover."
She cants her head to the side and smirks a bit. "You don't feel the council is for that? Its why I joined them, because they're the only ones not just trying to raise the mage world, but even the mundane, to bring everything closer, not continue the lie and hide." She shrugs a bit " But I promised no sales pitch, my questioning I assure you is curiosity getting the best of me. I rather enjoy knowing how people think and why they make the choices they do."
She keeps petting Rook happily as she watches Psyche a bit longer "Protests are emotional for sure. All of that pain that has been bottled for years in a lot of cases finally popping like an over shaken champagne bottle. If you're up for it, I'd like to hear your views on what happened that night. If not, lets just eat and talk about how beautiful this fucking dog is."
She frowns. "I feel the Free Council is too loose for me to feel at home. That is why I joined, but do enjoy structure a fair bit. One thing I enjoy is that the consilium is how much it's members work together, regardless of Order, or state of magehood. I am a Sleepwalker, yes, but I am treated often as an equal. Although...I do have moments of wondering if others enjoy Rook's presence more than my own." A small smile as Rook relaxes into the pettings. His eyes partially closed.
"I.... can explain my views, yes. What do you already know of that night?"
"Rook is the sprinkles on the cake" She reassures Psyche. "And yeah, we can be rather loose, it's part of the charm I rather enjoy. Acanthus do not tend to fit in well with boxes and structure. It is though, what you make of it." She holds her smirk. "I know there was a riot, and that you and Charellevele got into it, about what I have no idea, nor the cause of the riot. I'm not much of a radio girl. It seems to be a relic of the past.
Psyche smiles, and Rook does a doggo grin that just screams "yeahhhh, I'm the best boi. Gimme more pattos!"
Psyche sips her caffeine. "I can explain why I joined if that makes things easier. But this is the more pressing matter."
Psyche lifts another sausage telekinetically to give to Rook. "I am a psychic, or telepath. Whichever your preferred terminologies are. I discovered that I could in fact, read the minds of the Mark II's. That lead to theories that they were piloted by human minds. Charleville started the riot to distract the Mark IIs, which gave me an opening to peruse their thoughts as needed. I found a great deal, including 5 warehouses around the city that house the Mark IIs."
A breath. "More damning, I found a connection between the Mark IIs and Marsbase Hermes. It was a fruitful mission....but the original plan was for Charleville to reverse the event afterwards, and keep my own memories. Our arguement afterwards consisted on his insistence that such a riot was bound to happen, and my worry of those we harmed. I hadn't wanted to involve the Sleepers in something they had little clue about, Charleville saw it as a push back against the corrupt cops...which in hindsight, it was. My...largest issue was he tried to pin the responsibility of all those people on me, where it was his powers and his suggestion to reverse it in the first place. I acted that evening with the ideas that all of it would be undone, and then it wasn't. I hope you can see my fresturation."
Her frown deepens as she listens. "Fuck him." --- "Fuck him!" She was mad, she was a very mad, stonned acanthus. "Don't you fucking dare apologize to that child." She hissy fitted in anger. "Those sort of bull shit manipulations are for the other orders, not the council. Fuck him. When you tell someone it will all be undone, then turn around, say fuck you, it was bound to happen anyway, AND in the same fucking breath say it was all on you?! Fuck him!" She slaps the table pretty hard in anger. "That is a bitch move reserved for anyone but the fucking council. What the hell does he think this route accomplishes?! What -insight- do you now have to even remotely sympathize with his side?"
THAT shuts Klaire up, she looks dumbfounded at the outburst of anger. Rook puts his head on Kenzie's lap, quietly saying "look at me! Im here! How can you be upset when I'm here to pet! Im adorable and you know it!"
Psyche takes a minute to compose herself, coughing to clear her throat.
"And...here I was expecting you to side with his decision. Most of the others have agreed that this situation was better than it exploding else where...and that it was bound to happen but this was controlled. I apologize for misreading you that poorly, Kenzie."
She calms herself via Rook petting. She shakes her head a bit, her eyes watering slightly from sadness. "Others agreed? how short sighted. Are people pissed? Yeah, they are. Rightfully so. Would this have happened otherwise? Time is ever changing, the fates as fickle as a leaf in the wind. I can watch tomorrow a thousand times and still be surprised what tomorrow brings. --- Riots are -never- controlled. How fucking short sided. Lets even say it is just, that more lives saved for making this riot happen over one organically--- to say it will be undone, then lie about it, and still pin this all on you is fucked, its toxic, its manipulative, its what a shitty abusive boyfriend does. You dont get to say "This way was safer, but all those people who got hurt, that rests on your shoulders.". No! get fucked." She scoffs in anger, though much more mild this time.
Klaire sits there in shock for a solid minute, but nods.
"I am glad you see my perspective. That was...the straw to break the camels back. Why I left the Council. If they had someone willing to do that elected as Syndic...then I wanted out. I have...no grasp over time. Bones has related my own abilities to Mind and Space, with a slight bit of Life and Forces. Time is...something I struggled to get my head around. That Charleville could just snap his fingers and undo the whole thing. He...gave me the option...to undo everything, held up his hand to snap and do it...I told him to stop putting it on my shoulders and walked off....with a mild outburst that I am learning to control."
A breath to get to her point. "I have let myself be caught up in everyone telling me I was wrong to act that way, that I hadn't recognized how abusive the behavior was. A day or two later, he made a remix of a song, and had it follow me. It made me struggle with my meditation that next morning as I was thinking things through."
"Don't let them gaslight you. What the literal fucking shit. He is -taunting- you now over this even?" Her jaw clenching in anger, nostrils flair. "Lucky for you, love. I am a time master, with a flair for space. Think on what you want to do, Get bones, and I am here for whatever you need."
Psyche takes a deep breath. "Thinking further...he has given me bad vibes since I first met him. He is not someone I appreciate. It's a little late to undo the riots now, things have changed in a positive direction...Ylva is no longer forced to stay in the Hedge. Id rather not risk giving that up."
An offering of a hand. "What I want, is for him to stop judging me. I understand I come from a rich family, and that is something I am working to outgrow...but I do not like him or how he views me. Thank you for helping me set my views. I still believe the Silver Ladder is where I wish to go."
She nods. "Of course." She smiles to her. "So what if you grew up rich? So what if you grew up poor. I don't see how that is relevant on your actions today. You're a PI trying to help people. That has nothing to do with your socioeconomics. You don't even like the fucking guy, to me it sounds like you're doing it the right way. A dude who I don't agree with, who gives me bad vibes, is someone I want to have judge me because that tells me I am on the right fucking path. It tells me I'm not some fucked up creep like them."
Psyche nods, then takes a deep breath. "I...admit this conversation has given me a lot to think about. And has greatly changed my perspective on the situation. I have a tendency to give back more of myself than I should as a penance for my actions. I am highly receptive to how others see me, and wish to change myself for it. That is not always the best of mindsets."
She looks over Kenzie. "If you were in my situation, what would you tell Charleville? Just out of curiosity."
She leans back in her seat to mull it over, her hands never stop petting Rook and playing with his ears. "Proper title bull shit Charlevelle. I, Psyche, proper title bull shit come to you with a clear head on my thoughts of that evening, as an equal under the eyes of the Free Council. While I concede some events worked out in our favor that I would not wished to have been reversed, I can not help but feel betrayed and lied to. I hold elected officials to the highest of standards to keep to their words on what was negotiated prior to the events. While situations change, the fact that you in a single breath said you will not reverse time as promised and demonstrated how easy you can, that it was for the best, then still tried to make me feel the weight of all of this as my sole responsibility is bull shit. our actions and part in this campaign are of your own, every person that had a part, is equally as responsible for their actions. You are in a position of power, to be petty, to try and claim otherwise, is unbecoming, it is disrespectful to the role you are elected in, it is disrespectful to every member of the council, and this society as a whole. This situation isnt an all or nothing, it is not black and white. While good, if not great things came from these events, Your actions towards me is unfair, biased, petty and outright rude. We do not have to agree with one another, or even like one another. But I expect better from someone in your position." --- "Then I would about face and walk the fuck out."
The door to the diner pushes open, and a short, grubby woman in shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops steps inside. She starts to raise her hand towards one of the busboys in greeting while he's refilling napkin dispensers, and maybe she catches a bit of what's being said as she enters. Maybe not. Fox cuts her golden-eyed gaze towards the occupied table and then calls towards the busboy, "Daaaavid, you and I need to talk about hekshers, sir," flashing him a grin full of inhumanly-sharp teeth.
Psyche nods slowly. "I will.... keep that in mind. I try to be respectful, but he does fresturate me...and I do agree it was unfair."
She nods to Fox as she enters, looking to Kenzie to see if she was okay with the other Mage joining. A moment of making a sausage float down to Rook letting the service dog's presence be known.
Her eyes also go to the new entrant, offering a polite smile, though it was clear the high (red eyes and weed smell apparent) acanthus was mad, petting rook who is on her lap. She looks back to Psyche. "I--- I have always been a bit unorthodox. I believe in transparency, people should know more about what is going on, ok yeah, Not everything, but not totally blind. I also feel that someone is only as good as their words. Again, I get situations change, but with transparency and just fucking talking, so much more could just be simply resolved. I don't like petty games and I stand by the Play stupid games, win stupid prizes mantra." She eyes Psyche a bit then back to Fox, then Psyche. "A friend of yours? I don't think I've had the pleasure."
A quiet conversation seems to be happening between the bus boy and the tiny woman - Fox is barely five feet tall - which has the little creature propping her hands on her hips and wrinkling up her forehead. " ...trying to be nice to us... " and "... don't confuse the goyim!" filter out. If she's listening to the other conversation, it's with her second set of ears. Or her second set of thoughts. Who knows?
Psyche nods. "Fox was one of the Mages who convinced me to join the Free Council. That is a...different story if you wish to hear."
A wave to the Orphan. "Do you wish to join us, Fox?"
She laughs softly. "I love story time. I won't say no to that." She looks to Fox again and back to Psyche "She seems to be a vibe, loving the energy---" Speaking her judgmental comments on the little fox. "Shes short too, Love that, I need more my size for when we rebel against you average and tall people. Average-- who wants to be average any way?" She smirks. Any bit of anger she had is fading away.
Psyche nods. "I...do enjoy a shorter woman. It is like a backpack that aggressively cuddles you when you least expect it." A small smile.
"As for why I joined, I spent about a decade on the edges of the supernatural community, in my own corner doing my work. Ylva was...human for most of that. Around 5 months ago she was Taken. She is now one of the Lost. I used my powers to find her and talk to her...and found out a bit too much. My options became join a group for their safety or move. As you could expect for me, I wasn't too happy about the change, so I joined the Free Council as it was the most lenient. Since then...I have become more involved in the community, and my views have changed greatly."
She offers another nod to Psyche as she listened. "The joys of age and experience. Shit we thought yesterday isn't always what we want for tomorrow." She whistles over to fox. "When you're done unleashing your beautiful sassy self, we got some room over here." (All good! Hope you're cozy) (edited)
They talk to the busboy a little longer -- and it's sure a Conversation, from the expression on their face and the way David reacts -- and end it by saying, "Well, tell whoever's on that I want my usual, and to put it on Zoya's tab." Beat. "As usual." Her smile is a sharp thing, his ratty tee with its worn-out C-VILLE 2020 logo on it tugged absently. "Hey, Klaire, how's it?" Fox volunteers, and she flip-flop over towards the table, one dark eyebrow curving up in amusement at the address that it's given by Kenzie. "'zat so?"
"Indeed. I have improved faster within the community in the past few months than I have in the past several years. Funny how that works."
A nod to Fox, eyes straying to the logo. "I am okay. It has been a rough month, but Ylva is finally off of a public watchlist. That has made my life significantly easier and happier."
She looks around teasingly at the free seating at the small booth and nods. "I'm pretty sure, Im pretty high but it looks like you'd fit." She holds a soft lazy smirk, her hands never stop petting Rooks head and ears.
"Yeah, I saw that," agrees Fox, flashing another one of those sharp little grins. "Saw you and C-ville and Ethos on the news. Was damn shocked I didn't see Ethos' squeeze there, but, you know." A flip of her hand, and she reaches down to pet Rook's ears, offering a little rumble of greeting since being petted = clearly off-duty. Hey buddy is the closest translation, the Orphan easily speaking canine without any Supernal tricks tripping up peripheral Mage Sight. "Good for Ylva, good for you." Her golden-eyed gaze fixes on Kenzie, then, and she greets, "You can call me Fox. What can I call you?"
Rook of course ADORES the pets, and is very much off duty. He remembers Fox, and the peanut butter cookies!
Klaire frowns at the mention of C-ville. "It was...quite the riot. What exactly have you heard?"
A nod about Ylva, but no comment. (edited)
"Kenzie works, full names are reserved for when I'm in trouble, so I dont share that." She teases happily. "Or Officially in our circle, Aperture, though Kenzie works best." She didn't mind sharing rook, and making verbal space for Fox and Psyche to chat about the Riot.
"Yeah, you have to be at least a level nine friend to unlock the Hidden Names," offers the Orphan. She makes a dismissive gesture with her left hand: the steel ring on that hand doesn't catch the light, but the silver, gold and copper detailing on it does, at least a little. "Revontulet," seems to be the full response about official names.
It settled on the edge of one of the booth seats when Daniel brought over a big carafe of coffee and a little pitcher of half-and-half, snatching a coffee mug up and making up their coffee with no sugar and tons of cream. "Well, nothing yet but what was on the news, really, I've been super busy with a bunch of other shit so I haven't really been able to get over and gossip with either one of Balm's boys yet. I heard Zee went over and talked with a bunch of people about a development in the ongoing... uh... Big Shenanigans, and of course I saw the Syndic's posting, since the Children caucus with the Council and until recently my wife was a Citizen Agent." She takes a sip of her coffee.
"Why, what should I have heard?" The usual smells of the diner get an overlay of something that smells almost like bacon.
"The news tells a fair bit. I have a fair bit of information, including the locations of 5 Mark II warehouses, and confirmation of some connection to Marsbase Hermes. I know Bones relayed that information recently."
A deep breath. "As well as I am no longer caucusing with the Free Council. I'm currently talking with Sirius about that. In case you were wondering, I do still remember our conversations from the first time I was without a group." She lets another sausage float so Rook can snack.
The portal spits out a rangy tall Ukrainian woman in a thermal hoodie worn over overalls, a thermal undershirt, and a garish red and green flannel. Her long, wild hair is braided and those braids are braided besides. She has a ridiculous pink and clear plastic backpack with a little canopy hood, out of which a little furry dog's head is poking, one turned down ear and two bright little eyes peering out over her shoulder. That's cute. The fact she's carrying a tiny scraggly feathered baby chicken in her hands is likewise unusual, but there you go.
She carries the bird to the counter and sets it down gently. It wobbles on its feet and promptly falls over into a saucer bowl. "Hello. Waffle and coffee, please. Eh. Let's. Skip the eggs today." The chicken has figured out sitting up again, though it's tweeting angrily for having been set down. A few finger pets take care of that, though. She offers a little wave aside to Kenzie and Klaire and Fox. The dog in her backpack sticks out his little pink tongue to smile at the new humans.
She spots the puppy. Eyes wide with a desire to go pet, but she refused to abandon Rook, despite how uncomfortable she was with Fox and Psyche's chat. She waves back though with a friendly and welcoming smile, then the hand went right back to Rook loving.
"Yeah, I figured that Marbase Hermes was connected, given the givens, but it's good to have confirmation from secondary sources." Fox does not explain, at the moment, what the 'givens' are. "The warehouse information is really good -- if they've started advertising the Mark IIIs, I ... kind of have to wonder what they're gonna do with the IIs." A little shake of her head, then, and she gives Klaire a long, considering look at the last bit. "Yeah?" She sets her coffee mug down on the table thoughtfully.
"Hunh." Fox might have been about to say something else, but then... well. If Klaire hadn't already connected the woman in question with the man she used to be, the way that Fox literally leaps out of her seat, flinging herself bodily at Lesja, is probably a Clue. There aren't many people who -- okay, that's a lie. Fox flings herself at a lot of people in joyous greeting. But the squeaked, "My Heart!" is probably a clue. And now is the time on Sprockets when Fox hangs on Lesja like a limpet.
"Hi."
Rook's eyes went immedietly to the small dog, tail wagging in excitement at the prospect of FRIENDDD. He could, however, feel the uncomfy within Kenzie, and moves to sniff her hand and DEMAND pets to be a happy.
Klaire waves to the woman, not recognizing her. She knows Fox is...very loving with multiple people, so doesn't try to create connections just yet. She made too many of those assumptions recently. She could just ask after all.
"Indeed. I am worried about the plans they have as well. I am wary about pressing too far after the riot. I can only dig so deep."
A nod to the Ukrainian woman. "Hello there."
She was happy to get more Rook attention. She smiles to Psyche as Fox went to the new woman to the room. "You did great, you got a lot of good stuff to help. Take your break. If you don't when we really need you, you'll be tired and over worked."
"That's good advice. You have to breathe in to exhale," Lesja offers like someone who is part of a conversation she absolutely is not a part of. She slips an arm around Fox's shoulders and presses a kiss into her temple noisily. Mmmmmwah! "Hello, Fox. Can you get Pupyat out, I think the other dog is about to catch on fire." She turns her back to show the backpack to Fox. She's plucked the chicken back up again, however. That quieted the tweeting, at least.
"Plans? Riots?" She starts pouring creamer and sugar into her coffee like a heathen. "Hello!" Another wave for Klaire. "I am presently holding one of the world's most well traveled chickens. Isn't that an interesting thought to consider?" She holds up the scraggly feathered creature with its bulbous eyes and ridiculously overlarge beak relative to the size of its head. (edited)
Kiss kiss kiss KISS! This is the way of a Fox when presented with the, uh, presence of the love of their life. Her grin is big and beaming, which is either more or less adorable given his vulpine teeth, depending on your feelings about monster girls, or monster creatures of fluid and indeterminate gender. She peppers Lesja's face with smooches, ending with a noisy smack on the cheek, and then consents to remove the puppy from the backpack, hanging on to the Acanthus with their thighs. Again, hot or scary, depending on perspective. "Yes, I will transport the baby," she agrees, tenderly gnawing on Lesja's shoulder before hopping down. "Klaire, you know Lesja. Kenzie, this is Oleksandra Vasylovna Tometchko, also known as Lesja, Oleskja, whatever. Official Name C4, formerly Pavlichenko." Her flip-flop shod feet make an awful lot of noise as it circles the table to crouch by Rook. "I don't know who Kenzie hangs with, she hasn't told me yet. Also, she's stoned."
A low rumble in the back of her throat, again: Rook, it is Pupyat. Be gentle with the baby. And then the puppy is set down on the diner floor.
Rook looks to Kenzie for a second, before trodding off to sniff at Pupyat. The message is clear to Fox, and the others can likely get some clue. "How did you get so tiny? You are very smol."
There's a look of understanding on Psyche's face. "Ah, hello Lesja. I hope that was pronounced well. I don't believe I have seen you since you have changed your name, it is wonderful to see you again. It is indeed an interesting prospect to meet a chicken so well traveled. I am...not one for travel myself."
"I'm not that stoned!" She protested in a soft huff. "I just wanted to work up an apatite to actually eat something, mommy issues causing other issues and anxiety yadda yadda." She wasnt insulted, offering a smile. "Pleasure to meet you, and the worlds most traveled chicken. Also, Rook, that is an adorable friend you should totally play with." Giving one last pat. "Im a member of the Free Council. I'm not one for titles and all that jazz. But I can pretend for a second if you -really- want it."
"Sandra works in a pinch," Lesja allows with an easy shrug, waiting for her waffle to finish browning. "Mm! Welcome. I'm in the Assembly myself, though I lean now more towards the Children than the Council per se. Good to meet you!"
Pupyat, being a stompy little puppy, bounds over to Rook and immediately begins attempting to get him to play by yipping and play bowing and rolling over onto his side and back at the least provocation. He's a sweet little pup and mostly wants to play, play play! He's also a little scrapper, so when he gets close enough to grab onto Rook's collar, he starts giving little tugs, and little play growls. I got you, big dog!
"Titles and Jazz help a little. But, yeah. Generally I agree." Her waffle is slid before her, and she beams her gratitude before adding some delicious, delicious diner syrup over the top. "I like being stoned. It can be good fun. I am, regrettably, entirely sober at the moment." Just covered in farm animals, apparently.
"But, yes. It's an easy name. Lay. Zhuh. Lesja. Oleksja. Olek. Zhuh. Oleksja. Oleksandra. Never just Olek, though, please." She licks off her thumb of some excess syrup, then asks Fox, "Where shall we sit, miss chief?"
"I think they wanted us to sit with them," Fox offers, "But you can pick, love of my life and light of my heart." She watches the puppy dive in at Rook, and tells the bigger dog, I can take him if he starts to annoy you. It allows Lesja to carry on the conversation while they supervise the puppy for the time being, but then Daniel the Busboy, appearing properly chastened after Fox chewed off his ear (figuratively!), brings over her plate of tiramisu waffles and extremely crunchy lamb bacon, so Fox slides back into the booth, all the better to eat it.
Cromch.
Rook looks entirely confused how to handle this smol. He settles on bumping the little dude with his snoot, a confused but patient look at the collar bites. A look to Fox. "He is smol and I dont want to hurt him. How is he so smol?"
"If you are to get stoned, I would like to not be offered please. That is something I wish to stay away from."
A nod to Lesja, "Lay-Zhuh. Please correct me if I mispronounce it. And what pronouns are we using now? And yes, you are both welcome. We have been having...interesting conversations."
She sighs as the title was requested. The slightly taller by an inch acanthus stands up on the booth, clears her throat and "Master Aperture, Libertine and Enchanter on the Path to Arcadia, Supernal Realm of Fate and Time, and abode of Fae, Host of the Council of Free Assemblies , Master of Time, Adept of Fate." She offers a soft snore as if she fell asleep while giving her own title, then a bow, and plops her ass back into the booth. "But please, Just--- Kenzie works." -- She looks to the other two offering a small smile "I love how adorable you both are. Totally jealous of the vibe."
"Oh. Are we-- oh." Lesja looks vaguely embarrassed when Kenzie does the whole thing. She wears the kind of expression Kenzie probably is reciting the whole thing. "Yeah, I was just-- I was just saying sometimes they're useful." She puts her chicken into the crook of her arm, grabs her waffles, and gives the side of Fox's neck a nip before heading on over to Klaire and Kenzie's table.
She doesn't ask to join, she just acts on the information Fox gave her. Which is that they want company. She sets down her waffles and coffee, then untucks the chicken, offering it over to Kenzie with a nod. "I haven't named her yet. Her mom had a large clutch. Some times the eggs on the outside don't thrive as well. It's been touch and go for this little one for a few days, but she's much better now. Aren't you." The chicken is attempting to bite at her waffle, but she doesn't mind.
"You could name her!"
Pupyat, meanwhile, has figured out if he braces his forepaws against Rook's side, he can get a real good grip on that collar. Shake shake shake, little growls. Shake shake shake. Oh, I'm showing you, mister big dog!
He's just a baby, Rook. Just play gentle and he'll be fine. I won't let you really hurt him. Just take your paw and put it on him for a minute. He needs to learn he isn't the biggest dog. Fox rumbles, a low and extended vocalization in the back of her throat, in between crunching on her lamb bacon. Something -- whether it's the title or the mock-snoring -- has the grimy little creature raising an eyebrow and making a soft 'huh' sound in the back of its throat.
She absently scratches at her cheek, picking up her fork to cut off a chunk of her tiramisu waffles. "I'm glad that she's doing well, ridiculous as she is." Says the regent of ridiculousness and shenanigans. "You seem to have something you want to talk about, still, Klaire, so let's have it."
Rook is VERY confused and sits down while watching Klaire and Fox. Obviously not hurt, but is just super super confused at the whole situation. At Fox's suggestion, Rook does just that, putting a paw on the smaller dog like he was concerned he would squish the tiny thing.
"I do agree; you both are quite adorable together. It is refreshing to see." A breath. "The short and simple of what I want to say is hard when you are wearing such a shirt, Fox. Charleville is...not my favorite person at the moment, and Kenzie was helping talk me through the situation. I still need to talk to him at some point, but having such a thing hanging over me is quite stressful." Those far enough in Mind could see a connection form between herself and Rook. A mind link to check on her pup. (edited)
She blushes in embarrassment as she miss judged the request. She did take the chicken though. Her eyes lit up. "me? I get to name her?!" She was like a child who just got a puppy on Christmas morning. "Get this chicken a vest and call her Hen-Solo! --- Oooh, what about Lady Cluck Cluck? Im trying to avoid food names like Bennie, or Drum Stick--- thats just cruel." She chews her lower lip a bit petting the chicken. (edited)
"Lady Cluck Cluck," Lesja considers with the sort of grave slavic accent that makes the phrase 'Lady Cluck Cluck' absolutely fucking hilarious. The chicken gets its beak on the waffle and nearly pulls it off the damn plate, trying to tear off the bite. Chickens are ornery when they're hungry. The clatter of fork and knife that creates just has her lifting the chicken a little higher. "Would you mind holding Lady Cluck Cluck while I try to eat a meal? Otherwise I am putting her in the time pocket for time out."
She's speaking to another Acanthus. She'll know about shoving chickens into time pockets, like you do.
"I can do the whole title thing, too, if you want. But I'm an Acanthus like you. Emissary of the Worldspark in the Free Peoples. A Tear of the Martyr, too. Which you might not know much about. Which is one reason titles are sort of silly to me. I give mine and most people who don't already know me stare at me funny."
She glances between Klaire and Fox at the discussion of Charleville, knowing enough to know she knows not enough to comment.
"Ah, well, after, what, almost fifteen years, we're either going to be adorable or eating each other's brains, and I'm glad it's one and not the other." The look that Fox gives Lesja across the table is downright schmoopy, but like, dang, have you seen the Ukranian? Dangggg. It glances sidelong at the chicken, offering, "I could just bare my teeth." Because Fox. But she doesn't do that.
Ignoring the back and forth about titles, Fox turns her attention to Klaire, fixing her with a solid look that doesn't waver. "If you would prefer for us to leave so you can finish talking about it, that's fine, just say so. I'm not good with indirect requests." She picks up a piece of lamb bacon and crunches. "I'm a Fate Adept, of course I'm wearing the most difficult t-shirt I own. Fate laughs at her bitches." Cromch. "Anyway, Charleville is one of Balm's kids, and I love him, but he ain't nohow perfect, as he himself would say."
Klaire smiles at the decision of the chicken's name, but turns to Fox.
"I am fine with you both staying. I understand you wear whatever you wish, just as I do. It was just...the worst shirt for this particular conversation. Just happenstance."
A deep breath. "He tried to force a decision onto me, one that was originally his idea. It put me in an awful position and I walked off afterwards...after an accidental flare of my abilities that I was unaware I was capable of."
A frown. "I cracked the concrete and bent the metal around me. Im still working on moving objects heavier than myself, much less that. As far as I can tell, my emotions can trigger it." (edited)
She nods happily taking the chicken. "No needs, and totally fair. Honestly, my disdain for titles stems from my memory. By the time the title ends, I forgot your fucking name!" She laughs and shakes her head. "I have heard a bit about it as I've been sneaking around the last week or two now, though it does have my interest to learn more."
She offers Psyche a soft smile of support. It wasn't Kenzies place, or battle to fight.
Now that Pupyat has a bigger dog squishing him to the ground, he's actually a much happier little puppier, paradoxically. He squirms a bit, sure, but it's mostly to roll over onto his back and get at Rook's muzzle for kisses and nips. His little yips and yelps are playful and sharp and high pitched, and whenver Rook starts to lose interest, Pupyat will pounce right back at his jowels and bap bap his muzzle with his forepaws until he gets knocked over again and his tummy gets nuzzled. Over and over. This is the best game.
Sans chicken, Lesja turns to address her waffle. A quick orthodox crossing is done, and she's digging in with form and knife, and an abundant amount of plate and silverware noises. She eats like a farmworker whose hands have been full with a chicken for the past few hours. She saws off a piece, eats it, saws off another, eats it. Just putting the food away like it's a job. Her eyes track between Fox and Klaire, while a big gulp of coffee ensures she's not saying shit.
She finally does open her mouth as though to speak, then just puts in more waffle instead, shaking her head. Nah. She looks aside at Kenzie and points at her waffle with her fork while chewing, as though to commend the waffle to Kenzie as being a good waffle. (edited)
"Fate makes us all her bitches, and only more loudly for those of us who tamper with her," the Orphan answers back at first, leaning back in the booth in between bites of waffle. She looks across the table at Klaire with a thoughtful expression. "Hunh."
"Well, it's good to know new things about yourself, I guess." She reaches for her coffee, curling her fingers around the mug and allowing her fingers to leach warmth from the ceramic. "Can you explain? Or maybe I can just -- take a look. If you don't mind me reviewing your timeline." A little gesture with one hand towards the surroundings, as if to say 'I need your explicit consent in here.'
Once Rook sae how happy the tiny pup was, he got way more confident, gladly playing with the smol. Trying to remain close enough to Klaire should she need him, but largely focusing on Pupyat.
Klaire noticed the zealous eating, and offers her untouched waffles to the hungry Acanthus, she wasn't quite in the mood to eat. She had mainly ordered for Rook.
"You may do...whatever it is you wish to do if it gives you the best idea. The original plan for the riots was that Charleville would undo the whole thing after. When the riot was slowing down, he had a change of heart and saw the riots as a good thing, and that it would just happen eventually. He tried to pin the moral weight of him using his abilities on me." (edited)
She grins and nods at the waffle. "I know life magic and this place will still give me diabetes!" She exclaims with a cute little giggle. She dances in her seat as sh plays with the chicken, seeing if she can make it twirl on her lap, or lead it in any way.
She looks between Psyche and Fox as they chat about the Riots again. She pats Psyches hand knowing it isnt an easy story to tell, especially over and over.
Lesja smiles appreciatively at the offering of additional food. She eschews as much of the carbs as she can the second time around, but the protein is disappearing off of Klaire's plate at that same army messhall rate of consumption. The coffee is gone by the second gulp, and she's refilling it without any evidenced bashfulness at all. You can eat dainty when you own a farm.
She does spend a lot of time squinting and staring off at nothing in thought while packing away the calories, though. "I'm not going to offer to look at anyone's timelines. I'll just eavesdrop on Fox's brain." Which, it seems, is what she's doing while staring off at nothing and eating bacon.
Baby chickens, when they are warm, will voluntarily become small balls of feathers with a little beak pointing out of the top. Once the chick is comfortably cradled in Kenzie's hands, that's just what it does. Its little eyes shut, and its beak points upwards, at rest. Like the stupid, stupid chicken it is.
"Hmm." She doesn't comment further on the matter of the interpersonal conflict, but she does wrinkle up her forehead at Kenzie. "Type 2 diabetes doesn't work like that. That's a fatphobic myth. Current best theories point to an autoimmune disorder similar to Type 1, but we don't really know for sure." Moving right along, Fox's left hand rises, and she draws a symbol in the air with her left hand which looks a little bit like a fancy backwards N, her eyes going distant and unfocused. The light might catch that ring again. Her Nimbus flares -- his uplifting Nimbus edifies and aids the healer's hands. Their immediate nimbus is the smell of fresh-cut grass and petrichor, lending the same feeling that a person gets when they stare into the eyes of a faithful companion canid -- which likely isn't visible to anyone at the moment, given no one's said they have Active Mage Sight up.
Please pardon her while she flips back and forth, scanning through timelines like she's flipping through pages in an invisible book.
Psyche stares at Fox, then breaks eye contact.
"Watching a mage do spells is always an.. experience. Does it ever get easier, or less impressive?"
"I'm just going to uh, sit here and let you all do what you do." at the mention of brain leeching and time lines. She coooos way too hard at the cute dumb chicken, just holding it so it can sleep. She didn't dare move. Eyes glued on its dumb stupid cuteness.
"Huh" She offers fox. "More sugar for me, what evs." she said even if Fox was in other time lines watching movies.
"No, a good spell caster is always sexy to watch when they cast." She smirked to Psyche, still careful to not move the sleeping chick.
It is fairly obvious from a few seconds in that Fox's jaw starts to tighten, and it loosens here and there, relaxing now and again, but it's obvious that a) Fox is a shitty liar who is bad at concealing her feelings, and b) she's trying to hide her reactions now and c) she is not thrilled with some or all of what she's seeing. Just not happy.
She finishes up after a few minutes of just... looking off at nothing, and turns her attention to Klaire once more. "So you are under the impression that the agreement was that the entire thing would be rolled back, and that you and Charleville agreed to that 100%?" Fox picks up her last piece of bacon and bites into it; she likes her bacon cooked to the point that it shatters into shards.
Klaire stares back at Fox. It was her job to read people. And... well... Fox wasn't great at hiding it.
"If you mean some kind of formal oath, no. I was told the plan was that Charleville would create some sort of crowd to distract the Mark IIs, I'd gather information, and then it would be reset. That way no one would have to get hurt for this."
Fox turns her hand in the air, forming the Yantra with almost a casual gesture; it's practiced and perfect. She doesn't say anything out loud, she just plays:
Klaire's voice: "Would we be able to protect people if things go poorly is my issue."
Mary One's voice: "As long as there's no one there to counterspell the Acanthus about thirty times in a row, we can simply undo all that was done if we need to. It's not an elegant solution, but it works."
Fox gestures backwards, and then forward again.
"... if things go poorly."
"... if we need to."
"... if we need to."
Fox slowly blinks. "Would you like to revise your answer?"
Klaire is in fact a private investigator, so needs to figure out the little details, and thinks for a moment. "I didn't hear Charleville speak there. Would you mind rewinding to his statement of the plan so I may rehear it? I want to know that I am remembering his statement correctly."
Although some at the table may not be able to follow, Lesja leans over towards the counter to snatch one of the little flavor spirits that hang out around the counter back there. She looks it over for a few moments, then gently paddles it over her coffee until it spits out some essence over her cup. Pleased, she gifts it a little back in payment, then sets the bemused spirit back on the counter, mildly indignant.
She just stirs her cup like that's very normal and has a sip, apparently approving of the enhancement to the cup. She offers it over to Kenzie, the cup that is, to see if she's like to try some spirit belch Arabica. "It's good. You can barely taste the resonance."
--- She looks at the cup curious. She was always curious, and the light show was fucking intense so she elected to stay way the fuck away from that one for now. Not her fight until she was asked. She carefully frees a hand to grab the cup to try a sip.
"Thank you, whats in this?" (Darn enter key.) Whatever it was, she seemed to enjoy it.
"Yes," agrees Fox, nodding once.
Now Charleville's voice: "Maybe what we can do is go out in a crowd together. I put on a street show, Marks will come running. Especially with what I've been spitting lately. I draw 'em in, you read their minds, I rewind time, concert never happened, marks never came, we compare notes. We'll want some muscle standing by just in case this become more than we think it'll be, but we do this right you get a name and I get to spend a day playing to a crowd and call it working."
Fox points out mildly, "This is well before you asked if you could protect people if things go poorly. Why would you need to protect people if the events weren't going to remain?" She props her chin on her hand. "It would appear to me as though the assumption was that you discarded that part of the suggestion from the beginning. It could have all just been a misunderstanding." The feral little woman tips her head back and forth. "Could have been."
Klaire frowns, thinking that tidbit over and over in her head. "Perhaps...I admit Time magic is not something I can fit my head around. I am planning on talking to Charleville about this anyway. If it was a misunderstanding...we will talk it out. That was not what I saw the plan as going into the situation, and so acted with that in mind."
Kenzie is only half paying attention to Fox and Kenzie, Her focus is on the chicken and the offered drink.
"Lemme ask you." Here, Fox stops for a minute, and she sits back in her seat in the booth, apparently trying to think her way through how to ask the thing she wants to ask. She gives Lesja a look aside, one of those Married Looks that would say a million things if it weren't for the fact that, like, Oleksandra already said they were telepathically communicating. "Why do you think that Charleville and you have ... interacted the way you do? Why do you think that he doesn't ... care for you much right now?"
Klaire frowns. "Because he sees me as a pretentious white bitch who came from a rich family and I grew up sheltered. He does not see me as the Sleepwalker that survived a decade among the things that go bump in the night without help, or the PI that spends her days searching for lost family members or other loved ones. He sees me as entitled because I could see every emotion on the protester's faces, and felt every ounce of pain reflected in their faces."
She was seething, but her voice was level. "I see him as someone who is willing to use others to get what he wants. And then throw a tantrum when someone throws hard decisions at him." She sighs. "I am aware he is your friend, but he is not mine."
The Thyrsus frowns, and it looks up at the ceiling. "Hmm." She clicks her tongue against the roof of their mouth thoughtfully. "He sees you as entitled because you could see their emotions?" Fox sucks her sharp little teeth, tops up her coffee, adds a little more cream. "Oh, he doesn't have to be your friend. I don't care if he's your friend or not."
"And ... do you think he just... doesn't like rich people, that's the root issue, or people who grew up sheltered?" Another sip of coffee.
"It's Maddy's special of the day. With a little bit of Flavor influence from a cooperative spirit over there." She waves to the little guy sitting on the counter, looking both delicious and vaguely annoyed.
"Turns out when you get on decent with spirits you don't really need all that much to get by. Like a better cup of coffee. Or at least a different cup of coffee. Because if you've got the Exorcist Eye, you know, you get that-- the aftertaste? Do you get that?" She gestures at her throat vaguely, very clearly trying to stay out of the matter of Charleville and all.
She now pays closer attention. Though silent, she was more intent to listen.
"If he has a problem with all rich people, then he is pushing that view on me. I have tried hard to help as many people as possible, but if he refuses to see me in any other light, then that is on him."
She sips her coffee. "I have tried to help, and make myself accessible. I am not someone who throws myself at a police line like he wants. Im someone who sits there and finds those that are struggling, and try to help them."
"That's not what I said. I asked if you think that's what the problem is. That you think that's the problem." Fox pushes back, standing up and stretching her arms up over her head. "Because here's what I see."
"I see that Parhelion was a Sleepwalker who was on her own for a very long time, a Private Investigator who looked at the worst of humanity, the worst cases, helped find bodies, dealt with it all on her own. Charleville valued her, and values her now. They've always gotten on." Now Fox is standing next to the table, counting things off on her grubby, calloused fingers. "I see that Pheme is possibly the whitest, most sheltered rich bitch I have ever known -- and a Guardian, too -- and she gets on with Charleville real great. Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya's the richest bitch in the Consilium or the Assembly, I'd put money on it. You've seen where I live, Psyche. She literally has Oligarch money. Her daddy used to arrange her dates for her. I mean, for fuck's sake. We own a motherfucking yacht. But she gets along with Charleville."
She pats her chest. "And me? I'm a fucking Gratz." Anyone who's lived in Philly for a while has seen the name Gratz all over everything. They've donated so much money to so many things. "One side of my family was one of the first Sephardic Jewish families in Philadelphia. We've been here for four hundred years. And Charlie and me? We've cried over the same person together. My ... mother, in all ways but birth. His Nana."
And then she starts to laugh as she counts off on her fingers. "For that matter, you're assuming Charleville himself isn't rich." Her laughter breaks open like an egg, scattering across Maddy's. "He's a fucking rap star. He's an Acanthus. If he wants money, he gets money."
"I watched the whole thing. From beginning to end. And I saw you walk in with a bunch of assumptions and baggage and dump it all over his table, in his house, and then make him getting upset when you were kind of a fucking asshole to him in his home, in which you were a guest, into his problem. And then you did it again, and again, and again."
"Who do you think all of those people showed up to see, Psyche? It wasn't you. All of those people whose pain you registered, whose faces you saw, how many of their names do you know? Do you know where they live? Do you know who their people are? Have you been to their barbecues? Have you played shitty little basement shows for their birthdays while you were coming up?" Fox's jaw sets, now. "I'm gonna guess the answer to that is no. But you assume that he is using those people, his friends, his people, and then you sit around in public airing that to the new people in his Order, after assuming that he doesn't know the people at that protest, that he doesn't know that they hurt."
"Maybe the two of you can't be friends. Fine. Maybe the two of you can't work together. Fine. But it's pretty fucking bullshit for you to think that you're an innocent party here. You're not. You fucked up in some pretty stereotypical ways that mmmmmaybe Charlie has been on the receiving end of before, and mmmmaybe when he invites somebody into his home and they kick him in the dick with those stereotypical things, he doesn't care for it much."
She rolls her shoulders, sharp little teeth bared briefly. "They offered to let you do your work through a scrying window so you didn't have to even be there at all. It's not about throwing yourself at a police line. Jesus. You have got this shit so twisted to make yourself into a victim that you're sniffing your own stomach from the wrong end." (edited)
She chuckles softly to Emet and gives a slight nod. "Its there, very --- interesting. I don't hate it, though it might be an acquired taste?"
Her focus went back to Psyche and Fox. She chews her lower lip a bit as the slew of grievances hung in the air. She sat in her own silence for some time. She looked Psyche over, back to Fox and their partner. "Lady cluck cluck is adorable. --- " Handing the little chicken back to Lesja. "I should go clear my head for a bit" She offered as she as silently as she could slip from the booth to snag her back and coat.
She looks to Psyche, offering a small smile, She didn't hate the girl, that much was clear, but Kenzie was reminded every coin has two sides. "It was a pleasure meeting you both. I do humbly apologize for any wrong doings on my end or not collecting more information before getting myself worked up." She looks to Psyche again as if she were to speak. But she doesn't. She gives an awkward smile and makes her way out. (Time for me to start packing up to head home from "work" Thanks for the RP! Had an awkward great time!)
She chuckles softly to Emet and gives a slight nod. "Its there, very --- interesting. I don't hate it, though it might be an acquired taste?" Her focus went back to Psyche and Fox. She chews her lower lip a bit as the slew of grievances hung in the air. She sat in her own silence for some time. She looked Psyche over, back to Fox and their partner. "Lady cluck cluck is adorable. --- " Handing the little chicken back to Lesja. "I should go clear my head for a bit" She offered as she as silently as she could slip from the booth to snag her back and coat. She looks to Psyche, offering a small smile, She didn't hate the girl, that much was clear, but Kenzie was reminded every coin has two sides. "It was a pleasure meeting you both. I do humbly apologize for any wrong doings on my end or not collecting more information before getting myself worked up." She looks to Psyche again as if she were to speak. But she doesn't. She gives an awkward smile and makes her way out. (Time for me to start packing up to head home from "work" Thanks for the RP! Had an awkward great time!)
When it becomes clear her efforts to entertain and distract the other Acanthus are, in fact, counterproductive? She stops trying to do so. Her attention turns back to the conversation at hand, and she puts her cheek onto her palm. There is a long, slow, deep breath in during which the Ukrainian holds said breath. Then a long, slow exhale during which the Ukrainian's eyes briefly appeal towards heaven. Then they focus back on the conversation with a little scrunchie nose twitch.
She slowly, tentatively raises a hand. Then she asks, "Apart from this, what have you done for the people that were arrested at the protest? Have you contributed to the Bail Fund? You're a PI, yes? Have you offered to look into the files of any of the arresting officers? Were their cameras running? If you can get answers to those questions, you could pass them along to Okorafor and Kan. They have sneaky ways of getting facts introduced into evidence."
And then Lesja gingerly lifts up the chicken and scoots out of the booth to let Kenzie make her exit. "Thank you for naming my chicken. It was nice... uh. Eating next to you." She nods gravely while her chicken clucks and looks about, annoyed to be awake.
Klaire stays eerily still for a long moment, fuming, angry at all the little details, but secretly knowing they were right. It wasn't about being wrong, it was about being accused.
"When I meet with Charleville, I'm donating to the Bail Fund. I should get back to work, I have a meeting this afternoon with a client." A message went from her to Rook, and the dog comes over. She kneels down to put on the vest.
She turns to start grabbing her stuff, before turning back. "Thank you for your insight, I will talk to Charleville." She's deadpan, and shaking quietly, waiting for any parting responses.
"Good," says Fox, pushing her stringy hair back over her shoulders. Her keen golden eyes watch the Sleepwalker, and she tips her chin towards Kenzie in goodbye. "We're good, Kenzie. Thanks for naming the chicken."
Her attention turns back to Klaire, then. "Good," she repeats. "Good luck with that." Her tone carries sincerity with it; Fox seems to really mean it. She climbs into the side of the booth where Lesja is after scooping up Pupyat so he doesn't try to follow his New Best Friend out the door, and buries her nose into the Acanthus' shoulder, all of her anger spent.
Her hand slowly creeps back down again. Which is when Lady Cluck Cluck decides to see if it's coming with food and snaps Lesja's finger with its beak and begins flapping its wings intently. "Let... will you let... go." She pulls her finger free with a shake of the head and admits, "I should go feed the little one, anyway."
She then looks down at Fox and holds up the chicken towards her. "Cluck cluck aa aa aaaa." To the tune of Lady Gaga's banger. It's funnier because of the accent.
"Take me home," Fox mumbles into Lesja's shoulder, and she shoots a look over her own shoulder a moment later, mumbling, "... fit right in with the fucking Silver Ladder." But then Lesja starts making the chicken sing Lady Gaga, and she starts giggling helplessly, the tension leaking out of her like a balloon with a pinprick in it.
For a moment, there is a vast fallow wheatfield overlaying the diner, and then it slides away at the speed of thought, carrying Fox, Lesja, and her animals along with it. (edited)
|