Stormrunners [IC]

[PepperP.]

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"Oh! I-I-I wasn't trying to brag. I was just..." trying to justify my inclusion on a team of what are apparently hardened ne'er-do-wells "...trying to be helpful! And of course you can have a light. Cinnamon, socialize!" At what was apparently a voice command, one of the homunculus's arms flipped open to expose a heated surface, similar to the lighter found in higher end air cars. The tiny floating construct extended that arm to the tip of Lavender's cigarette.

"The baseball player?!" Rachel gasped, but then checked herself. "No, that's Jack Berrystein. Why did I even...? Sorry, it's a pleasure to meet you both."

"Thank you! I'm Rachel Blackwood, daughter of the late Earl Blackwood, alchemist and artificer, at your service."

"Thank you for the light." Lavender squinted at Rachel through the smoke as she tried to get a read on the woman and mostly failed.

"An artificer, how fascinating. If your little friend here is any indication, I'm sure you'll prove to be quite helpful." Lavender found herself trying to boost Rachel's confidence, to her own amusement.

"If it's any consolation, I think he'd make a fine baseball player." Dimples appeared in her cheeks as she gave Rachel a playful smile before her attention turned to the others who began to introduce themselves. Some names she recognized and some she didn't. She nodded at Abigail as the woman introduced herself.

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After the meeting in the Lobby

Noticing this is the time for introduction, Giovani briefly but garishly bowed to his compatriots. His back only protesting a little from the swiftness of the motion.

"Ah yes, I am Professor Giovani Zapata IV, and the manikin to my left is y loyal butler Felix, yes he will be coming along, no this isn't negotiable. I specialize in the Anima school of magic, but I'm proficient in most schools."

Taking out a cigar and pointing it at Rachel

" I generally try to avoid direct violence with my gifts, not because I won't light up una cagna, but because it's incredibly gauche. No offense to any of you obviously."

Giovanni added motioning to his butler. "My partner Felix is good at dancing, violin playing, mixing drinks, and carrying luggage. Truly truly a modern skillset for a modern age."

"No offense taken." Lavender replied with a tight smile, obviously offended.

"Interesting you imbued your butler with such a modern skillset since your own views are so... old fashioned. Did you inherit him?" She blinked innocently at the verbose man and favored him with a sweet smile.

40th and Spencer

"Zeb, wasn't it?" Lavender addressed the man who looked a bit different than the first time they'd met earlier today.

"You mentioned disguising ourselves?" She put a finger to her cheek as if contemplating the idea.

"Black as Midnight." She muttered beneath her breath and her cloak billowed out behind her and darkened to black in a wave of color. Lavender looked pleased and then touched her finger to her hair, which turned a light shade of pink.

"There, how's that? Nobody would ever expect somebody with pink hair to be named Lavender!" She threw her head back and laughed heartily at herself.

The Apartment

Crouching down to the shadows beneath his bed, Constantine retrieved the lacquered red case of Silence, pulling an oiled silk bowstring from its coil and slowly testing the bow's pull. It never disappointed him. The deep, lethal vibration of an experimental release was soon echoing through the enclosed space, Constantine's side of the partition a uniform shadowed mass in contrast to Lavender's striking silhouette.

<"Why do you think I came looking? My dark and terrible powers foretold your potential.">

Pulling back the dividing curtain, Lavender found him reclining back in the tattered armchair that was at differing times his chosen archery butt and favored perch, long legs draped gracefully over one arm, antlered head staring out an open window at the disgusting clamor below. An appraising look at his companion was followed by a true smile, white teeth flashing in the gloom.

<"And you've certainly learned well. Shares in the airship are just another leash for the vampire - I'd rather keep my interests safely removed from whatever conspiracies he's entertaining to stave off insanity. No doubt this mission of "exploration" has layers within layers that we are not yet privy to.">

Returning to his feet with a grunt, Constantine checked the straps of his dull armor.

<"Either way, there is sure to be no shortage of prey on such an expedition, and with any luck some skulls to add to your tally.">

Pulling an arrow free of his quiver, he gave the enormous hammer a playful tap.

<"You're still behind.">

Lavender's face warmed as he lauded her potential and growth, even as she wondered for the hundredth time how he had found her. Not that she doubted that he did indeed have dark and terrible powers, she had seen him in action many, many times by now. She couldn't admit it, even to herself, but deep down, in the most secret part of her heart where she didn't dare look, there was a tiny seed of hope that it had been her father who had sent Connie after her.

<"Of course I've learned well, you've been my teacher after all."> Her tone implied that her competency could be the only natural result of his tutelage. She pulled on her tattered cloak and wrinkled her small nose at him.

<"Well, obviously I'm behind, you've been doing this longer than I have!"> She harrumphed, willfully ignoring that Connie's current count had began at the same time as hers. She gave him a pouty look with her purple eyes, but she couldn't keep the dour expression on her face. For all she knew that everyone's reaction to him was always a sort of wary avoidance, she had always found his presence a comfort.

<"But you're right about one thing, my Hammer's been dry for too long."> The smile that lit her face was gleeful as the last trace of indignance dissipated.