Iron Station Savage Masks IC III

[Roguewolf]

Keith
Ryker takes a deep breath, still hanging his head. “She… Aria… she’s my ex girlfriend. I dated her through high school, until another Rook, Haze, threatened to kill her.”

“I’d kept Aria away from all the Rooks stuff as best I could, and that ****ed Haze off,” he says. “I knew I couldn’t protect Aria from her, so I said a lot of **** to her to get her to break up with me. I thought that was that. We could both move on, ya know? I felt bad about it, but at the time, I didn’t know what else to do. I guess I could’a gone to Jesse, but it seemed like a kinda stupid reason to bother him when he has so much other **** to take care of.”

He sighs again. “Long story short, somethin’ happened and she ended up using a connection she’d gotten from a party I took her to to get in touch with Lady Orchid and start workin’ for her. If I’d been around, I could’ve kept her out of that. We could’a found a way to make money elsewhere, without her needin’ to… ya know. I just… I feel like an absolute piece of ****. And yet, she told me today when we were at the hospital that I’m the one she thinks about when she… works. She still ****in’ loves me after everything I said to her and even though I wasn’t there for her when she needed me.”

Keith raises an eyebrow and is a bit surprised hearing all the details. Haze sounded like a real pain. And far more cruel than Ryker had considered himself to be.

Hearing the entire bit on how much it angered Haze that Aria was kept away from Rook business made Keith think about who may have recruited her for Lady Orchid. It was entirely possible Haze made good on part of that threat, but there's no real way to be certain.

Even then, hearing that she still thought of Ryker like that, Keith nodded and mostly just thought to himself on the subject. It was true that they could have found other ways to make money, and he could have gone to Jesse. But Keith understood not being able to be there to a degree.

"****. Do kinda get what you mean about trying to keep her away from Rook business, and you did what you could then. I have no doubts that Jesse would have tried to help back then either as high ranked as it sounds like you were too, but get what ya mean."

He shook his head. "Makes me wonder if Haze made good on a threat that pushed her to work for Lady Orchid. Either way, doesn't seem like she blames you, and that's something ya gotta keep in mind. She probably knows by now you did it to try and protect her from someone else."

Keith let out a sigh. "Not that thinkin' about it that way is gonna make it much better though. And from how it sounds, you're still there for her when she needs you."

Keith narrowed his eyes and looked back at Ryker. "Might be a deathwish on my part. But wouldn't mind takin' down this Haze."

[mmdeforrest]

“Kylie would love that,” Zack says as John mentions summoning a pair of Mustangs.

“I’d imagine growing up on a farm in Texas would almost obligate some time with horses,” John offered with a smile. “Does she do any riding here in Iron Station?”

He felt conflicted about that question. It was an obvious opening for Zack if he was interested in taking Kylie on a date — a riding outing, perhaps with a surprise picnic packed in the saddle bags before they arrived and a location scouted on the trail either via a satellite image search or by asking the stable for suggestions.

It would be the kind of suggestion that he should pass to Keith as an offer for a second date: An event targeted at her interest that is original enough to be interesting and specific enough to her to make it clear he is thinking of her — specifically her and not a generic date scenario.

Of course, she should also at least consider helping his future brother-in-law’s bes…his girlfriend’s brother’s best friend as well for future family dynamics.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, John. Get it together before you let this line of thought slip to more of the family…. Her family. Not yet yours.

Yet?

John tried to clear his self-inflicted confusion before he thought loud enough for Mr. Shaw to overhear him again or in some other way tripped up.

“I can’t imagine it would take too long to get to a place where horses are stabled. I remember there being stables ten miles or so outside of Providence and if we can squeeze them into Rhode Island I can’t imagine them not being here.”

Why was he helping Zack with these hints? He should be trying to figure out how to help Keith — even if it appeared to be increasingly long odds for him to succeed in his endeavors.

Maybe Emi could give him a suggestion to pass on to Keith so he could even the score. Even if he didn’t succeed in wooing her, John wanted Keith to at least make a good showing — on the date that Kylie had arranged with an escape plan in mind.

He wasn’t even sure Q Division would allow bets on odds that long.

He was failing to clear his head.

Seraph had told him to take the night off — to get some R&R after a complicated day and have a good time with Emi. And he would do just that.

[InTheMachine]

Manny
“Not much,” Aeryn says as he starts to plate up the food. “Drake told me a little bit about him after John talked to him in the basement, and I saw him earlier when I brought his breakfast.”

He takes a moment to grab a glass of ice water before heading down to the first floor to the suite John had set up. He knocks with a free knuckle before opening the door.

The demon bows to each of them. “I don’t believe we’ve formally met. I am Extat Zylas Vaskiina-ros, former Prince of the second House of Vaskiina.”

Keith
“Nah,” Ryker says. “When I talked to Aria today, she said she was the one that thought of it. Haze didn’t threaten her or anything.”

”That’s the thing though.” He shakes his head, narrowing his eyes. “I wasn’t there for her. It was total coincidence that saw her today at all. She was there for Leo’s birthday. Stayed with him all weekend.”

As Keith mentions wanting to take down Haze, Ryker looks up at the other hero. “She’s bad news, man. We’d need more than just the two of us. And if we take her down, Bramble, the leader of the Redhill set, will come after us.” He puts his pointer fingers side by side. “They’re an item. Have been as long as I was a Rook and a little before that.”

John
“Yeah, she has two of her own horses,” Zack says, coming closer to show John his phone. “She sent me a couple pictures last time she was home. The gold-brown one is Maverick, and the gray one is Belle. Mav’s a ranch horse, and she used to ride Belle in barrel races.”

He pauses, think about John’s question. “I don’t think she goes riding anywhere, and I really haven’t checked for stables. It’s a great idea though. I bet she’d really like it. Thanks for the idea man. I’ll talk to her about it,” he says with smile at the magician.

Brace yourself, John, Emi says with a quiet laugh as the door to the garage opens. She’s dressed in a navy blue a-line dress with lacy sleeves with silver heels. In her right hand is a matched silver clutch. Her hair is braided and then pulled up into a neat bun. She smiles gently at John as she makes her way down the stairs.

[Roguewolf]

Keith
“Nah,” Ryker says. “When I talked to Aria today, she said she was the one that thought of it. Haze didn’t threaten her or anything.”

”That’s the thing though.” He shakes his head, narrowing his eyes. “I wasn’t there for her. It was total coincidence that saw her today at all. She was there for Leo’s birthday. Stayed with him all weekend.”

As Keith mentions wanting to take down Haze, Ryker looks up at the other hero. “She’s bad news, man. We’d need more than just the two of us. And if we take her down, Bramble, the leader of the Redhill set, will come after us.” He puts his pointer fingers side by side. “They’re an item. Have been as long as I was a Rook and a little before that.”

Keith nods as he understands that it was voluntary. Not much to really do then. Still he wouldn't mind taking down a few other Rooks, even though they should be focused more on the Crowns.

Keith sighs and closes his eyes. Ryker was right, and he couldn't argue either. It's hard to even see some of the good if you're only there in the other person's thoughts. Actually that's not even really good.

"Can't argue much on that, though is a hell of a coincidence." He shrugged.

At Ryker's warning, Keith turned his focus to the reforming hero and nodded as he listened intently. He figured it was crazy to want to take down someone that high up, but then again he was already part of one unseen war. Why not another?

"****, that would near about turn into another all-hands situation then. And a ton of planning." He thought for a moment. It would definitely turn into a worse situation than the Dragonovs. That's only because Bramble may just go farther for Haze as a lover. That, and it makes you do stupid things like decide to settle for a concert that was suggested.

Whoa Keith, you have a crush, but you ain't actually in love yet are ya? He found himself thinking. Sure he would gladly tear down someone that hurt Kylie but..... Would she even notice as much as she focuses on Zach? Is this all just a lost cause? If only he could think of something that would just be amazing.

"Think we could get a plan in place or think of one to go with eventually? Who knows what kinda crazy **** these demons are gonna prepare us for." He chuckled a bit. "But seriously, I won't go after any of them solo, can promise ya that. Would need a ton of plannin' and info with that." He shook his head. "One day I'll bring a sane idea to ya."

"At least for now, we know the Rooks aren't with the demons anyway."

[mmdeforrest]

“Yeah, she has two of her own horses,” Zack says, coming closer to show John his phone. “She sent me a couple pictures last time she was home. The gold-brown one is Maverick, and the gray one is Belle. Mav’s a ranch horse, and she used to ride Belle in barrel races.”

He pauses, think about John’s question. “I don’t think she goes riding anywhere, and I really haven’t checked for stables. It’s a great idea though. I bet she’d really like it. Thanks for the idea man. I’ll talk to her about it,” he says with smile at the magician.

Brace yourself, John, Emi says with a quiet laugh as the door to the garage opens. She’s dressed in a navy blue a-line dress with lacy sleeves with silver heels. In her right hand is a matched silver clutch. Her hair is braided and then pulled up into a neat bun. She smiles gently at John as she makes her way down the stairs.

In for a penny, in for a pound, John thought to himself.

“If the riding trails are long enough, you might want to pack a picnic,” he suggested as he heard Emi’s warning and turned to the door. “You could probably arrah…ha…nange it with the stable.”

He cleared his throat.

It didn’t noticeably help.

“Hi,” he said gently, not caring if his smile was foolish or not. “We were just talking about horses. Not this kind — well, the kind in the engine as well as the car,” he offered, pointing at the engine before referencing Zack’s phone. “The real ones.

“Not that the Mustang isn’t…” be began.

He bowed his head for a moment and looked back up with a self-deprecating laugh. “You look lovely, Emi,” stepping forward to greet her. “Thank you for agreeing to come out to dinner with me.”

The higher-order portions of his brain that remained aloof of his incoherence noted that she was wearing the color he suspected her mother favored this evening and that Zack had tacitly admitted to him that he planned to ask Kylie out. The question would be if he was going to choose a date before, after, or — worse case scenario — the same day as Keith would be taking her to dinner.

Maybe Emi would let him know what her favorite flowers were.

Or maybe he could begin to hang out with Kylie while she was pulling bodyguard duty.

No. Miss Balinski’s crush on her brother-in-law would just exchange one woman carrying a torch for another.

He swept the table clear of puzzle pieces in his mental palace. It was not his place to arrange Keith’s love life. Sure, he could help and offer advice when asked and even nudge him in the correct direction if he missed something. But it was not up to him to find a rebound relationship for him.

He was still smiling foolishly and lost in Emi’s eyes and had been silent for a moment too long.

“Sorry. Even with your heads up, I managed to find myself overwhelmed — although I suspect if you had warned me last week it still would not have been enough time for me to prepare. Shall we go?”

[HIDA]

Manny
“Not much,” Aeryn says as he starts to plate up the food. “Drake told me a little bit about him after John talked to him in the basement, and I saw him earlier when I brought his breakfast.”

He takes a moment to grab a glass of ice water before heading down to the first floor to the suite John had set up. He knocks with a free knuckle before opening the door.

The demon bows to each of them. “I don’t believe we’ve formally met. My name is Zylas Vaskiina-ros, Prince of the second House of Vaskiina.”

Manny returns the bow. "Manny Vincent, a pleasure. I can safely admit I wasn't expecting royalty or a sense of Nobility amongst Demons. I mean I assumed a hierarchy of some sort, but this is genuinely impressive. Are you aware your nobility has parallels to the Mortal realm? Also you presence here brings up another great question How in the hell did you get trapped?" Manny says before realizing he's taking a genuine interest in the demon. "I'm sorry, where are my manners. I'll put on some tea. and perhaps Later we can discuss how events have come to pass for you? I'm sure your story is quite fantastic. Especially as a former prince."

[InTheMachine]

Manny
“I suppose if you’ve only ever seen Lesser Demons, I can understand why you may believe that all demons are nothing but animals,” Zylas says somewhat coolly as his tail flicks behind him. “But yes, we have nobles and a strict hierarchy, similar to humans. I can trace my ancestry back almost 7000 years to when my House was founded.”

He inclines his head again as Aeryn hands him his food and drink. “You are the chef, yes? I asked Dee to give you my compliments not too long ago when he visited. Did he pass along the message?”

The alien nods. “Yes, he did. I’m glad you liked it. My name’s Aeryn, by the way.”

“A pleasure to meet you both,” he says as he brings his food to the small table just beyond the living room. “Though I’m afraid of you want tea, you’ll have to get it from upstairs. I don’t currently have anything here. I hope you’ll excuse me for eating in front of you. After this morning, I’ve been looking forward to this meal since Mimi told me you would be serving me again.”

Aeryn watches as Zylas cuts into the chicken and opens his mouth to take a bite. He spots the demon’s large, pointed canine teeth; looks at his razor-sharp nails and the eight inch long serrated barb at the tip of his tail and swallows nervously, remembering Manny’s words from earlier. “I’ll leave you guys to it. Tell Mimi if you want more, and I’ll bring it down. I made extra.”

Zylas glances up quizzically as Aeryn leaves before continuing to answer Manny. “Since the first contract was made between a demon and a human so many millennia ago, we have been unable to resist being summoned if the summoner knows our True Name. A proper circle, or warded area like these rooms, can hold us captive, if the summoner or warder is powerful enough.”

Keith
“If we’re gonna take down anyone, I’d rather focus on the Crowns. They’re the one’s usin’ the demons,” Ryker says, looking out on the city again. “Jesse’s a bad dude, but least he’s not sacrificing a ton of innocent people to summon monsters.”

He sighs, pausing for a long moment. “That’s… not the only thing about Aria. She kissed me, earlier today. I don’t know if I should tell Sid about it or not. Sid’s already been kinda weird the last couple days,” he says, leaning back on his hands. He winces slightly as he puts a little too much pressure on his left arm and shifts his position.

John
Kylie follows Emi down, looking more with it than when she’d retreated upstairs. “You two have fun.”

“It was nice talking with you, John,” Zack says with a mini salute. “Thanks for the idea.”

Emi takes John’s hand and allows him to take her to the passenger side of the car and open the door for her. “Thank you, John. You’re looking smashing yourself.”

Spoiler: Notice TN 4

Show

Emi’s silver wedges are exactly an inch tall, so that John is still taller than her

“Good evening to you as well, Clea,” she says as she gets in the car.

[mmdeforrest]

Kylie follows Emi down, looking more with it than when she’d retreated upstairs. “You two have fun.”

“We’ll try. It was a pleasure unofficially meeting you, Kylie.”

“It was nice talking with you, John,” Zack says with a mini salute. “Thanks for the idea.”

“Happy to help, Zack. Good luck with the Mustang.”

1. Move one: Thanks for the idea.
2. Counter-move, following our departure: What idea is that, Zack?
3. Move: John and I were talking about how he would need to summon actual horses to get it to move, since he didn’t understand engines. You know, as one does when hanging out with magicians who happen to be your best friend’s boyfriend — who I am getting on quite well with. When I told him you had horses, he asked if you rode and I thought, by way of thanking you for all of your help with the car, that I take you out riding somewhere — if we can find a place and if you would be interested.

Emi takes John’s hand and allows him to take her to the passenger side of the car and open the door for her. “Thank you, John. You’re looking smashing yourself.”

Spoiler: Notice TN 4

Show

Emi’s silver wedges are exactly an inch tall, so that John is still taller than her

“Good evening to you as well, Clea,” she says as she gets in the car.

“Good evening to you, particular friend,” Clea returns as John closes the door. “I hope you are faring well this evening.”

Spoiler: John? Paying close attention to Emi? What a surprise!

Show

Noticing the heels — not that he was looking at her legs or anything….: 1d10o10+4 10 1d6o6+4 15

John didn’t exactly have to tear his eyes away from Emi as she slid into the seat and greeted Clea and managed to not study her figure more than a split-second too long. He did, however, have to take a deep breath as he closed the door to steady himself somewhat.

The heels, his higher order functions noted, were precisely measured to match his height. The tricky part would be to gauge if she had made that choice for his benefit or for her’s. For some women, matching height mattered — aesthetically and, perhaps, a little self consciously. Given how long and shapely her legs were, that could have…been…something…in…high…scho….

Not that he was looking…. At least not disrespectfully.

Anyway, the height question wasn’t something that bothered him. After all, she was a thousand feet tall, metaphorically speaking, and the best he would be able to do next to her is provide an appropriate backdrop — as a gentleman should. The lady is the one who should be permitted to stand out to the degree to which she is comfortable.

Still, it would be a delicate topic to broach. He would have to give it some thought.

Not that he was going out of his way to think about her legs.

Get ahold of yourself, John.

He looked down and smiled contentedly as he half-heard Emi and Clea chatting before glancing up at Zack and Kylie.

He hoped they would be happy — even if Keith would not be.

“We’ll see how much grief I get about my ‘knowledge’ of cars from the two of them on the way to the restaurant,” John said to them with a wry smile as he moved to his own door. “See you soon!”

“It seems to be an evening for being introduced to older, powerful cars,” John observed in as offhand a manner as he could while getting in and putting on his seat belt. “One Black Boss Mustang and a flat grey Monte Carlo that someone parked at West Side.”

There was an audible huff followed by a pause from Clea. “You only knew that because you read it off the boot and remembered it because of its connection to James Bond, didn’t you 007, Mark Two?”

“It’s a perfectly legitimate mental palace association,” John protested, only belatedly recognizing that he was working Clea’s side of the street.

“And that’s really all you know about it, isn’t it?” Clea pressed.

“Well, my mind was on other things at the time,” he evaded, “like the phone calls we had to place.”

“In fairness to John,” Clea offered with only a hint of condescension, “he wasn’t there when he rolled in with Redline behind the wheel. I’d theorize he is heavily modified, immaculately cared for, with a six-speed manual transmission and customized for street racing. I would suggest also fast getaways but the paint job and customization makes it too easily picked out from the air — assuming the customizer thought through such things.

“I’d offer more but the Monte Carlo was more of the strong, silent type than a talker. Besides, John has two questions that have come in for you from Rhode Island. I would normally not mention it but the sight of you does tend to drive him to distraction.”

“Thank you, Clea, I did remember,” John said with mock patience before turning to look at Emi. “Although what she said about the distraction is accurate. The second call we placed was to my sister and Jeffery was there. She wanted you to know they would be at Dave’s Coffee for a little while if we wanted to call and say hello. Jefferey wanted me to ask if you would allow him to design something for you. It turns out you were the focus of the class discussion in one of his design classes at the Rhode Island School of Design.

“You don’t have to say yes to either request,” he quickly added, turning to face forward again beforehand got any more lost in her eyes than he already was. “But I promised that I would ask.”

She was so very beautiful and so spectacularly special.

He definitely had it bad.

He cleared his throat before his emotions overwhelmed him.

“Did I forget anything, Clea?”

“Only that you promised Seraph that you would take the night off and enjoy your time with Emi,” she observed as she tried to cover for him. “I mention it only for completeness, particular friend — since he was going over the promises he made to people as we drove. It was something of an unnecessary promise, of course. How could anyone not enjoy their time with you, right John?”

John smiled openly but kept his eye on the road. Clea may have sent that one over the plate for him but it all but confirmed his suspicions. “Just so, Clea. It would be a great mystery to me if someone claimed they could not.”

[HIDA]

Manny
“I suppose if you’ve only ever seen Lesser Demons, I can understand why you may believe that all demons are nothing but animals,” Zylas says somewhat coolly as his tail flicks behind him. “But yes, we have nobles and a strict hierarchy, similar to humans. I can trace my ancestry back almost 7000 years to when my House was founded.”

He inclines his head again as Aeryn hands him his food and drink. “You are the chef, yes? I asked Dee to give you my compliments not too long ago when he visited. Did he pass along the message?”

The alien nods. “Yes, he did. I’m glad you liked it. My name’s Aeryn, by the way.”

“A pleasure to meet you both,” he says as he brings his food to the small table just beyond the living room. “Though I’m afraid of you want tea, you’ll have to get it from upstairs. I don’t currently have anything here. I hope you’ll excuse me for eating in front of you. After this morning, I’ve been looking forward to this meal since Mimi told me you would be serving me again.”

Aeryn watches as Zylas cuts into the chicken and opens his mouth to take a bite. He spots the demon’s large, pointed canine teeth; looks at his razor-sharp nails and the eight inch long serrated barb at the tip of his tail and swallows nervously, remembering Manny’s words from earlier. “I’ll leave you guys to it. Tell Mimi if you want more, and I’ll bring it down. I made extra.”

Zylas glances up quizzically as Aeryn leaves before continuing to answer Manny. “Since the first contract was made between a demon and a human so many millennia ago, we have been unable to resist being summoned if the summoner knows our True Name. A proper circle, or warded area like these rooms, can hold us captive, if the summoner or warder is powerful enough.”

Manny grins as the alien leaves them be as he intended. "Thank you, Aeryn. And please by all means." He gestures as the Demon feasts on the meal. "And please accept my apologies, I meant no disrespect when it came to the nobility of your kind, merely pointing out what I believe to be an interesting parallel. One can assume it comes with a lot of the similar traditions and trappings: Political marriages to strengthen loyalties and bonds, the occasional usurper or wars between the houses when lineages and rites of succession are questioned, that sort of thing. If my countries own --storied history and Game of Thrones has taught me anything is that the nobility, no matter the place, era, or peoples, is rife with drama." Manny says crossing his leg.

"While I don't intend to take up an immense amount of your time. I'd like to know more about your nobility. Specifically, the mentioning of you being a former prince. I don't mean to pry if that is a sensitive subject or a mantle you didn't intend to take. I'd rather think that story could be interesting and would hear it if you're willing to tell it."

[Roguewolf]

Keith
“If we’re gonna take down anyone, I’d rather focus on the Crowns. They’re the one’s usin’ the demons,” Ryker says, looking out on the city again. “Jesse’s a bad dude, but least he’s not sacrificing a ton of innocent people to summon monsters.”

He sighs, pausing for a long moment. “That’s… not the only thing about Aria. She kissed me, earlier today. I don’t know if I should tell Sid about it or not. Sid’s already been kinda weird the last couple days,” he says, leaning back on his hands. He winced slightly as he puts a little too much pressure on his left arm and shifts his position.

Keith nods in agreement. They needed to focus on the immediate threat and already owed the Crowns.

"Good point. Can always be a project for much later." He thinks back to a lot of what Ryker had to him about Jesse. Then he started wondering what brought Jesse and Coldfront to nearly kill each other and then make a deal. Something didn't add up there.

Oh right, and still needing to confirm date plans. The more he thought about it, the more Kylie said it was unfair rang in his ears. He wasn't exactly being fair to her pushing it when she had feelings for Zack. Then again, what's one date compared to a massive crush?

He couldn't help but sigh. And Ryker’s recounting of meeting Aria brought him back.

"Oh ****..... Would say honesty is the best idea. But weird how?"

[PK-Leon]

Making Connections

He finds the normal news for Iron Station. The current headlining story is that Coldfront confronted Exodus today while he was attempting to break into a bank in the Northeast part of the city. Unfortunately, Exodus is still at large.

"So even Windy couldn't catch this guy huh?" Louis says to himself in slight amusement. "But why does his name sound so familiar?" He leans his head back against the wall and closes his eyes. It takes a few moments but eventually something clicks.

Exodus. That's the same guy who was caught robbing banks and storefronts for Vibrato right?

Louis opens his eyes and removes his phone from his jacket pocket. He types a message to Mimi asking her to pull any information she can find on Exodus and add his profile to the rogue's gallery alongside a list of several rooks of import who's names he provides.

[InTheMachine]

Keith
Ryker shrugs. “She’s been kinda distant, I guess? Like usually she’s always holdin’ my hand or somethin’ when we’re together, but the last two days she hasn’t. It started Sunday night after me, her, Stella, and John played cards. I left for a little while to check on Aeryn and they’d all gone to talk in Sid’s room. Later, we were layin’ in bed and she was acting like she wanted to talk about somethin’, but she never actually said anything.”

“I’m worried about her. Eidolon told me after him and Siren fixed her to be careful with her, like mentally. He said that mental stress could cause her to lose it again, if it was bad enough. He said they couldn’t completely fix her head, that she woulda been hurt if they’d kept goin’.”

He quiets, shifting positions again. He rubs the head of the viper tattooed on the back of his right hand for a moment before continuing. “I wouldn’t be worried if it was one little kiss. I think Sid would understand, ya know, ‘she kissed me and I didn’t kiss her back’. But it… wasn’t. My guts are all twisted up over it.”

John
Emi laughs lightly at John and Clea’s exchange. “I’ll be totally honest, I much prefer newer cars like yourself, Clea. Zack and Kylie can keep their old dinosaur without power steering and ABS,” she says before John asks her about speaking with Kate and Jeffery. “I wouldn’t be opposed to it. Either request. We should have time before we arrive at the restaurant.”

Manny
“That does sound correct,” Zylas says as he takes another bite. He swallows and thinks for a moment, his red eyes flicking up to meet Manny’s. “My House was destroyed by another, lower House. I was away on a diplomatic mission in one of the lower planes, so I don’t have all the details, but I know that my parents are dead, and my House has been usurped by Urvaan-et, the 1st House of the 2nd plane of Vanuusha.“

[mmdeforrest]

Emi laughs lightly at John and Clea’s exchange. “I’ll be totally honest, I much prefer newer cars like yourself, Clea. Zack and Kylie can keep their old dinosaur without power steering and ABS,” she says before John asks her about speaking with Kate and Jeffery. “I wouldn’t be opposed to it. Either request. We should have time before we arrive at the restaurant.”

“Full disclosure:” John offered as he reached for his phone, hoping she would not change her mind. “There is a bit of schadenfreude that is being indulged in with the thought of speaking to you. The high society set that enjoyed snubbing me and others is at a nearby table and Jefferey is enjoying the reaction of one gentleman in particular at learning that you and I are dating.

“Oh, and just so we have our stories in alignment, I have kept to what has happened minus all of the superhero stuff. We happened to meet when a mutual acquaintance introduced us at Amity Court one day. We had tea, traded notes on London, and you were curious enough when I offered to make you high tea at the place where I am staying that you accepted. I figure if we keep it close to what happened, we stand less of a chance of forgetting what we said.

“Clea, can you…,” he began as the sound of a gas motor was generated. He smiled. “Thanks, Clea.”

“Happy to help, John” Clea replied. “I’m patching you through to Kate now and am assuming primary control of the driving. Make sure you try to pretend to watch the road.”

“I didn’t expect to hear from you again this quickly,” Kate said, answering the video call partway through the second ring. “Based on the smile on your face, and the fact you are holding your phone instead of having it in a cradle, I think I know why!”

“Tell me it’s true, boyfriend!” Jeffery said, leaning into the picture.

“It’s true,” John said as he glanced between the phone, the road, and Emi. “We only have a few minutes before we get to the restaurant, but she agreed to say hello. Emi:” he said passing the phone over, “This is my sister Kate and our friend — who is as much a brother as a friend, Jeffery Novas — both of Providence, although you may detect Jeffery’s parents’ Cape Verdean origins vibrating beneath our regional accent.”

“Oh, my God, you are even more stunning than in your pictures,” Jeffery said.

Kate nudged her best friend and beamed at Emi. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’d say John has told us all about you but he’s been a little incommunicado since letting us know you and he have been seeing one another. Usually, I would be upset that he is burying himself in a mathematical puzzle or history book but if you’re the reason, I am absolutely delighted.”

[InTheMachine]

John
Emi smiles into the camera, holding it precisely to keep her at the best angle. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both, Kate, Jeffrey. And thank you for the compliment. I was flattered to hear that I was spoken about in one of your design classes.”

[mmdeforrest]

John
Emi smiles into the camera, holding it precisely to keep her at the best angle. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both, Kate, Jeffrey. And thank you for the compliment. I was flattered to hear that I was spoken about in one of your design classes.”

“I think it was closer to gushed over than spoken of,” Jeffery offered. “I’ve been holding off on casually-not-casually dropping it into conversation that I knew someone who knew you but this is going to be so much more wonderfully implausible. I hope that John already mentioned this, but I didn’t want to throw away this shot: Would you let me design something for you for the class? I don’t know how we would work that out but I am willing to do what it takes.

“I’d be more upset with you, Jeffery, if your getting to design something for her wouldn’t make it more likely she and I could meet in person,” Kate said, smiling at her friend. “If John hasn’t mentioned it, mom’s pot roast has been declared fantastic by a handful of diplomats whose names I can’t disclose but you could pluck from John’s mind, if you are curious enough — if he hasn’t come up with some magical way of keeping his thoughts to himself. And she would figure out a way to ground me if I did not invite you up to the house to try it.”

“I can vouch for Mamma Two’s pot roast. It is to dee-eye-eee-die for!”

“I have asked and have invited her,” John offered, delighted that things at least appeared to be starting off on the right foot but a little taken aback by Kate’s turn of phrase. She offered a three date minimum before agreeing to travel with him, he recalled. This was date three — but he was not going to push that. If Kate, however, did, he was not going to object.

[PK-Leon]

Roadside Chat

Nightgaunt leans forward, crossing his legs and resting his elbows on his knees. "Yep." He says in a resigned tone. He reaches down and jams a finger into the crack in the pavement. He drags his finger toward him, his razor sharp nail leaving a groove in the asphalt. "I can tear reality apart just as easily as this."

Redline watches Nightgaunt's demonstration out of the corner of his eye. "Really? That's... impressive to say the least." He says, somewhat at a loss for the right words.

He withdraws his hand and flicks off an ant that had clamped on. "Something like inertia makes everything snap back, eventually. There's some other tricks I've been refusing to use that are..." Nightgaunt trails off, unsure how to describe the full repertoire of abilities he's uncomfortable having, much less using.

He holds up a hand, palm up then drops it. "Less readily applicable."

He leans over and stretches out and grabs his helmet from where it had rolled to a stop and examines it, wiping off the worse of the grit and grime from the battle.

"Listen... I'm not going to say that I know exactly what you're going through because I don't, but I'll tell you what Red told me a while back. 'If you spend every day running away from who you really are you'll end up living a life filled with regret.'"

He reaches out in front of himself with an open hand and grasps at a ball of flame that materializes out of thin air. He holds the fireball palm up and watches the flames dance between his fingertips. "Our powers are a lot like fire in a way. They can burn steady, serving as a guiding light for others, or they can be unleashed, setting everything around us ablaze. Only you can decide what to do with 'em but regardless of that decision there's no denying that they're a part of you."

"I've given it a lot of thought since I've first talked with Red and honestly... I think she's right. The powers we wield make us burn brighter than those around us whether we want to or not. So why not embrace 'em? If you're gonna stand out anyway then you might as well be the brightest damn star in the sky ya know?" He smiles. The ball of flame swells in size, swaying wildly for a few seconds before Redline closes his hand extinguishing the illusory flame. Thin wisps of smoke rise up from the spaces between his fingers.

Spoiler: Heroic Tradition

Show

When you give someone the advice that you think your mentor would give, you can roll +the label your Mentor embodies (Danger) to comfort or support someone instead of rolling +Mundane

11 - 1 (Angry) = 10!

On a hit, they hear you; they mark potential, clear a condition, or shift labels if they open up to you. On a 10+ you can also add a Benny to the team pool or clear a condition yourself. (You decide if they’ve opened up.)

Nightgaunt may mark a potential, clear a condition, or shift labels if he opens up to Redline!

[Roguewolf]

Keith
Ryker shrugs. “She’s been kinda distant, I guess? Like usually she’s always holdin’ my hand or somethin’ when we’re together, but the last two days she hasn’t. It started Sunday night after me, her, Stella, and John played cards. I left for a little while to check on Aeryn and they’d all gone to talk in Sid’s room. Later, we were layin’ in bed and she was acting like she wanted to talk about somethin’, but she never actually said anything.”

“I’m worried about her. Eidolon told me after him and Siren fixed her to be careful with her, like mentally. He said that mental stress could cause her to lose it again, if it was bad enough. He said they couldn’t completely fix her head, that she woulda been hurt if they’d kept goin’.”

He quiets, shifting positions again. He rubs the head of the viper tattooed on the back of his right hand for a moment before continuing. “I wouldn’t be worried if it was one little kiss. I think Sid would understand, ya know, ‘she kissed me and I didn’t kiss her back’. But it… wasn’t. My guts are all twisted up over it.”

Keith tilts his head to the side slightly confused and realizes he may be the worst person for Ryker to talk to this about. He wasn't very experienced at dealing with this stuff and had no idea what would even be the best course of action. Questioning and information gathering were definitely going to be necessary for this. So that he didn't blow up Ryker and Sid by giving bad advice.

"Wait Sunday night after his date with E... Siren? He was probably talkin' with them about advice for dates and how to approach feelin's or somethin'." Keith huffs a laugh thinking about how he felt so nervous around Kylie and looks down a bit. "Guy has it bad for only knowin' her about 24 hours just from that day. Course, I can't say much. Thinkin' about it I had it bad for Burnout and now it's confusin' thanks to ****in' Blitz...."

He shakes his head. "Mostly assumin' that's what they talked about since that's what I talked with Sidney and Stella about the other day to with Yuki. Though, that was less about feelings and more, 'how bad has this already gone?'" He shrugged.

"Maybe she just wants to hear your feelings too or something, or she wants to talk about it. We've all seen how you look at her but sometimes I guess women just need to hear how ya feel. That's what uncle's always said anyway, then followed up with actions speak louder than words so just makes it even more confusin'."

He grimaced a bit. "So nothing else could be done? ****...."

Even hearing about the fact that Ryker was confused about the kiss and ended up giving in to it, Keith couldn't blame him entirely since that was someone he desperately cared about. This was an insanely complicated situation.

"I think you're right she would understand in that situation. But hearin' that it wasn't...." Keith thought for a moment trying to find the right words. "**** man, I don't even know. I'd probably say that you should tell her when the time is right, but also tell her how you feel about her. The second part as soon as you can though, she probably just wants to hear what you feel for her."

[HIDA]

Manny
“That does sound correct,” Zylas says as he takes another bite. He swallows and thinks for a moment, his red eyes flicking up to meet Manny’s. “My House was destroyed by another, lower House. I was away on a diplomatic mission in one of the lower planes, so I don’t have all the details, but I know that my parents are dead, and my House has been usurped by Urvaan-et, the 1st House of the 2nd plane of Vanuusha.“

"I'm --sorry for your loss, Zylas." Manny says think about he gossip-seeking inquiry turned up a glimpse of great personal tragedy. He looks away as his face for a moment grows hot with embarrassment before he return his gaze back to the demon.

"How long has it been since you were summoned? and I apologize if I'm reopening old wounds. There's a very wild set of circumstances that let to you being in the lair of a villain we have scarely little useful information on, and I'd like to know what you know. Though I'm sure Dee has spoken to you since you've made a pact with him."

[big teej]

Breakthrough?

Raphael stares at his red-hued reflection in Nightgaunt's helmet. As Redline talks, recent, bloody memories rise unbidden to the forefront of his mind. Competing with his teammate's perception and insistence on the world.

Amity Court... killing the members of The Dark Watch... his lack of regret over it.... his willingness to do it again.

The Jewelry Store robbery, where all this started, facing down Julien and Menagerie and Emeric... His willingness to put himself at risk to save others, coupled with his callousness towards their survival.

The Ritual Site, ripping Zalta's heart out.

The Church Balcony, with Menagerie Stella... the promise he'd made, and now fulfilled.

The Treasure Trove, killing Deux, rescuing Stella's mother and Running Away with Zylas.

Leo, now, and the flow of crimson, readily available... the taste of it.

Raphael's gaze drifts off the helmet, toward Redline, but stops short of looking at his face. "What if..." he says with a frown.

He takes a deep breath and tries again, "What if 'who you really are' is someone...... or something, Horrible?"

[InTheMachine]

Manny
The demon inclines his head again. “Thank you.“

“I do not know how long ago I was summoned,” Zylas says. “It was many eclipse cycles that I was trapped in the circle. I was starved, almost depleted of magic, several times, but a frogman would return every so often to feed just a little bit of magic into the circle to keep me alive. I was so weak I couldn’t resist when some people came to steal my blood. Dee called them Crowns, and that they are using my blood to make some kind of drug.”

He takes a drink of water before continuing, “The dimension became unstable and several earthquakes cracked the circle enough for me to escape. Several more eclipses passed and a few gatorman entered. It seemed they were looking for something each time, but I couldn’t help myself from siphoning the magic that created them.”

Keith
Ryker hops onto his feet and paces on the lip of the roof, sticking his hands in his pockets. After a full minute, he stops and turns on his heel to face Keith. “The last time I told someone I loved them, they died.”

He looks down at the concrete. “I care about Sid. I really, really do. More than anyone I’ve ever met. She’s an amazing woman. But I… I can’t tell her that.”

John
“Sure,” Emi says to Jeffery. “I can have a John send you my measurements, if that would help. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with.”

She glances over at John. “Maybe I could be convinced to head up to Rhode Island. John tells me it’s very beautiful. And, I do need to make it fair. He’s already met my father and my brother face to face.”

[HIDA]

Manny
The demon inclines his head again. “Thank you.“

“I do not know how long ago I was summoned,” Zylas says. “It was many eclipse cycles that I was trapped in the circle. I was starved, almost depleted of magic, several times, but a frogman would return every so often to feed just a little bit of magic into the circle to keep me alive. I was so weak I couldn’t resist when some people came to steal my blood. Dee called them Crowns, and that they are using my blood to make some kind of drug.”

He takes a drink of water before continuing, “The dimension became unstable and several earthquakes cracked the circle enough for me to escape. Several more eclipses passed and a few gatorman entered. It seemed they were looking for something each time, but I couldn’t help myself from siphoning the magic that created them.”

Manny nods to the Prince's words. "Understandable to say the least, Having your blood stolen to make a recreational drug for random humans sounds absolutely barbarous. Let take a step back if you don't mind. This frogman i believe he calls himself the River King. Is there anything you remember about him? If he was the one that summoned He had to know of your true name. And have the ability to construct an immensely strong ward to keep you in that place for so long. Is it possible that he is in concert with other Demons? Maybe even those attempting to doom your house? Would there be a way for us to tell?" Manny asks, sounding uncomfortably like Bernie when he is grilling him for info.

[mmdeforrest]

“Sure,” Emi says to Jeffery. “I can have a John send you my measurements, if that would help. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with.”

John knew, in the abstract, that Jefferey designing and making a bespoke dress — he assumed it was a dress, although he had no reason to — would require him to be in the possession of Emi’s measurements. Given his recent reflections on her legs, however, John felt himself begin to blush. It was quite irrational for him to do so, of course. All it would be is a set of numbers (a surprisingly extensive number of measurements, if the measurements for his uniform suit and his tuxedo were anything to go by). But those numbers somehow felt a little intimate in a manner that he could not put his finger on.

Jeffery gasped. “Really?! Because I already have some sketches — although I didn’t dare think I’d get to actually use them. I’ll send them to John so he can pass them along — so long as he promises not to peek. My goal is to make his heart skip two beats when he sees you in what I have in mind just to make sure he knows he’s alive.”

“That’s an intimidating thought,” John observed with a smile, trying to figure out how to control the color in his cheeks. “I promise to let the two of you surprise me, Jefferey.”

She glances over at John. “Maybe I could be convinced to head up to Rhode Island. John tells me it’s very beautiful. And, I do need to make it fair. He’s already met my father and my brother face to face.”

He might have driven off the road if Clea had not been monitoring him closely.

“What would it take to convince you?” Kate asked while John glanced at Emi with a smile as true as the one in the pictures they had taken at the West Side base. “We already have a meeting with your designer and mom’s pot roast on offer. We can also arrange a clarinet solo by my brother, if you would be interested, and we can promise to try and keep dad’s storytelling within limits.”

“Can we back up to the part about meeting your father and your handsome brother?” Jefferey asked playfully.

“You can ask her over dinner, Casanova,” Kate responded playfully but firmly. “I suppose it isn’t too surprising John has met them, given that he would have to pick you up and your father has arrived in Iron Station recently. I hope he passed muster.

“Whether he did or didn’t, mom and dad will be excited to hear you are at least considering it. Just let us know when so that Mom can prepare the guest room for you.”

She suspects we aren’t telling her something and is testing us, John projected carefully. She is trying to determine if I know where East Side base is.

[InTheMachine]

Manny
“The frog is a minion,” Zylas says with a shake of his head. “A powerful minion, but a minion nonetheless. I could sense the same magic that held him together as the gatormen. Miss Menagerie called him Julian. He was merely a jailer. He was very wary of the circle and didn’t seem to understand the runes. The first time he came to feed more magic into it, he took his time, testing different sections to make sure he wasn’t disrupting it. If he had been the one the scribed the circle, he would have had intimate knowledge of how it was constructed.”

The demon looks back down at his half empty plate. “The list of demons that know my True Name I could count on my hands. I trust them all with my life— though most of them are dead now. However, it is possible that when my House was taken over, one or more of them were tortured to gain that knowledge and it was given to whoever summoned me. I have the sense that I was never supposed to be set free. No one attempted to make a contract with me, despite my rank. I believe I was meant to be used for my blood and nothing more until I eventually expired.”

John
“Yes, Jeffery,” Emi says with a grin. “As long as it’s not too gaudy. Honestly, I think his heart already skips a few beats every time he sees me in a new outfit, doesn’t it, John?” She asks, teasing him a little after seeing his blush. “I look forward to seeing those sketches.”

Emi’s smile softens. “Don’t worry, he passed with flying colors. My father is a difficult man to please, but, John has been a perfect gentleman. And brothers are brothers.” She makes a show of thinking for a moment. “Pot roast, a clarinet solo, and getting to meet John’s close family in one go?” Emi says slowly. She then winks at Kate. “I did impose a three date minimum before I would agree to travel with him, so let me see how this date goes and I’ll be sure to let you know.”

[mmdeforrest]

“Yes, Jeffery,” Emi says with a grin. “As long as it’s not too gaudy. Honestly, I think his heart already skips a few beats every time he sees me in a new outfit, doesn’t it, John?” She asks, teasing him a little after seeing his blush. “I look forward to seeing those sketches.”

“I make it a point of not looking at what my Apple Watch says my heart is doing when she arrives,” John admitted. While his encounter with Mr. Shaw at their first meeting may have been moderated by the fearlessness provided by his Amulet, the increased heart rate associated with Emi — whether it was first seeing her or their waltz or any number of other things did appear to produce visible spikes in his heart rate.

Emi’s smile softens. “Don’t worry, he passed with flying colors. My father is a difficult man to please, but, John has been a perfect gentleman. And brothers are brothers.” She makes a show of thinking for a moment. “Pot roast, a clarinet solo, and getting to meet John’s close family in one go?” Emi says slowly. She then winks at Kate. “I did impose a three date minimum before I would agree to travel with him, so let me see how this date goes and I’ll be sure to let you know.”

No pressure, John.

It’s just a trip to meet the family riding on this date.

And given the way the day had gone so far…?

He steadied himself. Everything was under control. They were going to a restaurant she had been curious about where it would just be the two of them. And if she was not a little more confident than he was about the outcome, she would not be joking about it with Kate.

“I will be certain to be on my best behavior, then,” John assured the three of them.

“And I will make sure that Stephen starts practicing,” Kate added with a satisfied twinkle in her eye, “not that he doesn’t have several pieces in his repertoire from this past summer’s stint on Block Island.

“If you dance, Emi,” she continued mischievously, “Stephen’s most requested number was ‘Moonlight Serenade’ and John can lead a passible Foxtrot — although you may be a more lively dancer than some of the octogenarians he was leading around the floor.”

“He did better than I did leading them in the underarm turns,” Jefferey observed dryly, “although your back patio is a little more cramped than a standard dance floor — especially since your father added that fire pit.”

[Roguewolf]

Keith
Ryker hops onto his feet and paces on the lip of the roof, sticking his hands in his pockets. After a full minute, he stops and turns on his heel to face Keith. “The last time I told someone I loved them, they died.”

He looks down at the concrete. “I care about Sid. I really, really do. More than anyone I’ve ever met. She’s an amazing woman. But I… I can’t tell her that.”

Keith turns to face Ryker as he paces and his eyes go wide hearing that. He wasn't entirely sure what he had expected, but he couldn't blame Ryker for being hesitant to tell Sid how he felt with that thought process. Even though it could go differently this time around, the correlation wasn't something easily severed.

He took a deep breath and nodded. "I, get what you mean. Though it doesn't mean that it would happen this time, but I understand ya completely." Keith was lost in thought for a minute after that. He wasn't even sure what the right thing to say would be. Hell who could say the right words there?

He looked back up at Ryker. "Do you want me to talk with her and see if that's maybe what's got her down? Or try to get an idea?"

[InTheMachine]

Keith
“I didn’t think it would happen either,” Ryker mutters. “But she still got murdered.”

He hops down back onto the roof. “I don’t know if that would be the best idea. I’m tryin’ not to cause her too much stress. And after you pointin’ it out, I do think that’s probably what’s bothering her. But now I have to find a way to tell her about Aria too.”

“****,” he hisses as his hands curl into fists. “Sid deserves someone better than me.”

John
“Oh, I do love dancing,” Emi says. Her expression gets a bit dreamy as she remembers the dance on the roof. “Your sister’s volunteering you John. Is your foxtrot as good as your waltz?”

Louis

Hey, I know you're usually off the clock by now but there's something you've gotta know. It's about Kelly. She's... She's in danger and doesn't even know it. Call me whenever you can or send a text my way if you can't talk right now and I'll fill you in on everything we know so far.

As he watches the news, Louis’ phone buzzes in his hand.

Spoiler: Text from Red Light

Show

Lou, what’s up with Kelly? Did something happen?

A few doors down from where Louis is, a blond woman in her late 40s to early 50s in a white coat knocks before entering a room. Soon after, Iris steps out. She glances up, sees Louis, and then makes her way over to him. “Did they kick you out too?”

[mmdeforrest]

“Oh, I do love dancing,” Emi says. Her expression gets a bit dreamy as she remembers the dance on the roof. “Your sister’s volunteering you John. Is your foxtrot as good as your waltz?”

“There’s only one way to find out,” John replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt about his Foxtrot. “Just to set expectations, though, Stephen’s playing is much better than my dancing.”

“That’s true,” Jefferey observed. “Of course, I was there when you were just learning…. Wait. Did she just ask about your waltz?”

“We took a turn around the rooftop to Doga’s Gramafon Waltz,’” John replied, his smile softening to match Emi’s.

“And you said the lessons were wasted because you didn’t get to go to Vienna,” Jeffery teased Kate.

“A girl has a right to change her mind, Jefferey. Well then,” Kate replied with a satisfied smile. “It sounds like we have a nascent plan for the two of you to come to Sunday dinner next weekend. I’d imagine you will be busy with crime fighting this coming Halloween weekend, Emi — especially with the demons you have been facing in Iron Station, so I won’t suggest this weekend. Besides, the extra time should give John adequate time to watch online dance videos and brush up on his Foxtrot but not leave so much time that mom will have read everything on the internet about you.”

“She hasn’t started?” John asked with a certain amount of disbelief.

You don’t have to agree to a date…of course, I’d like to set…I mean…. John began to blush again and concentrated on the nonexistent car in his driver’s side mirror. I’m going to stop thinking now. If you can handle the villains your have faced, I’m sure you don’t need my help with my sister — no matter how clever she may be.

“You’re the one who triggered the International Man of Mystery protocols, John,“ Kate reminded him. “She’s been clearing her search histories.”

“You’ve been checking her search history?” He asked incredulously.

“It saves me time on my own research. Is there anything the two of you need us to prepare before your arrival next weekend?”

[Roguewolf]

Keith
“I didn’t think it would happen either,” Ryker mutters. “But she still got murdered.”

He hops down back onto the roof. “I don’t know if that would be the best idea. I’m tryin’ not to cause her too much stress. And after you pointin’ it out, I do think that’s probably what’s bothering her. But now I have to find a way to tell her about Aria too.”

“****,” he hisses as his hands curl into fists. “Sid deserves someone better than me.”

Keith looks down at the ground and realizes what Ryker might have been referring to. He really couldn't blame him after remembering that.

"Yeah...." Keith mutters. "It definitely makes it hard to share any kind of emotion after that...."

Hearing Ryker mention the mental state of Sidney, he nods. "True, it could cause a lot more stress than necessary. Really hope that's what it is." Keith grimaced. "Doesn't help that John has gone full head over heels with Siren and then me askin' her advice on Burnout."

He thinks a moment on how Ryker could bring up everything that happened with Aria, but he still wasn't entirely certain what to say. Or even how that could come across in a helpful way.

"What, actually happened? Like not entirely detail wise but like, circumstances? Could figure out a way to help knowin' more maybe. Either way, that's going to be stressful." Keith then gets a serious look on his face. "Dude, you pretty much went through hell to try and save her and make sure she could be herself now. and you're absolutely torn up about how to keep her from fallin' back into that broken mind episode again. I don't know what all happened, but I still think that says a lot."

He shakes his head again. "Again, I'm not very experienced with situations like this one. Know this can work out." Keith offers a comforting smile. He wasn't entirely certain of how it would work either. Honestly he needed more information to even think about advice.

"Plus, I'm sure Sidney knows where your heart lies with her. Just gonna take a delicate touch for talkin' it through."

[HIDA]

Manny
“The frog is a minion,” Zylas says with a shake of his head. “A powerful minion, but a minion nonetheless. I could sense the same magic that held him together as the gatormen. Miss Menagerie called him Julian. He was merely a jailer. He was very wary of the circle and didn’t seem to understand the runes. The first time he came to feed more magic into it, he took his time, testing different sections to make sure he wasn’t disrupting it. If he had been the one the scribed the circle, he would have had intimate knowledge of how it was constructed.”

The demon looks back down at his half empty plate. “The list of demons that know my True Name I could count on my hands. I trust them all with my life— though most of them are dead now. However, it is possible that when my House was taken over, one or more of them were tortured to gain that knowledge and it was given to whoever summoned me. I have the sense that I was never supposed to be set free. No one attempted to make a contract with me, despite my rank. I believe I was meant to be used for my blood and nothing more until I eventually expired.”

Manny eyes narrow. "That seems a waste, given your obvious pedigree. Can you think of any reason why a lower house would have sought to overthrow yours? Or what other houses would stand to gain from this besides a neophytic house in comparison to your houses antiquity. I can't believe that would be the sole reason your house was doomed. Especially not to ensure you're immediate assassination. It seems a mark of monumental hubris to leave an heir of a noble house alive any longer that expressly necessary in that situation." Manny says, doing his best to remove his own feeling from the matter and talk purely logically.

"Were any of the demons on your list of those who know your True Name not of your house? Perhaps a close confidant or lover?"

[InTheMachine]

John
Your sister is very pushy, Emi says matter-of-factly. And very confident. I like her.

“Next Sunday?” Emi puts a finger up to her chin. “I’ll have to clear my schedule, but, if this date goes well, I’ll be there to try your mother’s pot roast.”

Keith
“That’s me,” Ryker scoffs. “I’m real good at ****in’ delicate.”

He sighs and leans up against the lip of the roof near Keith. “It was while we were at the hospital. After the doc came by and fixed me up, Aria came back in and we were talkin’, ya know, about what happened to the two of us. Then, she kissed me and I just… reacted. My head didn’t catch up to what was happening until a nurse came in.”

Manny
Zylas takes a few more bites. “My blood is very potent. That I was summoned soon after my House fell could have been their way to dispose of me, though I’m not sure. My Yar’bih— my personal bodyguard took me into hiding after we discovered House Urvaan-et’s betrayal. Many of the lower Houses plot and scheme to take over higher Houses. The higher your House, the more likely it is that the High King will notice you and bestow gifts and power upon your family.”

“I have never shared my True Name with anyone outside of my House,” Zylas says firmly. “For a demon of my rank, sharing such information would be a death sentence.”