Tempering

Jul 13th, 2011 07:34 PM

- "It's in Davis. I can make it to the Uni in a bit more than one hour"
- "You could have chosen to live on your own. Why again a dorm?" - Asks Lady Luck.
We are at her place. Concrete walls. Concrete floor. Her bunk bed on one side, neatly made. The only luxuries are the incense burning on a side steel table, her old leather sofa, and the marble chimney that she got built on one side.

Is it a chimney when the smoke goes nowhere.

She likes to sit close to it. It's a stark contrast with the rest of the scene, quite unusual in a decommissioned bunker, like a ruby in the hilt of a sword.
Ruby is also the color of the wool gown she is wearing. A present from one of her husbands and, despite the age, it looks quite regal. A bit like her.
- "Protection is expedient. Service is mastery." - I say
- "This is not a test boy! Besides a Phalanx is not an answer."

Is it not?

- "You've been living among sleepers 8 years. Why given the choice you chose to live one more year among them?" - She asks again
- "I... I don't know." - I say apologetically - "I didn't even consider any alternative. It felt natural. I suppose I'm used to. Also except for these last years I've lived among Awakened all my life. And also I can protect them. Isn't the Arrow supposed to protect the un-awakened?" - I argue
- "That's more complicated than what you think, boy." - She says after a pause - "You still have much to learn"
- "Speaking of that. It's time for you to put your lessons in practice. You are to go to the Circle of Creation this afternoon where you passed the Temperance tests, and you are to offer your assistance in whatever affairs the cabals with Arrow presence are looking into." - She commands - "And try not to shame me. They won't babysit you like I do."
I stay siting in the steel chair until the silence gets awkward.
- "Ok. Next week same time?" - I ask when I notice our meeting is over as I stand
She doesn't answer. I leave
- "For gods sake, forget your uniform! Wear normal clothes!" - She yells at me as I leave

I ride the Versys to the Circle. No uniform. Jeans, sneakers, dark grey shirt, and my motorcycle riding jacket. The helmet in my right hand.

I let my aura reflect my nature supposing that I'm on safe grounds and replace that spell with the vision of the Supernal. Looking for an obvious way in or perhaps some indications in High Speech as I've never been here in daylight.

**West (The Mage)** · Jul 14th, 2011 09:48 PM

A truck pulls up to the Circle, and squeals to a stop. Brownish-red sand cover the bottom half, giving it the appearance of a two-tone fade job, and thick gobs of mud coated the outer edges of the tires and inner wheel wells.

The door swung open and produced a thin, serious looking man in jeans and a t-shirt. One hand held a mass of denim and tan cloth; upon close inspection, a denim jacket and a suit. As West slammed the door closed, his face squinted in the sun, and he looked at Nicopol.

"Who are you?"

He called out the question even as his eyes were sliding around and away from the newcomer, looking for signs of company and taking in sight lines.

**Joshua Morris** · Jul 15th, 2011 12:16 AM

Company's coming, and if it's some sort of ambush it's poorly concealed; a tan sedan has curved off the road and is coming up towards the parking lot. It's cleaner than the vacant truck but has still clearly seen better days in its long history.

Morris takes in the two men before swinging into a space and parking. He gets out of the car with care, in no rush; if West needed his help then they were already in plenty of trouble. Joshua doesn't close the door, instead gingerly leaning on it. He nods to West, companionably, and looks to the newcomer. It's clear to see by their stances that he's interrupted either an introduction or a stand-off, and he's not about to jump in until he knows what's what.

Jul 15th, 2011 04:48 AM

[Right]I think I've seen this man before. Was it during the tests or at an earlier visit?[/Size]
I couldn't remember and I wished I had paid more attention.*
But of course this wasn't a coincidence. Had Luck decided no to inform them of my coming to test me? Or perhaps it's the Arrow who is testing me instead by faking ignorance.

I hope at least that I'm in safe grounds and not about to introduce myself to the local Pylon.

I stopped in my tracks.

"Unless requested I will stay at least three feet from the Enlightened."- A memory of myself, as a kid, reciting part of the Ladders protocol to my father

I check the surroundings.

Two people are jogging together on the other side of the front garden and from what I recall there is a group, six or seven people, waiting at the bus stop. All within hearing distance.

- "HeLLO" - The first syllabe too quiet, the second too loud trying to get the right volume. I've never been good at this. - "I am the new... intern of Arrow Consulting" - I introduce myself with a purposely long pause - "Do you, by... Chance, know who do I have to talk with to make myself useful?"

And of course, I'm still at the Battle Stage, so I don't have any token of the Arrow to show my allegiance.- The worrying thought shows in my face

**West (The Mage)** · Jul 16th, 2011 05:30 PM

"A what? For who?"

Wasn't there a Home that needed this kid Alone in it?

He could could see the faint resonance of the Sight, but it didn't mean anything. Hell, he and Kai had 'dressed up' Sleepers as distractions themselves before.

"How old are you?"

Jul 17th, 2011 06:14 PM

The man seemed to be sincerely confused.

Very funny Lady Luck. Another of your practical jokes I assume.

- "Eighteen" - I answered - "Old enough." - I proudly added straightening my back and almost getting into at-attention position as taught in the school. It surely looked to a seasoned soldier as the finger-drawings of a kid look to a painter.

Perhaps I should use my Skill to converse privately.

- I thought but discarded the stupid idea soon enough

I dropped my cloaked aura at the beginning of the scene "I let my aura reflect my nature". I suppose I should update my signature too.

**West (The Mage)** · Jul 18th, 2011 08:39 PM

Old enough... for what? That's just barely old enough to really fuck up.

He was on the verge of asking if he was a new Guardian in disguise when he recalled the bit about Arrow Consulting.

Really?

"Come over here and kick my ass."

**Joshua Morris** · Jul 18th, 2011 09:29 PM

Joshua looks from one man to the other like a tennis spectator, and bites his lip to keep from snickering out loud at the boy's response. "Old enough" was the type of answer teen girls gave when they tried to bluff their way into club's with Mommy's lipstick and borrowed heels. They probably had that same unconscious, indignant drawing-up as their backs straightened, too. Well, he had enthusiasm, if nothing else. Although if enthusiasm was all he had, he'd be joining some former Arrows soon enough. Guys like Logos, or Falx.

Jul 19th, 2011 03:59 PM

Straight into action. The Arrow way. - I thought with a smile

I held my mother's amulet with my free hand.
-"Niregorpux indarixan" - I said softly in the High Speech (My body is strong) half choking in the freezing waters of the Abyss. While burning the mana in my insides to channel the Supernal. I dropped the helmet as I walked toward the man.

DoxNdMagic

I was too nervous to form the Imago as I do when training but still my body got denser, stronger. The Abyss disturbed the transition and my skin didn't stretch as it should breaking in my back and arms. The sharp pain made me clench my teeth.

"Don't use this to get into troubles son." - The memory made me smile

I reached melee distance. Assumed sprawl position and attempted a quick takedown on my opponent.

Initiative.

**West (The Mage)** · Jul 20th, 2011 05:52 PM

West holds up his hand to slow the other mage; with the handful of cheap suit and denim jacket, it almost looks like he's using the clothing as a shield.

"All right. You win. You're either fearless, disciplined, or both... and I'll take any of those three."

He was honestly surprised. He'd expected so many things, but least of all the unwavering certainty with which Nicopol had applied to the order.

Of course, he could also just be incredibly stupid, but follows-orders stupid is entirely different than doesn't-follow-orders stupid.

"I'm West."

The introduction was accompanied by a hand to shake.

Tempering

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