By the bridge

[Miach]

Sitting on the grass at the edge of the River Walk Park, Miach was looking at the Tower Bridge and the flowing water, unmoving. His mind was going back to a few years ago, when he had met Councilor Rosh around here, only to see the man disappear slightly afterwards. Now he knew what had happened to him. A Soul Jar... nobody deserved that.

Would that happen to him if he stayed here ? Was the city too dangerous ? But would he dare leave it ? Start anew again someplace else ? The Acanthus knew himself too well. He was too cowardly to do it by himself. It was only the shock of Menwel's death that had stirred him into doing something as rash as moving... and there he was, fearing to leave, fearing to stay. What to do, now ?

[Jonokuchi]

Jonokuchi had yet to explore much of the city. With his duties to the Arrow, his cabal and now the Consilium as a whole, the Mastigos found there was little free time for him to simply...walk. Despite his appearance, Jonokuchi enjoyed walking, his strides methodical as his eyes picked out every detail. Today, he had decided to make his way down by the river, using his staff to assist his cumbersome manner, the burden of his training niggling his joints. Pain was a teacher; he was a student.

The Mastigos spotted a face he recognized and came up with a name. He couldn't ever recall talking with the man and even though not social by nature, it was his duty to keep the Laws and therefore the peace.

Wearing one of his simple kimonos, Jonokuchi approached Miach slowly. His face was neutral as he stopped just outside that personal space everyone enjoyed and some seemed willing to breach. He leaned on his staff for support.

"Good day."

  Shield & Sight cast at home

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-11-08 00:37:17		Jonokuchi rolls 7 to Space + Gnosis + HS (Untouchable) (10 Again)		9, 2, 9, 7, 9, 8, 10, 9		6 successes
2014-11-08 00:36:59		Jonokuchi rolls 7 to Space + Gnosis + HS (Spatial Awareness) (10 Again)		6, 9, 8, 4, 2, 3, 4		2 successes

[Miach]

Lost in his thoughts weighing the uncertainties of his life, Miach heard someone talk to him, but didn't react at once. The voice sounded familiar, the accent much less. Turning slowly, the Acanthus first noticed the frame before the finer details, like the face.

The Sentinel. Jonokuchi ? To the Enchanter, it couldn't be mere happenstance that he would cross the man's path in his current mindframe. The Fates weaved a strange tale indeed. Since they had met before, but never had much opportunity to talk...

"Good day Sir." unsure of the proper way of addressing the japanese giant, he opted for something simple.

"Enjoying the air, and the sight ?" the doctor started conversationnally, nodding toward the bridge and the river in front of them.

[Jonokuchi]

"It is a new discovery," Jonokuchi replied, head turning to take in the view. "A vast structure, overlooking the city, connecting point A to point B." His head turned back to Miach. "A coincidence, maybe?"

Jonokuchi took in the man, trying to bring a name to the face. When it came, he offered a nod. "And yourself?"

[Miach]

Asking if it was a coincidence to an Acanthus ? Nothing was ever a coincidence, it was just that its purpose was lost on them. "Maybe..." the doctor replied with a doubtful tone.

If the man had seen his face before talking to him, he would have known the answer to his latest question. No, Miach was not exactly enjoying himself. But that was not the sort of answer you were expected to give, except maybe to your close friends. So he played the game instead.

"It's... good to be out, sometimes. It helps to think differently." or remember things.

Then, before he realized what he was doing, he blurted it out. "I knew most of those souls that were found..."

[Jonokuchi]

Jonokuchi frowned as Miach mentioned the souls, his mind wandering back to the last gathering and what had been discovered. It was truly sickening but Jonokuchi was no master on the soul; he left that for those who understood such dark paths.

What surprised the Mastigos was Miach's sudden slip of the tongue.

"You have my condolences," he muttered, monotone voice expressing very little sympathy with it's harshness. It wasn't something that the sumo meant, simply a bluntness of speech.

Besides, he wasn't going openly discuss such matters here and now.

[Miach]

The lack of empathy in the voice left little doubt about the giant's emotions. It was spoken out of reflex, not out of heartfelt grieving. Ho, Miach didn't begrudge the sumo. How could you feel something for someone you had never known ? It just felt... sad.

"Thank you." he said, nearly as much out of reflex. "The one who needs them most is A. of course." He had lost a lover, after all.

Better to move on to other topics, lest the mood would turn even grimmer. "You settling well in the city ? And the new job ?"

Sentinel, eh ? He would have to offer his services to the man.

[Jonokuchi]

Animus? Jonokuchi thought but didn't put a voice to it. He was more careful than that. He offered a nod out of courtesy for the man's words.

"Yes, it is most welcoming," Jonokuchi said, glad to turn his mind to other things. "Ask me again in a couple of months," the giant sumo said with a wry smirk, leaning with both hands gripping his staff, resting his weight upon it. "It was a surprise to me."

[Miach]

Most welcoming ? Miach couldn't help but wonder... the Consilium, in disarray as he was, may be taken as welcoming. The people were not bad people, after all. But the City proper, with its fill of Banishers, Scelesti, and god-knows-what-else ? It was hardly so. Perhaps the sumo had been lucky enough to avoid the worst aspects of it so far. Or he deserved his position as a Sentinel.

"I'll make sure I do." the Acanthus replied with a friendly smile at the invitation to talk again later. Hopefully, there would be nothing darker to talk about than the rainy clouds looming over their heads.

"The job was a surprise ? Yet you meet several of the requirements, don't you ?" Arrow. Fighter. Imposing. He seemed like a natural fit to the Medstar. "At least to me, you look like a man who'll do it well." and he nodded honestly at the stoic japanese.

[Jonokuchi]

Nothing. No reaction, at least not externally. Internally, Jonokuchi knew that he had obviously proven himself to Animus to have been forwarded as one of two Sentinels to assist the Consilium. It was just another step closer to regaining the honour that was stolen from him.

"We shall see. I can only do the best I can and give the job my all."

"What about you? I believe you are a doctor, correct?"