Penance II - Think like a Gaurdian

[Teeramus]

Striker waited on the steps out the front of the Circle for Bishop. It was a casual ride over and he was wearing a T-shirt and shorts rather than his full riding gear. He sat munching on a muslie bar and wondering if he'd got there too early.

[Samaritan]

Bishop's approach could be heard, before it could be seen. Betsy's engine rumbled and then died down, when he parked the black Beetle and got out of the car. He adjusted his overcoat with his gloved hands and made his way over to the church, where he spotted Striker enjoying the out-of-doors.
He gave a slight nod and offered his hand.
"Morning, Mr. Striker. Good to see you." he greeted him.

[Teeramus]

Striker watched with a pained look as the old machine pulled loudly into the lot. Surely there was something that could be done to make the poor car run a little smoother.

As Bishop got out of his vehicle Striker stuffed the rest of the snack into his mouth and had nearly finished chewing it down by the time the Guardian had made his way over. Already standing he shook the man's hand firmly and offered his own muesli-bar tainted greeting. "Geh'day mahte." He said before finally managing to swallow the last of it. "How ya doin' Mister Bishop? Have a good Chrissy?" Striker asked, turning to ascend the steps and open the door. Once through the portal he held it open for the older mage with his foot while he slipped his pass back into his pocket with his hand.

[Samaritan]

Bishop could not help himself. A grin split his face, when the australian man greeted him with his thick accent, which made him somehow more sympathetic. He gave him a raised eyebrow, while entering the compound.
"You know, it's no wonder you get away with breaches of secrecy wearing that smug face of yours." he replied pleasantly. He nodded thanks for Striker holding the door.
"Well, Christmas happens every year, same as my birthday, taxes and the major league play-offs. All of them are highly over-rated, in my opinion. Speaking of presents..."
Bishop rummaged through his pockets.
"I was not aware, my order had ceded control of this lovely piece of architecture. So please, take care of these."
He handed Striker a bunch of keys on a ring without any ornaments.
"So...does the coffee-machine still work, or has it been reassigned for target-practice?"

[Teeramus]

Striker stared discerningly at the other man as he entered, unsure if he was having a go at him or trying to make a joke. Either way the Australian didn't think it was funny at all. He spun the keyring on his index finger once before pocketing it.

"Cheers mate, and feel free to make yourself a coffee, I don't drink it myself. Now first off, I didn't, an I'm not tryin' to 'get away' with anything right?" he said looking slightly annoyed while moving towards the kitchen. "I made a dumb mistake and did something the councillors didn't agree with and they slapped me with penances for both so it's all sorted ok? Only it's not, 'cause I don't know how, or maybe why, Gaurdians do what they do." he breathed a deep breath. His annoyance fled. What he really needed was understanding.

Striker looked Bishop in the eye. "That's why I called you mate. You're a Guardian, but you've been straight with me so far. I respect that. Sometimes I can't figure out what Star's on about, but for my penance for the vulgar spell in the park thing he wanted me to 'think about' what yous do. I thought havin' a yarn with you might help too." he said seriously.

[Samaritan]

Bishop raised his hands in order to ward of any hostility. He let the annoyance wash over him and made himself a coffee, before sitting down next to a table.
"Alright, alright, that was a little uncalled for, maybe." Bishop conceded.
<Yes, old man, that's what happens, when you try to be funny.>
He could almost hear her voice again, mocking him. Whacky fun...

"You want to know, what we do." Bishop repeated, expanding the last three words a little.
"Well, for starters, it's secret. So I won't tell you. What Star meant more likely, that you should change your perspective on things. Although Star is Star and I have no read on him either. And as much as it may surprise you, the perspective of Guardians varies with the guardian. Point in case: I personally would never try to become a councilor, but here we are having a Guardian heading the Acanthi."
Bishop crossed his legs, leaned back and nursed his coffee.
"So. Perspective. Magic is dangerous. And I do not mean the effect of a fireball into a street gang. I mean the danger of invoking a paradox. That perspective all Guardians have in common, I'd say. Sadly enough, the sleeping world does not appreciate being disturbed in its slumber and lashes out, when our kind enforces their will on it. That said, the Guardian perspective strives to restrict, govern and sanctions the use of vulgar magic. This may be stating the obvious, but I think it is best to take things from the top."

[Teeramus]

Striker nodded at what Bishop said. He held no animosity. But secrets? The fact that they had secrets wasn't a surprise, but raised more questions. How much more was there that he didn't know?

"Nous. She a Gaurdian." he commented more to himself than to Bishop. "No wonder she's so uptight." the shaman added, taking a seat himself.

"So paradox is bad. I'll meet ya there. But it's not unmanageable right? You got ways of dealing with it so all hell doesn't break loose. I guess I just don't get why yous spend all your time bein' paranoid about these problems instead of just rolling with them and dealin' with them when they come up." he said honestly.

[Samaritan]

Bishop looked up sharply and shook his head.
"And that is the most common misconception, which you can find at the base of most catastrophes. Yes, it is possible to contain the ruptures in reality within your own. Yes, there are tools, formulations, ritual helps. But all that has lead to the notion, that paradox is an obstacle to overcome in order to achieve."
There was a pause for effect.
"But it is not an obstacle. Paradox is just a symptom. You have an infection and you develop a fever. The fever is not the infection, the fever is a symptom, a reaction. What stands behind a paradox?" Bishop asked, rehtorically emphasizing the point.
"The void. The gap between the fallen world and the supernal. And this gap widens with each attempt to invoke the supernal on the already stretched canvas of reality. It does not matter, if the invocation causes a paradox, which you contain within you own pattern. The gap still widens. The infection is still there, although you do not develope a fever, but rather just a headache."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"There are perspectives representing the idea, that the Guardians are the cure, but that is just the same hubris, which has cost us the awakened city. The hubris, which has caused the gap in the first place."

[Teeramus]

Striker nodded along to the first part of Bishop's response. Paradox WAS something they had to overcome. Then he cocked his head and listened more intently as the Guardian described Paradox as a symptom. When Bishop asked 'What stands behind a paradox?' he mouthed 'Abyss' silently. He knew this stuff. It was familiar. Yet it had never seemed... important when he had been coming to grips with his new power.

"Vulgar magic feeds the Abyss." he mused aloud. "So is there anything we can do to close it? Ya know, clear out the infection once and for all." Striker asked hopefully, "Or is that your secret squirrel Guardian stuff?" the Arrow added with a half smile. His smile turned to a frown as what Bishop said connected. "Or are you sayin' that Guardians can't be the cure even though we all think yous have got it covered? And maybe yous should spend more time educating about the problem rather'n slapping people for breakin' your rules. It's not just your problem after all right. It affects all of us." he said with concern.

[Samaritan]

A smile creased Bishops features again, this time without reaching the eyes. There was no warmth in it, for Striker had voiced a key concern of his, one that he had seen for himself, when Piper had left him a full member of the order, but without anything else to lean on.
"You have effectively described both the Guardians greatest curse and proudest achievement." Bishop said, a little sad. "Setec Astronomy."
He did not elaborate on it.
"If there is a cure to something caused by magic, I don't think magic is the cure. It's a nice sentiment, that you think, we have got it all covered in our order. Take a good look at your own. The notion is, that you are all soldiers, loyal to boot and united under a banner carried aloft by the mage with the biggest balls in town."
There was a slight touch of sarcasm in the last sentence. Bishop paused to let Striker compare the image discribed to his own real experiences.
"Or order has its own undercurrents and factions, we just don't placate it as much as others. And consider the following: You want us to educate. We are. Right here, right now, I am educating. At the consilium, when I stepped on Hierarch Aquinas toes and pissed of Mrs. Pepper royally - along with most people in the room - I was educating. The problem is, nobody wants to listen. Everyone has his own ideas, his own agenda, motivation - hell, some have their own traumas and demons or are in love with the sound of their own voice, plain and simple. You don't educate these people."
There was obvious frustration now.
"It's like in school. If the topic is uncool, you fall asleep. Granted, your teacher can be boring as hell, too."