Selling Space

**Avis** · Jun 14th, 2015 12:27 AM

Once more, as the sun edged towards noon, Avis waited in the Circle to greet another Mage and discuss business. She sat upon a pew, legs curled under her in a rough half lotus with a subway wrapper spread over them. Most of the sandwich which had once belonged in that wrapper was held between her hands, and a piece of it dwelled in the churning realm of her teeth. Just bits of matter being converted into fuel. Pieces of plant, animal, and who-knew-what-else that her body would convert into the fabric which both supported her existence and confined it. Another sandwich sat next to. A minor offering of hospitality. The offering of bread to break together...

Jun 14th, 2015 06:00 PM

Aquinas : Spells Active -1 to discern

Aquinas is many things. Prompt is one of them. As he passes the entry to the Circle, the Mastigos makes a quick rap of his knuckles against the door jam. He's simply dressed for the early-Summer heat: khaki's, button up, and a tie just a touch askew. Of course, it is what is beneath the surface that are his accessories visible in how motes of dust seem to avoid the Hierarch.

“Avis?” Aquinas says, to gather her attention as he easily moves between pews.

The door he came through closes with a low thunk and a metallic snap.

“Nice to see you,” from the tone of his voice, it sounds as though he means it. “Mind if I took a seat?”

**Avis** · Jun 17th, 2015 02:28 AM

At first the Hierarch was just greeted with a raised hand and a nod, the other Warlock's mouth being occupied with the remnants of a bite. By the time he neared and inquired after a seat, however, she was no longer muted by the presence of foreign matter.

"Yeah, uh, please do," she offered, gesturing to the pew across from her. She'd rotated it so the seats faced each other instead of the usual eyes front alignment.

"And thanks for meeting me, Aquinas. I know there's other stuff that you could be doing, some of which you'd probably enjoy more. Still, I think this conversation could mean good things for the Consilium. It needs a home. It just so happens that I have one, and it's in need of more owners."

Jun 17th, 2015 03:30 PM

Wood creaks as Aquinas takes a seat across from Avis. Attentive, he leans forward, elbows on his knees and iron wedding band drinking in the light around him. The Hierarch's lined face speaks of many smiles and furrowed brows, a life written if one knows how to read it. Steely eyes level on the Arrow.

“Eh, I guess there's other things I could be doing, but if they were more important I would be doing them.” There's a firmness in his voice as he speaks, his eyes don't wander. But his statement speaks of the perception of importance to the current time and current place.

“The Consilium – the Diamond here, I should be more specific – has a home. It has five of them. This is one of them.” He pauses before he explains, “The Orders might be treated as solitary entities to the Lex and the Charter, but they are important to the Consilium's working. If an Order doesn't have a home, then the Consilium is weakened because of it.”

Aquinas' arms drop, crossing while fingers hang downward. “I rotate the meeting places to both enforce this fact and to confuse Seers, Banishers, and Golden Gate from listening in on our meetings. It's worked so far, at least my own Sources have said.”

“So my first question, really, is if you intend on the Adamantine Arrow to remain here? And what my role will be if I do decide to 'hold' the Circle.”

**Avis** · Jun 18th, 2015 09:07 PM

"If there's only one target, it's easier to attack, that's true. It's also easier to defend one target than it is to defend five, and really, whenever the Consilium gathers then there's only one target again. One house, so to speak, and if that house has only a fifth of the resources dedicated to it then it's going to be a lot softer than we want it to be if it ever does get attacked," Avis countered, setting her sandwich aside.

"But, then again, maybe five houses is working. Except that the Circle is slowly falling down. There's only two people to take care of it, now, and I can't dedicate the resources it needs without depriving myself of what I need to continue to grow. Same with Striker. And, basically, that's what I'm concerned about. I don't want to be the person that sold the Circle away from the Arrow, really, I don't, but I'd rather have that happen than see this...this monument fall into ruin. I'd rather have it serve everyone than no one. So, if you think that you have the resources to give the building the care it needs then I'll hand it over to you. No real conditions. I mean, if nothing else it would make for a fitting neutral ground. Eventually Striker and I will find another building to base the Arrow out of, so you'll still have your fifth house, but I think having a house that everyone owns would be a good idea.

"I mean, just look at that shit with the museum," she expounded with a nebulous yet violent gesture. "Basically no Consilium functions can happen there because two of the five councilors are banned from entering it. If there was a more neutral place, however, where all citizens of the Consilium were welcome then that kind of stuff wouldn't matter. Since right now there's not, though, that means there's only 4 houses, one of which is in partial ruin."

Jun 20th, 2015 06:45 PM

Aquinas' concern is many fold. The first and foremost, what will happen to the Arrow. It doesn't matter that he isn't a member of the order, it matters that they are people under his guidance (should they take it) and protection (should they require it). It leaves him uneasy to think of the Arrow without a home.

However, a warning look is shot at the mention of the museum debacle. The Hierarch is not going to step into it but both parties, from his purview, are in the wrong. Two for disrespecting boundaries, so incredibly important in the Awakened Community. Another, for allowing herself to get baited in her incandescent anger.

He says nothing to that.

“Five Houses isn't a bad thing.” Aquinas says finally as he thinks, gesturing and asking if the other sandwich is for him before he takes it (should it be). “No one wants to see the Circle fall to ruin. However, while five houses aren't a bad thing – houses are more than just four walls and a roof. They are its people. My concern, then, is about the Arrow – especially those Arrow without a cabal or a sanctuary of their own.”

Carefully, the Double Master considers the sandwich. “The Ladder have the Bismark. I have the home I sleep in. I have the place I make oblations in. This place holds too many memories for it to ever truly be neutral. But, I have a counter proposal for you.”

“If I take custodial ownership of this place,” Aquinas says looking up, “that would free you up, right? If I take custodial ownership of this place; I will need individuals to take care of the Circle. I can open only so many portals to keep a constant vigil over my houses. Do you see where I am going with this?”

**Avis** · Jun 21st, 2015 02:38 AM

Dull eyes met the iron gaze of the Hierarch, the Talon's muted green stare as blank as the surface of still bayou waters. Then, a blink.

"Oh, sorry," Avis blurted out before handing the unopened sandwich over. "It's, uh, meatball. Hopefully that's alright," she added, shrugging at any possible inadequacy. Or, maybe at the temporary breach in hospitality. Either way, the next time her lips parted it to accept more Subway, not to apologize.

Methodically, she chewed the food, grinding animal and plant matter into easily digestible mush. The Hierarch's words, however, proved to be tougher fair. Not something she was in danger of choking on, but not something she could swallow just yet. Of course, eventually the food descended down her gullet and since her mouth was then free to form a reply she figured she might as well do so.

"I'm not sure that I do understand, Aquinas. Unless you're just saying that you also don't have the resources, since what you need is people?"

Jun 21st, 2015 11:38 AM

“Money is money,” Aquinas replies breezily, “I have my fair share. The problem I have is manpower. The Arrow have people and they know this place inside and out and they'll need a nominal home.” The wax paper that holds the sub together is unwrapped like an onion. “If I take custodial ownership of this place, I will do it under the condition that the Arrow still call this place their home.”

The counter proposal laid out, the Hierarch takes a bite.

He chews thoughtfully as he observes Avis' reaction.

**Avis** · Jun 23rd, 2015 03:50 AM

It didn't take long for the First Talon to decide. The Hierarch was going to help lift up the burden, and was going to leave them with the benefit of the space? There was nothing there to possibly complain about.

"Deal."

She took another bite of her sandwich.

"You can invite your cabalmate back if you want to," she mentioned around her food. "I mean, you probably figured already, but we're on the same page."

Jun 24th, 2015 12:47 PM

Another bite of his sub is taken right after Avis takes the deal. It is almost as though the sandwich itself is a sacrament, and that the very act of tearing a piece apart with his teeth is a handshake. The Arrow feels a pulse of strong magic, while the Hierarch's chewing slows.

Finally, Aquinas swallows.

7 successes*

*

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2015-06-24 12:37:52		Cas-AQ rolls 10 to CT: Space: Way Around (10 Again)		1, 7, 8, 10, 2, 9, 10, 1, 8, 5, 10, 3, 10, 5		7 successes

Selling Space

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