The Iron Council

Jun 7th, 2017 05:25 PM

Alexander's head ached.

Not because of the continuing onslaught of Summer, relentless even as the sun was hiding behind the horizon, drowning the now-empty Funderland in blacks and oranges. Not because of the continuous dance on knife's edge that was the existence of those who escaped from Arcadia and lived to tell the tale. No, his reasons were quite different, had shapes and names.

Circe and Otto.

He still couldn't wrap his mind around them. Feeling like their private meetings were way too short to really do them justice. There were also some concerning bits and pieces about both of them. The elf's shown to be volatile about some issues from her past, and Otto's steely rebuffs the other day also were a cause for concern. He needs to get to know them better and create an opportunity to meet one another. There is also the issue of the Iron Spear's position within the new order of things, as well as the Court's... internal organization.

As was now customary for him, he's sent a text to both of them the day before. It didn't leave much room for interpretation.

Meet me at the Striker, main area. 1 hour after park's closing. We're about to have a family reunion.

When they show up, he will be waiting for them, dressed in a smart casual attire. There are no chairs in the arena, but Alexander has brought some of the inflated barriers near its center, turned them over and arranged in a circular-ish shape, so that there is something to sit on.

Anxiously, he awaits their arrival. There is a large number of ways this could go down. Let's hope for the best to happen.

Jun 9th, 2017 04:46 AM

Otto was surprised by a sudden text, which sounded more like a command than an invitation. Nevertheless, despite his instincts, he decided to take it on the good side. Maybe it's just some casual meeting... Alexander did mention that there's some other person in the Court. So, along with his own ass, as usual casually clothed in cargo pants and gray hoodie, he brought coffee in a thermos and three cups. Not too strong, because the hour is a bit late, but strong enough to keep people up throughout the meeting.

"Hello, Mister Brown. I brought coffee." The Wizened waved lightly in a greeting. "We need a place to meet at better hours. I might not yet start working, but it doesn't mean I sleep all day," he smirked. "Are we waiting for someone else?"

**Circe** · Jun 11th, 2017 09:43 PM

Circe was not expecting the text. She didn't rush over however. She had no intent of sitting through something wearing the maintenance "uniform" so donned her street clothes instead. Denim shorts, sneakers, a red t-shirt, a leather jacket, and her occupied back holster. Circe didn't bother to snag anything more then that.

There was Alexander and Otto right in the center where the text said they'd be. Her drooping ears perked up at the mention of a certain liquid, "You brought coffee?" she grinned, "Otto I'm starting to like you. Keep it up and I may give you a discount in the future. I'll take a cuppa, please and thanks, after I figure out how to use the chair." She sauntered over to one of the upturned inflatables and tried to sit on it. It took some adjusting before she got it. She chuckled, "This is surprisingly comfortable. So Alex? Text said reunion? Good or bad Kind?"

Jun 12th, 2017 06:21 AM

The Mirrorskin frowned at being called "Mr. Brown" by Otto. Was the Wizened making fun of him... or was he just cautious?

"This is not a formal meeting." He replied, hoping the other Lost will get all the implications the sentence carried. "And sleep is a luxury the guards can rarely afford. In fact, we are waiting for..."

At this moment, the Striker doors opened wide, revealing the Fairest, her casual dress oddly contrasting with her exotic looks. "...Circe! There you are!"

He waits for the gunrunner to pour herself a cup of coffee, and for Otto, if he is so inclined. Then he fixes one for himself, and tastes. Good quality, medium strenght. Ideal.

"We're not here to celebrate, but neither to despair. As you know, we had tragically little time to spend together, and I do believe you've met each other only in passing, if at all." Alexander pasuses, appraising the reactions - or lack thereof - on their faces. "But this is more than a social call. Our Court lacked a Sovereign for a long time, and now that our ranks have swelled we must ensure that our duties are performed, and our advice heeded. We are the vanguard of the Iron Spear, but for if we are to act as one, we must know what that means for each of us." Insert dramatic pause here.

"So I ask you: why did you choose to follow Wrath? Or why do you think it chose you? What does it mean to be a Courtier of Summer?" He withholds his own answer for after Circe and Otto are finished, taking the comfortable position of a commentator, able to build what he has to say on the words of others.

Jun 12th, 2017 03:50 PM

Otto sighed as he noticed the Fairest. the Groundkeeper did mention her before, but never that she's... pretty. An outlandish look was one thing, it can grow on you when you're Lost; it was still normal to go "wow" on a beautiful girl. Especially when you don't talk with them a lot.

Otto never did, as far as he remembered.

"Oh, hello." Seeing Circe's attitude, he just took a breath and calmed down, took the thermos and the (interestingly enough, wooden) cups out of his bag and poured and gave away an americano for everyone. Only then he sat down.

The Wizened listened very carefully before speaking, and his voice is filled with concern. "I don't know, Alex. The whole thing with Sovereigns and all that jazz, that's not yet on my level. We might want to upgrade a bit, because there's no royalty between us, as I see it. Not Season-wise. Not yet. This will come with more actions." A sip of coffee. "You made a nice speech, but I'm a simple man - the Summer likes how despite everything, I have the will to fight, I guess. I might not have good fighting skills, but diversion is my forte. And I'm willing to use it for the Summer."

The Gameplayer takes a look at Circe. He wondered what her story was... if she was in sharing mood.

**Circe** · Jun 12th, 2017 07:46 PM

Circe hadn't met Otto before. She'd just kept her ears open for names of other Summers. It wasn't hard with so many of their folks working in Funderland. She got the name and their low numbers: it wasn't hard to figure out who Otto was when the only other Summer guy was Alex. She sipped her coffee.

And the Groundskeeper asked a deep question. Circe mused aloud: "Anger and vengeance are a good part of Summer. Fun parts too," she giggled. Then she gave Otto a thumbs up: "Fuck yeah to a fellow fighter. Long live the fighters. Guess that is why I am a Summer too, despite being chirpy about it. Royalty I ain't got good experience from San Fran. Ha," she shook her head, "Bastard courts there were out for each other."

She tilted her head back and let out a loud sigh, "Yeah, so I agree with Otto: we're fighters. The other Courts may play at it but it is what we are. We lead in battle. The rest," she blew a raspberry with her tongue, "I got not much to offer. Don't have my smuggling Hollow anymore so if you want boom sticks," the Fairest shrugged, "it'll be a while."

Jun 13th, 2017 01:00 PM

He smiled, appreciatively, at both of them. Then, in an instant, his expression changed into mild amusement, then into something else altogether.

"The will to figh? Fight for what?" It's not an accusation, rather a challenge. "Why do you keep standing up after a beating? Is it merely a habit? You've been breathing for so long that you just can't picture yourself stopping?"

He smiled again, encouragingly this time. Come on. Come at me! Let the Wrath flow sky high!

"Or is there a reason for you to fight?"

Turning to Circe, he noticed her being all chippery. Interesting. He's met morose Summers, bestial and clearly psychotic, but this? This is new. She will need to be observed closely.

"Anger and vengeance have many faces. You can seek to avenge those you love, those you have lost... or your own perceived slights, like a teenager who got turned down when asking a girl out. Which one is yours?"

He doesn't want to appear too harsh, or dismissive about their experiences. What he wants to do is to pull the truth right from their hearts - there can be no secrets between those who stand vigilant. He gives them plenty of time to explain, lash out if they so desire. Finally, his voice can be heard again.

"Wrath is a tool. For me, it fuels the struggle to protect our community and to even out the injustice that I see in the world. For you, it can be something different altogether, and I respect that. Spring binds us all together, Autumn nurtures our heritage and Winter acts as our memory, but ours is the duty to protect all of it, at all costs. To do that, our Wrath must be sustained, but never allowed to define us."

There is much more to discuss, of course, and the night is still young, but for the moment, let them ponder on that. If they want to challenge that view, they are welcome to do so. Alexander wonders what to make of these two.

**Circe** · Jun 13th, 2017 09:19 PM

"Uh...yes? I mean, why the fanculo not all? They're just different degrees of vengeance if you are looking for a definition. Someone tried to hurt my old motley and I broke bones at a minimum," she held up her free hand in a stop gesture, "but some, uh, norman drunk feels up my ass in a dive bar I put my fist in his face." She was still chipper aside from the slight pause in using club speak for mortals.

Circe's ears twitched then as she froze up. A frown marred her face as her ears drooped downwards. Then popped straight up as her eyes widened, "Ah, but that ain't what you asked, was it? More what drives me," that was a more sensible question to be asked. Circe's left ear twitched as she sipped coffee. "Why I seek vengeance, not what I consider vengeance. Whoops. Those I love sounds cheesy but," she shrugged, "it'd be the most accurate," she sipped her coffee again, "my friends' safety is greater then the satisfaction of a dead foe."

Alex had a very...developed definition of Wrath. Circe wasn't quite sure how to define her Wrath. "You got a interesting tool there Alex. I just use mine for fun or to protect me and mine," she rotated her coffee cup clockwise, swishing the contents within. "That don't swing so well out of San Fran. This Freehold isn't full of backstabbing assholes and my motley trusted me to keep an eye on them. So," Circe paused. She didn't know. "Fanculo guess I gotta think about it."

It was getting morose and Circe didn't like that. Spring shouldn't be the only ones having fun in the Courts. She eyed Otto, wondering what he'd say.

Jun 14th, 2017 03:33 PM

Otto is on silent side, listening to the other Summers' exchange and sipping coffee. Those two? Looks like the Summer Court will have their talkers, and it will have... well, Otto. But Alexander started to sound too high and mighty, too... bombastic. Too many big words. Otto was starting to lose his temper. When Circe looked at him, Otto started talking:

"You ask me what Wrath is. When you disagree with the current state of affairs and want a better life, there's Wrath. It's not the only reason, as Courts show, but I do not agree to always be a prey for the Gentry. By my book, that's enough of a reason to fight, like a sick person fights with their sickness."

A sip of coffee, a moment of thought.

"But when you ask what drives me, I can't answer. I ran away because I didn't want any more of that hell. Now I live because I want more of a good life. Must be there more? Can't people be simple? Like, you sound all mighty and use big words for what could be said and understood in small words, longer time, in actions. Is it what you want from yourself? Is it what you are yourself, Darkling?" An intense look, right into the Mirrorskin's face.

Otto didn't know what he was. Not what he used to be, at least. But he wasn't going to hide behind pretense. He knew he was still in the beginning of his new life.

Jun 15th, 2017 06:02 AM

The other two start talking, and it seems Alexander's strategy is working. As... unexpected as Otto's question was, it's good to know where they stand.

"Thank you." He said as Circe finished speaking her mind on vengeance. "I don't think it's cheesy at all. Or if I'm wrong and it is, you can take comfort in knowing that we're both cheesy." A slight chuckle and a smile was offered. "Just remember, we spin our safety net over all of the Freehold's inhabitants, even those we might not like. Which'll likely mean a lot of possibilities for bone-breaking."

However, her explanation begs the question: if her motley was so safe with her, why is she here, and they aren't?

"Are you asking me if I'm a pompous fool hiding behind big words to conceal his own greed? I like to think that I'm not. But if a little pompousness is what it takes to get you both to ask questions, that's a price I'm willing to pay. We all want a better life, and in our particular case, we are prepared to rip it out of Fate's throat. But what makes a good life for you? Riches? Fame? Peaceful existence? I'm not asking out of shallow curiosity - if we know ourselves, are confident in our goals, we take away one of the advantages They have over us."

He listens intently to what they have to say, then begins anew.

"Wrath is an interesting emotion. As Otto said, it's a trigger of change, and sustenance for who we are. I'd like to hear your thoughts on that. Do you take it where you find it, or do you... encourage it in others?

The Iron Council

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