(Private) Sun in Winter

A few days after the Onyx meeting closed, it was time to meet with Sacramento's newest Sun Banisher. The Fairest was more excited that she should have been over this, perhaps because she may have longed for that person she could confide in. Although, that may have been something that was only between Katrin and Harvey, Sasha wondered if the same thing would be true for John.

Truth be told, the Dancer had missed companionship either being male or female. She wondered if Katrin felt the same way at any point. But Sasha's void was her own doing. Blocking people away after so many had come and gone, she really shouldn't be like that. The Dancer may have been the Ice Queen, but she didn't want to be an 'Ice Queen'. There was no way she could imagine herself as such unless something truly traumatic happened.

She had told John Doe to meet her at the Note long before it opened, so hopefully getting there at 10am would mean that John would be there sometime between then and 4:00pm. The Fairest told her that the back door would be open, since if the front doors were, and any customer just decided to chance it, she hated to turn them away. Who knows if someone may just need to sit peacefully and chat with a random stranger to make their day better. Yet, with the door locked this could also be avoided.

Ledgers were spread across the largest table as the Dancer had the laptop pulled up to enter in all the information as her legs in jeans crossed beneath the table and a thin long sleeve shirt draped over her frame. This was her attire for days she needed to get work done at the Note. Even though the Fairest thought she may have looked shabby, Sasha probably looked better than most while in her 'slouch' attire.

The Faceless wore a gray t-shirt and blue jeans. Easily unnoticed, the Darkling walked through the streets and slipped into the Blue Note. Arriving at the requested time, he approached with a smile and light, "Hi Sasha."

The Dancer looked almost buried in the accounting stuff until the door opened. She had nothing to hide, so she slowly closed each ledger and stacked up the orders and receipts.

As John rounded the table where she sat, Sasha grinned. "Hello John, so glad you could make it."

Leaning back a little. "Could I get you anything? Coffee, soda, whatever you'd like?"

Cocking her head slightly, she may as well strike up conversation briefly. "Did you happen to see Verne at all since the Winter meeting? He got quiet and then nothing."

Taking a seat across from the Queen, he smiled. "I'm always happy to have a good cup of coffee, thank you so much."

The Darkling shook his head, "No, I haven't seen Verne since the meeting. I noticed the same issue. I'll keep an eye out for him. Just in case."

The Onyx rose quickly and poured John a fresh cup of coffee. She'd turned on the coffee maker when she arrived and the aroma permeated the Blue Note, which was far more common than one would think at a bar. "Do you take cream and sugar?" Asking while she gathered up a sugar packet dispenser and one that had mixed little creamers in it.

The Fairest shook her head and slightly sighed. "See what you can figure out about Verne, if you would please. If he's still in Sacramento, that'd be good to know. He seemed very... distant, at our Winter meeting." That was the most polite way she could word that he seemed crabby or even worse.

"Okay, so, I asked you to meet me to find out many things. Of course I should have written them down, but I am sort of foggy as to what I was going to start with." Which seemed to be something token to the nature of Changelings.

"Let's start by maybe explaining what your strong suits are as a Sun Banisher? If there is anything that is pertinent that I should know about you, that would be helpful as well." Sasha wasn't sure if Katrin and Harvey were close by choice or if it was a normal thing for the Sovereign and Sun Banisher. There was a lot the Dancer knew, and many things that she wished she'd asked before Katrin left.

"Oh yes, cream and sugar, thank you." He smiled his chrome plated teeth in gratitude.

The Darkling nodded, "I will pursue what leads I come across. I do hope he's alright."

John nodded once in acknowledgment of Sasha's commentary. "If people notice me, they don't give a second thought. I've always been overlooked." It was a sad but true part of his life. "It was something I learned to use to my advantage. I'm a Dual Kith - Mirrorskin and Lurker. Evidence disappears, and no one seems to remember when the janitor walked in." A mischievous smile appeared. "I can't help but admit there's a certain thrill to what I did. It's crazy how little attention people give to those they deem to be lesser than them."

He rubbed the back of his head, "When the Raven Queen was working her magic and pitting the Freehold against what turned out to be her fellow True Fae rival. It got ugly. I kind of lost my marbles once I realized I was just a pawn too. I was reporting to the Winter King, a Darkling Pishacha Skitterskulk, named Uncle Nancy. Creepy demonic spider. Always gave me the chills. Uncle Nancy was giving that intel over to the Raven Queen. It was an alliance of death and decay."

"I lost my best friend, Ava Lanche, a Snowskin of Spring, to Uncle Nancy's betrayal."

Placing the cream, sugar and coffee in front of John, she resumed her seat. Sasha closed all the books and set them aside to focus on the Sun Banisher.

The Fairest was relieved that John was more open than she expected. Most of her court kept to themselves, and didn't divulge anything. Perhaps they did to Katrin, but not to her for a very long time. "I really appreciate your honesty, John."

"I'm also glad you embraced what most turn into a depressed state; being overlooked or forgotten. It's a very powerful thing to be able to admit it, and do something others cannot do." Even if someone were to say, sure they can, Sasha knew very well not many could pull them out of a situation like John was in.

As far as the betrayal, Sasha had nothing to even say at first. She sat there, studying his words, and looking at his face, or the blankness of it, and looked for what to say. "This would be terrible to say, but at least you did learn what to look for. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend though, that can be tough."

"I can also see why you needed to leave that Freehold." The Dancer breathed in, and paused. "There are times that I was uncertain about coming back to this one, but not for the same reasons."

""Thanks Sasha. Despite our Season's "stereotype," honesty is the best policy." The Faceless nodded and smiled in appreciation, "except when circumstances dictate otherwise."

Again, the Faceless nodded, "Ava helped me get out of that dark pit. She could melt anyone's heart. Told me, "the Gentry wins when you give up." That stuck with me," he admitted without hesitation. "Who cares what the muggles think anyway?" she told me. You've got friends with real magic," Doe shrugged, "She saved my life. My only regret is, I couldn't save hers."

The bumps forming his "eyebrows" raised up. "You left here? Didn't expect that."

So many times they all fell into the Stereotype, and yet, there were many she encountered that did not. The same could be said for any other Season, Kith or Mein. And for those times, there was a degree of avoiding the truth to avoid someone's heart. "There have been times that I have had to skate around the truth to protect someone. I am sure you are more than familiar with those situations."

What this Ava woman told John struck her deeply. She stopped and thought a few moments. "She was a very wise person. That couldn't be more true."

"I have many regrets as well. There was another John who left and I haven't heard from again. Although it pained me for a while, I got over it. Yet, because I don't know what happened to him, it will always nag at me."

"John and I left for a while with his motorcycle friends. We were up in northern Washington or Canada, I can't remember now. But one day I came home, he was gone. There was no sign that he was going to leave before that, no note left, and I couldn't find his friends any longer to ask what may have happened to him." Breathing in for a long moment, she continued. "While I was away, a terrible incident occurred in Sacramento. A few lost their lives, and I had come back not long after. While away, of course the news only said something about massive sinkholes. One that caused a fire on our former hotel the Four Seasons." She paused to see if the Mirrorskin had any questions.

John's silver face nodded up and down. "As awful as it can be, it is a necessary measure. The truth cuts deeper and more painfully than any blade ever could."

Her affirmation of Ava brought a smile to his face, "Thank you."

The Faceless remained silent as the Sovereign recounted her story. A frown displayed his sympathy for her. "Funny, how misery likes company." He took a sip of coffee. "I do hope that you one day hear back from your John. Hopefully we can also do something to benefit the survivors of that tragedy."