Bodega Burnout

[Lucifer]

"You speak like one who is accustomed to lying, Sir Rhodes," Lucifer replied, using her own spoon to carve a hunk of chocolate from her tub. Her eyes moved between the two men, a hint of mischief dancing alongside the candle flames in her eyes.

"You use far too many words to convey the simplest of concepts," she chided, gesturing at the floral sorcerer with her dripping spoon. "To answer your question, Billy, yes, we are like you. Mister Rhodes and I have met once before*, though perhaps he does not remember. You may call me Lucifer. I am something of a community leader for people such as us. Though, you do know that it can be dangerous to mention that you've met people like us, don't you? Particularly with the pledge that we have both made."

*So, continuity is weird, and I'm not going to reference it much more, but Eternal Seasons will close before this thread, and thus enter continuity first.

[Saber Sloth]

The Summer Solstice is a Sticky! So it enters continuity the day it's opened instead of when it ends, like other scenes. So Lucifer and Rhodes definitely know each other

[Rhodes]

Dammit! I didn't realise the court was a Sticky - there aren't any Sticky threads in Werewolf so I forgot about that type of thread.

Rhodes blatantly rolls his eyes at the "community leader" comment, and tuts audibly. "More it is one I merely wish to forget. I am accustomed to being lied to, my naive Morning star. There is much benefit to deal in specifics, something every proficient member of our little grouping should be aware of." After the Solstice, Rhodes severely doubted Lucifer's ability to lead the Ashern Court. Fear she could wield, but she used it like a club, brazen and obvious, driving all away. Poking a dragon in the eye is rarely a wise move, but Rhodes cannot resist a small barb at his ambitious counterpart.

He gestures towards the soot-covered changeling munching his ice-cream. "Young Billy here has escaped, and that is commendable... but one of our kin unawared of such things may quickly perform acts that are noticable. An opportunity for... Others," he stresses the word carefully, "to find their Lost playthings. You are, dear boy, out of the Hedge, but not out of the woods. But we can help, if you are willing, and no pawn of what lies beyond from whence you came."

[Lucifer]

"There, there, now, Billy," Lucifer soothed, pausing to lick a drip of chocolate from her spoon. "As quarrelsome and judgmental as Sir Rhodes has proven himself to be, he truly does have your best interests at heart. As do I, though you of course know that based off of the pledge which we swore. With Rhodes, you can tell by the chill breeze that hovers around him, even if the breeze is a little too brazen for my tastes. This is what we call a mantle, and proves that he is an enemy of those who took us, and most likely an ally of yours. It is best to keep your wits about you, however. He does look like the type to own a blank, panel van."

She let out a short bark of queer laughter at her joke, the pitch and tone twisting oddly together, though she sobered quickly.

"As for the year, you'll have to remember to breathe, Billy, dear. Remember to breathe. The year is two thousand and eighteen, and there is much discontent in the country. To both our benefit, and our detriment."

[Rhodes]

  2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-07-23 04:51:19		Rhodes rolls 8 to Secrets, secrets... Wits + Empathy + specialsation (10 Again)		3, 9, 7, 8, 5, 1, 5, 2		2 successes

Rhodes archs an eyebrow ever so slightlyas Billy replies. Something is amiss....

"Lady Lucifer, you are unquestonably this Freehold's foremost expert on what is judgemental and brazen," the Flowering retorts drily. "The strength of a Mantle only dictates such trivialities as embodiment of our court's ideals, of which emotion is but a fraction." He smirks. "As for unmarked vans, appearences are deceptive. The most beautiful of roses still punishes the most helpful gardener with the sharpest thorns, and holds the ugliest of twisted roots beneath the surface. But conversations for another time, I think, yes?"

The Fairest turns back to Billy, his tone softening. "In escaping back to this world you must have endured much. So have we all. We have suffered the same kinds of punishment, and would seek never to return to it. My caution is not without reason, and is nothing against you, but a necessity." He stops, thinking. "You did accept Lucifer's pledge, which adds some reassurance. It means you know of the power such words have to us. Break that oath, and your life will be forfeit. But that oath protects neither myself, not the others that have ever escaped. I would ask something similar, to reassure others who meet you of your sincerity. But not a year, I think - I would not wish you to be bound for a year twice in one day."

Rhodes closes his eyes for a moment, and takes a deep breath, feeling the power run through the words. It never gets old.
"To assure the protection of our bretheren, bretheren in this oath being those once human that have returned to the human world from Arcadia, I swear upon the name of my Keeper, Ophellia the Eternal Gardener, that would seek me were my word broken, that I will not aid any of the Arcadian Gentry against my bretheren, the aforementioned. For one turn of the season, I hold this vow, blessing my understanding of my bretheren, so defined before, lest my words and deeds be cursed to great misfortune." He smiles serenely on Billy. "If you hold true to your word, swear it upon the name of your Keeper, who will seek you should your word prove false, and bind the vow that demonstrates your sincerity not just to one but to all our bretheren, so named, that escaped from Arcadia."

The great thing about creating a raw pledge, is you get to name it!

Oath of Gentry's Denial:
Task: Forbiddance -1
Blessing: Lesser Adroitness (Empathy) +1
Sanction: Curse -2
Duration: Season +2

[Rhodes]

Rhodes finishes the pledge with an inclining of the head. "The pledge is sealed."

He reaces into his pocket and pulls our a dark brown hankerchief, which he offers. "As for your situation - impossible? Sadly not. Just merely highly improbable," the Fairest says gently. "Time passes strangely in Arcadia - it blurs and changes. Some of us age years while humanity loses seconds, and some remain budding youths as the world turns decades without them. I understand, I truly do." He leaves the implication unsaid.

Mulling over Billy's words, Rhodes idly rubs his chin with his forefinger before continuing reassuredly. "Come now, William. If you want help, you must find strength through your fear. First, we would know how long has passed since you were taken. It can matter. You may need to accept your old life may no longer be open to you. Second you said the same place everyone gets sent - but Arcadia is vast. Such a thing is like saying we were on the same continent. Your sister... was she taken as well? Is she still on the other side?"

[Lucifer]

"Calm now, young Billy. We will help you find your sister," Lucifer promised, placing a soothing hand on his shoulder even as she turned her satanic gaze upon the warlock next to them. It was wise to extract such a pledge from their new...project...but she did not trust the man. He was entirely too slippery for trust to be a possibility, even if his intentions seemed to be pure.