As Summer turns to Autumn

[Rhodes]

Blink had asked to meet. Rhodes admitted he was surprised, if pleasantly so. He wasn't fully sure what all this was about. His suspicion was the Mixer, and her thoughts about Oneiromancy. Or perhaps it was to do with the combined Hollow. Or Penance.

I suppose we have discussed a fair amount. Still. No harm in enjoying an attractive companion's company. And the support of a strong arm is always useful.

And so he was here, waiting, in a motel room. It made a nice change from his apartment, it was private, and it was discrete. He didn't want the clientele of the Lucky Eight to think he was repeatedly taking attractive young women into their private rooms, even if his popularity was soaring at the tables following his Pact with Lucifer.

He sat on the bed, reading, waiting. Blink should be here any minute.

Blink Whisper

[Rhodes]

Rhodes looks up from the book. He's only expecting one person, but he didn't survive this long by being careless. He heads over to the window and peeks out. Good. It's her.

He opens the door. "Blink, my dear. Do come in." He gestures his arm welcoming her inside. "Please forgive the accommodation. But it is private and neutral. So! What can I do for you? Can I offer you a drink?" He heads over to the small kitchenette and pours himself a glass of scotch, turning to smile at the attractive summer. His icy Mantle chills the room with a noticeable breeze.

[Rhodes]

"Yes, it's why I bring my own," Rhodes says with a twinkle in his eye.

"What, like... a membership? A guild?" Rhodes is thoughtful. "Honestly? I'd still call it a Motley. Motleys often form out of shared interest, and the pledges protect us as beings who are naturally slow to trust. They add a layer of reassurance when words can mean so little to us. But if they are phrased right, there's no reason they should stop people working cross-groups."

He walks slowly around and sits at the table, watching Blink closely. The Fairest sips his drink. "You want to form... what? Motleys without pledges? Groups that work together without binding in common cause... like, I don't know... Like mortals do?" He sounds both curious and a little skeptical.

[Rhodes]

"I don't know what kind of experiences you have had, Blink, but it sounds like you emerged from the Hedge far more trusting than most of us," Rhodes says gently. He reclines back in the chair. "Most of us need a little time before jumping into that manner of commitment or risk being an oathbraker for a Pledge made in haste, not one borne of necessity. Take you and I, for example. Before the Mixer, we had only a single exchange a several weeks before. Would you have pledged allegiance to me then, knowing only my name and Court?"

He smiles, and sips his scotch. "So, you want to get people to work together in common interest. You want people to be proactive, not reactive, and that," he snaps his fingers, "that is something I can really get behind."

The Fairest looks at the chirpy blonde, and smiles. "I mean, you're Summer. Standing passively by isn't in your Court's mindset, and it's not in my Autumn's either. If you want to encourage like minds working together, the best way is by example. If Peter, you and I can demonstrate our experiences and advantages working together, others will see it too." He takes another drink. "I had thought of opening the Oneiromantic practice up to more people, any one interested in learning, or willing to share an aptitude for it. It's something we can all do. Others, especially ones not at the Mixer, may be interested. What do you think?"

[Rhodes]

The confusion and frustration is all over Blink's face.

"It doesn't make sense, does it?" Rhodes grins. "Some need trust before joining a Motley they would make a pledge to, but sometimes we make Pledges to secure trust. How do we get one without the other?" He looks at Blink directly. "Forgive me. I'm being a devil's advocate for my own ideas. Pledges fascinate me; how we use them, how they shape us and our way of acting. Each of us reacts differently with different boundaries... We make different demand on the patience of our fellows."

He drains his glass. "So plainly; Yes, that is what I think we should do. Advertise to all. See who comes along. The more who can watch the dreams, the better chance of someone spotting something worthwhile. Do you agree?"