Striker Shindig

[Circe]

High Striker, a large metal building featuring enclosed arenas of plywood, inflatible barriers, and nets under indoor lights. Normally the inflatibles are not arranged to make pseudo recliner chairs. Tables with pizza, paperware, coolers, and icecream scoops were less uncommon on the "battlefield" of High Striker. Kids and their birthday parties however here never had beer and tequilla on offer.


Circe was making an exception tonight, for she'd a Summer Court to welcome. With enough courtiers of Summer to hold a proper court. And had tried to scrounge up any old titles to see if folks wanted them. And while Crimson Knight had a great ring to it, Mud Grunt seemed less appealing. Circe giggled once more as she recalled the title of Sun's Tongue. She had a strange mind.


Aside from the crown on her head she was mostly in street clothes. A simple skirt, denim vest, shirt, and sneakers were her royal attire for the evening. Because it was too hot to care. And the dessert could be messy so not point messing up her fancier clothes.


Nor would the fancier outfits go good with trying to get out of the inflatible fixed together as furniture. Circe wanted to make it very clear that her attitude to politics was very laisez fair.
Though she'd be pissed if nobody showed up.


Blink , Tiphon , Barnabas
Riks Whisper, Cross

[Saber Sloth]

Posts from the 2018 Rollback!

A towering hookah of steel with copper garnishments was cradled by the Beast as he walked, bow-legged, towards the inflatable barriers assembled into a make-shift lounge. Barnabas gingerly set down the hookah in the center of the barriers and tossed a backpack close to bursting onto the ground next to it.

He removed aviators from his eyes with a sigh and tucked them into the half moon collar of his long-sleeved red shirt. Furry claws dusted themselves off on shorts printed with palm trees. Barnabas cleared his throat as he made note of each attendee. He hadn't noticed that everyone was already here.

He half-shuffled towards the assembling court and dropped to a knee. "Your Majesty. Thanks for, uh, the text message."

"Eccellente!" Circe crys with joy as her Court arrives in full. Even as its glass gems sparkle in reflection of the Mantle Crown, the metallic one starts to tilt off her head. One hand holds the crown in place as blue legs swivel to the side of the balloon barricade. The elf has to somewhat bend over to get her feet on the ground and stand up with aid from her free hand pressing against the inflatable. "That answers yer question Blink and summarizes the situation," one red eye winked as she let go of her metal crown.


"Yer welcome Barny," she then looked over at Tiphon, "And ya are welcome too. And dude, if ya need a burner phone I can probably scrounge up one for ya. I mean," she spread her arms wide, "What kinda Queen would I be if I didn't look out for me court?" Then grins, "A horrid bitch queen is the answer, oh ho ho ho ho!"


She then looks down at what Barnabas had brought. "A hookah, huh? All I brought was that," she motions with a thumb towards the table of food. There is a brief pause before Circe starts speaking again, "Right right, I'm in charge so I start the talkin'. Ya know how long its been since I've had authritah like this? Neva! So," she grins widely, "I Queen bitch Circe, head of yer Summer Court in Sacramento and fully willin' ta bust the skull of anybody that fucks with one of ya! This is a gettin' ta know ya thing. I ain't big on formality," she giggles and raised her left hand so it is held out forward from her body. "I won the fiery crown with rock," hand is a fist, "Paper," now a paper, "scissors," and now finally scissors. Both hands move to her hips as she keeps going, "Metal one I made. If yah have shit ya wanna talk about, cool. Not is cool too." Circe finally stopped talking as she waited to see what her minion, er, courtiers had to say.

Blink smiled at the new Summers. "I am Blink." She said with a playful bow. With that, she bounded towards the food; she was starving.

With a slice of pizza in hand, she felt better prepared. "You know there is something..." She said with her eyes moving between the fellow courtiers. "Goodwill. With Summer coming to a close, what people from the Freehold have given you all a good impression." With that, her eyes shot to Circe.

"Penance, definitely. As well as Goodwill towards the other seasonal leaders." Blink's face scrunched as she thought for a moment. "Hmm...Just to ramble off some other names. Rhodes, Nana, Peter." A smile spread across her lips. "...and of course...our mates in beer-pong! Echo and Quick!"

"Hmm..." Her eyes moved to the others. "What about ya'll?"

Blink used the pause, to consider more names, but most importantly...she was holding pizza. She couldn't very well ramble and eat...

A burner phone? Yes. It would make sense to have a telephone. The sand parted in a facsimile of a smile. "You are too kind, your Majesty. I would appreciate that. It would make life... easier." Blink. Blink. "Did you say... you won your Crown... in a rock, paper, scissors match?"

What was this? Was he being... punked?

Blink. Blink. Blink was speaking. He dragged his focus onto the Dancer and her words.

"I am not currently in a position to recommend anybody for Goodwill, though I would be... most curious to know what it is these individuals have done to impress the Iron Spear..." he intoned, settling into a cross-legged sitting position on the ground.

Listening to Circe speak caused Barnabas to make a rainbow of expressions. Befuddlement, surprise, and occasionally understanding. It was only after thinking on it for a long moment did Barnabas nod once. His way of indicating the Queen of Summer was understood.

He made an easy pace to the barriers arranged into seats and crouched on his haunches atop one. Goodwill. Barnabas thought the question a trap. He waved it off with an expressionless, "Same as the desert spirit. Time's been too short for me to comment on the matter." The names meant next to nothing for the Beast at the moment, but he'd still note who the Court of Two considered worthy of Goodwill.

He kept a neutral glance on Blink and waited to hear her answer to Tiphon's curiosity.

Circe made to follow Blink to grab something to eat, but paused to re-balance the metal crown, "Should'a put on a chin strap," she griped and retrieved her own water and meaty pizza. The subject of goodwill elicited a small nod from Circe when Penance was said. As for the last two, "Damn straight Blink, allies they were most true!" She washes down the pizza, "I'd say John Doe too. He's been a good roomie and supporter when Summer was only me."

Circe turned to Tiphon with a massive smile, "Yes Tiphon, ta both yer new phone and how I got my crown. We even had ta have a second round of it. Can't remember if we scissored or rocked each other the first time," the Fairest shrugs as she resumes sitting on a inflatable. Circe belts out a laugh, "Oh ho ho ho, wasn't like either of us wanted ta be in charge at the time. But now I that I have it I've organized a ice cream social."

Blink gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Guess it is moot. No Goodwill at this time." She continued eating the pizza, finishing it off and going for a second slice. If Barnabas and Tiphon weren't onboard, she felt very little point continuing on with that.

Blink got herself a drink to compliment the food. She settled the cup down on the table, resting her butt up against the table Leaning back against the table, she continued to work on the pizza.

"It is not moot," the sandstorm insisted. "Tell me, Blink. What did they do? Convince me of their worth, and I shall take you at your word, for you are strong in Summer and thus worthy of note for your understanding of what makes one worthy of Goodwill." Traditional. He would trust those of great Mantle, if only they would put in the effort to actually convince him.

As for the Queen's victory in a child's game for the Crown of the Iron Spear, he simply gave a slow nod. And yet, was that... innuendo?

Let it go, dust and sand. You are naught but an environ made man.

"Lead me, then, to the ice cream, Your Majesty. For I dream of Rocky Road."

They could get to leading soldiers into battle later.

Barnabas stammered to try to get his point out when Blink thought to dismiss the notion out of hand. The Beast flustered stood and opened his mouth three times before nodding at the sandman's assertion. "Y-Yes! Goodwill isn't a small thing, and I don't think I have the standing to decide any." A claw came up to scratch at the back of his head and then slid down to pick at his neck. "I, uh, wouldn't think to mute you. Please. Like, uh, the sand spirit said. I'd very much like to hear your opinion." He then grimaced and looked to Circe. "With your permission, Your Grace."

Barnabas had trouble following Circe's words. She scissored someone to become Queen? That made about as much sense as half of what she told Barnabas. He thought on the names Circe had belted out. They seemed to have the support of the Queen. "So...six?" Barnabas asked, seeing if his math was right in how many fae the Court wanted to extend Goodwill towards.

Moot. That was a fun word.


"A treacherous path ta yer pallet then?" Circe joked as she did show Tiphon where the ice cream was. It was a large cooler so there were plenty of flavors. Including the roads most rocky," 'ere ya go bro." She herself picked out another slice and grabbed some scoops of Oreo for the same plate.


"Glad the mute is moot, oh ho ho ho," Circe laughed loudly before gaining a straight face, "But honestly? We got lots of friends in town," a spoonful of Oreo ice cream passes blue lips, "John is my roommate so I hafta toss him in for being helpful ta all of Summer when I was all of Summer," she shrugs, "Penance is a ball of wrath and violence that did some soul searchin' ta pick Summer or Autumn," she nodded at Blink, "She wanted both but ended up doin' Autumn first. Might come back ta Summer so I offered it ta her ta not burn any bridges."


She looked over at Blink, "And the others? I'm curious and glad we're offerin' to many. Beats how they did shit in the Bay."

Blink gave a nod of her head, swallowing some of the pizza and washing it down with a drink. "Peter and Rhodes are both knowledgeable with the dream-stuff. They have offered to help train us on that battle field." She rested the cup back down on the table.

"Nana, is a doc of sorts. Also offered assistance when necessary." Blink figured that would definitely be good to have a Doc to patch up.

"As for Quick and Echo. Both of them were participants in the Summer Games. Some of the few."

"Back to Rhodes. He helped Penance find a path that best suited her. Fear drove her more than Wrath." Blink nodded her head softly.

"Plenty of good peeps here." She said with a shrug. "Was also curious who all you have ran into and who made an impression with yall."

Rocky Road met mouth as Tiphon savored flavors most chilled and heard the testimony of the nascent brotherhood before him. Barnabas did not know who to support. The Queen and Blink wished to give Goodwill to most everyone they liked. The Elemental was a bit more discerning. Roommates, participants in games, potential trainers... no, that was not worthy to him.

But one was.

"Rhodes."

His spoon clinked as he put it down in his rapidly dwindling bowl. Where did all that chocolate deliciousness go?

"That is worthy. To define a choice. To help one find their way between their anger and their fear. To strengthen both Courts by discernment and assisting one to draw lines where they must be drawn to know oneself best and thus strengthen the Wyrd for the protection of all."

Barnabas' stomach protested as he watched the Court indulge in the most basic of rituals: sharing and enjoying food. Barnabas' big mouth chewed at nothing, making light smacking noises as razor sharp teeth slid into ridges and his tongue picked at them for any morsel of satisfaction. It helped him think as he mulled over the roster of names Circe and Blink listed off.

"Now that's enough to start a Sacramento Freehold Basketball Team." He paused and asked almost under his breath, "What would the name be?" He gave this though a brief serious thought before shaking it off. Goodwill. The Court was considering it. "I'll support Goodwill as a newcomer to this Freehold. You have been a Court of Two for a while and held Summers affairs on your own. I trust your opinions on our neighbors." Hearing the Queen echo Blink's sentiment also added more weight to Barnabas' ears. He shifted his weight from one haunch then back to the other and stretched out his long defined arms. Sitting still was always a little uncomfortable for the Beast.

"The Courts seem to be almost harmonious. It's...heartening to watch, if I'm being honest. I've seen too much petty power plays and this Freehold seems much more in line with what's strongest. Standing together." Barnabas let the words roll from his tongue, and he waited for a contradiction. Particular attention was given to the two fae who held Summer Court and were dolling out Goodwill.

"Can't go wrong havin' a healer fer an adventure," Circe nods in approval. Whether of Nana's offer or viability for favor is not clear. She laughs at Barnabas' words, "I think we attract a lot of folks that'd had enough of the back stabbin' bullshit." She finished off a slice of pizza, "Ya know its a good thing."


She then turned to Tiphon. She seemed to get his distinction here. "Ah, ya mean good will as ta the Court itself. Not fer just bein' friends with its members." The Queen nodded her head, "I suppose that is a more esoteric or uh, philosophical way ta look at it. Makes sense I suppose. It's about what kinda Court we're gonna be."


Circe herself was a thug. An attractive thug that could fake eloquence but still a thug. And this sounded quite eloquent for determining who got Summer's Goodwill. "I like it Tiphon. Sounds really fancy," Circe pronounced it fan see while putting her food down before miming fixing a shirt collar, "all respectable like."


Food was retrieved. "I approve. I think we should offer our good will fer martial bravery. Somebody from another Court kicks major ass in defense o' the Freehold we gotta respect that." She looks over to Blink, "Only recent fight I know was when we took out that cannibal killer," then she turns to the boys, "Ya boys heard about others slaying monsters recently?"

[Circe]

"Like I said Tiphon, yer Queen approves of makin' the Goodwill all fancy," Circe laughs out. The other suggestion has her thinking though.

"Hmmm that does sound interesting. I mean the principle of this place," she waves her hand to indicate high striker, "Was ta have a easily modified maze ta ambush fuckers from. The mobile shit won't slow 'em down much but if ya know it in the dark it's great ta fuck with people with it," she laughs, "It's how I beat the whole Freehold with the laser guns."

Circe finished her own pizza and starts licking the left over ice cream from her spoon. "I warn ya, I'm a shooter not a axe swinga'. I'd probably benefit from some pointers on swording. All I got now is swish swish stab. Oh there is an idea ta see," Circe drops the plate onto the table then claps her hands, "Who is good at usin' what ta fuck Them up? I like shootas myself."

She turned to Barnbas with a large grin and proudly puffed up her chest. "A wondrous tactic did that dear Barnbas. I call it shotgun ta his face," the Summer Queen made a finger gun that she fired, "I found it ta be highly effective on him."