(Hornets Bookstore) Book Covers

[Anima]

A Libertine in khakis and a bright pink polo peruses a stand of periodicals, idly tapping a rolled up Medical Journal against his leg. The bookstore is relatively empty, most students finding someplace better to be on a late Friday afternoon. Moving away from the professional journals and allowing his gaze to fall on some more novel magazines he smiles a little smile to himself. A steady hand reaches out and picks up a copy of Haunted Hospitals.

The Thyrsus glances around checking for witnesses to his guilty pleasure before flipping through articles.

[Campanella]

Campanella is on the prowl as well; and he, too, is giving into one his private vices pleasures: the Hierarch is hoovering up a small pile of new age magazines and conspiracy themed journals.

The Hierarch had been pacing quietly through the shop, dressed down in jeans and a thick wooden jumper of all things! He somehow managed to look even more frumpy and messed up than his appearance at the Circle with his news of West Sacramento.

He did not see Anima until it was too late. Trapped in the narrow space between shelves, the Moros could not escape. And the evidence of his guilty pleasure - the journals and glossy magazines discussing crystals and reincarnation - were obviously held in his hand.

Campanella could only stand stock still and stare back at the Libertine with his copy of Haunted Hospitals.

[Mobius]

She was on a mission. A late afternoon mission with a teal water bottle in her one hand, half full, and her shoulder bag primed and ready to be filled to the brim with materials. So far she had managed to find a sizable map in the local interest section, nearly 24 inches by 36, detailing the city of Sacramento. She wasn't the best at reading them, but she liked the idea of using the real thing rather than google maps. Next stop, alternative beliefs, if they had such a thing.

Rounding the corner, she came across scene difficult to imagine, if it wasn't for the amusing way that fate tended to work. The hierarch, though it took her a moment to recognize him outside of his sunday best, and the third of the three free council amigos. How many mages were at consilium? And now three of them here, in a standoff of sorts. Well, Mobius would shoot first.

"Hi guys," she said, pulling and earbud from her right ear. "Fancy meeting you here." She tilted her head and smiled, in an obvious gesture to see what the other will-workers were buying.

[Anima]

Busted!
The good doctor meets the eyes of the Hierarch and he decides in that moment to not be embarrassed. He approaches the wizard, raising his magazines in a mock salute with a nod of his head.

“It’s surprising how close to correct they get at times. An out of the box source of inspiration.”

Then Mobius appears!

“The fickle blessings of fate have touched us it seems. Perhaps there is some assistance we can be to one another. “

[Campanella]

"Oh. Yes. Definitely."

Campanella says smoothly as his mind races to find a way out of his predicament.

"And you are right. These tales can be quite inspiring." He added even more smoothly, seeing no need to challenge the Libertine's assumptions - and because the Moros knew that in some respects, he was right.

He took Mobius arrival without missing a beat. On this occasion he did not say anything; he simply lifted up his new age magazines for the Mystagogue to see it. The Libertine Anima was doing the talking for him anyway.

[Mobius]

There is no hiding her interest in the shiny magazines. Mobius mentally acknowledged the fact that every time she meets the Hierarch she seems to throw herself straight at his reading material. She closed the distance between them swiftly, her small frame leaning to get a clear look at the covers. She stood closer than their level of acquaintance might typically allow (not to mention their relative status), but she paid no mind to that. Oblivious or rude? That was up for interpretation. "You have good taste." She smiles, studying the covers intently, hazel eyes alight. "Where did you pick those up? I might want to get a copy. I'm especially interested in crystals myself."

Peeling her attention away, she looks up to Anima. She smiled, thinking how cheesy he sounded talking about fate like that out loud. Even if she knew for a fact it was true and real. "Maybe we can. Do you need assistance?" her tone was genuine. "Looking for a film crew to go urban exploring?" she joked, referencing Haunted Hospitals.

[Winter]

The Guardian is on his random sweep through the bookstores of Sacramento. If he can't be everywhere, then the least he could do is divert the attention of the hordes beseeching enlightenment they're not yet worthy to receive away from the good stuff.
He's wearing his usual, a pair of khaki, a grey sweater and boots. Like always, he could use a shave.
He barely nods to the cashier as he makes his way though the magazine shelf, bumping against a few familiar faces.
The bookish girl, the bald dude and the Hierarch. His attention focuses on the latter, apparently the man hasn't recovered yet. Had the Guardian not known better, he would have mistaken the Moros for another of those amateurish occultists, haggard looks and questionable readings included - now that was bound to raise some eyebrows - but he knew better, appearances can be deceiving. Still, they'd have to talk in private sooner or later, not only the well-being of the man concerned the Obrimos, but he still had to query him about his sources. Regardless, here they were.
"Afternoon, fancy seeing you all there", casuality or causality? For those awakened to the Golden key, the world is a succession of actions and reactions.

  1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-10-12 01:55:28		Winter rolls 6 to Perception (10 Again)		10, 3, 4, 2, 3, 7, 3		1 success

[Anima]

Anima's smile widens at the offer of help. "Actually yes, I'm attempting to start a research project examining the brain activity of, 'talented' individuals while they are engaged in an activity that they are especially good at. Perhaps you'd be available to come by Mercy General on a weekend to get a brain scan for me."

He raises the magazine that she referenced and taps it on his skull, "The everyman's occult is an interest of mind. Sometimes I'm inspired by some new age thought or healing art and do a small study to see if it holds any water. It's a hobby. But in this issue, I was surprised to find that there are a few sites not too far from here. Might be worth a small trip to investigate, if you want to bring a camera I wouldn't mind a second pair of eyes to help document any unexplained phenomena."

He is jovial in his words, aware that he sounds more like an "expert" on Ancient Aliens than a respected neurologist, and he doesn't care at all. Brilliance often comes with idiosyncrasies.

Winter approaches and his eyes sparkle, "Welcome, the more the merrier in a vault of knowledge."

[Kaze]

Kaze is just heading back up to the register with an arm full of athletic wear emblazened with" Hornets" and "Sacramento State" emblazoned on them in the school colors, when he sees the apparently impromtu gathering of the Sacramento Consilium in the school bookstore aisle!

"Oh hey! Is something going on? Can I help with anything?" he offers casually. Kaze is wearing black sweatpants, athletic shoes and a pullover hoodie in the school colors of black and green.

[Campanella]

Campanella breathes. First Mobius, then Winter, and now Kaze.

"Afternoon," he responds to Winter. Kaze gets a slight incline of the head and a flicker of recognition from the eyes.

"Quirk of fate. Today is comic day," he intones dolefully. If his dirty little secret was about to be revealed then he would own it in his own way.