(Portrait) Portrait of an Angel

[Naga]

Eyebrows arched slightly, only to be accompanied by a charmed smile as Phoenyx's humor became evident. "Oh, I'm merely networking. All part of the job, really. Thanks, though. It's new." The Mastigos adjusted the hem of her dress. She looked towards the approach of Kaze and Skye, she continued speaking to the First Talon. "I was just curious as to why so many of your archery club were here." Sure, Kaze wasn't one anymore, but he used to be, and Naga mentally lumped him in with the other Arrows.

Speaking of the Apostate, his news was quite curious. She didn't follow all of his coded talk, as she lacked the necessary background information to translate. The Warlock instead stayed quite and listened.

She did speak again when Skye addressed her. "Thank you, dear. I do like it. Please, call me Vanessa. Glad to hear it." It was Vanessa now, rather than 'Val' as she had told Phoenyx previously.

"In any case," she said to all three of them, "If you'd like help chatting to these strangers, I humbly submit my resume." A Silver Ladder and a lawyer, she knew how to talk circles around people.

[Yumyumcrow]

Keep going. I'll chime in when you actively go looking for the San Francisco mages.

[Kaze]

Phoenyx seemed to be actually relaxing, even talking about 'what does this art mean to you' and stuff with Skye when he came up to them. He feels bad to ruing that, for something that might not be a big deal. He recognizes her 'switching on' when he explains what he saw and why he's concerned. "Like Winter." he says succinctly.

Then can't resist explaining, "I mean, I didn't meet them, so I don't know how much they actually are like Winter, but the same department as Winter, just for another company." He hopes that makes things more clear instead of less; the double meaning corporate talk comes much more easily to him, but it's for making sure not to communicate too clearly, not really for clarifying.


Kaze nods, "Okay." He says, signaling his willingness to follow Phoenyx's lead. He saw something and said something. It's her thing now, and he's just a concerned citizen ready to follow her directions, albeit maybe more like a retired, ex-cop than a regular citizen. Like being a reserve Arrow, he guesses you never totally can leave the Arrows unless you're dead. Phoenyx saying 'we will be right there with you to Naga' could be just her and Skye, the actual Arrows, but it doesn't sound like it, and really, he couldn't just stand back and act like it doesn't involve him if he could help.


He pays attention when Naga speaks. She's a lawyer after all, and she kind of indicates that doesn't ever turn off, so she's always picking her words carefully. He latches onto her saying to call her, 'Vanessa'. She even says, 'please.'


Kaze grins at Skye's greeting, giving her a quick little warm hug. "Chase is my name, Super Chase is my game." He says, laughing. He can always depend on Skye to keep things chill.

[Phoenyx]

The First Talon looks to Skye, the same small smile on her face. "You do not have to be. There is no right or wrong. There is only what is says to you. Which may be nothing, or something. It is the latter we seek in art."

She shrugs indiffferently to Naga's question. "Intersecting threads of fate, so it seems." There is a small nod. "I am no stranger to debate but I have been told I... lack tact? I would rather not cause a scene if we can avoid it."

SC? There's a small spike of cold as Kaze and Skye hug, but it feels dull, muted. Not like before. Maybe they were drifting apart. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. She nods as he confirms. Guardians and Ladders. Well, she may not be a Master but the Arrow had plenty of tricks up her own sleeves.

Phoenyx straighens her top and looks to the others. "Let's go introduce ourselves." The changes in tone are subtle, but rather than resugned the Arrow seems almost... keen. Like throwing herself into something is more exciting. She turns and heads for the mages Kaze pointed out.

[Skye]

"Pleased to meet you then Vanessa." Reaching out her hand to make it all seem more formal. "I am Skye." Her shadow name followed her everywhere, her real name left behind long ago and rarely ever used anymore at least that made it easy for all she encountered here they would never slip the wrong name in a conversation.

Like Winter? Yusch to many code words in use here and she didn't get it at all still she would hopefully see what that meant soon enough.

The hug going by quickly, looking a bit towards Phoenyx hoping that she wouldn't take it to badly.
"So what brings you here? Are you interested in art in general or just a coincidence?"

Looking deeper at the painting for a second.
"So what made this peace speak to you? What kind of art draws you in or perhaps what is art to you? I agree that it speaks to us all differently and the goal of art is to invoke feelings sometimes it may be guided ones but you can never be sure how anything will make each and every person react."

Glancing towards the first talon as the hug ends, feeling a bit relieved that she doesn't seem all to bad of mood from witnessing the hug. Taking a quick breath to regain her usual calm composure before falling in line behind Phoenyx walking towards the mages right behind her.

[Naga]

"Skye it is, then." It worked as a Sleeper name, so Naga had no trouble with it. "And Chase," she gave a nod to the Apostate.

"Very good," the Mastigos smiled and nodded, "If we're good to go, let's go meet these fascinating strangers." She turned and, without further chatter, moved along with Phoenyx, her eyes already centering on the unusual individuals.

[Yumyumcrow]

The mages move, slipping through the gathering with renewed purpose. The Sleepers have, by this point, largely become concentrated in the landscaped gardens where they can take advantage of the long summer day and the general warmth of the air. The two strangers, marked out by the atlantean glyphs bobbing in their auras, are making their way inside the function rooms proper.

Inside. And away from everyone else.

They catch up with the pair from San Francisco soon after. The strangers had stopped in front of a portrait hanging on a back wall - well away from the main function and hung as an apparent afterthought. The woman's lacy dress is still shifting as she takes a pose, examining the artwork with a critical (and very tell-tale) glare. She might have been taken off-guard, had not her companion noticed the local's draw near; he bends his bald head and whispers in the woman's ear so that she is turning, slowly, to face the group as they close in.

Naga feels something as she crosses the space toward the two mages and the portrait. A Presence hanging in the air, close by but not emanating from either of the mages. This is a Presence capable of higher thought and intelligence - something she has not really encountered before, but which is definitely within the realms of advanced Mind practices.

Book Keeping

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-07-26 00:56:03	Someone rolls 5 to do something insignificant (10 Again)	7, 7, 1, 6, 7	failure

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-07-26 00:55:44	Someone rolls 4 to do something insignificant (10 Again)	7, 1, 8, 3	1 success

[Kaze]

Kaze moves behind Naga, Phoenyx and Skye so as to avoid being obviously part of the group of mages despite being obviously alert and watchful.

He watches around for any threat magical or mundane, not depending on Naga to notice things from all angles, assuming that her instinct will be to focus more on the visible mages and the wordplay that would be expected. Though his Supernal Vision is active, he is not scrutinizing the two mages so as to avoid provoking them if possible. In fact, he is entirely comfortable with the possibility of being mistaken for a Sleeper body guard or security due to his Transform Aura and Cloaked Spells.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-07-27 01:38:35	Dirt Nap rolls 5 to looking for clues (Investigation 3 + Intelligence 2) (1s Subtract)	5, 2, 8, 2, 9	2 successes

[Phoenyx]

The First Talon nods slightly. "Art is expressive. There is always a meaning, a purpose, even if what we read is not what was intended," she replies to Skye before leaving.

With the mages around her, Phoenyx makes her way confidently towards the other mages, her path lit by the glyphs around them. She stops a few paces from them, glancing between the man and the woman.

Formal wear. Not the best for fighting Many sleepers, so care is needed.

"Good evening," she offers, her small smile appearing at the corner of her lips. "Are you enjoying the exhibition?"

[Skye]

Spells

Body Mastery +2
life mage sight/pulse of the living world
Organic Resilience 2E monthly pot2

Nodding in response towards Naga a subtle smile on her lips.

Following closely after Phoenyx towards the two, keeping her calm composure taking in the area around them and looking at the sleepers just generally taking in how they seem to move. Not expecting that anyone here would be foolish enough to really start something around so many witnesses, just watching the two as they approach trying to look them over to clearly remember them in the future.
"Good evening to you both." Looking towards the painting, quickly eyeing it "what a lovely piece you seem to have found." Offering the two a kind smile hoping that they can have a friendly and pleasant conversation.