Tipping the Hourglass

[Campanella]

Campanella inclined his head as Winter spoke.

"Wise words."

A moment's pause.

"Tyche appears to have moved on. As for Star, I believe he goes where he believes he is most needed."

He exhaled: there, he had said it. His Cabal was a gutted shell once more. Just him and Briar Rose sharing an empty space thick with the few - yet deep - memories their group had made. The old theatre truly was becoming his second home: he had shared two Cabal's there. More memories served to only enrich the way he experienced the big building with its cavernous spaces.

"Aurora! No. Not interrupting."

His expression lifted.

"Hello Kaze."

[Aurora]

Seeing him make space on the stair, she moves to sit, smiling, “Thanks. One doesn’t want to interrupt when others are plotting to take over the world or anything.” She jokes, and once seated, “Glad I’m not interrupting. And I’ve been ok, busy with various things. How about you?” it was easy to relax around him and Campanella. She knew both and trusted them.

Hearing another voice, she offers a wave to Kaze, “Hey Kaze.” Seems it was becoming a party.

Another smile, though softer, offered to Campanella, “How you’ve been?”

[Winter]

Kaze is given a nod of approval. When he's back to Campanella and what he's saying, he winces. Looks like the Guardians' revival had been cut short. The investigations they had going, interrupted.
"Looks like we're back to where we were three years ago then. How are your studies proceeding?"

[Kaze]

Kaze smiles and nods to Campanella and Aurora. He approaches to easy conversational proximity and receives Winter's nod of approval with an open smile.

Possibly misunderstanding the extent of Winter's focus and who Winter is asking, Kaze grins and says, "Pretty good. I finally got to an Adept level of practice with Life. That's something I've been working and studying for years."

He pauses, "How are you, s- Winter?" Kaze asks solicitously.

[Campanella]

A shy smile sped, fleeting, across his lips.

"I have been well enough, Aurora. Quietly succeeding in Sleeper circles - nothing troubling to report. As you can expect, that is a rare thing around here so I'm simply enjoying the moment while it lasts."

"Congratulations, Adept." Campanella says with perhaps a little too much formality.

Back to Winter. Campanella finds his posture shifting again as he takes a more... nonchalant ... stance.

"My studies? Stalled - for want of a better term. I have been exploring some possibilities for deepening my understanding of Gnosis, but I think I've taken those explorations to the point of exhaustion without aid. Trying to obtain that... assistance... has been fraught with difficulty. I should have expected this..."

He shrugged, his face hinting at bitterness.

"Yet I am still finding it frustrating. I would have thought keeping my search within my own Order might have helped. But alas, no."

He dropped back into silence, sharing in the Guardian's disappointment. A slightly puzzled look started to grow on his face as he mulled things over.

"What has you stymied?" He asked, more carefully than he would have liked.

[Aurora]

This is why she hates walking up on a conversation already going. You miss the beginning, and then don’t know what’s going on.

Eyes move from Winter to Campanella and back. But doesn’t say anything, choosing to let the talk unfold however it did. Though she kind of wished they were back to where they were three years ago. Things had been easier then.

Smiling to Kaze, “Congratulations.” She knew how much he wanted to learn Life.

A nod, “Nothing troubling to report is always a good thing. As is succeeding, that must feel great.” It was good to hear him having success. “Well, I hope it lasts a long time.” He deserved the chance to enjoy it.

Stalled? “That’s troubling to hear. I’m sure I’m not the only who would help if you needed.” Concern in her eyes as she looked to him. Not really sure of what to say.

[Winter]

What's knowledge? It's an open container in which we pour our true selves. The shape that we decide to give the world
"Congratulation", and it's unsure whether he's speaking with the Adept or the Master. But power brings responsibility. It's not the tip of the spear, but the one who wields it.
"The absence of evidence isn't the evidence of absence. We might as well be trapped in the eye of the storm", frogs being slowly boiled alive, realizing it when it's too late to jump. But Aurora probably knows everything there is to know about frogs, fishes and amphibians in general.

[Kaze]

Kaze beams, "Thank you, Sir." He says to Campanella.

He smiles back at Aurora, "Thanks. It feels good." Kaze says.

He listens to Winter. "I'm up for helping." He offers. He figures Winter has a good idea of what Kaze will and won't do, and wouldn't tell him all the details of any situation or plan just on general principal, so he doesn't bother to qualify his offer with conditions.

[Campanella]

"We have been that..." Campanella mused darkly.

He sighed a little.

"Though perhaps in this case we are simply seeing the quiet after the storm has passed? Maybe I am being a too hopeful. Is there something on your mind, Winter . Something you think we should be looking into?"

He gave Aurora a little look of appreciation for her offer before turning his attention back to his friend, the Guardian.

[Aurora]

What was Winter trying to get at?

“Have you noticed something going on? If we need to handle something, I’d like to know what it is.” Cryptic talk was all fine and dandy, except if there was danger.

“If the quiet is a sign of something dangerous, I think you should let us know so we can investigate it.” Agreeing with Campanella. “We can’t afford to be complacent, it’s a luxury we do not have.” And that was just how it was. Their lives were not ones where they could relax.

The look was returned with a nod and a more playful smile.