Warm Welcome

[Circe]

Circe blinks as Ram crushes his pizza. Why would he, oh. Right.

"Whoa ho folks, nobody panic," she spins the gun, stopping so the barrel is pointed at her right ear as she flicks the gun to the left, popping out the chamber. A little angling and light passes through all 6 empty bullet cylinders. "Only an idiot twirls a loaded gun. I like guns but I'm not stupid. And ya seem ta have plenty of restraint Ram," she reassures him, "Ya'd make a fine deputy. And I will let ya all in on a secret we use ta stop mundies from snooping around Funderland," she smiles widely, "We just react like a mundy would when we catch somebody skulking around a place full of little kids."

Circe walks back to the Keurig to get more coffee. Of course she does. "Its mundy make not Hedgespun," she tells Cassandra, "Revolvers and break action are the best I can manage with my tools. Fer now. And I ain't making any zips," she grumbles out her opinion on such homemade guns, "Completo e totale pezzo di armi da fuoco merda."

"Correct Gerrit," she agrees with him, "On paper the Director is a bureaucrat running the Freehold, the theme park front, and moderator ta the four sovereigns," she scoffs as her tone turns bitter, "But we need way bigger numbers fer that ta work."

"Yeah Rhodes did," she agrees with Yamiyo. As for the Winter Crown question, well that seemed obvious to Circe. She got her second cup of coffee. Mixing it, "I should think it obvious. James," she agrees with Yamiyo's unspoken thoughts. She walks over to get a slice of veggie pizza. "Pretty sure he is gonna get the crown the same way I first did," she laughs sourly, "By being a court of one."

"Always happy ta teach," she assures Cassandra, "Tinker or slinger, I love doing both. Though fer a messenger I'd recommend Sonja Wu. She'll teach ya ta move." She bites into the pizza. And Yamiyo was tri-lingual? Wait, didn't she speak something oriental too? "Huh, how many languages do ya speak Yamiyo? It'd make my shipping work way easier ta speak a more then just Italian. I mean computers make up fer a lot," she bites the pizza and puffs up with pride, "I'm awesome with those, but banging translators inta text ta speech don't do puns good."

[Cassandra Reeding]

Cassandra makes a little bit of a face at Yamiyo's words. Seduction. She rather hated it. It always felt and sounded rape-y to her. Though, one supposes if it isn't being used to take advantage, but distract, it isn't so bad. Still. She knows Yamiyo means well, most of the time. Though, she is beginning to wonder if there is something darker behind the sweet mask.

Cassandra gives a bit of a smile at Yamiyo's question, "You asking Winter directly? For shame," She chuckles a little bit, "I think we'll just make you wait and see." Not that the three of them had finished discussing it. She takes pause though when Circe answers, saying 'James', "...James?" She asks with a confused face, "You mean John?" Had Circe just outed a former name? She wasn't sure. Probably just messed it up. Still, it made her curious.

She does look over at Gerrit, her eyebrows raised with a look of 'we probably should meet up and discuss', but she tries not to make it obvious. Though, he might not get it. Her hues were distracting after all.

"My messenger skills would be more reflective, generally, but learning to move would still be good. At the very least, I'm pretty good at running," She says with a little bit of a chuckle. "Crafting I am working on, helps when you are an Artist at least," She says with a little bit of a smile, "But learning how to sling would be good. Either way, whatever I can get."

[Ram]

“Yeah,” Ram tried to assure Gerrit. “Just instincts,” he answered though his smile wavered a bit. Circe showing the weapon wasn’t loaded did help a bit. Even knowing she was an ally, guns made him… go back a bit in a way he didn't feel quite in control of. He chuckles a bit at her strategy for dealing with lurkers.

“Spanish or ALS, yeah, still interested” he answered Yamiyo, glad to move beyond the reasons he’d crushed his food.

[Gerrit]

Hearing Yamiyo talk about her talent so freely brought a slight frown on Gerrit's face. She seemed to well-meaning, so naive - for a lack of a better word -, but that didn't really fit with someone coldly playing with other people's feelings. And maybe she isn't a saint just because she looks like her, maybe she is a person with strenghts and weaknesses, good and bad attributes. She probably wants to help so badly, she doesn't think about the consequences. His opinion of the Fairest was something to mull about some other time though. He decided to give her the benefit of the doubt on this one.


It was relieving to hear Ram was just acting a bit on instincts. Those were the Breaker's scars, but Gerrit wanted to always repay Ram's caring nature in kind. But he also didn't want to be overprotective, so he focused on the hostess again.
Circe's explanation about her guns was not nearly as interesting as her mention of Hedgespun weapons. "Isn't mundane weaponry sometimes and advantage? Do regular guns cease to work in the Hedge or do you just want to make them more effective?" He thought it was playing a bit too much like playing with fire, trusting in Arcadian objects to protect against their rulers.
And the Summer Queen's confirmation on the manager's position didn't do anything to ease the Ogre's mind.
He reminded himself that he didn't come here to question the integrity of this Freehold, to think badly of the one Monarch that you had to trust in the most. He came here to have fun and mingle a bit. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts. He reached for another slice of pizza to occupy himself. When Circe stated it was obvious that John should get the crown he had to take a bite not to say anything. She's not being condescending, she's just that way and you're pre-triggered. He looked over to Cassandra and caught her look, eyebrows raised. He shook his head and made and effort to relax. I guess I wore my heart on my sleeve just now.


He didn't want to learn anything right now or in the near future - he distanced himself a little bit mentally to get out of the downward spiral of cynicism and ate his pizza.

[Yamiyo Lillich]

Giggling a bit as Circe swears, being quite certain that she's the only one here who can understand it.
"Well the courts is a court of three now, not that I know the procedure used here though but his residency have been the longest." Even if she would prefer to see Cassandra there but then again that could make their friendship hard as well so arghh really nothing ended up good.

Looking happily towards the Queen.
"I am not bad at moving myself, nor with locks, or borrowing things from people without them knowing." Shaking her hands for a second. "Not that I do that anymore, I stopped once I came here, nor am I bad at sneaking and my small frame makes me quite good at hiding myself." If you needed proof so had she bested Sonnie in the limbo contest which at least showed that they were on par in athletic skills. "How many languages I speak?" Hmm thinking for a second "Including ASL and English so seven and working on an eight." She were a polyglot and that was not something she had kept hidden.

Sticking her tongue out at Cassandra.
"Meanie, finding the right gift to give is so hard when you don't know who and carrying them all is hard. Currently have your's and James done though no clue what to get Gerrit." Looking towards him with a smile hoping to be offered some insight.

Giving a kind looks towards Ram, not really paying heed to the pizza if he were embarrassed about it so would it just make it harder better to just accept that it happened.
"Which one would you prefer to start with? We could set up a study lesson whenever you like." Smiling a bit. "However for ASL so please try and train your fingers to move a bit, as you can see on mine so do they need to move a lot into various positions." Her own hands signing and moving on in rapid movements, then again she had over a decade of experience.

[Circe]

"Yeah that is what I said," she responds to Cassandra before drinking more coffee from the Keurig, "John."

"Well I don't know any builders or gun bunnies aside from me," Circe declares proudly. "Happy ta teach either one ta ya. Guns will require paying fer a range or using a Trod. Trod's cheaper." She then points at Yamiyo, "And there are other skill sets. Yammy? Ya know slight of hands works great fer mundy magic shows? Just saying."

She stops eating to stare at Yamiyo. After a pause she said loudly, "Note to self, get Yamiyo a hat that says polyglot."

"Gerrit I can say from experience it is quite the advantage," she chimes with no small amount of pride, "Lots of hobgoblin's magicked up armor don't even account fer bullets," Circe sips her coffee, ears bouncing. Then the ears droop down as the elfin Fairest frowns. "Uh, ha ha," she sighs out, "Funny ya should ask THAT," her shoulders sag, "Guns are simple enough ta work fine in the Hedge, probably not Delta Force kinds, but are too complex ta Hedgespin. I am sure I can make bullets but they might destory the guns." Professor Circe explains. She even tries to get into the lecturing professor pose, "Hedge doesn't like mechanical fer the most part. Swiss Army Knife is the most mechanical kind of thing I know can be made."

Circe sighs again. Then her left ear bounces up, "Huh. Ya know something? That might explain why I sometimes find rusty cars in the Thorns. They might not actually be old at all," this was going into the occult area.

Circe sips her coffee and bites into her pizza, "Yeah so yes the mundy weapons have quite the advantage," Circe giggles, "Hedgespun can get way more power but are harder ta come by as safely. But Tokens are in a class of their own."

Do'h, keep forgetting his toon goes by John

[Cassandra Reeding]

Cassandra raises her eyebrow a bit, knowing she hadn't misheard, but she let it go. No need to go on the straight defensive.

"Well, no hints on that end," She knew she had to get started on her own gift as well. She had an idea, but she had been worried that it wouldn't work. It is important that it works, otherwise, what is the point of it? Something just pretty and decorative? She sighs a bit.

She simply takes the time to listen, comparing the mundane weapons to guns. She's not strong. Unless she takes to a bow, which wouldn't be terrible, she isn't likely to succeed much on that end. She did find it interesting on hedgespinning. She needed to try it. Now that she knew she could craft incredible things, maybe she would be good at hedgespinning too.

"Funding rusty cars in the hedge? Must feel like some kind of dystopian novel." Then again, anytime one is in the Hedge, it feels like that.

Cassandra notices the way that Gerrit gazes down and just focuses on his pizza. Perhaps it was just him being hungry or perhaps something was wrong. She didn't know. Did he misread my look? She couldn't even remember what had been said via the others when she'd given the look. No, I'm being paranoid. ...aren't I? She walks to grab herself another slice of pizza before settling over closer to Gerrit. She doesn't say anything, however.

[Ram]

Ram’s response seemed to help explain things to Gerrit but he still seemed.. contemplative.

“I’m okay,” he repeated again, reassuring himself as much as everyone else. “Are you okay?” he asked the Stonebones quietly, getting up slightly onto to his haunches from the bean bag. Leaving the broken pizza behind. Ram’s horned brow creased in concern. Ram knew how ‘loud situations’ could be triggering. He hoped he hadn’t added to the noise to make his fellow Ogre uncomfortable.

His attention stayed a bit on Gerrit before finally returning to the conversation.

“I guess.. ALS?” he didn’t sound sure. In fact he knew he wasn’t. Training his figures to move was… not easy. He flexed them unconsciously into fists. Yet at the same time… if he wanted move past all that. Not to mention the idea and versatility such language could bring. “I want to learn ALS,” he said softly. A Spring could understand that right?

“Guns work as well as the Hedge wants the to,” Ram added to his Queen’s description, looking a bit dour “Sonic blasts, lasers… luck. If Fairie infests it, it can fire.” Ram had scars hidden behind scars to prove it.

[Gerrit]

The Ogre listened to most of the discussion, trying to look attentive and nodding at appropriate times but really just working on getting out of his headspace. Ram's concern helped, but it only helped so much. "Yes, thanks. Just a stray thought."
He expected a nice gathering, maybe some light-hearted physical activity. What he got was something that very much felt like a draft for Summer's army and an opportunity to boast about one's skills and tools. He realized that he probably exaggerated the negative implications of the gathering and focused on the informative aspects of Circe's speech.


He answered Yamiyo's smile in kind (well, maybe not as effortless). "Thanks, I don't want anything." Christmas hasn't been a thing for most of his life and then it became a time for those closest to him and those only.


The cold warmth of Cassandra's mantle moving closer also helped. Gerrit finished his pizza and went through the trusty mantras in his head. This party was not a lost cause.

[Yamiyo Lillich]

"True but I would need to practice that a bit before performing, I much prefer locks or maybe a a performance of continuously borrowing things and giving them back." Those did seem to enjoy children at least. Looking towards the Queen, lightly starting to blush from her staring before finally exhaling in relief. "You're to sweet dear Circe." Listening clearly and carefully to the lesson, when someone of her caliber spoke you listened.

Shrugging a bit towards the artist.
"Ohh well, then my little insight will have to be enough." She did have an idea for most at least.

Walking up to Ram, softly taking his right and assumingly dominate hand if allowed, slowly raising it up and helping him let go of the fist.
"It's not the easiest in the beginning." Slowly helping to guide his hands into the first sign. "However with practice anyone can learn." Helping to guide his fingers into the next sign. "And the will to learn is the most important." Giving him a warm kind smile whilst guiding him into the next and final one. "Those are the signs for R A M, start by practicing them alone, then just contact me whenever you are free and we will set something up."

Slowly and on light feet walking up besides Gerrit, making no attempt to hide herself or her intention rather making it overly clear. Stopping just enough to the side and behind him to be outside his range of sight and speaking in a soft low tone enough so that it would at the very least be very hard for others to hear.
"Is my appearance hard on you or is something else amiss? If there is anything I can do to help just say so and I will do all I can." Knowing full well that her personality and appearance alike could be hard for some to handle.

If the touching of Ram's hand is not ok assume that she instead shows him the signs.