Garden Salads w/ Gardenias

[Kaze]

Kaze nods when Anima commiserates with the transient nature of bonds formed between mages in Sacramento.

He seems fine with Anima's hand on his shoulder. Actually, it's not the first time.

Then yeah, Anima offers to form a Cabal. Wow.

"Wow." Kaze says. "Okay...first, thank you. I'm willing to hear more. What would be our shared goal?" Kaze asks.

"And...do you have anyone else in mind? I mean...I thought you had to have at least three people? Or is that not a thing?" He did read the charter, the whole way through, once...but he doesn't remember too much except that it did seem to have a lot to say about cabals.

[Anima]

Anima offers a light squeeze, before pulling is hand away. Like chiseled marble.

"We wouldn't be officially recognized until we achieve a third of course. I'd prefer we find someone of like mind, but who walks a different path. A lead coin or gauntlet would compliment us nicely. Open mindedness, acceptance, the bravery to peer into the unknown. We'd pool resources, and I have some measure of resources to pool, share rotes and knowledge, as we grew to trust each other, understand each other's thought processes, and achieve strong lines of communication, we could then venture into exploring the mysteries that beset Sacramento like a well-oiled Scooby gang," the doctor taps a finger to his chin as if thinking. "You know, I've had my best discussions with yourself, Aurora, and Campenella. With your ability to make friends and sheer approachability; I'm sure there is another among the Circle that would love to join us."

[Kaze]

Huh. Okay that makes sense, actually. So. If we're going to be serious...

"Okay. I agree, that could work." Kaze says thoughtfully.
"I have a condition. I mean, it's kinda weird, so let me explain where I'm coming from, because it's probably going to sound like a test, so let just say, you can test me too, set a condition for testing my commitment." Kaze rambles a little.

"So, here's the thing, I like you. I feel like you're a regular guy, maybe hard to understand in your Uber geek culture thing, but I don't have a problem with you being smarter than I am. It's fine. The only thing is... I get a little bit of a mad scientist vibe too, you know? Like maybe, you might give in to hubris at a critical point, and some mystery we are investigating could turn really bad. So. I apologize ahead of time, but I need to feel like you can handle having to control hubris, put the good of the cabal ahead of personal, well, pride. So. I will commit to a cabal with you, and maybe Corn or Crystal, I'm thinking, if... you can sincerely apologize to Puck in the Circle in front of people for calling him a plebian. He doesn't have to accept, and you guys don't have to, you know get along or anything. But you have to be able to do it and mean it no matter how he takes it. Then I will be able to believe you won't give in to some temptation to wake something up or sacrifice someone or do something else terrible when the chips are down, because you think you have everything under control or just understand better than everyone else." Kaze says, softly.

He waits calmly but alert, prepared to be rejected or even, though not likely, to be attacked.

Kaze

[Anima]

Eyebrows start to lift as Kaze answers, but settle as he continues. If there is a reaction from the request it is concealed behind an emotionless mask.

Anima's first impression of Puck was a bully. A newcomer arrived to Sacramento, made a grab for power and is lashing out at the "other" in response to his own feelings of insecurity. The man went even so far as to assume that he was the watchdog of Sacramento. Anima's stomach churned. Only one magus has earned that title, okay maybe two, then there's the First Talon. Alright but THREE is the absolute limit and Puck is clearly not one of them. And to be a Libertine, yet chastised civilized and educated conversation. Such is the voice of the rabble, attempting to dominate and control what they don't understand. Not at all worthy of someone whose earned a Vote. This thought perhaps angered Anima the most, a ball of impotent rage threatens to form in his chest, he stamps it down in a breath.
Empathy rolls upon Anima like a wave, I suppose though, in retrospect I behaved much the same way. I leaped at the chance to be on the Council, clutching for the vein and deceitful power I thought it offered. No doubt Puck lives in fear of losing his position as I did should another arrive. I positively bristled like a domestic cat at the arrival of Briar Rose and the return of Aurora. And the thought of being cast down should a tyrannical hierarch rise from the ashes of Consilium... I was so quick to vote for Winter's confinement, anything to slow down his rise to power. Scary is sexy, but still scary. Anima nearly both hmmms and shivers at the thought. It is a bridge best tended before it collapses entirely.

Anima does not answer quickly, searching Kaze's eyes to hide his own thought process. The instinct of a viper tempted Anima to make his response barbed, even as acquiesced. Another painful pill to swallow, good medicine is rarely a joy. "Of course, in the next Circle gathering I shall apologize to Puck for the name-calling. Such behavior is the act of children, not the Wise." He can imagine the Queen of the Primal Wild's massive maw opening to swallow him whole, the Cat doesn't apologize to the Mouse; but perhaps the Rock must sometimes make peace with the Bush.

[Kaze]

Wow.

"Wow." Kaze says. "Thanks. I...am totally impressed. I mean, I know odds are even or better Puck doesn't appreciate the apology and just says you're doing it because your afraid or something and goes right on ahead with trying to charge you with...something. I am not saying it's going to be a positive, pleasant thing. So...thank you. I will have your back, Cabal bro."

He shrugs. "I could be wrong. I mean, I don't remember anyone actually apologizing before, like, sincerely instead of all snarky, so...it might do some good. Puck has surprised me before. In a good way, I mean."


Kaze grins then. "So...how about, 'The Scooby Gang'? I mean, I gotta say, you saying it's like that was a major persuader in my mind!" He exclaims, still grinning but somehow not looking like he's kidding about his suggestion for a Cabal name!

[Anima]

Anima's chin lifts slightly, "Yes well," his words fail and he closes his mouth.

Kaze's comment of a name earn's a chuckle, "While I'm not opposed, a name is truly meaningless label without the weight of its members, 'Scooby gang' might be frowned upon by some of our peers. Let's table that discussion for when we have our third member. Until then our partnership might perhaps be-called 'Kazima'?" Anima smiles at his own joke.

He waves for Kaze to follow him back to the garden. "Since we're in agreement, let me show you another resource I'll be providing."

[Kaze]

"Okay, sure." Kaze says in an agreeable tone. "Let's see who's in and then vote on names."

When Anima tells him that he's got something else to show Kaze, he nods. "Sure. I'm game. Lead the way." He says, keeping his Supernal Vision active and looking around warily as they go.

[Anima]

Anima leads Kaze back out into the garden, to the orange tree surrounded by the decretive fence. Mana springs weekly from it in Kaze's supernal vision. Anima tenderly picks a rips orange and peels back the skin, before offering it to Kaze.

"My most prized possession, please treat them with care. I've been tending to this tree and their spirit for a while now."

[Kaze]

"Wow." Kaze says, accepting the orange, and scrutinizing it carefully. "So...it's a tree...in a Hallow? And the fruit is...like, mana infused?" He asks. That's what it looks like. He's obviously wanting to understand what he's holding a little better before like just taking a bite and swallowing.

He scrutinizes the tree and the ground it's growing from to try to identify the Resonance, whether it is peaceful or violent, for example.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-04-19 13:30:21	Kaze rolls 4 to scrutinize the fruit tree and hallow resonance (Int 2 + Occult 1 + Supernal Vision 1) (10 Again)	1, 9, 5, 7	1 success

[Kaze]

So, good to close? Last day for the scene duration! Thank you for the fascinating scene!