Free Council Feast and Chat

[Apollo]

It had been a couple of days since Apollo had met Puck and Moira at Sanctuary but with a couple of texts they had managed to find a convenient evening for all involved. Apollo was nervous and excited, it was a chance to learn about the free council and a chance to get to know Puck and Moira a bit better.

Apollo looked at his watch as he put the Lasagne it was enough time to grab a shower and get changed and have a few minutes to spare if any of his guests were fashionably early. If they were fashionably late he had taken that into account to, no one wanted burnt lasagne.

Apollo's place was a small 2 bedroom house with a double garage located in the suburbs. There was nothing special about the house, at least from the outside. It blended in perfectly with the other houses on the street and if anything could describe it "Non-descript" would be the word of choice.

The front door opened into a hallway with a set of stairs to the left, a door under the stairs suggested this was the access to the basement. The hallway itself was plain white, no pictures on the walls and it was pretty much the same as when Apollo had moved in. Off the hallway was a door to the right and a door at the end. Both opened into the same open plan room that occupied most of downstairs. The kitchen was at the back of the house, which opened up into the dining room / living room area.

The lounge area had a large comfortable looking corner sofa, an average sized TV and a rather ornate coffee table. The dining room had a table that had been made from reclaimed railway sleepers, and some comfortable looking dining chairs.

Around the room sat several pieces of metal artwork, on the mantle sat a statue of Apollo (The god) on one side and Hephaestus on the other. On the wall behind the TV sat an amazingly crafted sword, the closer you got the more detail you could see and it was clear whoever made this took pride in their work.

On one wall of the dining room sat a huge metallic and glass tree. It's trunk, roots and branches a deep shade of metallic bronze, along the branches sat small glass leaves. More notably the tree was split into 4 sections and a quick observation showed that the tree started in Spring and with the colouring of the glass it was easy to tell that it went from spring on the left of the tree to summer then autumn then winter. It was another piece of art that a great attention to detail had been taken. Along the bottom in a silver coloured metal read "Vita solvenda non est quaestio, sed res experienda"

Apollo finished his shower and changed his shirt, he put on some music from a band called All Time Low and relaxed while he waited for his first guest to arrive.


[SPOILER]@moira Puck

If either Puck or Moira speak Latin the phrase reads "Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced" [/SPOILER]

[Puck]

Puck made his way out into the suburbs, which was honestly surprising. The Enchanter got a studio for his first place in Sacramento. The kitchen and bedroom were barely separate spaces, and yet coming out here it seemed Apollo had a full house. A decent house, and now Puck was wondering why he bothered with his dinky little studio. That's a lie, he liked it downtown. Still, good on Apollo for getting a nice place so quick.

Puck strolls up to the front door, bottle of red wine in hand. He's dressed simply in blue jeans, black shirt and hoodie, and boots. He's a libertine. It's lasagna. He's not doing a suit and tie. Apollo and Moira seemed cool, and he didn't think the superficial construct of formal attire appealed to either of them. Also Puck didn't want to dress up. He's rationalizing as the former, but the real reason to dress casual is definitely the latter.

And without further ado, Puck knocks on the door.

[Apollo]

Apollo opened the door, he was wearing Jeans and T-shirt. It wasn't the clothes he was most comfortable in but they were pretty comfortable. For hanging out around the house and maximum comfort it would have naturally been sweat pants but he didn't know them well enough to show them wearing his 'It's a lazy day' clothes.

Apollo grinned as he saw Puck at the door, opening his arms and pulling Puck into a hug that lasted at least 4 seconds before releasing him and standing aside to let his guest in. Truth be told he was excited to see Puck. Some part of him had worried that they wouldn't come at all, but the pair had seemed nice at Sanctuary so Apollo had chalked it up to his nerves.

"Sorry, I should have warned you. I'm a hugger." he wasn't sorry at all "Come in, make yourself at home. The lounge is that way" He said gesturing towards a door on the right.

[Moira]

Moira parked on the street in her little Mini Cooper. It didn't surprise Moira much that Apollo had chosen to live outside the city proper. I mean the man was large enough to break her over his knee for kindling! She figured he would need spacious rooms, and that was super expensive in downtown Sacramento. She knew. She had her Sanctuary, but also the addendum of the small studio, which believe it or not she had to buy that space too. Heh. It meant she had the entire top floor with roof access to herself though. That was the key.

Moira was dressed simply in a grey 3/4 sleeved shirt, and a long matte black skirt and a pair of cute sandals in a pearl grey. All matching and shit! Her normal super floofy hair was down for once and messily styled until she felt like she achieved squirrel cuteness. She wore her apple watch on her wrist as being connected all the time was actually important for her job. She was on salary, which basically meant she was their bitch puppet.

She was carrying a rather large bowl of greek style salad to compliment Apollo's Lasagna! And had a long thin braid of garlic bread that the lady at Trader Joe's swore was amazing and all it needed was 10 minutes in the oven. I mean, it didn't get better than that, right?!

She had came up to the door just in time to see the big ole hug that Puck got drawn into. Quickly her pleasant, but neutral expression, transformed into a truly seelie looking grin! The lovefest was under way, and she was just in time!

"Heeey guys!" She called out. You know. Before it got awkward!

[Puck]

Apollo's approach elicited a look from Puck that could best be described as 'deer in headlights'. He liked the Shaman, but as the other mage grabbed and hugged him Puck couldn't help but think about the sympathy Apollo was getting on him. Mage 101, no touching and no names. After several seconds of stillness and visible terror, the Acanthus decides to speak.

"Heeeeeeey." His discomfort is clear in his voice as he tries to force a smile.

"Oh!" Discomfort gives way to surprise as the enchanter remembers a good segue out of the situation. "I brought a gift. Red wine for dinner. Wine isn't usually my thing but I didn't think vodka mixed well with pasta."

Nothing kills awkwardness like a mediocre good joke right? Well, at least some booze would help. And company!

"Hey Moira." Puck hands off the bottle if Apollo chooses to accept it, and follows directions into the lounge. Eyes wandered around the space, lingering on the sword and tree as he made his way tot he couch.

"Cool place. You know how to use that sword or did you just watch way to much Lord of the Rings growing up?"

Hadn't Moira mentioned something about blades? He was still trying not to laugh at her mentioning her sneaking skills.

[Apollo]

Sensing Pucks awkwardness he smiled awkwardly. Who doesn't like a good hug? Apollo took the wine "Hey Moira, welcome." He held his arms out offering the hug, he didn't want to make both of them feel awkward.

Apollo took the wine offering to take the salad and garlic bread.

He smiled at Puck "Well I can wield it, 2 at the same time to be specific. I have seen Lord of the rings too many times as well. But that one is a bit special. It's the first masterwork sword I ever made and I had to keep it."

"As for Vodka.... it goes with everything with only one exception."

He gestured towards the sofa "Please make yourself comfortable. What you both drinking?"

[Moira]

Moira kept her cool enough not to react to much to her fellow Enchanter's discomfort, but internally she squirmed. EeEeEeEeEeK. Well. Okay. Well at least you don't have to worry of coming up with a convincing lie to dip out, eh? Silver lining!

She cleared her throat ever so slightly and swallowed her reaction and managed a half smile, and she put the large salad bowl right up to the Giant's Apollo's chest. Keeping the bowl firmly between them. "Actually you can take this off my hands..." She informed him, and that half smile bloomed into a full one. Pity. He looked like he gave good hugs, but she hadn't forgotten what that could mean.

After giving Apollo the big glass bowl of yum and the large braid of bread she got to looking around the place. "I would have brought you a present, but I didn't know your décor tastes. I see you are down with the classics. So am I. Moira is a shortening of the Moirae, or the sisters of fate as depicted by the Homeric poems. Originally the Moirae were written as above the gods as daughters of Nyx, but later they were written to be the daughters of Zeus and Themis."

"Councilor Puck." She intoned respectfully. She hadn't forgotten his title, and they were not alone for her to address him so informally unless he told her directly to cut it out.

She brightened when Apollo mentioned he not only used blades but made them! How nice! She wondered what a custom short sword would set her back? Hmmmmmmm. She sat down on the couch beside the fellow Enchanter, soaking in the details that were readily apparent.

"I would like some tea if you have it. Herbal is best unless you want me to start randomly roaming around your place like a fish in a bowl." Or a hyper cat zooming around. "So are you at the point you actually sell your metal work? Or are you like me and trying to get to that level of exposure?"

[Puck]

"Cool!"

Excitement for violence banished any lingering discomfort from the Enchanter's expression.

"I never touched a knife before but I had a rifle before I came to Sacramento." Not that he was especially good with it. "I used to go hunting with friends. They got lots of venison that way."

He smiles as his fellow enchanter joins him on the couch.

"I just like Shakespeare. As far as shadow names go? I really liked how Puck mixed up the love potions and changed peoples fates temporarily in a Midsummer Night's Dream. I thought it was a funny take on my new abilities as a disciple of the arcanum."

He shrugs, then laughs at Apollo's take on vodka.

"I'll have wine. If we're going to talk order philosophy why not loosen up a bit first?"

A mischievous grin blossoms.

[Apollo]

Apollo placed the salad on the table before fetching two wine glasses. Talking from the kitchen as he moved around.

"Yeah, its how I make my money. I tend to do a lot of custom pieces for people. Anything from more artistic pieces to swords and shields. I know, I know. You were expecting tree hugging hippy and for us to all be sat in a conversation pit on bean bags." He chuckled to himself. "You two both clearly thought about your shadow names. I stood there, chisel in hand ready to carve my name and couldn't think of one. One of the spirits offered a suggestion, I liked how it sounded and went with it."

It wasn't long before he was walking in with a hot mug of herbal tea, two glasses of wine and a the rest of the opened bottle. He passed the respective drink to Puck and Moira "But I will say they chose well, Apollo protected his friends and love ones and I naturally do exactly the same so it fit."

[Puck]

Puck listened attentively as Apollo spoke, though above all one thing stood out to him personally.

"Are you very proficient in the spirit arcanum?" He watched from the couch as Apollo returned with drinks. "I'm an apprentice and I've probably used it more then I have fate. What with the angel and the hentai demon and the green gorilla thing."

He rolled his eyes and grinned, bobbing slightly with each creature as he recounted his growing list of spiritual encounters. He accepted the drink and started sipping from his glass immediately.

"It seems like your spirits are way more constructive though? I don't think they slither down your throat or scream like revving engines at you."

Puck still had no idea what that gorilla was a spirit of...