Sticks and Stones

[Animus]

Animus strolls through Curtis Park, trying to relax in the closeness of nature. Unfortunately, his churning thoughts showed little sign of slowing. They were on verge of turning aside the Abyss. Shouldn't he be excited? Glad? But those emotions refuse to surface. More than once, his thoughts drift to his ring, the severed piece of a soul that he had so blithely carried with him for so long. Just as often, he thinks with no small amount of worry of the part he'd set for himself in the upcoming battle.

But for now there is nothing to do but wait. Soon, the others will be here, and they'll find out where they stand.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Henry arrives a few minutes later. Or maybe he was just waiting around the corner; Who knows? The usual tell-tale signs of his spellcasting is visible around him, and the jeans and flannel shirt make him look altogether different than the distinguished, creepy figure who sits at Consiliums. Instead, he's the creepy figure no Sleeper pays any mind to, that simply glides through society like a fish through water.

Spotting the Hierarch, he heads straight for the man, hands in his pockets, with only a casual look thrown over his shoulder to make sure no one is looking. Which they apparently aren't.

[Tug]

But someone is...

An obese, freckle-faced bald man approaches Curtis Park, eating a protein bar. His stretched out 'Muscle Max' shirt is ironic at best, pathetically delusional at worst. Tug is embarrassed in the 'fat suit.' People avert their eyes as he walks along, to hide their pity, their disgust, their condemnation. No, Tug certainly doesn't feel his freshest today, but given that his enemies are looking for an athlete, albeit one that can shapeshift, the disguise is very good. No one who knew Tug would believe he would walk around looking like that. Tom had a good laugh at the look before Tug left the Hostel for this meeting. Well, as good a laugh as the ghost could get up, and it relieved Tug's fear that his brother was getting further away from him everyday. For today.

The Arrow didn't understand why they were meeting out in the open like this, instead of the Circle, or Kruegan's, or the Hostel, but the Sentinel went where duty called, not to mention his Hierarch and cabal-mate. He does a round of the perimeter before walking up to Animus and Henry, greeting them both with a hand-wave. "Hey, guys," he whispers hoarsely, to be heard from several feet away, "it's me, Tug." The fatboy grins at them like he's got a pocket full of Tootsie Rolls.

Doppelganger 2 sux

Additional weight and freckles.

2010-10-13 22:15:30 tug rolls 9 to doppelganger life 4 + gno 3 + HS2 (10 Again) 4, 3, 4, 1, 1, 10, 9, 5, 1, 5 2 successes
2010-10-13 22:14:57 tug rolls 1 to dox (2base -1 tool) (10 Again) 1 failure

[Animus]

At Tug's appearance, Animus laughs, hollow and mirthless. "Interesting outfit there. Glad you could make it." It doesn't take long for any trace of humor to disappear from his face.

A moment later he turns to Henry. "How much do you know about the soul stones powering the bridge?"

[ParanoidAndroid]

Henry's own reaction to Tug's appearance is a thin, humorous smile. "Interesting disguise," he remarks with a hint of humor. Contrary to Animus's, however, the amused smile stays on.

"What was said at the C place when all the gang got together," he answers without a hint of effort at slipping into code. Though he'd never admit it, he had always been more comfortable with the hidden phrases. And he knew the reverse wasn't usually true, which was all the better. "Plus a few more tidbits the bookies saw fit to share. The things need to be in ours hands, ASAP." But safely. He leaves it unsaid that there are also tidbits he might have found through his own channels. Because that would just be crass.

[Animus]

Animus nods briefly, feeling the same urgency as Henry. "I agree. And we have the means to find them. The stones are linked. We have the one from the church. Why not use it to locate the others, and see where that leaves us?"

[Tug]

Tug nods along at the conversation, keeping his eyes out for anything or anyone suspicious. He doesn't know which is more disconcerting, Animus' seriousness or Henry's joviality. Nah, its being out in the open like this that worries the Arrow, as his mind flashes back to the ill-fated funeral that saw two Pentacle mages fall to sniper rounds. "We need to get to a secure location before we try anything," Tug says, his grasp of the obvious unfailing. West had told him the Bridge, and therefore the soul stones, were the priority, but the Banishers that hurt Falx had possession of at least one, right? He feels the weight of his Oath as he contemplates the inevitable confrontation, not as a millstone 'round his neck, but as scaffolding, holding him together. Maybe Fate will lead him there first; maybe not. Sooner or later, they'd get what's coming to them. He couldn't afford to be distracted by these thoughts now, though; he'll have to trust Her. "Ready to go? C, K, H, whatever," he says, mimicking Henry's code.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Henry nods, and ponders options with a brief Hmmm. "Too public, too well known," he answers Tug's offer of various places. Places that could be visited by other Mages, that people knew they frequented. "We find oursevles an empty alley, and I'll see what I can do." He looks to each side, both to find a likely spot, and to make sure noone is watching. He points to the side with his thumb, briefly, apparently having spotted a likely spot.

"Have you thought of protection?", the Guardian asks. And while some juvenile mind somewhere might interpret that in a whole other light, he means it. "What you're suggesting will leave us wide open. I'm all for being a target, but let's not push it." All of it is said with that same smile of light humor. Either this is all a joke, he's leaving the expression on voluntarily, or he forgot to turn it off.

[Animus]

Animus ignores the light smile, not wanting to dwell on his own difficulty in holding onto positive emotions. "I think you'd know best in that area, but we don't have the time to plan anything fancy. And at this point I don't think we can do anything without someone being a target. I'd much rather that be us than the group working on the lines. We've got a better chance of defending ourselves than they do. I'm not advocating flat-out recklessness, but it's something to keep in mind."

[Tug]

Tug follows behind Henry and Animus, keeping the Epopt between the two of them, just in case. "Where's the fun without the risk?" he chuckles, then nods. "We'll keep an eye out here while you work, Henry," he tells him, then quietly chants, and moments later Tug surveys the land from atop the Primal Watchtower.

Sense Life- Human, 6 sux

2010-10-17 12:29:57 Tug rolls 10 to sense life wits3+ak1+life4+HS2 (10 Again) 8, 4, 10, 2, 1, 2, 10, 4, 10, 10, 9, 3, 4, 4 6 successes