Shadows of San Francisco: At the table

**ReubanBrightwood** · Mar 8th, 2026 11:50 AM

Abyssalstar Thirteen
Skye LadySin

Only a few minutes until closing time for the chain coffee store remain when Skye enters first the electric lights white and unnatural but soft and not to painful on the eye, the scent of hot coffee and warm confectionary goods rolls over her as does the light chatter of the twenty or so people still inside seated at a bar or around plastic tables takin the load off for a few minutes before the stresses of the day kick back in.

The arrow immediately recognizes the broad figure behind the counter his broad grin has been replaced with a broad frown and his wild light brown hair has been forced into a net. It would seem that working a customer service job has not been kind to Leo the boisterous mage who had tried to recruit the Sacramento mages into joining the free council during the last meeting.

Knowing what she is looking for and aided by the burned man being such a clear presence she sees him pushing through a door marked employees only, what gives it away as more is the poster depicting a band playing in San Francisco this coming weekend, the poster has the golden gate bridge in the background.

A few minutes later when she enters Thirteen also bombarded with an array of sensory difference between external world and internal coffee shop, is likewise able to make the connection by virtue of the round man with straw coloured hair and an ill fitting suit pushing through the door. Having had a few moments to study him this rotund man gives of a dark miasma to her fate imbued awareness, it confuses and obfuscates him, like a dark spot in a bright room.

**Skye** · Mar 8th, 2026 12:56 PM

Entering into the establishment with a wiggle of the nose, having to take a second to let her senses adjust to the pesky scent of a place such as this, never having been one to enjoy the scent of caffeine. Immediately looking towards the restroom, then over towards the man behind the counter having to force herself to not chuckle at the sight. Not being able to imagine a much worse job than this, hopefully he at least got some boons out of it.

Taking a couple of seconds to scan the room, looking towards the burned man and where he was entering, looking over the poster from afar with a look of recognition before approaching the counter with a soft smile.
”Excuse me Sir, may I kindly use the restroom please?” Keeping her tone courteous, smile soft, with an engaging look upon the man, knowing the many horror tales of how dehumanizing a job like this could be, and respect well that was free. Not wanting to get delayed again, not wanting to get in much later than everyone else especially if the trouble Thirteen was foreseeing would come to play in the all to close timeframe, as such needing either toilet paper or paper towels as quickly as possible but for that she would need the entrance code.

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**Thirteen** · Mar 8th, 2026 01:32 PM

A fat guy with uncloaked spells, and the Bench Man both approaching the coffee shop. The known quantity didn't seem alarmed in any way. Quite the opposite. His unbothered attitude irritated her. If this meeting was coming under attack, then he was a poor watchdog.

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe things weren't going to turn south? At least, not in the way she suspected.

Second thoughts were too late. The Arrow was already entering the Starbucks. Thirteen couldn't turn back now. Couldn't abandon the woman to face this rival cabal alone. After waiting a couple more minutes, she put her phone away and headed that way herself, keeping an annoyed grumble under her breath.

Coffee and pastries. It was a warm, inviting smell. One she liked. However, it didn't ease the tension in her shoulders. This was still a lion's den. That the man behind the counter was alive and well deflated her theory of an attack. He'd have been taken out first.

Big Boy was headed through a door. Is that where Skye had gone? And what was up with this guy's destiny? It didn't read as broken or chained like Mr. Burnscar. Was his destiny occluded? It was possible. She could cast such a spell herself, hiding someone's fate from perception and manipulation.

But why? What did he have to hide?

Not the place to Scrutinize him. Not enough time, either. He'd already disappeared through the door.

The Libertine looked at Counter Guy. She could only assume he was there to act as the doorman. Silently, she pointed at the door and gave him a questioning look.

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**ReubanBrightwood** · Mar 8th, 2026 02:06 PM

Leo to recognise Skye 2 successes

At first Leo just jerks a thumb not to the employee only door but further into the establishment where a sign for toilets would direct Skye to the facility. "Over there, but were closing in all of two minutes so make it quick." It happens with a little more then a glance up, maybe he sees her eyes, or the profile of her face or maybe he just remembers those alluring looks and calming presence. "Oh. Hey didn't think I would see you again." And some of the boisterous smile comes back. "Glad you didn't stay away forever though." His brain catches up putting the basic facts together. "Oh right uh yeah staff bathroom is through there." Now indicating the employees only door. A feeble attempt to provide cover but hey he did make the effort to try.

As the ~~pieces~~ people converge in a sense of momentum begins to fill Thirteens gut, the events that were about to unfold would likely have a say in the direction and outcome of the entire mess. What happened here, today in this little piece of cooperate hell, mattered.

The smell of place warm and inviting yes but somehow lesser then them the ma and pa shop had been, the impersonality of the transactions seeping even into the product, the atmosphere. As for mage with the hard to read fate, yes mages could hide that if they so choose, even without spells some mages performed a practice known as occultation making them harder to read, was this an example of that practice? Whatever the cause the effects leave a blank spot in her awareness something she cant perceive, a rare thing for a mage, and to some it would be disconcerting.

The stylishly dressed eye catching enchantress also catches the eye of the broad guy behind the counter, to whom Skye is speaking. She also gets some of a grin from him. Before he calls other. "Ma'am, I think this is yours." All he has done is grasp a napkin and hastily scrawls something on it. Another shoddy attempt to provide cover.

**Skye** · Mar 8th, 2026 03:04 PM

Keeping the polite smile upon her ready to head towards the bathroom at the motion, a tad surprised there were no code needed.
”Thank you, I shall.” About to move away towards the bathroom whilst watching the entrance of Thirteen through the corner of her eye no more recognition than you would give anyone entering an establishment which you were currently in. ”With such a cutie around how could I stay away? Excuse me for a minute though, I believe I only had two minutes.” Damn that was quick, having expected that the watchdog had already let them know about her presence in the area over the course of the day though, unsure if he just hadn´t or if Leo was to low on the totem pole to have been notified.

Giving him a quick wink before walking over towards the standard bathroom, closing the door behind her, and quickly undoing her belt to quickly remove all three knives upon it. Grabbing the roll of toilet paper and beginning to wrap it around them in a manner to make it damn near impossible to undo it quickly or easily, effectively neutralizing their usage without spending some visible quality time to undo it.

Putting them down in her large pouch, belt readjusted, flushing and heading outside again with a look towards the counter to see if Leo was still standing back there, watching if any of the patrons from before were still in the shop before heading towards the employees only room.

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**Thirteen** · Mar 8th, 2026 04:53 PM

The sense of impending ~~doom~~ importance weighed on Thirteen's shoulders more with every passing second. And she hated it.

She also hated the occultation of the rotund man's destiny, however it was done. It felt wrong. Maybe that was just the Acanthus in her. Not seeing the threads of fate of those around her was irksome.

The soulless corporate nature of the place was also annoying.

Yeah, pretty much everything here was ticking her off. But she swallowed the irritation. She had to.

Oh, there's Skye. The fake tan and dark hair was still throwing the Libertine for a loop. Sunglasses-covered eyes turned to the barista.

"Ah, yes. Thank you." Playing along, she strode to the counter and picked up the napkin to examine the contents.

Outside, Jinx had taken up a position across the street, on a streetlight. From there, he could more or less see into the Starbucks windows. Unable to enter if Thirteen disappeared from his sight, this was the best he could do and maintain his role. Not like he could do anything if she was in danger. He wasn't a hawk or owl. Mentally, he reviewed the exit paths and decided he could help guide his mistress out of here if she suddenly burst from the coffee shop in a panic or something.

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**ReubanBrightwood** · Mar 9th, 2026 03:29 AM

Skye heads into a toilet stall and wraps her knives in toilet paper, which is well toilet paper which can be torn away with little to no effort. To make them less accessible or awkward to make use of she would need to employ a lot more toilet paper then would enable them to fit in her belt pouch. Sharp blades normally need a special jacket for such purposes and even those are bulky and tend to wear down between sparring requiring frequent maintenance. But she wraps them up none the less using most of the roll of paper and now has them sticky awkwardly out of her belt pouch.

When that is done as best it can be she returns to a much emptier room only the last few stubborn or exhausted customers are still here, with Leo yes still at the counter.

Thirteen keeps the annoyances, the irritations all inside with an effort, an act of perseverance. It is after all so much more then just herself on the line if this goes poorly.

Taking the napkin offered in response to her point and quizzical look she see a glyph of high speech crudely and quickly penned onto it. Not just any glyph one she knows all to well. It is the glyph that outlines the main body of the symbol most associated with the council of free assemblies. The main body of that symbol is missing the cashier not having had time for such intricacies, under the outline is a simple tick. If she was a sleeper she would not know what this means.

Jinx stands sentinel outside watching, waiting ready to help should it seem required.

**Thirteen** · Mar 16th, 2026 10:12 AM

The Acanthus looked at the napkin in surprise. The drawing was crude and incomplete, but she recognized it immediately. They knew she's Free Council? That means they already knew who she was? How? Were they spying on her? She'd not detected any scrying. She and Jinx had been watchful for Hunters, so she'd like to think they'd notice if anyone was following her.

The sense of violation was ironic, given she was literally here spying on the Goldies.

Thirteen eyed the tick beneath the sigil. A space for an X or a checkmark, perhaps. They wanted confirmation? A requirement to enter the meeting, weed out the Sleepers, maybe. Only one way to find out.

She grabbed a pen and checked the tick, then handed it back to the counterman. Now she awaited his reaction.

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**ReubanBrightwood** · Mar 16th, 2026 12:11 PM

As the last of the sleeper patrons filter out the counter guy takes the napkin back looking a little confused himself, evidently his method of discreet communication had not been as clear as he had hoped. Once the last of the apparent sleepers had left he refocused attention on the eye catching enchantress. "You are here for the big magicians meeting right? If so then yeah its through that door and up the stairs." That coded talk was still in play clearly indicates he is unsure of her, either a ruse or a indication he does not in fact know who she is. "If your not then were closed and you need to leave." He was really playing into this not knowing her bluff, if a bluff it was.

**Skye** · Mar 16th, 2026 12:11 PM

Not entirely satisfied with the works but hopefully it would be enough, would be a sign enough of having slowed down her accessibility to make any usage of them easy to spot. Even slowing herself down by a few seconds making it easy for any enemy to react well in time. Keeping them in her pouch, within their sheats, edges sticking out with one hand atop the cover of the pouch to make sure they do not fall out as she swiftly scans the potential regular costumers. Placing their most notable features be it attire or face quickly to mind, giving nothing deeper than to recognize them should see them soon again.

Thirteen by the counter near completely ignored other than spatial awareness, looking past her towards Leo and on to the room he had guided her to before then proceeding towards it with calm steps. Walking through the employees only opening with a careful scan, waiting to either be stopped be it to be greeted or see something that would require her to react.

Perception, 2 successes

Not sure what troubles Thirteen had foreseen, and not keen on being caught by surprise. Fully expecting the matron to appear, unable to help but wonder if she was the heartwarden curious if the heart was the leader here or not. And more than anything if any information of a likely contender for a potential duel arcane would be made apparent, knowing all to well Thirteen wanted to catch them breaking the laws but if a duel would occur so well any insight into what shield arcana they would demand should that rule be invoked would not be a demerit no matter how unlikely it would be to spot. Still hoping it could all be solved far more amenably, both of their groupings having far more important matters to deal with be it hunters or left handed or whatever else was lurking around.

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Date	Action	Roll	Result
2026-03-08 13:51:08	Leo rolls 5 to recognise Skye 5 (10 Again)	4, 6, 5, 8, 10, 2	2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2026-03-16 11:44:16	Skye rolls 4 to Perception (wit+com) (10 Again)	6, 10, 5, 8, 4	2 successes

Shadows of San Francisco: At the table

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