Archive World of Darkness: The Academy - Chapter 9: Everyone's Dirty Underwear

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Originally Posted By: Autumn Keane

...she frowned again, running her fingertips over the figure. The wound in its head was an ugly, awful thing, and she wondered if the owner had simply removed the original ritual contents to reuse it later. There was something about the sheen of the hair, even the vague suggestion of features, that reminded her of the young man before her. "This is you, isn't it? Someone made this doll of you," she asked, her frown deepening.

"Yes." Ravi answered Autumn in a low tone. "And one of the reasons I'm here is to find out who and why."

But it didn't look like that was going to get resolved. The only solid answer Brahn gave was where he'd found it, and then the discussion devolved into a history lesson of the conflict at hand. Ordinarily Ravi would find such things interesting, especially Lucia's tales of having been to another world and this mystical center of the universe. But he was becoming irritable with the endless back and forth. Everything said seemed to kick off another round of commentary, but the shapeshifter exerted his patience and waited for the process to start revealing some things of worth. It was taxing, to say the least. Several times he'd felt a rumble of annoyance building in his chest, and several times had calmed down as Mari, aware of his mood somehow, gently laid a hand over his.

Then Sean said his piece, and the now-impatient werepanther couldn't hold in his irritation any more.

"And so we come back to where we were yesterday, with the eminently-sensible suggestion of seeking answers amongst Sean's mother's people, which is why most of us believed we were coming here this morning." he said flatly. "The only thing I feel has been gained from this discussion is clues, doubts, questions, and less clarity on the matter of the effigy in Autumn's hands. Brahn says he found it in the Pritchard woman's office. She claims she didn't make it." He gazed around the gathering as he drew himself up, his glittering stare hard. "Someone bloody well made it. A voodoo doll, or whatever you call it, of me. There may be more of them for the rest of us. And seeing that the head has been scooped out, and Pritchard has admitted tampering with our memories, I'm inclined to believe that the miserable old bitch is lying through her rotten teeth." The last words came out in a clench-toothed growl that reverberated a little in the room.

"So let's go. Let's do what Sean just reiterated." With an effort he calmed himself and looked around again, this time focusing on the other students (and Sylvia) and ignoring the faculty. He addressed them all, his words spoken with passion, eyes catching the light as his gaze met each person's in turn. "Let's do what we came here to do and go to see the Chiderans. All we're being fed here is more regurgitated information from others points of view. Let's go find our own point of view. The longer we wait and talk, the more chance that our enemies, both inside and outside Dalton, can move to stop us."

Click to reveal.. (Oratory)

Presence + Persuasion + Striking Looks
1d10=9, 1d10=2, 1d10=9, 1d10=9, 1d10=4, 1d10=6, 1d10=8, 1d10=10, 1d10=4
poppin' 10
1d10=2

4 succs

Sexual Dimorphism (ladies only)
1d10=4, 1d10=9

5 succs

Note: Naturally I'm not trying to use roll-playing to compel decisions. But this is an indicator of how forcefully and well Ravi is presenting his case. He is trying to sway people through force of personality and passionate speech.

[z022]

Lucia nodded in agreement with him, "I agree. I'd rather be doing something in stead of just standing around talking about doing something. Rosa, Ahvia, and I are ready to go. If anyone else that wants to come needs to grab provisions, I'd suggest they do so quickly."

Like before, she felt the knot of apprehension building in her stomach, but she had to do something and this was at least a start. She gave the Lhesk twins a tight smile and asked, "Brahn, would you tell us the key to the Chideran world, please?"

Behind her, Rosa gathered up their packs, looking caught between excited and terrified; Ahvia's expressions were harder for the others to read, but she mostly seemed simply ready. She'd agreed to help her friend with her quest, now quests, and she was a woman of her word. That she got to explore the roads of the Doors was an exciting addition. That she got to do that with one of the most beautiful and compelling man she'd ever laid eyes on was pinking her cheeks and filling her stomach with butterflies. She firmly kept her eyes off of Ravi FitzCoventry as she waited for the others to prepare for the journey or step aside.

[Sylvia Dorn]

Sylvia had been listening to the various explanations with a growing sense of unease. Too much wasn't know, and increasingly the only way to fill in the gaps was exactly what others were now suggesting: to go through the Door to a world of likely allies.

Just the same, there was a nagging feeling that something wasn't right. Unable to put her finger on the cause, she took the best available alternative.

"Alright, we go - but we don't go blind. Brahn, we need to know just what we're likely to run into with the Chiderans, other than making very clear the situation with Swan. That goes for you two as well," she added, pointing at Reaver and Boxter, "and just what you tricks you have up your sleeve to help keep the students safe in the process. You have a thirty-year head start on us, after all."

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean felt a surge of eagerness as Ravi, Lucia, and Ms. Dorn (with caveats) added their voices to the proposal to step through the Door and visit the Chiderans. Sean reached, lacing his his fingers with Swan's, giving her hand a grateful squeeze and hitched up his hiking-pack on his shoulder with exaggerated visibility.

"I - we've - been ready to go since last night. Glad we're finally gettin' started," Sean groused, rolling his thick shoulders. He turned to the adults and ran a hand through his dark hair. "If we're gonna go, we should go now - they can tell us what they know on the Otherside as easily as here." Though I ain't sure I want them to come with us anyway... "If we wait much longer, it'll be harder for us to tromp up into the Lancaster Attic without makin' a scene." And there'll be less chance of us gettin' bogged down with talk again too, if we start movin' now.

Sean reached into a side pocket of his pack, then held out his hand to Lucia, a wry grin on his face. On his hand rested a coiled, leather belt and several bits of rhomboid-shaped plastic that had been obviously, roughly cut from a larger piece of plastic. "We already know the key to the Chideran... uh, 'world,' Lucia. Something arrow-shaped and a leather thong." His stormy eyes twinkled. "Hope these will do. Not sure if I have enough for everyone though. There's more here than I expected. Oh, and I have feathers and paper and pens for the Key home too."

[Dawn OOC]

“You’re looking at your Amazons,” Boxter said. “They’re going to listen to the women with you and look at the men like they don’t have a right to speak. Culturally, men don’t exist and therefore don’t have a place in the hierarchy. It makes them nervous, and when a Chideran gets nervous, she either pretends she isn’t or reaches for a weapon.”

“Their weapons are mystically bound to them,” Reaver said, speaking up. “Try not to get into a fight with them, because those weapons will do a variety of surprising, nasty things. Avoiding a fight can be an issue – they’re a bit touchy about their honor. Just don’t insult them – avoid discussions about their fighting prowess unless you mean to compliment them. And don’t try to tell them that guns are better, they’ll take that as an insult.”

“They seem to like sugar,” Brihn said from behind her brother. Brahn stepped sideways just enough for her to speak. “They like it like you do, but there are few sources of it on their world. Take a gift for the Pimszt – their leader. Something sweet to eat should be a good gift.”

“You only need the Key once, to open the door,” Brahn added softly. “So long as it’s open, people can pass through.”

“We’re not going with you, though,” Boxter said. “I’m an old man, and they don’t trust magic-users much anyway. They don’t trust the Lhesk, either.”

“They will work with us, especially where the Caramine are involved,” Brihn said quickly. She glanced at them all in the room. “If you wish, I will come along with you. I have worked with them before and they will listen to me.”

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

"Men have no right to speak, don't disrespect them, bring something sweet, and watch out for mystical weapons." Ravi said as he listed off the high points and nodding at Boxter and Reaver. "Thank you, sirs." He flashed a wide grin, looking suddenly very boyish. "You know, other than the weapons, it'll be just like visiting my female relatives for afternoon tea. Woe betide the man who speaks incautiously at those gatherings." He shook his head, then bounced on his toes very slightly, practically vibrating with energy and plainly ready to get going. He glanced around at everyone else.

"Shall we be off?"

[Sylvia Dorn]

"Now that we have a decent briefing? Yes, I think it's time for the field trip. That said, we already have one strike against us with Swan. I think adding another representative of a people they don't trust would be a bit much. Brahn and Brihn, you should probably stay here."

She looked around, then added, "We'll need an offering for their 'Pimszt'. Who has chocolate?"

[Atomicweasel]

“My mom sent me a care package when I came to school.” Mari offered shyly. “I’m pretty sure there’s still a couple of um, Snickers or something, if Rachel didn’t get them.” She looked around at the assembled teens. “I can go get them real quick.” Mari plucked at the hem of her black sweater. “And um, I can get changed. And then meet you guys—I won’t take long,” she added hastily, then paused and turned to face Sean, since he seemed to know more details than most. “Where are we going? I mean...on this side, like...you know what I mean.”

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[SalmonMax]

"I'll go too," Renata volunteers. At the quizzical looks from Mari and the others she adds defensively, "Just saying...buddy system. Probably better if we don't wander around alone. Besides, I might have some stuff in my room to bring too. And...chocolate is heavy."

She reached over to give Mari's bicep a playful squeeze. "Mari the Mighty may need help."

[Isaac Rotterdown]

"Well whatever I have gotten myself into, I'm glad I did. This whole thing sounds like a crazy sci-fi series I used to watch," Isaac piped up after listening intently to the ongoing dialogue. In these situations he usually found it best to sit back and listen, gathering as much information as he could before making any irrational decisions.

That doesn't mean he didn't make those irrational decisions, just that he knew they were so far fetched when he made them.

"I think I'm ready to go, I can't think of anything I would need to bring with me other than what I've got on now. Besides, not like I carry a rocket launcher to school for just these purposes."

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean looked up at the gangly newcomer and gave him a nod. "Welcome aboard, Isaac. Hope you don't end up regretting it. You might want to make sure you have a sweater and a good pair of shoes though - this isn't going to be just a stroll through the park."

Hearing the description of the 'Amazons,' and looking back in hindsight, he could totally see his Mother as one, minus the weapon. His older sister Cassandra too. Savannah, well... she was still growing into it, he guessed. He hadn't noticed the sweetness thing before, though now that he thought about it, there had been an awful lot of chocolate and sweets around the house, especially the rich and sweet Nanaimo Bars. He had always chocked up the love of chocolate as a female thing.

"Yeah, Brahn told us where the Door is," Sean said to Mari, brow furrowing with a slight suspicion as he noted Renata's... playfulness. "Riiight. Anyway, the Door is in Lancaster House's attic, the last door on the left. And I brought the stuff for the Key home for everyone - well, some will have to share, I think - just in case people get separated. It's a white feather and a piece of paper with thoughts written on it, which I guess is really anything."

Sean handed Mari a few tiny feathers that had probably come from a pillow and a scrap of paper and a cheap, Bic pen, giving her a faintly self-conscious grin - it felt silly to him too, but this was apparently how shit worked - then glanced up and around at the others. "I guess we shouldn't all tromp inside at the same time, so me and Swan will get going. Meet you all at the Door."

Sean began leaving the Art Room, giving the Mural - and the renditions of the Chiderans - one last, long glance, Swan protectively at his side.

[Frida Ricci]

Frida hoisted her bag up onto her shoulder. She had come prepared, so there was no reason for her to head back to her room for anything - a couple of the granola bars in her bag were fairly sweet - peanut butter and chocolate chips, so if they needed more to offer she could contribute that way. But before leaving she turned to Sylvia, a small frown of concern on her face.

"Ms. Pritchard, are you sure we shouldn't accept Brihn's offer of assistance? She did say that she's dealt with them before, and that they would be willing to work with her. Wouldn't bringing someone with us who already has established relations prove beneficial? I mean, I know Sean's coming, but..." She hesitated, remembering the anger and resentment Sean had expressed multiple times about his mother. "I'm not entirely sure that's going to prove beneficial, considering his gender."

[Sylvia Dorn]

Sylvia frowned, visibly considering the suggestion. Finally she said, "You make a fair point. Brahn," she asked, turning to look the visitor straight in his unsettling eyes, "just how much do the Chiderans dislike your people? I know you've worked with them before, but would your presence present a possible problem from a diplomatic aspect?"

[Atomicweasel]

“Thanks, Sean,” Mari shoved the feathers into the lone back pocket of her skirt and then neatly folded the scrap of paper and tucked the pen along its edge. “so, we’re just meeting everyone there, then?” she asked uncertainly. Renata had already taken the little freshman by the arm and was pulling Mari toward the door. Mari managed to get a rushed “bye!” out for Ravi before Renata hauled her out of the Arts Building.

“I thought you were supposed to be fast or something,” Renata griped as they crossed the campus back to Lancaster.

“I just can’t stop thinking about how strange it is and wondering if we’re doing the right thing and everything.” Mari answered, forcing herself to pick up her pace.

“What do you think we should be doing different, then?”

“I don’t know. Just maybe, that cop guy?”

“The real fat one?”

“He wasn’t that fat,” Mari protested, looking up at Renata. She kept turning the little scrap of paper Sean had given her in her hands.

“Mari, are you fucking kidding me?” Renata answered evenly. “He was like...” Renata waved her arms about, “Detective Shamu the Land Whale, okay? He was so fat his fat had fat.”

“That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Anyway, what about him.” The two girls had reached the front steps of the dorm and Renata shouldered open the door. Together they climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to Mari’s room.

Mari’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Well, maybe he can help. I mean. We’re gonna go ask a bunch of Amazons with like spears to help us fight the Caramels—“

“Caramines. Why are you whispering?”

“Right, Caramines...because Rachel never gets up before ten. She like scheduled all her classes so she’d never have to get up before ten. Wouldn’t like, a bunch of cops with guns kinda be better? I dunno.” Mari shrugged, then held a finger to her lips in warning. “If we wake her up I’m dead, so just keep it down, okay?”

Renata rolled her eyes. “You’re about to enter through a magical door into another world so you can beg some spear-wielding Amazons, your words, not mine, to help you fight a bunch of sinister wizards and warlocks and creepy-eyed fuckos who like to ‘harvest’ people,” here Renata paused to throw up some air quotes, “and you’re worried about waking up your roommate cuz she’ll get mad?”

“Just, please?” Mari whispered.

Renata waited until Mari had carefully opened the door and stealthily snuck inside the room before some irresistible impulse of malice or mischief caused her to waltz in behind Mari and bellow “Hi Honey! I’m home!”

While Mari turned the bright shade of red Renata had sought, Rachel shot upright in her bed and grumbled a sleepy “What the fuck, Mari? I'm gonna kill you.” Her curly hair was frizzled in ten different directions and her puffy eyes took a moment to settle on the cause of her indignation. “Hey.” Rachel squinted myopically, “I know you. You’re Hodges. Didn’t you get kicked out of Exeter for selling pot in the girl’s bathroom?”

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[Autumn Keane]

Pausing for a moment in her study of the crude figure in her hands, Autumn directed a scathing glance at Isaac, her sea-coloured eyes darkening with disdain. Was this guy for real?

"Are you serious?" she asked tersely. "You're going into completely unknown territory. The water could have parasites, which, under the circumstances, could do things to your insides we can't even imagine. The food may not be edible, we don't know what the weather or terrain are like, and you're going with no supplies, wearing a hoodie, sweatpants, and flip flops? Really?" The red-haired teen shook her head, scowling reproachfully at him. "We're not talking about a leisurely afternoon stroll here. Minimally, you'll want hiking boots or durable, comfortable shoes, jeans, a jacket, water, a pocketknife, waterproof matches or a lighter, a hat, and some simple carbs and protein to keep you going. Haven't you ever been camping before?" she asked finally, one brow arched.

[Isaac Rotterdown]

"Well, to be honest... no. I haven't ever been camping before. My parents were always a bit on the protective side, and I never seemed to have a free weekend." He left the part about how his weekends were generally spent in hospitals on chemo therapy out. How his parents were trying to protect him from anything that could get him sicker than he already was just seemed to compound the problems in his life. It was one thing to deal with being sick, but an entirely different feeling knowing that your parents couldn't deal with it anymore. He knew they had sent him to Dalton because he talked them into the hospitals in the area, but really, he just needed to get away from them. Find some people that didn't know how much of a struggle life at home was, and just get a new start. His eyes flashed emotions ranging from guilt to longing and finally to understanding.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I do have some more outdoorsy stuff back in my room." With that he pushed himself off the table he had been sitting on, pulled a cough drop out of his hoody's pocket and popped it in his mouth.

Time to go gear up he thought with a lopsided grin.

Back in his room, he managed to pull on some sturdy jeans, a long sleeve shirt, an old pair of running shoes (as he had never owned a pair of hiking boots), put his hoody back on and began gathering what supplies he could. He did have an old Nalgene bottle, but he didn't think the bag of oreos would count for the carbs and protein the redheaded girl had mentioned. Instead he opted to a jar of peanut butter and a spoon, and threw a couple oranges into his backpack after dumping out his school supplies before heading back to the art room.

[SalmonMax]

"You’re Hodges. Didn’t you get kicked out of Exeter for selling pot in the girl’s bathroom?”

Renata scowled and looked exasperatedly at the ceiling, but her heart thumped in her chest so loudly that she actually thought the other two girls must have heard it. This was just another piece of evidence, hard empirical evidence, that if there was a God, he hated her. Of course Mari's roomie was someone from Renata's old school.

Still, Ren hesitated. Rachel hadn't said anything about the rumors and gossip that had made Exeter the hellhole it had been. Maybe it was best not to jog her memory too hard.

"Nah, that was whatsherface," Renata replied. "I got in a fight. Didn't seem like such a big deal to me but...eh" She shrugged and looked around at Mari. "So what're you...hoo..."

Mari was changing. It was probably fortunate that she was standing facing into her closet, or Renata wouldn't have had any pretense left. As it was, the gentle curve of her back, muscles and shoulderblades outlined under that light mocha skin, sweeping gracefully to the glorious roundness hidden only by a flimsy pair of panties...which she was starting to push downward.

It was almost physically painful, but Ren managed to yank her face back away and covered her momentary lapse with a nice big cough into her fist...which might, to a charitable or credulous (or sleep-addled) mind, also explain the flush on her cheeks.

"Shit...'scuse me. Got any kleenex?"

Horribly, it was Mari who cheerfully replied, "Over there," pointing behind her...which only encouraged Renata to look and see her naked body in profile. She coughed again and grabbed the little box on Mari's nightstand, elaborately wiping her nose.

Rachel squinted, beady eyes under a bad, bad case of bedhead, seeing the sideshow but not yet in any shape to process the events sequentially in time. "So you didn't sell pot?"

Back on firmer ground, Renata shook her head. "Nope. I wouldn't even know where to buy it so I could then sell it, you know?"

"You guys woke me up," Rachel complained, moving on down her brain's list of things to address. "Mari, you said you wouldn't wake me up early. Do you know how hard it was to get my classes set up like this?"

Mari winced as she finished dressing and started stuffing needful things into her cheerfully colored backpack. In went her travel toothbrush and toothpaste kit. Her hiking compass. Her spare blanket, already neatly folded on a wire rack. Finally, the little plastic 'survival box' inside of which was a package of granola bars, a Hershey's chocalate bar, and a little plastic bag of trail mix secured by a weathered rubber band. She took her canteen and headed for the bathroom to fill it, placating her roommate on the way. "I know, I'm really sorry..."

"It throws my whole day off," Rachel pointed out.

"I totally didn't mean..."

"My whole day is thrown off now."

"I could knock you out again," Renata suggested, her patience for Rachel's antics thinning by the second.

Mari popped out of the bathroom, grabbed Renata's arm and quickly said, "I'm so sorry, we're leaving right now and we...I mean I won't be back for ages so you can sleep all you want! Bye Rachel!"

The door closed behind them, and Mari gave Renata a dirty look. Renata glared at the door, then met Mari's reproachful look.

"She's kind of a bitch, isn't she?"

Mari sighed. "She's not a morning person."

The two started heading back towards the attic of Lancaster, and Renata stretched and lanced her fingers together behind her head, elbows poking out to either side of her head like 'elephant ears.' She felt pretty good about how that'd gone. With any luck, Rachel wouldn't even remember later on. And even if the worst happened, and Rachel was like...her biographer from Exeter, well it couldn't happen before they came back from Amazonia, so...cool.

Then Mari asked, "You got expelled from school?" in a tone of voice that reminded Renata of just how very, very sheltered Mari's life had been.

"Uh," she replied smartly, "Yeah. Kind of."

"How do you 'kind of' get expelled?"

Renata shrugged uncomfortably. "It was more like they...asked Dad to move me. It doesn't show up as expulsion on my record." He'd had to pull strings to make that happen, she remembered. She'd been mad about it then...now she was kind of relieved.

"But why?" Mari wanted to know. "Because you got in a fight?"

Ren rubbed her knuckles over her chin and grimaced. This wasn't a conversation she really wanted to have. "No, it wasn't because I got in a fight," she said carefully. "It was just...it was stupid. Politics and shit."

Mari was quiet for a moment, just peering over at Renata, who steadfastly refused to meet her eyes. "If it wasn't because of a fight, then why?"

Anger bubbled up in Renata's gut as bad memories turned over. "Because I got in like...fourteen fights," she grumbled. "Alright? You can read all about it in my file sometime. Because I'm 'violent' and 'antisocial' and I have 'anger management deficiencies.' That is why I was expelled from Exeter. Okay? Not because Exeter was a medieval torture pit, full of self-righteous, smug little hypocrites not one of who had a thinking brain...or..." ...a heart that cared.

Renata stopped walking suddenly. "You know what?" she said, changing the subject with all the force and subtlety of a runaway train derailing and crashing through its station, "I'm gonna buy a few things. These...other people are supposed to like chocolate. I'm gonna get some." God knows I could use some too.

[Ryan Jackson]

"Boooring ..." Ryan complained quietly to nobody in particular. He was sitting on one of the ceiling cross beams and swinging his legs. Talk and talk and talk for a good twenty minutes, and yet no answers, nothing to show for it at all; a giant waste of time. Ryan sighed, at least there was now, finally, movement as people went to get stuff they needed for the world's dumbest field trip, take two.

Ryan dropped down from his perch and landed next to Reaver and Boxter. "Hey, so, somehow, through all this, nobody has offered a single explanation of the big ticket item of the day. Who the hell made those effy-gees? Ol' Brindle Black there says he didn' do it, and you two were there when Connie claimed that it wasn' her. So I figure somebody is lying to me, to us, or somebody is tryin' a big ol' frame up. Any thought boy-o's?"

[Autumn Keane]

Autumn shrugged at Ryan's question as people started leaving to prepare, after her brain took a solid forty-five seconds to even process the slang peppered throughout his speech. Even if he wasn't actually directing the question at her, the poor guy seemed more lost than she was.

"It's one little clay poppet, and even if there are more, it's not going to be easy to figure out who made them. When you make things like this, you don't put anything in or on them that links it to you." Frowning, she turned the figure over in her hands again, one finger tracing the edge of the gaping hole in its head. "Otherwise, whatever you're trying to do to, or for the person it represents could end up directed at you, instead. This hole is weird, though. It could've been made traditionally, which would mean herbs and stuff would've been in there, and this was part of removing them, or..." Or it could've been intentional. A shiver ran, unbidden, down her spine. "Or like she said," Autumn continued, nodding at where Renata had been standing, "it could have been part of the work."

She paused for a moment, and then looked over at Ravi again.

"But I think," the redhead said slowly, a slight frown knitting her coppery brows, "I think I can break the link to you, if you want."

[Dawn OOC]

Brihn paused. “We are allies, but not beloved.”

“No one loves the Lhesk,” Boxter said, his voice hard. Brihn’s expression flashed to upset for the moment before it returned to neutrality. Brahn’s never shifted.

“They will not attack you just for having me there,” Brihn assured.

“But they will deal less tolerantly if I am,” Brahn said, “and I go if my sister does.” Brihn looked sharply at her brother but said nothing.

Reaver’s eyebrows jumped at Ryan’s use of the term ‘boy-o’ but he said nothing. “If Constance didn’t make them, then I’m not sure who would,” Boxter said. He hesitated and Ryan was about to blurt for him to just fucking spill it already secrets had already screwed them enough when the music teacher said, “Robin confirmed that Lhesk magic doesn’t use… voodoo-like practices. It’s unlikely-”

“But possible,” Reaver added.

“But possible that the Lhesk are responsible.” Boxter shrugged. “I’d trust Constance over the Lhesk, but I also know this: make your own decision, young man. Decide for yourself, based on what you know.”

[Sylvia Dorn]

"Alright, so best if Brihn and Brahn don't go."

Sylvia looked around; some of the students had already headed off to gather whatever they planned to take with them on this unlikely excursion.

To the rest, she said, "Everyone else who is going, let's move. Top floor of Lancaster, ten minutes." With no further delay, she headed for the dorm.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Originally Posted By: Autumn Keane

"But I think," the redhead said slowly, a slight frown knitting her coppery brows, "I think I can break the link to you, if you want."

Ravi had lingered after Mari and Ren had left, his eyes on Autumn as she examined the effigy. When she'd expressed a possibility of breaking the link, Ravi's left eyebrow had twitched upwards, the curiousity in his emerald stare mingling with a hint of suspicion. She didn't look like she was messing him around. She also didn't look like the sort to create voodoo dolls of boys she had met once and drop them in Pritchard's office. Of course, Ravi had no idea what creepy witch stalker girls looked like in the first place, so he considered his judgement maybe a little ill-informed.

"I do want." he said with a smile, deciding to err on the side of getting the voodoo monkey off his back. Besides, his money was still on Pritchard being the responsible party. Reaver and Boxter could burble all they wanted about trusting the old witch, but Ravi didn't. She plainly felt justified in taking whatever measures she deemed necessary in her self-imposed mission, as Frida had made plain to him last night. As he thought of Frida, the lordling's gaze flickered to where the quiet girl stood ready to go, then looked at Lucia, Rosa and Ahvia, and finally at Ryan.

"For what it's worth, and no offence to you Mr Boxter, but my money's on Ms Pritchard making this of me in order to suppress my memories. By extension, the others with memory gaps have probably got one each too. If you are on our side, I'd work on Constance and see about getting her mollified. We don't need to be fighting the Caramine and the faculty at the same time." He looked at Ryan. "You want to head over with Lucia, Rosa and Ahvia? I'll come along with Frida and Autumn five minutes behind you."

He turned back to Autumn, fixing her with an intent gaze. He felt a weird vibration as their eyes met, something odd that made his skin prickle. "So tell me, lady of the hidden depths - How hard would it be, and how long would it take to break the link between me and that thing? We don't have a lot of time right now, what with planning a trip to another world." he finished wryly, the tone matching the smile at one corner of his mouth.

[Atomicweasel]

Mari vaguely wondered if the heat of embarrassment she felt were directly proportional to how brightly red her face must be shining. Real nice, Mari inwardly reprimanded herself, real thoughtful. Way to be a friend.

Renata was already whirling around, ready to charge the bookstore or cafeteria, likely intent on drowning her sorrows and bad memories with a chocolate overdose. Mari took three quick steps and slid in front of Renata. “Ren, I’m really sorry.” Mari hurriedly apologized, placing her hand lightly over Renata’s arm. “It’s none of my business whatever happened at Exeter or wherever...I just,” Mari squirmed, feeling acutely ashamed of herself, “I’m really sorry.” Mari repeated with quiet sincerity. “I wasn’t trying to grill you or anything, I was just curious and I didn’t think and so what if you got in fourteen fights? I mean probably you had your reasons or whatever and it’s not like you were actually selling pot like Rachel said...” the little teen was blurting her words out faster and faster, her accent slipping deeper and deeper into its Newyorrican roots.

Renata was only dimly aware of Mari’s chattering. She was more focused on the enormity of Mari’s bright hazel eyes and the movement of Mari’s lips and the warmth of Mari’s palm against her arm. How could so simple and innocent a touch feel so good? Renata felt her anger bleeding away. She felt a tingle, an electric current of warmth and strength that pulsed through her arm and all the way down to her toes. The painful memories Rachel had awoken were gone. In their place, Renata suddenly found herself remembering a summer in Cape Cod. She was five, or six, stomping through the giant sand castle her father had built her and screaming with laughter as he chased after her, scooped her up and held her upside down. They hadn’t had many more moments like that...

Renata blinked. Mari’s hand had dropped from her arm and the freshman girl had fallen silent. Mari was just looking at her.

“Um...what? Oh, oh yeah. Don’t worry about it.” Renata fought a grin as she watched Mari chew her lower lip and shift from one foot to the other. It was kind of fun to watch her fidget, but an affectionate impulse made Renata reach out to tuck an errant lock of hair back behind Mari's ear. “Actually. Forget the chocolate. You brought some anyway, right?”

Mari nodded.

“Then let’s just go. You have that paper Sean gave you?” When Mari nodded again, Renata urged “Write something on it.”

“Like what?”

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[Micah]

Micah opened his eyes, and reached out to shut his alarm clock, then he got a look at the time. "Damn. I'm gonna be late!"

He hurriedly shut off the clock and put on a pair of jeans, and an under armor t-shirt, then a sweatshirt on top of it. He grabbed his small duffel bag which had his travel gear in it, and threw on a pair of snake boots. Micah slung the duffel over his shoulder, grabbed one of his aluminum baseball bats and threw it into the duffel, and ran out the door, heading for the quad.

Once he reached the quad, he broke into a sprint, heading for the art building. Once there, he searched the rooms until he found the one with the rest of the students. Calming his breathing, he slowly opened the door, and made his way inside, "Hello, everyone. Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?"

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Autumn was spared a reprieve from that green-gold stare as it switched over to the large kid who'd just come in. Ravi stared at him for a long moment, his eyes taking in Micah's appearance and readiness for travel before narrowing in consideration. Finally done with his scrutiny, Ravi shrugged one elegant shoulder and answered Micah's question with one lazily amused word as he went back to looking at Autumn, awaiting her answer.

"Everything."

[Autumn Keane]

"Well," Autumn replied slowly, acknowledging the newcomer with the briefest of glances, "the dark moon is the best time to do this kind of thing. As for time, I dunno, an hour...ish? I've already got most of the stuff I need, I think. Nothing complicated, poppets are pretty simple, and that's part of what makes them so useful, and so effective." She tucked a strand of hair behind one ear and offered the handsome young aristocrat a lopsided grin as her cheeks warmed under the intensity of his gaze. "It's not like, you know, Egyptian Ceremonialism or anything. It's just using a simple, um, spirit, I guess you could say, for a specific purpose."

Did he feel that, too? she wondered, her skin tingling faintly as if in the aftermath of an electrical shock. Weird... but intense. But weird. Also, not bad. She could feel her smile broaden by degrees, and to distract herself, Autumn suddenly turned, hauling the bag she'd brought along up to her shoulder.

"So, we're going to Lancaster, right?" she asked as conversationally as she could manage, holding the figure toward Ravi by its torso. "You should probably keep this for now, just to be on the safe side."

[Ryan Jackson]

Originally Posted By: Ravi FitzCoventry

He looked at Ryan. "You want to head over with Lucia, Rosa and Ahvia? I'll come along with Frida and Autumn five minutes behind you."

"I wonder ... Who's chaperoning who?" Ryan mumbled as he headed for the door, figuring the girls would either follow suit or not, neither mattered to him. This whole thing stinks. Nobody is telling us anything unless we ask and even when we do they aren't telling us everything and they're hiding things. Ryan almost bumped into Micah, but the door failed to be any kind of obstacle to his senses, and he spun adroitly out of the way, catching the door in his hand.

"What'd I miss?" Micah asked.

Ryan quirked an eyebrow. but before he could say anything Ravi beat him to it. "Everything," the aristocratic youth said, and Ryan found himself agreeing.

Ryan considered the other boy, something scratched at the memory in his mind, the fuzzy, muzzy, clouded over memory of the lost days. Ryan looked back, at Brahn, and then at Micah again. Something wanted to be freed from the amnesiactic effect of the working that Pritchard had wrought. "I thought you were dead," Ryan said, a confused edge to his voice, as always.

[SalmonMax]

"Here let me see it," Renata said instead. When Mari handed the paper over, Ren added, "Pen too."

Her brain was still spinning inside her skull. For a second there, something had happened. All of the anger that she wore like a trenchcoat to ward off other people vanished. Underneath it was a thick, greasy layer of shame caked onto her skin like a carapace. And then that had burned away too...and she'd felt as if she were naked, with eyes on her, but not embarrassed in the least. Warm. Light hitting her 'skin' for the first time since she was a little kid.

She almost told Mari everything, desperate to free herself before it was too late.

Mari, I got in those fights because in Exeter it got out that I was gay and things got worse and worse and finally I just exploded. And it was like...such a relief. So from then on, if anyone gave me trouble, I'd fight them. I got my ass kicked until I actually learned how. I'm sorry I made such a case of it, I just didn't want you to find out about me. I thought it'd wreck our friendship.

But then Mari let go, and the shadows crowded around as if trying to make up for lost time. Horror flooded Renata as she realized what she'd almost done, and she focused intently on the pen and paper to try to keep from reacting.

"Any kind of memory, right?" she asked after a second.

Mari nodded. "I think that's what they said."

With a moment more of hestation, Renata started writing. A few minutes later she signed the bottom of the sheet and folded it up to stuff in her pocket.

She gave the pen back to Mari. "Okay, I think we're good. Lets go."

[z022]

"We can catch you up as we go, Micah. We're going on a field trip, right now, though. Go back to your room, pack a bag for a hiking trip, several days at least, and then meet us in the Lancaster attic, okay?"

She glanced around to everyone else and gathered up Ahvia, Rose, and Ryan with a nod towards Lancaster. "Let's go, then."

So saying, she headed out, the other two girls filing out behind her.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean and Swan walked into Lancaster House and the burly jock was assaulted by a wave of dèja vu. He seemed to be coming here more often than he had any normal reason to... And that was just it - every time he came here, it wasn't for a normal reason, he knew that, even if he couldn't remember all the details. Did I come this way before, with hiking pack on my back, and step through the Door, into another world?

No bothering to skulk - he wasn't great at it, and to Sean's way of thinking, any attempt would just make him look guilty of something - Sean and the Caramine Refugee strode briskly up the stairs. Fortunately, it was early on a Sunday, most students were still asleep and the few that were up didn't appear inclined to challenge their right to be there after one disinterested glance. Besides, he had been seen in Lancaster before, talking to Blaize, it made him less of a strange sight.

On the third floor, he took a casual glance around, and when the hall was empty, hustled Swan up the steep stairs to the attic. The lingering dust made his nose itch, as if on the frustrating cusp of a sneeze. Swan on the other hand seemed to be fine, gliding lightly across the hardwood floor.

"Na-now, where izzz the store-room?" Sean muttered, voice tight with the effort of not sneezing, as he tried to copy Swan's lightness of foot, with far less success. "Two doors from the end..."

He tried the one on the right, using a shoulder to push open the stubborn door, the rusty hinges seeming to squeal deafening, though it probably couldn't be heard on the floor below. The light filtering in from the small, circular window high on the far wall was faint and only reached partway into the room, so he flicked on his flashlight and poked his head in. And grunted. The room had neither a window, nor something Door-framish. "Not this one."

Bracing himself against the hall wall, he slowly pulled the door closed, only making a light scraping noise this time, then tried to door opposite. At a touch, the door swung soundlessly open...

... And there, straight ahead of him, the beam from his Maglite fell on the Door, exactly as Brahn described it: built into a dormer window, but instead of a window, there was a rough-made door, which ended half a step up from the floor, carved with a snow-flake motif. The small drawer Brahn mentioned would have been nearly indiscernible, save for the small, antique looking handle hanging from it.

"Here it is." All in all, it looked rather... obvious. "How did they keep this hidden for thirty years?" he wondered out loud.

Swan walked closer, almost with a sense of familiarity, but not quite, idly pulling the drawer open and peering inside, than running a hand across the ground, tracing the scratch marks. She glanced back at Sean over her shoulder, then nodded at a large shelving unit with enclosing doors.

"I think it was concealed behind that wardrobe. The scratched on the floor lead directly to its base," Swan opined.

"I guess... " Sean agreed, mostly because he didn't have a better idea, was he walked into the store-room, and closed the door half-way. It still looked too blatant to him. He glanced down at Swan, who was squatting easily on her heels, staring at the Door. "Any of your memories stirrin', Swan?"

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

He reached for the effigy slowly with the wry smile still on his face, though the gleam in his eyes was ever-so-slightly wicked as he kept them on her. Autumn tried not to blush, an effort made harder as she remembered last night. The urge became one to shift slightly backwards as she realised that the hot guy currently flustering her was, by some consensus of the insanity she'd found herself in, a werepanther. He'd said so, right here. And so had the others. And *if* it wasn't all hooey, and the crazy hot guy *wasn't* crazy, then she'd been alone in a dark forest with...

Ravi grinned very slightly at Autumn, savouring the effect he was having for a long moment before taking the effigy and her hand, then folding her hand around the doll. His fingers were warm on hers as he looked her in the eye and said firmly "You'd better hold onto it. I may find myself out of pockets in an emergency, and it wouldn't do to leave this laying around." He held her hand for a moment more, then let it slide from his and half-turned, looking over at Frida. "Are you ready?" he asked her gently. On receiving her answering nod, he gave her an encouraging smile and indicated the door. "Let's go then, ladies. Wouldn't do to be more than fashionably late, and I hear the weather is lovely on other worlds this time of year."

[Micah]

"Nope. Not dead. Just really tired." Micah sighed as he stepped further into the room, to let the others pass him by. He nodded to Lucia as she spoke to him. "Hmmm. I'll look forward to that catch-up." He re-shouldered his duffel bag, and turned around, heading out to the quad, where he once again sprinted, this time back to his dorm, where he emptied out his travel duffel, and filled it with rugged clothes, underwear, deodorant, protein bars, a couple of bags of trail mix, and a pair of sneakers. He also took the aluminum baseball bat, and a baseball cap. Micah put on a pair of aviator sunglasses and gazed around the room one final time, then he hefted the full duffel over his shoulder, and left. He began making his way over to Lancaster, this time at a jog, so as not to arouse too much suspicion.

Upon entering the dorm hall, Micah began making his way up the stairs as quietly as he was able to do. Once at the third floor, Micah headed up the steep staircase to the attic, his weight causing the old stairs to creak and moan.

[Ryan Jackson]

Originally Posted By: Lucia Blake

"...pack a bag for a hiking trip, several days at least..."

Ryan stumbled so surprising the latter four words had been. He recovered quickly, his natural grace almost making the entire episode seem feigned. He looked over his shoulder, back to Lucia, his strange not-quite-all-there gaze fall on her, "Several? Days?" He blinked, his eyes focusing on her proper an iota more, "Several days? That some kinda joke or somethin'? How long's it gonna take ta go say hi an come back? Seriously, it's a magic door, shouldn' it be faster?"

[z022]

Lucia shrugged, "I've been gone for weeks from my perspective. I got to the other side of the Door on Ahvia's world, and it was giant -sized, too large to open from that side. Ahvia helped my get to another Door on their world, but it took a while. Not as much time passed here, so I figure even if we're looking to just make a day trip, there's no reason not to be prepared."

She smiled, her first real positive expression since she's shown up at the meeting. "You have no idea what I would have done for some bug spray and granola bars on my first few days."

[Ryan Jackson]

"Fuckin' Narnia!" Ryan cried, tossing his hands up for added effect. He rolled his eyes, "Fine. I guess. See you there." With that he dashed out of the room and hit the quad at a run, eating distance in long loping strides as he headed for Mars and his room.

[Atomicweasel]

It was almost eight o’clock by the time Renata and Mari reached the attic of Lancaster. Mari had changed out of her church clothes and donned a more practical outfit. She wore blue-jeans that were frayed at the pants hems and had a tear large enough to show a slice of tanned thigh, but otherwise looked sturdy and durable. Her Adidas had replaced her Mary Janes, and a faded green tee worn over a long-sleeved white shirt proclaimed BAYSL 2005 and completed her outfit. Mari’s pony-tail had, for the most part, survived her hair’s efforts to slip free of the orange scrunchie that held it in captivity.

Shrugging her brightly colored backpack higher onto her slender shoulders, Mari looked around the attic as if she half expected the door to appear out of thin air. She caught sight of Sean and Swan a moment later and gestured to Renata. The two girls approached the pair cautiously.

“Is that...the door?” Mari asked nervously. Even Swan stared at her.

“No, Mari. That's the couch.” Renata supplied, though she made an effort to take the edge off her sarcasm with a smile, and managed to come off teasing instead.

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[Dawn OOC]

The students, aliens and teacher gathered one by one before the Door. For a moment, silence fell over the group; most of them had either never done this before or didn’t remember doing it. Then Ahvia spoke. “I will do it,” she said, turning to face the group. “Who has the Key?”

Though Sean stepped forward and handed her the components, her eyes lingered on Ravi for a moment. Green eyes met black for an intense moment, then the contact was broken as Ahvia turned to Sean. She accepted the arrowhead and scrap of leather and turned to the door. Standing on tiptoes, the bird-like woman opened the drawer in the door and slipped the items inside. She closed the drawer and opened the door, stepping back to show an impenetrable darkness. “This is the way,” she said in her odd accent, waving her hand through the opening, “but I think that one of you, someone who has never been through, should be first.” Those dark eyes flickered to Ravi before moving innocently to Lucia.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Giving Mari's shoulder a gentle squeeze, Ravi stepped forward. He had noticed Ahvia's glances, even absorbed as he was with the silent pain he'd noticed in Frida's eyes on the trek over from the Arts Building. It had been just the once, when he'd been casting about to see if Pritchard had mobilised her security goons against them: he'd caught the slender artist gazing at him with an uncomfortably intense stare. She'd realised he was looking and had glanced away, but Ravi knew that look.

Not you. Oh damn, Frida. Insofar as the rakish nobleman felt remorse, especially with his newly-uncaged predatory side, Ravi felt some pangs of regret. She'll get over me. he told himself. She'll see the real me and get over it. So will Mari, sooner or later. I'm looking forward to the conflict. I'm looking forward to hunting and killing. That's what I'm not telling anyone - that's my secret. I want to kill Pritchard, want to feel her scream as I clench my jaws over her throat. I want to tear these Caramines apart and have them fear coming to Earth, to fear ME. You'll all see it, sooner or later. He looked at the faces of his friends, the ones in this gathering he felt he knew best. There was Sean - big, solid, handsome and honest. Ryan - lean, restless, always in motion, talking or both at once. Frida - wraithlike in manner, but real passionate flesh and blood that his body still remembered the feel of. Mari - sweet and innocent and waiting to be hurt badly, but with a core of strength that should see her through. The blind man's words came back to him. "You're gonna hurt her, kitty cat."

Life is pain. You want to get the most out of it, be prepared to shed blood and bleed yourself. Ravi answered that voice flatly.

"I'll go first." He told Ahvia and the group in general, one corner of his mouth twitching in a wry smile. "Don't be too far behind me."

With a wink of his green-gold eye, and before anyone could raise an objection, the werepanther stepped swiftly through the Door.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean shot Mari and Renata a wry grin. "It better be the Door, 'cause if there is another thing like this kickin' 'round campus, I'm seriously gonna wonder how they kept it secret for thirty years."

The others showed up soon after, then they all stood silent, staring at the black void in the wall. Sean felt his heart beating faster, adrenaline pumping. His skin prickled, almost feeling as if it was too tight. This was it, they were about to step into a new world, literally. He was excited, they were finally doing something proactive, something physical and concrete, rather than just talk that led to more questions.

Yet there was a tiny sense of trepidation too, a boy's reticence in confronting a scornful mother, scornful sisters. He wanted to confront them, to see what they thought as he followed them to the Otherside. To see if that were earn his mother's proud regard.

Originally Posted By: Ravi

"I'll go first. Don't be too far behind me."

Ravi was the first one through, but Sean was right behind him, giving Swan's hand a squeeze, then stepping up to the Door. He glanced back at everyone over a broad shoulder. "Who knows what's really waitin' on the Otherside. Better not let any of us face it alone, eh?"

Sean stepped through into the almost palpable darkness, his skin tingling, heart pumping wildly as a trembling heat raced through him, something like an unexpected fury blending with the danger and excitement of the adventure.

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan arrived last, as people were already figuring out who should open the door. Over his shoulder he had a messenger back that was very nearly bursting at the seems. Every pocket seemed to strain against its fastening and the whole thing seemed ready to overburden the lanky senior. Slung over the bag itself, and trapped between its weight and Ryan's back and side were a sweatshirt and a nylon pullover. Ryan huffed and adjusted the heavy pack on his shoulder. "Several days," he grumbled under his breath. "Who's dumbass idea was this anyway?" he asked quietly as he waited to go through the doorway. He cast his eyes on the unfathomable darkness and tried to reconcile what he saw with what he sensed about it. A portal to a new world was unlike anything he'd yet sensed with his new power, and despite his misgivings his curiosity about the door had brought him here to see this is nothing more.