Mutants & Masterminds: Lake City Universe - HoH: Let Your Feelings FLOW! (IC)

[Heritage]

Sunday, October 16th, 2011, 12:03 PM. Detective Morena Colby's Studio in Wentworth.

,,

From outside, the building didn't look very promising; a small former gas station off of Route 18, surrounded by chain link fencing. Russ double-checked the address Colby had given him on his phone; yep, this was the place. The witch had told him to call her cell once he'd arrived so she could come out and let him in. The surrounding neighborhood didn't look much better, no doubt due to the local glassworks shutting down in 2002; as the primary employer in the area, Wentworth Glass had supported hundreds of families, mostly of Polish descent, but when the plant went dark, so did a lot of restaurants, motels and and storefronts. The only only businesses that seemed to be thriving were small liquor and packaged goods stores, as well as a handful of strip clubs.

,,

And this was where she chose to work her magic!

[Hellhound]

Being a son of a privileged family, there had been few opportunities for Russ to learn some of life's harder lessons. But the one's he'd learned had stuck. One of the things that always came to mind whenever he encountered something new, was not to judge. Don't judge the people or the place. Don't judge the atmosphere or the environment. Not until you know more about it. It's not your place. On the outside, the place was run down. But just like the new skill he was learning, and the strange magic he diving headfirst into, he hadn't seen anything yet.

,,

He took a moment to take it all in, then took a sip from a paper coffee cup he'd bought en route. Good to the last drop. He never felt cold anymore, but sometimes he missed the warming feeling a hot drink gave you on a dreary day, a day like today. He shrugged off the nostalgia and clicked the button that lit up the screen on his phone. Colby's address was still displayed next to her phone number and her portrait. A few clicks on the screen and he was dialing her number.

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"Yup, I'm right outside... Okay. Okay. Yea, will do." Russ ended the call, and slipped the phone back into his jacket pocket. He took aim at a nearby public trash can and launched the paper coffee cup into the air. The cup bounced from the back of the can and scattered away from him. He had never been any good at basketball. With an annoyed grumble and a flick of his wrist, the coffee cup burned up before it hit the pavement. No sense in littering...

[SalmonMax]

"You can tell a lot about a practitioner from where she keeps her circle," came a familiar voice behind Russell.

,,

When he turned Sigil was there, wearing a long white skirt with yellow flowers on it, and a pink blouse that left her arms bare. She didn't look like a Disney princess anymore, but it would never be possible to mistake her for ordinary. She stood out, like a movie star in a crowd of extras. And her beauty had that feel to it to; a sense that it was in some way not real, or more than real. That she was as much a fantasy as a real person.

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Her long red hair was loose today, tugged out into a cometary tail by the persistant wind that licked at the edges of the city. She moved her luminous, improbably green eyes from the gas station to Russell.

,,

"Do you mind the company? I can leave if you'd rather this be private. But I have been through something similar, and I think I can offer perspective the constable lacks. And who knows? Maybe she can teach me a thing or two as well." Her light, jesting tone suggested she found that notion rather amusing.

[Heritage]

A side door opened, and Colby stepped out. Russ was used to seeing her dressed for work, but the casual side of the detective was a striking contrast; she wore a pair of worn jeans, a Sun Ra t-shirt, non-slip shoes and her long brown hair up and under a tye-died bandana. She looked happy and very relaxed, more hippy chick than law enforcement officer.

,,

"Hey Russ!" She waved, then shaded her eyes. "Oh jeez...you brought the May Queene along. Oh well, it's all good." The witch approached the fence, pulling a bundle of keys out of her pocket; once she found the right one, she opened the heavy padlock and yanked the thick chain through the gate. "C'mon, everybody in." She made little shooing motions as she waited for them to come through so she could secure the gate again. Here at her studio, Colby smelled pleasantly of sweat, damp clay and machine oil, but a quick reflexive scan of the street and anyone walking on it was a brief reminder of her well-honed detective's instincts.

,,

"You guys want any tea? I've got about a hundred different kinds. Coffee, too."

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They entered what was probably once the repair shop office; most of the dust had been neatly swept away, but there were still faded motor oil calendars on the walls (complete with busty models), and twenty-year old copies of Sports Illustrated and Car and Driver in the magazine rack.

,,

"If you want to stay for dinner, I was gonna make spaghetti later, with homemade meatballs and a really nice Australian Shiraz. And I baked some great crusty bread from a recipe I found online."

[Hellhound]

Russ's nose wrinkled slightly at the various smells that assaulted his nose. He quickly got used to them as he followed Colby into her, for lack of a better term, office. He noticed the calendars on the wall, "Uhh... These aren't yours, are they?" If Colby had had a dirty little secret, she'd been hiding it pretty well, from him at least, but it would explain the amount of girls on the team.

,,

"Hmm, If I'm going to be a will worker in training, I figure I'd better do it right. I'll try some of your strange new teas. Already had coffee today anyway." Russ kept poking around the office and observing the nick knacks here and there, taking it all in. "Dinner sounds fine. Might as well make the most out of the day, and I can't do that if I'm going to have to be home by six, you know?"

[SalmonMax]

Sigil breezed in after Russell and looked around. She nodded absently at Colby's offer of dinner, but was distracted by perceptions both mundane and otherwise. Lattices of magic, protective in nature, buzzed in the walls of the building. To keep things out, Sigil wondered, or to keep them in? The ceremony of lock and key was more than just a mechanical exercise here, she sensed.

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"This place...was it your father's?" she asks Colby. "It has the feel of a place that has been held back in time. By memories, I think. Spaghetti will be fine, thank you. Whatever it is."

[Heritage]

Russ's nose wrinkled slightly at the various smells that assaulted his nose. He quickly got used to them as he followed Colby into her, for lack of a better term, office. He noticed the calendars on the wall, "Uhh... These aren't yours, are they?" If Colby had had a dirty little secret, she'd been hiding it pretty well, from him at least, but it would explain the amount of girls on the team.

,,

Colby laughed and shook her head. "Nah; other than one drunken makeout session in college, I'm strictly het." She indicated the 'girls' om the wall with a nod of her head. "This is the way I always remember it from when I was a kid; my magic is deeply tied in with where I came from, and what was important to me throughout my life." The detective shrugged. "If a vodun priestess isn't comfotable in her sacred space, everything's just so much harder, you know?"

,, ,,

"This place...was it your father's?" she asks Colby. "It has the feel of a place that has been held back in time. By memories, I think. Spaghetti will be fine, thank you. Whatever it is."

,,

The witch nodded. "Yep, him and my Uncle Rich. Dad was hoping to retire and fix cars with his brother in his old age, but-" She took in a sharp breath. "Cops don't always have a lot of say in whether or not they grow old, you know? With Dad gone, the shop went to me when Rich died." She stepped behind the battered desk and dropped down into an old metal chair, which protested loudly when she leaned back. "I'm not really any good with cars, so I sold off most of the tools and whatnot." She waved in the direction of the garage, just passed a glass door. "Set up my pottery studio in there. The place is wired for commercial work, so I can run just about anything I need; lights, appliances, wheels and a kiln."

,,

Colby pulled a pack of gum out of the top desk drawer, carefully unwrapped a piece, and propped her feet on the desk as she began chewing as she thoughtfully eyed Russ. "So before we get to tea, I want to ask you something; what do YOU want to get out of our sessions?" She gave Sigil a nod. "That goes for you, too, queenie."

[SalmonMax]

"I'm here mostly to help Russell," Sigil replied, peeking in at the pottery room briefly. "And to learn what you know of the art."

,,

She paused, then added, "And...I have not had a mortal instructor. I am curious to see if what you say is different than what Old Mog told me."

[Hellhound]

"Old Mog, huh?" The name felt strange on Russ' lips, like even the name had some sort of power to it, "Guess this will all be old hat for you, then." He smiled.

,,

Russ then turned to Colby to address her questions, "Truth be told, I have no idea what I want to get out of these sessions. I don't know what I'm supposed to get out of them. I don't know where my powers really even stand in the grand scheme of things. But it would be nice to be able to figure that out. To know what I'm truly capable of, and not capable of. That way, if I'm ever up against the wall, I won't over-strain myself, or fall short because I attempt some spell or something that I would have known is out of my reach if I'd studied more. What happened in the construction yard is a good example of that. I knew I would be capable of transporting one person with me to the land down under, I don't know why I knew that but I just did," Russell shrugged, and began pacing around the room as he spoke.

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He took the time to examine his surroundings. If what Colby had said was true, he'd need to get comfortable here if he was to truly learn anything, "The thought of bringing a second person had never even occurred to me. I'm glad I was able to manage it, even if it was just by the skin of my teeth," He turned back to look Colby in the eyes, "I want to know my current capabilities and limitations before I learn anything else. I need to know at least that much so I don't put myself or anyone else in danger by irresponsibly using my powers."

[Heritage]

Colby nodded at both of their responses.

"Fair enough; I'm glad to hear your both approaching this with an open mind. Follow me!"

She slid her feet off the desk, hopped off the chair and led them into the next room, the former garage. The space was fairly raw, mostly poured concrete and exposed brick. The hydraulic jacks had long since been removed, and the pits where mechanics once toiled were covered with some sort of planking, which in turn supported old Persian rugs. The garage was divided into four rough areas: kitchen, pottery workshop, living area and...well, it was hard to say. An odd corner crammed full of bookshelves and cabinets, mobiles made of bird bones and feathers dangling from the ceiling, rows of glass jars with holding dried herbs and other objects. The air still bore the faint traces of years of oil and grease, but there were also traces of candle wax, herbs, incense and a thousand other tantalizing scents.

Colby moved to a large electric stove and started working on the tea, gesturing towards a pair of mismatched overstuffed chairs in the living area. "Please, have a seat. I'm gonna try and pick teas I think you'll both like; let me know how far off the mark I am." The rest of the living area was dominated by a big thick futon mounded with pillows and blankets; a battered coffee table, standing lamp and a vintage stereo cabinet (complete with turntable!) were the only other furnishings.

"So Russ," she continued. "We know about the speed, the claws, the teleporting, the pleasant jaunts through Hell." She pointed at her nose. "And you've got the hound dog thing. Any other powers we haven't seen you use?"

[SalmonMax]

Seemingly at loathe to sit down, Sigil went restlessly over to the books, trailing a fingertip over their spines, then focusing her attention on the turntable. This she found rather entertaining as she spun it this way, then that, then back again. Comically, she looked a little like someone trying to be a DJ, who had no business even trying.

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She did glance over her shoulder a little at the question...despite her seeming distraction, she was listening.

[Hellhound]

"Hmmph, pleasant, you say? Trust me, Hell isn't a prime vacation spot. I only go there if and when I have to and even then I like to keep my visits short." Russell closed his eyes as he spoke. He stood in the center of the room, held his hands at his sides with his palms upward and took a deep breath. "What you've seen are the most obvious of my powers. Aside from the physical strength, and what I assume is magical striking capabilities. The part of that you haven't seen is how I can leech a person's life force even as I throw a punch. It can rejuvenate me, but it only lasts for a short period of time. If I'm injured, the pain always comes back."

,,

"There's more though. There are subtle things." He breathed deeply again, "Colby, you just crack open a tin of tea bags or something? I can smell them from here. I don't know what type of tea it is, but if you tell me a name, and I can remember that name, I'll know how to identify that specific type of tea if I ever smell it again." Russell still hadn't opened his eyes.

,,

"Sigil, you're holding a record, correct?" Indeed, Sigil's investigation of the room had prompted her to lift a vinyl record from the shelf and pull it from it's case, "I can smell the vinyl it's made from. And..." He sniffed at the air a bit more, "What does the cover of the album say, Bob Marley? Jimmy Buffet? Dispatch, maybe? Colby, you should know: That album stinks of marijuana."

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Russell shuffled his feet against the rug, then crouched down, and placed his hand against it, "And Colby, I hope you didn't pay all that much for this rug here, it's fake. The strands of the rug weren't woven to the mat like authentic rugs of this type. They were glued down, I can smell the old, crusty, flaky, decaying glue."

,, ,,

Finally, Russell opened his eyes, "So yea, I've got a pretty good nose, but that's not the only subtle trick I've got up my sleeve," Russell straightened up, then moved to sit on the futon, "You may have already noticed my blood runs a little hotter than the average person. So I won't sweat it in hot places like a jungle. Won't ever get heat stroke. And I don't get sick anymore either, well, not for the most part. I haven't had a cold since I got these powers. And I look younger than I am as well. It's been a few years since I made that deal and got these powers, but I don't look a day older. I've started to think I might not age anymore, though I can't actually prove that one."

,,

He eased back into the futon, lifted his right leg and crossed it on top of his left. He gestured to himself with both hands, as if to say, 'that's all I got.'

[Heritage]

Colby said nothing as she prepared the tea, occasionally nodding to herself as Russ described some of his lesser known capabilities. When he was finished, she returned to the group with three large mugs on a battered silver tea tray, which she carefully placed on the table. "Okay, here we go. Hot cinnamon spice for Russ...rose hip, mint and chamomile for Sigil...and vanilla rooibos for me." She indicated a few other items on the tray. "We've got milk, sugar and honey if you need it, as well as some nice lemony tea biscuits. Help yourselves."

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Once everyone had they're tea as they liked it, Colby slipped off her shoes and folded her legs under herself on one of the chairs. "So, life energy sapping; that makes sense. That's a fairly classic Line of Bones trick, life or fortune theft." She blew across the top of her tea before taking a sip. "Mmm. Okay, so one other important question before we set the subject aside for a few minutes of pleasant conversation." The witch set her cup aside, rubbed her hands and leveled a gaze at the demon-tainted man. "What would you like to be able to do? And don't say 'better control my powers' or something like that, because that's obvious. What would you like to be moving towards?"

[SalmonMax]

Sigil sniffed at the record experimentally, then licked the edge of it. She made a thoughtful expression and shrugged, then put it back in the jacket and set it on top of the record player.

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At Colby's question for Hellhound, she stopped pretending not to listen and turned to give Russell her full attention. It was clear she felt this was a pretty important line of inquiry.

[Hellhound]

Russell knew he'd eventually have to answer this question. However that didn't mean he was anymore prepared to actually answer it when Colby asked it. "I..." He struggled to put his thoughts into words.

,,

Oh, don't be a pussy. These are your friends, right?

Yea, but saying it means that it's actually true.

You're not fixing the problem by running from it.

I know what I've got to do. It's just...

There's a difference between knowing the path, and walking it. They can help you.

Should I be scared that you're actually encouraging me for once?

Hmmm... Perhaps...

,,

"I..." He looked from Colby to Sigil, and noticed her attentive stare, Now or never, he thought, "I want out of this deal."

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He stared down at his hands, "I enjoy all the power that it's gotten me, but sometimes I'm not sure the deal I struck was worth all this. I couldn't save my sister, so then what's the point? That's the only thing I ever really wanted, and it's always been out of reach. I don't even know all the terms of the agreement I made. I don't know if someone's going to come collect my soul at some point, or when that point will be. I don't know if I'll have to perform some favor for some devil in the future all Don Corleone's 'offer you can't refuse' style. I want to find out what I've really gotten myself into. If there's a way out of it, great. If not, I'd like to know how to cheat the system, and somehow I don't think memorizing Faust is going to do that for me."

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He paused to catch his breath, he'd finally shown someone else how hopeless he thought he was, now he was just hoping they could help. He raised his eyes and focused on Colby, "You said my power comes from my bloodlines, right? Well maybe we should start there. The line of Bones was pretty good at messing with fortune and fate, right? Maybe I could use a little of that magic to alter my own fate rather than the fate of others, if that's even possible..."

[SalmonMax]

"I notice," Sigil says, "how carefully you choose your words, even if you may not. You're not saying you want to be free of the demon. You're saying you want 'out of the deal.' So let me ask up front...assuming it's possible to escape the terms of your deal, are you prepared to sacrifice to do so? Will you give up what you have, to get what you want?"

[Hellhound]

Russell shook his head. He stared into his tea, considering her words for a moment before speaking, "I don't know. It would depend on the cost, I suppose. Last time the cost was pretty damn high, but I thought it was worth it. I wanted nothing more than to save my sister, and I didn't care what I had to give up to make that happen. This time..." He was quite for a moment, then raised his eyes and locked them on Sigil, "This time things are different. I've got more to live for here. Friends, and with these powers comes a purpose. And she's... Well, she's not here anymore, so there's that too."

[SalmonMax]

Sigil nods, satisfied by the answer.

,,

"Sacrifice without purpose is waste," she says gently. "You were decieved into it, but it was waste all the same. But the deception isn't that it was too late to save your sister. The deception was that you were powerless without that pact. If the constable can teach you only one thing today, let it be that."

[Heritage]

Colby grinned a little at Sigil's last statement." Listen to the exiled fairy queen, O Russell me lad, for she is most wise." But then her face grew more troubled. "The thing of it is, you actually renegotiated the deal when the Hound was outside of you. Now I don't remember all the terms, but as I recall, they didn't sound very good; on the other hand, I'm fairly sure your little canine buddy recalls the exact wording."

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She set aside her mug and pinched the bridge of her nose. "So, wriggling out of the deal; what every arcanist tries to do at some point, and usually fails." The witch snagged two lemon biscuits and scrutinized them closely. "You're right is guessing the Bonesy Set is good at getting out of deals...but they usually do it by swapping destinies with some other poor schmuck. Kind of like when all the Wall Street types dumped their bad stock on an unsuspecting market." Colby gazed at Russ with her big brown eyes. "But I know you're not a complete and utter asshole and wouldn't go in for that, so we have to look at other options."

,,

She thoughtfully chewed her biscuits and washed them down with a sip of rooibos. "What you need, I think, is a higher authority...or I guess that would actually be a lower authority, if you know what I mean." The brunette smiled wryly. "You may literally need to appeal your case, stating that the terms of the deal with Das Hund were not made in good faith, etcetera." She held up her hands. "I know it sounds crazy, but you do have to remember these guys are Lawful Evil for a reason; they get off on this kind of thing. And there are a handful, and I do mean a handful of cases where this has worked."

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Colby got up and started to pace a bit. "Now I'm not saying I could represent you in that arena, but I could help with the ground work, the sort of..'para-normal-legal' stuff." She snorted at her own appalling joke. "But we would need to find you proper representation, which is going to be...well, actually kind of hilarious, but only in the darkest, Tim Burton-esque kind of way. And there may be, you know, side quests involved." She looked apologetically at Russ over the top of her mug, clearly trying to keep the amusement off her face.

[SalmonMax]

"If it helps," Sigil says, "I know of one case where the victims of an infernal deal managed to escape the terms of their bargain."

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She takes a deep breath and gestures, as if turning a page.

,,

"Long ago, when humankind lived in packs and hunted like wolves, the Lords of the Fey first encountered the Lords of Hell...though we would not recognize what they were then, next to what they are now."

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"The High Fey, who delighted in mischief and had tricked the world itself into being two instead of one, decided to trick these new things, these demons, and take from them their due. And so they cajoled and blustered and offered and retracted, and bargained with such silver tongues that the moon could be talked out of her colors, and the earth its riches. A contest was agreed to, with the greatest of the fey against the greatest of Hell. The terms were as twisted as the minds behind them, but in the end it meant that the Fey, should they win, would cast the devils from Hell and have endless sport with the souls that fell into the Pit. The Devils asked only for a 'tithe.' Each year, the greatest and most beautiful of the Fey would be sent to them."

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"The contest was music, and it was one the Fey chose after the bargain was agreed to, for they had invented the thing itself and sung the stars to sleep. So the greatest of the Lords came forward, and raised his voice, and strummed his strings, and the heavens poured tears of sorrow at his lament...and the flowers opened and the grass grew high when he sang the joyous refrain. Some say that song sent the very seasons into motion. But then the great Devil himself produced an instrument of gold, and a bow to play it."

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Sigil paused then said, "The Tithe went on and on, until the High Fey, the great Sidhe Lords, could bear it no longer. They retreated from the world, far into the Twilight, where the sun neither rises nor sets, and the years never turn. That's the only way they could escape. And there they stay, even now, and forever. Should even one stray out, and the year of the bargain tick over...the Devil will come again for his due."

,,

She was quiet for a moment, signaling the end of the tale, then said, "Bargains aren't easy to get out of, and they may cost more to do so with than to suffer through. Before anything else, we need to know exactly what your terms are."

[Hellhound]

Sigil nods, satisfied by the answer.

,,

"Sacrifice without purpose is waste," she says gently. "You were decieved into it, but it was waste all the same. But the deception isn't that it was too late to save your sister. The deception was that you were powerless without that pact. If the constable can teach you only one thing today, let it be that."

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Russell's expression was sad, and he looked at Sigil sideways when she called his sacrifice wasteful. In that moment, he hated her a little, deep at the core of his being. But he could not deny the truth of her words, and he willed himself to let go of that hatred. If he clutched at it, it would undermine hie every effort. He HAD wasted his chance to save his sister, if indeed there ever was one. He had to reconcile himself to that if he was ever going to move on.

,,

Colby grinned a little at Sigil's last statement." Listen to the exiled fairy queen, O Russell me lad, for she is most wise." But then her face grew more troubled. "The thing of it is, you actually renegotiated the deal when the Hound was outside of you. Now I don't remember all the terms, but as I recall, they didn't sound very good; on the other hand, I'm fairly sure your little canine buddy recalls the exact wording."

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Russell's eyes glowed a fierce red, he interjected when Colby mentioned his 'little buddy'. His voice was sharp and grating, much different than his usual soft smooth tones, "Hound of hell thou art mine to keep.

Until life's flame extinguished be," He shook his head, and his eyes dimmed to their normal brown once more. "He says I altered nothing. I simply restated that I had already paid the agreed upon price. The original term of the agreement stands: That my soul is only due to be collected if I die. Until that time, this power belongs to me and he had no right to refuse returning to me." Russell shrugged, "Nothing's changed...Yet." He motioned for Colby to continue.

,, ,,

She set aside her mug and pinched the bridge of her nose. "So, wriggling out of the deal; what every arcanist tries to do at some point, and usually fails." The witch snagged two lemon biscuits and scrutinized them closely. "You're right is guessing the Bonesy Set is good at getting out of deals...but they usually do it by swapping destinies with some other poor schmuck. Kind of like when all the Wall Street types dumped their bad stock on an unsuspecting market." Colby gazed at Russ with her big brown eyes. "But I know you're not a complete and utter asshole and wouldn't go in for that, so we have to look at other options."

,,

She thoughtfully chewed her biscuits and washed them down with a sip of rooibos. "What you need, I think, is a higher authority...or I guess that would actually be a lower authority, if you know what I mean." The brunette smiled wryly. "You may literally need to appeal your case, stating that the terms of the deal with Das Hund were not made in good faith, etcetera." She held up her hands. "I know it sounds crazy, but you do have to remember these guys are Lawful Evil for a reason; they get off on this kind of thing. And there are a handful, and I do mean a handful of cases where this has worked."

,,

Colby got up and started to pace a bit. "Now I'm not saying I could represent you in that arena, but I could help with the ground work, the sort of..'para-normal-legal' stuff." She snorted at her own appalling joke. "But we would need to find you proper representation, which is going to be...well, actually kind of hilarious, but only in the darkest, Tim Burton-esque kind of way. And there may be, you know, side quests involved." She looked apologetically at Russ over the top of her mug, clearly trying to keep the amusement off her face.

,,

Russell was non-plussed. He was glad there were options that didn't have to result in screwing someone else over. He was not so glad that they would be difficult and long winded. Such was the nature of sacrifice, however, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose."

,,

"If it helps," Sigil says, "I know of one case where the victims of an infernal deal managed to escape the terms of their bargain."

,,

She takes a deep breath and gestures, as if turning a page.

,,

"Long ago, when humankind lived in packs and hunted like wolves, ...

,,

... And there they stay, even now, and forever. Should even one stray out, and the year of the bargain tick over...the Devil will come again for his due."

,,

She was quiet for a moment, signaling the end of the tale, then said, "Bargains aren't easy to get out of, and they may cost more to do so with than to suffer through. Before anything else, we need to know exactly what your terms are."

,,

While Russell sat and listened to Sigil's tale he seemed to be star-struck. Her voice was enchanting, and he knew the words she spoke about the silver tongued fae could be nothing but truth. How many have even you tricked over the years, Sigil? He wondered silently.

,,

"Hmm, I seem to remember that tale going a little differently. The popular version that we know happens in Georgia and involves a little boy named Johnny." Russell supplied his obligatory repartee, then considered Sigil's final words.

,,

"My terms, huh? So let me get this straight," Russell paused momentarily, collecting his thoughts, "I've got to make a choice. Do I want a refuned, so I can get my soul back? Or do I want what I originally bargained for: my sister? And if I make that trade... Who's to say she'll be the same as she was, or as I remember? Who's to say that it's even possible. Maybe she'll come back all different and wrong in a 'be careful what you wish for from a Djinni' type deal." Russell shook his head, "That would be too much. I've buried my sister once. I won't go through that again." He rose from his seat and walked to the window. He gazed out quietly over the drab, windswept street. He leaned one elbow up against the frame of the window, "All I can do for now is rule out that one option. I'm not sure about the rest of what I want yet. I'm not even sure I can make a decision until I know what's possible. I don't want to get my hopes up and go chasing some unreachable goal."

,,

A few seconds later, he chuckled a little, then turned back to face the two women, "You know, maybe I can take a page out of what I learned in the law school of this world: Maybe it's better to settle out of court?" Russell smirked, for a moment, he dared to believe that he might enjoy this.

[SalmonMax]

"It won't be as simple as releasing the hound to lift the onus on your soul," Sigil says. "Maybe before you used the hound, but now you've gotten something from the deal. You owe a debt. That won't just go away."

[Heritage]

Colby cleared her throat. "Well, as ominous and dramatic as Sigil may be, she's also probably right." She set her tea on the coffee table. "Okay, so we know where you want to go with this, and we know it's not going to be easy; we can't even guarantee it will work, but we have to try, right?" She was about to say something, but then shifted her gaze to the exiled monarch. "What about you, your highness?" She spread her hands. "What are you looking for right now? A way back into the faerie realms? Revenge? What?"

[SalmonMax]

She sits up straighter, her eyes flicking down to look at her hands for a moment.

,,

"Right now, I am looking for friends," she says, looking back at Colby. "And I am looking to recover some of my abilities. I have spent a very long time with all the power of Queendom at my disposal, and my reliance on those powers has meant my own magic has...weakened. From disuse. I don't think I could cross the Mists to Faerie again right now. If I ever hope to return one day, I must prepare."

,,

Then she smiles a little. "And if I do not, then I will need help finding a place here instead."

[Hellhound]

"It won't be as simple as releasing the hound to lift the onus on your soul," Sigil says. "Maybe before you used the hound, but now you've gotten something from the deal. You owe a debt. That won't just go away."

,,

"Yea, I was afraid of that. Still. The fact that I was essentially cheated must be worth something. Hopefully there's a way to get what I want without as severe a sacrifice as last time." Russell sighed, Colby was right, this wasn't going to be easy. "But the good news is that if you're looking for friends, you've come to the right place, Sigil." He flashed her one of his famous charming smiles. "There's got to be some way between us that we can all get what we want. Otherwise, what are friends for?"

[Heritage]

The witch-detective smiled as she once again cradled her mug of tea. "Russ is right; you've signed up for the right outfit if you're looking for friends. And as far as reclaiming your powers, go...well, I'm not sure of how much use I'll be with that, but I sure as heck will do me best." Then she stared intently into her mug. "So in the interest of fairness and full disclosure, I suppose it's only right that I share my goals with you." Colby closed her eyes and grimaced with embarrassment. "I really want to date your boss!" One eye opened and looked around nervously, as though she expect an attack; seeing none forthcoming, she opened both eyes.

,,

"I've, uh...I've had a thing for Mike for years. Ever since we started working together, actually. But he..." She sighed and set her cup aside once more. "His wife was murdered...right in front of him; it's what prompted him to start the Stalwart Project. He, John and Bo were all in college together, along with Eileen." And now there was the hint tears in her eyes. "But it's been almost ten years, y'know? How long can someone torture themselves? He doesn't date, he doesn't go out unless it's for some work thing." Colby looked at both of them. "I really think I could help him..." She swallowed, and looked at the floor. "Move on. God, I hate that phrase."

,,

She took a deep breath, wiped her eyes and nose on her T-shirt and laughed with gallows humor. "The important thing is that all our lives suck, right? That's what drives us to try and make the world a better place. Oh God. Okay." She drained the last of her tea. "This is kind of good, actually; strong emotions are a great way to prime a mystical space." Slapping her thighs, she bounced up onto her feet. "So, got a question for you: have either of you ever done any pottery?"

[SalmonMax]

Still wearing a grateful smile, Sigil shrugs at Colby's question . "With my hands? Only a little, a long time ago. I didn't care for it. Too messy. And I had other, more appealing options for indulging my tastes in sculpture at the time."

[Hellhound]

Russ smiled as Colby finished off her tea even though he almost didn't believe her at first, "Our Mike?" He asked incredulously, "Hmm, yea, I can see that, actually." He knew a thing or two about beating yourself up. Thankfully, he'd been able to learn to separate business and pleasure. But some people couldn't do that. In his view, it wasn't something you could learn, or even be taught. You either figured it out in your own way and your own time, or you'd be black and blue the rest of your life.

,,

"Be careful what you wish for, Colby. You can't change people," He shook his head, "And even if you could, there's every possibility that you won't like the new them. Have you ever considered if the possibility that the thing you like about Mike is that he's so driven and so self sacrificing? If all that suddenly changed and went away, would you be okay with that? It might be something that happens if he moves on and lets go of his past." His smile was bittersweet, this would be a touchy subject, but it helped shed a little more light on why Mike was hesitant to allow team members to fraternize.

,,

"Pottery? No. I've never tried it." Russell looked thoughtful, "I was never really into art, but there's a first time for everything, I guess."

,,

The good news is that we won't need an oven to fire the pots.

Yea, but will that make up for the fact that I've got NO IDEA what I'm doing?

No. You'll inevitably screw this up. It'll be fun to watch, though!

,,

"What..." Russ looked sheepishly around the room and held out his hands like he was about to accept something being handed to him, "what do I... do?"

,,

Teacher? How am I going to use this in REAL life?

Would you knock it off?!

[Heritage]

Colby laughed. "Well if I was really smart, I would have told you do dress in old clothes, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to do this for our first session." She led the two off them over to the 'artisitic' corner of the space, where three motor-driven pottery wheels were set up. She indicated a standing wardrobe that was missing a door. "There are some smocks and old sweat shirts in there if you want to chnaging into something you don't mind trashing."

,,

The young detective then grabbed a large plastic tub out of an old fridge, pulled three gray lumps out of it, and plopped one of them on each wheel. "I know what you mean about changing people." She started up the wheel, wet her fingers from a handy bowl and began to work the clay with her eyes closed. "Women always say they don't want to change a guy, and then we always do." The movement of the clay in her fingers was masterful; with the slightest touch, it rose up, becoming first a bell, then a flower. "But I can honestly say I don't want to change him; his concern, his worry, are what drives him, what makes him good at his job." Her eyes opened, and she smiled. "I just want him to be happy from time to time; is that so bad?"

,,

Then her expression became more serious as she focused on the clay. "Today I want to talk about shaping, about redirecting things with your mind." With just the touch of her fingers, she made it rise up like a spire. "Reality is maleable, just like this clay; if you have the power, you can make it do almost anything. I don't expect you to be any good at this right away; I just want you to get used to the feeling of shaping something that responds to your touch, so you can carry that feeling with you when we start to work with real magic. And don't worry; stoneware's fairly easy to work with."

[SalmonMax]

Sigil plucked the spiraled unicorn-horn wand from its little case at her side and aimed it at the clay she figured was likely meant for her. She began twirling the tip...and the clay compacted and smoothed and was drawn up into a tall, thin thing by an unseen force. Over a few seconds little windows and a hollow tip formed. The clay had been made into a sort of fairy-tale tower, with a complex sort of gazebo-looking thing at the top. By the proportions of the windows, the tower would be enormous if it was full size.

,,

"You're right," the erstwhile queen said with a smirk. "It's very easy indeed."

,,

(OOC - Her Move Objects has Precise, so...hee. I can make a roll if you like. )

[Hellhound]

"Cheater..." Russell scowled, as he pulled one of Colby's larger sweatshirts over his head, It would have been large and floppy on her, but it turned out to be just his size, "You're supposed to use your hands". Russell smiled, to let her know he was just teasing, and he sat down at his own motorized pottery wheel, "Like this, watch!"

,,

The wheel began to spin, the clay began to move, and Russell laid his fingertips on it. For a few glorious seconds, the shape of the mass began to stretch and move. Then it fell unceremoniously into a lump. "Hrrmm," Russell moaned, "I mean like this," He tried again. Again, the clay began to move and dance, but then he moved his fingers just a little too quickly and it came crashing down again. He let the pottery wheel spin to a stop, staring at it with his hands at his sides. Looking discouraged, he stared blankly at the off duty detective, "Seriously? You can turn this thing into a flower?!"

,,

Colby stifled a snicker, "Don't force it, Russell, Guide it,"

,,

Russell sighed, and started spinning the pottery wheel again, "Okay, here goes." He laid his hands softly against the clay once more. His movements were slower and less forceful. His actions were patient and he endeavored to guide the clay into the form that he wanted, just as Colby had directed. After a few moments of making minor adjustments here and there, the clay still hadn't fallen into a lump and Russell began to smile. He was doing it, but he dared not make an exclamation, or exhale too sharply for fear that his excitement would bring about the ruin of his efforts. Instead, he kept he breathing calm and level. Then, something seemingly miraculous happened, the lump of clay actually took recognizable shape! The two girls in the room clearly saw him create the bell that Colby had recently crafted before she'd turned it into a flower.

,,

As careful as ever, he withdrew his hands and smirked. He was proud of himself. It was a simple design, but it was indeed a design. It had shape, and it was his hands and his will that had guided it to take that shape, "There," He sighed with relief now that his hands were nowhere near the item and he was sure he couldn't screw it up, "How's that?"

,,

Well, you're no Janis Mars, but you didn't crash and burn either. I like it, very .... foreboding.

Foreboding? What? It's clay...

It's also a bell. You know, 'The Bell Tolls For Thee'.

You are... really messed up.

I'm a fucking demon!

Point.

[Heritage]

Colby rolled her eyes when Sigil pulled a Bewitched on her clay. "Yeah, okay, I know it's kindergarten stuff for you, your worshipfulness; I wonder if that thing would survive in the kiln? We should give it a go, just to see."

,,

When Russ tried a much more sincere effort, she stepped a bit closer to have a look, being careful not to crowd him; when he was done, she nodded in approval. "Very nice, big guy! Obviously this is all metaphoric and shit, but I still think the methodology is sound." She carefully took Russell's first attempt and set it aside, then fetched him some more clay. "This time, i just want you to play with it; don't focus on trying to make anything, just let the clay run through you fingers and keep it wet. Maybe even close your eyes a few times and try some visualization." She tapped the side of her head. "I want you to start associating these kinds of feelings with you abilities."

,,

She then grabbed a huge lump of clay, easily ten pounds worth, and placed it in front of Sigil on a large sheet of plastic. "I don't want to just give you busy work will Demon Boy is practicing, but there's nothing wrong with working on your finesse, right?" Colby indicated the kitchen area with a jerk of her head. "I'm gonna start working on dinner; you guys scream if you need help with anything, or if you need more clay."

,,

And with that, she left them to their own devices; she pulled a beer out of the fridge and called back over her shoulder. "Can I get either of you something cold to drink?"

[SalmonMax]

Sigil sighed and directed her wand at the glob. It mooshed out into a broad, flat disc then scooted over to sit near her tower. With complex little movements she started teasing trees and scultping little horses or something out of that clay carpet...but the things were small enough and complex enough that the clay was very hard to shape accurately.

,,

In the end it was recognizably a sort of wooded meadow or something with horses prancing around in it, but her inexpertise in shaping clay was showing pretty clearly. And the tower was starting to droop under its own weight as well.

,,

After a few unsuccessful attempts to shore it up, she finally gave up and just watched the thing slowly wilt over to one side.

[Hellhound]

Russell couldn't help himself. He watched Sigil work her magic, dumbfounded. He watched as he created a beautiful wilderness landscape with trees and animals. He whistled his appreciation, "Man, you really do make this look easy. Do I want to know how long you've been practicing?"

,,

When Colby asked if he'd like another drink he declined, "No thanks, Colby. I don't want to start mucking around with state based memory or any of that nonsense." He started spinning the wheel again and then closed his eyes and did his best to focus on the clay in front of him, "I want to have a clear head for this. That way if I do get something right, I know what I did and I can do it again."

,,

He focused as hard as he could. He used gentle gestures and light touches. He wasn't trying to shape it into anything specific, just trying to get it to move how he wanted to. Russell began to slip into a sort of trance as he worked. He wasn't aware of it, but he was occasionally bobbing his head and tapping his feet. He didn't even notice when Colby strolled back into the room to watch him briefly...

[SalmonMax]

"The land is the Queen, and the Queen is the land," Sigil replied quietly, her eyes focused on her slowly melting clay tableau. "When I sculpted, I raised mountains, hollowed seas. My breath was the wind, my tears the rain. But take that away, and I barely coax clay to take a shape. Don't envy me, Russell. You have a glorious journey of discovery ahead of you. I have only a long and winding road that I have walked before, then neglected."

,,

With a deliberate gesture, she mooshes the tower and meadow both into a glob of clay, then puts her wand away.

,,

"Maybe it's best I do it right."

[Heritage]

Colby smiled as she watched Russell getting into the swing of things. "That's right, man; don't try to force anything, at least not this early in the game." Then she went over to Sigil and...very tentatively lay a friendly hand on her arm.

,,

"Is there anything I can do to make this easier for you? I know..." She sighed and waved a hand vaguely at the pile of clay. "I don't know what I know; I've run out of my all-purpose platitudes. You're not a kid or a junkie or a grieving spouse, so I have no experience offering anyone support in your position. You must be exhausted."

[SalmonMax]

Sigil gave Colby a dazzling smile and patted her hand.

,,

"You're already helping. All of this has to happen. You see?" She reached out a hand and gripped the clay glob. "The tower had to fall, before it could be made anew. There is a reason Winter follows Summer, and again and again. This is my winter. With your help...all of your help...I will survive, and see the coming spring."

,,

She nodded at Russell. "Do what you can for him. He's the one that needs your teaching the most for now. Later...? We will see where the sun rises."

[Hellhound]

Russell let the clay slowly spin to a stop. He hadn't formed any actual final product, in accordance with Colby's had recommendations, but he still felt as if he'd made progress.

,,

He shook himself out of his reverie. He clearly hadn't heard any of the conversation between the two women. He'd been too busy concentrating, "How'd I do?" He asked the pair, oblivious to their exchange.

[Heritage]

Colby stepped over to his wheel and nodded in appreciation. "Well, I can honestly say this this piece sucks much less than your last one; it might even survive the kiln!" She have Russ a warm smile and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you both take a break for a bit." She indicated the coffee table they were sitting around before, where a few bowls were laid out. "Help yourselves to some veggies and dip, after you wash your hands, of course. Dinner will be ready in a few."

,,

At the mention of food, both of Colby's 'pupils' became acutely aware of the aromas wafting over from the kitchen; it did indeed smell like it was going to be a savory repast.

[SalmonMax]

Sigil hummed a spritely little tune to herself as she stood up and went to the faucet to wash her hands.

,,

She hadn't done much with her clay, it seemed, since she started using her hands. It was still pretty shapeless. She'd mostly just worked her fingers through it, into it, mushed it around...made holes, divots, projections.

,,

When Hellhound, not sure if it was a sculpture of some weird fey thing or not, asked what it was, Sigil replied without turning around, "A beginning."