World of Darkness World of Darkness: Attrition - Looking Down the Rabbit Hole [Finished]

[z021]

Oneca looked up to Declan and passed him to Adrian; she tried to speak again, to say something to them, and again strangely couldn't. Remy shook his head and sat down next to her, pulling her to lean into him and stroking her hair.

He looked up at Declan, "It's not code words." His eyes flicked over to Adrian and back again, "And it's not that easy. She is Oneca's sister. Sort of. Saja, the real Saja, was kidnapped years ago. Whatever she is now, it isn't human. Before she made it so that Oneca couldn't talk at all about it, she told Peter and I that the Saja most people know now is actually some sort of construct. Like the Scarecrow, only made out of vines and Redwood twigs." He absently kissed Oneca on the head as he spoke, keeping her calm. "Saja doesn't want Oneca making friends or...well, she doesn't want her to have anyone important in her life other than Saja. So, something you said made her think that Saja might be behind this somehow, right?"

The last was directed at Oneca, who nodded. Remy took a breath, "Okay. Well, even if that's true, we'd have to find a way to prove it. So far, all we've got is suspicions you couldn't even tell a court if you tried, based on claims they'd lock you up for."

Remy sighed again and sat there, trying to comfort her and think of any way to either prove this in a court of law or prove to Oneca that Saja wasn't involved.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian looks suddenly contemplative, which gives him a distracted, bookish charm. He even manages to place a hand under his chin. He nods to himself and holds up a finger.

"Okay. Priority One is that we locate and free the kids if possible. No one else even knows which direction to look. Those kids are depending on us."

He ticks off a second finger.

"Priority Two is that we get your friend out of jail. Can we do this while framing Saja? If not, how can we get what evidence we are aware of into court. I'm no legal eagle, but I know someone who might be able to help on that angle."

A third finger comes up.

"Priority Three is we stop Saja. Otherwise, she is likely to pull something like this again. She's an evil bitch," he looks at Onceca and says, "Excuse me - and we need to do something to stop her."

Great idea, Adrian. You want to take on something made of ready-made staking material. What am I thinking?

[Owns-The-Night]

"Seems like our best bet is to find the little wooden bitch and negotiate." Declan's growling tone left no illusions as to his method of diplomacy. "She set this up: she can set it right. We tell her we want your buddy cleared, the kids back, and no further bullshit. We make it HER problem. In return, I don't grab a pot of creosote and turn her into a rose trellis." He grinned savagely. "She fucked up big time, playin' stupid games around my turf. Reckon its time for a monster-to-monster chat."

He looked hard at the two humans. "Of course, that shit is off the record. Like the disappearin' burns and the fact that the girl can light fires at a whim." He smiled at them, not entirely threateningly, but the gleam in his eye was unmistakeable.

[Rorx]

When they had arrived at the warehouse Moss had wandered off on his own, carefully not leaving any prints in the dust. Slowly moving around the place he wasn't interested in the crime scene itself, he had little knowledge that would be of use to then in that department, he was scanning the place in both the realworld and the Shadow looking for evidence of spirits. The spirits he was interested in would fall into one of two categories, those that might have been able to commit the crime or those that might be resident to the warehouse and so have seen what happend. In the latter category he thought something like a Rat spirit would be his best bet.

The litter around the crime scene from the police presence was likely to draw normal rats, so that increased the possibility of a spirits presence, but to be on the safe side he carried on upstairs.

[z021]

((Rorx, if you're using Two World Eyes, would you give me the roll for it?))

[Rorx]

((OOC: Sorry, with it having no cost I forgot it still needed a roll - 5Dice

(22:48:44) ChatBot: (Rorx) rolls 5d10 and gets 3,1,8,8,4.

2 Sux for Two World Eyes))

[z021]

The spirits in the warehouse were an odd mix for the area. Several knowledge and occult spirits were currently in a screaming match with the fire spirits that were huddled in the center of the main floor. A tiny litter spirit was hiding on the other side of the fire spirits, its McDonald's wrapper appearance somewhat singed.

Crouched in the shadows cast by the flame spirits were two spirits No Moss almost missed in the cacophony between the flames and the occult spirits: a death spirit in the likeness of a chalk outline, and a hate spirit made up of ruby-red eyes in the darkness. The eyes blinked slowly at him and the darkness that contained them coiled around where the humans were sitting in the physical world.

[Rorx]

Moss smiled at the squabbling spirits as he made his may back over towards the others, then took a more serious look at the two spirits in the shadows.

Hmm hate spirit, doubt that's aimed at the children that were killed, the would be too young to have done anything truly deserving of that. That makes it more likely that this whole thing was done as an act of hate, presumably aimed at the guy in jail or one of these two.

He reaches the outskirt of the others, and the edge of the darkness of the hate spirit in time to hear Dec's last comments.

His left eye still shows the solid black with stars present denoting his access to the Shadow world.

"Sounds like you've had an interesting time over here. I don't know if anyone is interested, but apart from a slightly odd population of spirits around the warehouse in general you got a death spirit over there [he nods in the general direction] and currently you all are sitting in the midst of the hate spirit. Not always the best place to be. Oh, I guess that should be off the record as well, heh Dec?"

[z021]

Remy blinked at the crosscurrents of conversations and then sighed. Still holding Oneca somewhat protectively, motioned Moss to come closer. "Okay, let's start this over again, as I really don't want to to spend the next few weeks trying to figure you three out when there's more important work to be done; especially if your particular flavor of odd could help. My name is Remy DeSeine. I'm a psychic, I guess. I can tell when people are more than just your average Joe, like everyone here right now. And you?"

His eyes flicked over the three of them, daring one of them to be the first to talk.

[Rorx]

Moss shakes his head at Remy's invitation.

"Sorry mate, I don't fancy stepping within a Hate spirit right now. As for how odd I am, well, I've possibly caused trouble by talking in the past, so I ain't saying nowt for now. Anyway, perhaps all homeless Brits can see the spirit world?"

So saying he crosses his arms and divides his attention between Dec, Adrian and the spirits.

[Owns-The-Night]

Owns-The-Night turns towards No-Moss, the Ithaeur catching a glimpse of the name-brand on the Rahu's chest as eyes the brightness of Luna's full face narrowed. Declan bared his teeth very slightly: he still wasn't totally certain he could trust the strange werewolf. But it was useful information, on the other hand...

"Yeah. Let's keep it off the record." He turned back to the two humans, and those around him could sense rather than see non-visible hackles settling back into place as he made a visible effort to calm down. He stayed quiet for a long moment, eyes on Remy and Oneca. On the one hand, they were both unusual enough to be not lumped in with the common Herd. On the other...

"I could tell you, Remy DeSeine, but there'd be hell to pay if you told others. You might be psychic, but you're still human, and there's rules. If it gets out, you'd be in all sorts of shit up to the neck. Besides, most humans don't react well to... strangeness." He smiled wryly at the two of them.

"So be sure you want to know, boy. This particular rabbit hole is a one way trip. If you really need to know or else you can't trust us, then I'll tell you... some things anyway. If, on the other hand, you got enough common sense to step back and not look the gift horse in the damn mouth, then just file us under 'weird but friendly' and let's move on."

[Adrian Moss]

This was going from a what in the hell phenomena to a Oh, fuck me three ways from Sunday kind of thing. Adrian waited until Declan had his say before judging how much he could venture.

"Remy DeSeine, I agree with Declan. You are better off not getting and answer to that question. There are strings attached and this is very much a matter of life and death to us, if you can't be trusted."

He waited for that to sink in.

"We can still be friends without it - the answer. Besides, what's a pyschic," he added, his curiousity getting the better of him. "Is that a psychic like Jean Grey?"

The larger question Adrian kept putting off to later in his mind. The one that had to deal with secrets and trust and what oaths he had made. It was bad enough he would keep this away from the Westwood Coterie, but the Ordo? All this talks of spirits and humans with powers was right up their alley. It could mean some serious advancements for him if he just ... let their secrets spread.

This was a hard thing and mainly due to the scent of fire still being in the air, it was something he could put off until later.

[z021]

The creole man looked thoughtful for a while, the said softly, "Y'know, I've been hearing that a lot, lately." He looked up to Declan, "I don't suppose you know a woman by the name of Lidia Kenston, do you?"

His tone implied he didn't really expect a positive answer. "I can keep a secret. So can Oneca." His eyes made a circuit of the room again. "It would go a lot towards being more comfortable with you all around for this if we knew who," his eyes flicked over to Declan, "and what we were dealing with. 'cause to be honest, of all the types of strange I feel in city on a regular basis, the three of you tip off the scary as fuck meter a lot easier than most of the others."

[Owns-The-Night]

Declan exchanged a glance with Adrian, then No-Moss, and his lips quirked in a grin as he looked back at Remy and Oneca. He shook his shaggy head. "Y'know, I'm probably gonna catch hell for this. You two's word better be solid, or it'll be me that has to clean the mess up."

As Remy and a still-slightly dazed Oneca nodded, Declan gestured for them to follow him. He led them over towards No-Moss, figuring the Ithaeur to be wise for not having a sensitive conversation in an area of spiritual hate. "Over here, and grab a seat." As they made themselves comfortable on the clutter, Declan sat down across from them.

"I'll tell you who and what I am. I won't speak for the other two: they can make that choice themselves." He winced inwardly: this was against the Code of the Moon, or at least a borderline matter. His internal struggle showed on his face for a brief moment, then he sighed.

"Name's Owns-The-Night. I'm a werewolf. But you can still call me Dec."

Click to reveal..

Morality Roll: 3 dice

(00:16:44) ChatBot: (Dec) rolls 3d10 and gets 5,1,10.

1 succ. He feels bad about it, but see's it as necessary

[Adrian Moss]

Once Declan had spoke, and broken tradition, it made it easier on Adrian. Having brought Gwen over helped as well.

"I'm Adrian of Clan Mekhet and I'm a vampire, though we call ourselves Kindred. I know this Lidia you are talking about, and I would like to know ... no, I need to know your relationship with her. It is important etiquette for our kind."

He figetted slightly, but stopped himself from stroking one of his shoulder holstered revolvers. That would be construed as a threat he really didn't mean.

"Are there more of you? Were do you guys come from? Do you have a society, or something?"

Always with the curious was Adrian. He wanted to know for a variety of reasons, not all of them friendly. After all, a Firestater was most likely a vampires worst nightmare. Were they more, and would they tell him if there were?

[Rorx]

Moss keeps an eye on the hate spirit as the others leave it's immediate area, ready to warn them if it follows. After watching Owns-the-Night and Adrian make their declarations Moss feels bad about not doing so, but remembers the events of New Years Day all to well. He glances around the room, wondering if the police might have wired it, or if these two could be a set up before replying.

"Sorry but recent experience has left me more wary than I was. I think I'll just leave it at someone who can see the spirit world right now. And sorry for the confusion Adrian, but it's actually No-Moss, so I doubt we're related. [Grins]"

[z021]

Remy's eyes widened at Adrian's comment about Lidia. "A vampire, huh? Well....poor kid. No wonder she told him to get out of town." He looked over at Oneca, "You're up, kid. Unless you're going to join Mr. No-Moss in the closed-lipped brigade."

Oneca shrugged and glanced at the rest of them before declaring, "I set things on fire and I can control the flames. Sometimes I see things. Things that are like Saja." She glanced at Remy, communication passing between them, then answered a few of Adrian's questions, "We know some other people like us, but it's really not our place to give their secrets out. Just like I don't think you'd want to tell us all about the other werewolves and vampires and whatnot that might be out there. And we don't come from somewhere, not any more than anyone else does. We're just....us."

[Owns-The-Night]

"Got it." Declan nodded to Oneca, then glanced around. "I coulda figured out the fire thing, ya know. You didn't have to show me." He winked one lambent silver eye at the girl, good humor plain in his expression, then looked around.

"Okay, so what do we do now? Go somewhere else and discuss the next move? That fire might bring attention from the cops if we ain't careful."

[Adrian Moss]

"Well ... we have the Hate spirit hanging around here. Is there something significant about that? Too bad we don't have a ghost. That would be useful in verifying some of what we suspect. Beyond that, how do we go about putting the pinch on Saja? We can't go after her in a public place. That, like naming what we are, is all kinds of bad."

He thought about saying 'Besides, were is your real sister if this pseudo-Saja has taken her place? Any way we can locate her?', but that was stupid. The should only handle the hurdles one at a time. This one sounded real complicated and would have to wait.

"Anyway, how are you related to Lidia. As I said, it is kind of important."

[z021]

Remy shook his head while standing up. "I'm not, but her son's been crashing at my place and goin' crazy looking for her." He gathered up the tatters of clothing lying about, "Y'right though, we should get going. The patrol'l be by in the next twenty minutes or so and if they actually get off their asses and come inside they're gonna raise hell about the fire damage."

After they'd finished cleaning up after themselves and heading out Remy said, "Look, you guys are welcome to come over and continue the chat, if you want. I know Alex'll want to talk to you, Adrian, if you're willing. And...well, I may be sticking my neck out here, but we do sort of have a society or something going. It's just a dozen so of us oddities, but it's a place to be where you don't have to worry so much about being normal." He shrugged, "You guys seem pretty decent, if on the scary as fuck meter, and if there's spirits messing around with us, I'd like to hear about that too. We had a medium with us for a while, but he got married last year and moved to Missouri for reasons I'll never understand, so we're pretty SOL on the spirits and ghosts right now."

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian is nodding before he really finishes thinking about it. There are too many reasons for it to not go. Besides knowing were he could get his hands on a friendly psychic could be really handy in the trials and tribulations he would be going through.

"I'll go talk with this Alex, but I'm not sure what you want me to accomplish there. I barely know the woman and she's way above me. Still, I'm willing to try."

It was too bad about the Medium. He could really have found a way to work with that guy. He would have been Gold to the Ordo.

Adrian quit his musing and looked around to see what the other people were saying.

[Rorx]

Moss shrugs, "Yeah, lets go hear more about this Saja character. As for the spirits here, well they'll either stay here or be on their way. I'll keep an eye open to make sure the Hate one isn't following us or latched onto one of you, but other than that I don't think there is not a lot I can do about it at the moment."

He carries on scanning the room for spirits and keeps a check to see if they, especially the Hate one, has reacted to the discussion or the people moving away from it.

[Owns-The-Night]

"Okay then. Remy, we're headed to yours. Let's move. Adrian, you lead off." Declan motioned for the others to follow the Shadow and waited for them to proceed before following the party out, bringing up the rear until they were safely back at the car.

"I call shotgun. Remy, Oneca, you're in the back with No-Moss. Give Adrian directions." His tone was curt and no-nonsense, but not unkind, and the Rahu caught Remy's eye as the Creole man helped Oneca into the back. "She gonna be okay?" he asked quietly.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian nodded and headed out. "Let me take a look around outside first. Just in case."

He went and opened up the door, heading outside. He took a look around and then motioned for everyone to follow. He even circled his car and looked underneath. He gave a weak grin when he looked up then shrugged.

His door swung opened and he waited for every to get into the back of his mustang. The engine stirred to violent life, power evident but contained.

"Let's get out of here."

[z021]

Remy opened the door for Oneca to get in the car and gave Declan a somber look. Softly he said, "That really depends on how all this goes."

As No-Moss watched the spirit world he could see the spirit of hate tagging along with the group, never far from the two humans even as they drove away from the warehouse. Remy directed them through the streets back towards the campus area, to a neighborhood of large and old houses. They pulled into a long driveway that ended a house somewhat smaller than the others on the block but surrounded by significantly more land. Several cars were parked in the driveway or on the grass to the side; no lights were on in the house.

Oneca lead them into the house and to a doorway off the kitchen that opened to a stone staircase leading down. She flicked the lights, inset soft lighting strips installed high up on the walls. The effect was an immediate change in ambiance from the very modern house to something less hectic and more unusual. She lead the way down, passed the black velvet curtains hanging at the foot of the stairs and into a room that wouldn't have been out of place on the set of Elizabeth. Expensive looking Victorian furniture dominated the room with mock-candle wall sconces giving a surprisingly realistic impression of a candlelit room.

A woman probably in her late twenties was curled up under a blanket on one of the loveseats reading from leather-bound book and making notes in a spiral notebook next to her. She looked up as the group entered and arched a brow at Remy and Oneca.

"Went that well, huh?" After the moment of slightly awkward silence she slid off the loveseat and gathered her book and notebook up. "I'll be in the general study, if you need me. Micah's got duty at 4, so I'll be going to bed then."

Without another word the woman swept out of the other doorway in the room to places unknown, leaving them to themselves in the opulent front room.

[Owns-The-Night]

Dec moved to a loveseat and sank down onto it, allowing himself to relax as he made himself at home. He took in the place, a little over-decorated and fancy for his tastes. But at least it was quiet, and the smells of good furniture polish and well-kept books were an improvement on a fire-scorched warehouse. The dim lighting made the room atmospheric without being claustrophobic.

"Nice place you got here." Dec's silver eyes traversed to Remy and Oneca. "So what is it you do, exactly?"

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian walks about the room, looking at the knick nacks and other features, furniture, and the like. What he was really doing was searching for scents from the people who had passed through here. It was important that he figure things out and flooding his senses with information was the best way to get there. Too bad his sense of smell wasn't like that of a werewolf, were he could track an individual, but he could grab scents here and hold them for later discovery.

This may seemed like prying, but he chalked it up to his nature. He was curious and anxious at the same time. All this did was make him want to gain knowledge in on this unknown ground. They knew something about him. He wanted to know something about them. Them ... he was already thinking of them as seperate from humanity, but were did that place them in the heirarchy of things?

Adrian ended up standing close to Declan.

"So, what are you willing to share? The more we know, the more we can figure out how to help. For instance, if you have mastery of fire and your enemy is made of wood, why isn't your enemy charcoal by now?"

[z021]

Oneca and Remy had sat opposite of their guests; at Adrian's question her eyes went wide and she shook her head, cringing in on herself. "I...I can't...she...I-I can't..."

Remy cut in, "She tried, we think, when she was younger. She can't now, for some reason. Probably the same reason she can't really tell us what Saja did to her after she...after she met us." To Declan, "You're going to have to be a bit more specific. Do you want to know what my job is, or what I can do as a psychic, or something else?"

[Owns-The-Night]

"All the above." Dec shrugged. "And this place, too. It's like a refuge or den of some kind, right?" He gestured around the lounge. "I'd almost say you guys are mages, but you say you're psychic. So what gives with this place."

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian blanches a bit at the mention of the word Mages. Please, he prays to an Uncaring God, don't let it be Mages. Beyond that, all he can do is nod to Declan's request for further information. He reallly wanted to know what this pyschic business was all about. To what use could it be put, and what agenda did they have.

"What's your agenda?" he voiced barely above a whisper.

[z021]

Oneca looked interested at Declan's comment, "Mages?" She shrugged, "I've been called a witch before, but not a mage. And this place, I guess it's like a refuge. It's more like a school, sometimes a boarding school. Like the X-men, only without the cool jet and spandex suits."

Remy gave a half-laugh at that, "Yeah. We call it the Chantry, so I guess mages fits, but we're not chanting over spells. Usually. Peter....well, he's got some talents of his own, and when we all found each other, we realized that it didn't have to be so hard on other people that were different as it was for us. We could make a place where you didn't feel like an outsider or a freak. Somewhere people could get a grip on their powers without going crazy or hurting people around them. Not everyone here has unusual talents like us, some are just people interested in what the world really is instead of just what it looks like most of the time. Everyone's got a story, that's about the only constant here." He gave Declan a mischevious grin, "Oh, and I'm a kept man, professionally. I already told you what my particular talent is."

Despite Oneca's emotional ups and downs, the two seemed much more relaxed here. More natural.

[Owns-The-Night]

The werewolf nodded, shrugging his shoulders at Remy's profession. "Nice work if ya can get it." He grinned back briefly. "And I'm glad you don't have a jet and spandex suits, too. It's bad enough some people seem to think I'm fuckin' Wolverine without givin' them more ammo." He shook his head with a chuckle.

"I can dig what you do here." He pondered slightly, as if weighing his words. "Me? I look into shit like what this Saja person is doin'. Not totally my 'jurisdiction', but close enough and near enough to my turf to make it my business."

"Look, I meant what I said back there. I'm prepared to go after Saja and show her that she ain't the nastiest boogeyman in the neighbourhood. I don't have to kill her, or destroy her. Just need to make it in her best interests to cooperate." He looked at Remy and Oneca. "Thing is, how do you two think she'll react?"

[z021]

Oneca pulled in on herself further, pulling away from Remy. She spoke very softly, near a whisper, "It wouldn't work. Y-you...she...she ha-" Her voice gave out completely and she stayed on her side of the loveseat, curled up in a ball of misery.

Remy watched her compassionately, but he knew if this was ever going to get taken care of, it was going to be unpleasant and these people might be the best chance they had. He shook his head at Declan, "The problem is that really don't know what she's capable of, or any weaknesses she has. She makes my skin crawl, but other than that, she seems like a perfectly normal pre-med student. I know she's not, but that doesn't do me much good. I doubt threatening her is going to do much good, especially if we don't have any proof that it was her. She can hurt Oneca, and pissing her off is just probably going to end up with that. Again."

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian steps forward and tentatively reaches out for Oneca with his cold, dead hands. Behind his eyes was the fear of the pain her flames could bring, if she wished it.

"I'm sorry for your pain and the suffering this creature has brought to you. Helping out people in situations like this - situations were almost no one believes you - is what I want to do with my nights."

"I'll do what I can when it comes time to deal with her, but all I can truly promise is a good gun arm and quick feet."

[Rorx]

Moss wanders around the room briefly when they arrive, keeping his head turned to hide his currentlymismatched eyes until the former occupant has left. Rather than the knick-knacks, he is more interested in the books, checking the spines and first pages for subjects. Once the other woman has gone he turns to scan the room for any resident spirits, and to watch for the hate spirit again.

"I'm curious about how you feel about this Saja, and how she might feel about you. Would you say that you hate her, and does she hate you, or just want to control you?"

[z021]

The other woman was practically covered in emotion and empathy spirits, in much the same manner that fire and heat spirits kept a close watch on Oneca. The hate spirit had followed them all in, now sitting sedately under the loveseat occupied by Oneca and Remy. The books scattered around the room were a rather eclectic sampling of philosophy, theology, theoretical physics, and occult writings. There were none of the fluff occult or New Age books in evidence; most of the books were at least three or four hundred pages long with no full page color images designed keep the amateurs amused in evidence.

Oneca seemed to be struggling to speak, but managed to get out, "I-i don't ha-hate her. I c-can't. She.." Her voice gave out again.

Remy's expression was much darker. He glanced over at Oneca, then back to the British visitor, "I certainly don't like her, and if she's actually behind this thing with these kids, then..." His expression darkened even further, but he didn't vocally elaborate.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian looked momentarily perplexed then looked toward Moss.

"Moss, does the spirit hang out with us as a group, or is it attached to any one person?"

Hell if he knew the answer, but when you were being tailed while you were in a group, you split up and circled back around to figure out who was the target of the tail. Was it going to be the same way with a spirt, and was it really that important. Well, Moss kept bringing it up, so there had to be something about it, and something usually meant something bad. Would that be just there luck?

Remy's darkening mood gave Adrian an itchy feeling on the back of his neck. He had no idea what this young human could do and the unknown bothered him. The problem was, what was he going to do about that?

[Rorx]

Moss noticed Remy's reaction as well. A psychic huh! He might be capable of generating the spirit all on his own, after all it doesn't have to have an external source I suppose.

He stays facing the lovechair as he answers Adrian, "Yeah, I afraid it seems to be most comfortable with our two hosts. i'm just trying to figure out if it is here because of Saja's hate of one or both of them, or if it's here because one of them hates someone enough to have generated it unconsciously themselves. In either case, it may not be particularly relevant to finding the children. Unless we can find out the origin of it I can't think of how to make much use of it."

[Owns-The-Night]

Declan watched and listened to the others, feeling the beginnings of the traditional Rahu AND Blood Talon frustration with problems that couldn't be killed. He fought it back, putting his mind to work on the problem.

"Okay, so muscling isn't going to work. What else will? Negotiating? What does she want?" he asked Remy. "I mean, everything wants something, right? Maybe we can come to terms. Because if we can't, then the only solution is to rip her to pieces without any foreplay."

[z021]

Oneca answered, "I don't know. I've never really known what sh- what it really wants." She swallowed, "And I don't know what hurting would do. To me." She looked like she wanted to explain further, but again could not.

Remy ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I know one thing she wants. She wants to keep you away from us. Probably because we could help you." He looked thoughtful for a minute. "Maybe one of the others you've seen. Maybe we could...practice, on them. Learn what we need to know if we're going to confront Saja."