Log:Early Morning Coffee

Early Morning Coffee
Happy hunting.
Participants Ashe Whelan, Jonah Joseph	27 March, 2017 Jonah requests a favor of Ashe, and spirits are discussed.
Location Some Local Coffee Shop
It's early as sin. Early enough that the first light of morning is barely a thing, and darkness still prevails. Most places are still closed, and most people haven't even gotten up yet. However, the Captain of the Harvestmen is up and about. He's called Ashe, requesting a trip to a local coffee shop. It's likely something not related to coffee as the Ogre's known not to touch the stuff. The place is small, and there's only one other patron sitting about to the back with a typewriter and several empty cups on her table. Ashe had managed to not wake Byron up when she left. Bonus points since the Ogre was prone to making sure she slept. She doesn't seem to mind the early morning, but the soft squeaks from her hair herald that someone else is complaining. That's until Ashe sticks a finger in her hair to poke her bat and it hushes it's protest. She quietly settles at the table Jonah is at and there's a nod of her head to him, "Morning, Jonah." she states with a shadowy smile. "Greetings, Little Shadow," Jonah says with a brief nod of his own. "I know it's early, but I've got a long day ahead of me." He moves a bit in his seat, and reaches for the cup of water before him. After a sip he settles in as best as the chair allows despite his large frame. "So I'll keep this short," never really one for small talk this guy. "I've got a problem, and you're about the only one I know that can handle it with discretion." Ashe settles in and is perfectly still as Jonah talks. It would be unsettling to others, but she's known for being still when in conversation. She gives a gentle nod to the man, "I do like discretion." she chuckles. "Where do I need to go for this problem?" she asks him. She's not one to beat around the bush at least. Another sip, and Jonah idly watches that writer in a back for a few long seconds. Gaze narrowed as he looks back to Ashe. "The stag's path." He stops to shake his head, correcting, "Stagbridge: the southernmost bridge in town. Well, not the bridge, but it starts from there." Ashe's black eyes flick to the writer and there's a bit of a silver striation that flicks up like a heart beat on a monitor. They were an unknown, but Ashe focuses back on Jonah, "I'll get out there as soon as possible then. Any clues as to what I'm looking for?" she asks him. "I'm not sure if we have anything on Stagbridge in the library." she ponders. "I can't speak for your libraries, sadly. All I know is what I see," says the man whose eyes are wholly white even to mortal onlookers. Jonah then pulls out his phone, and after flicking over it a few times with his thumb he shows her a picture of the bridge itself. He then sets the phone down, and sighs. "In the other world it was simply the bridge itself. It never took a human shape, or at least I didn't think it could. It may well be hitching a ride on some mortal fool, or taken a different shape. Whiskers in the Grass was the one that saw it crossing over, and I didn't see it myself." Beat. "There was a door." "I'll double check and see if we have anything." Ashe states as she looks to him. She listens closely to the details, memorizing them as he states them. Her stitched lips quirk into a smile, "Whiskers is a spirit?" she asks him. "This should be interesting." she adds. "Whiskers in the Grass," he corrects in his usual stoic manner. "Whiskers in the Grass is a mouse spirit. I pay her in seed, help the rats out, and she occasionaly serves me information. There are a few people I'm looking out for, and the spirits help me with that when they can. In turn, they receive my service as needed. Were you wishing to speak with Whiskers in the Grass?" "Whiskers in the Grass. Got it." Ashe nods to that. There's another look to the woman that's typing. To make sure she's not getting all nosey. Then there's a look back to Jonah, "I'd like to, they may be able to help give me some clues as to what the trouble is up there." she admits. "And if it's undocumented I'd like to get it down, if that's alright with you?" she asks him. Jonah rises from his seat, and motions off to the door. "You're free to record what you wish, Shadow. I do ask that you don't record my doors, although I can open others." Odd that he keeps mentioning doors. "However, if you wouldn't mind meeting me outside we can meet her right away." Ashe gives a nod and stands after he does, "I won't record your doors." she tells him with a dip of her head. "I'll follow your lead." she adds as she looks about one more time. Apparently she's making sure that the woman isn't going to get all nosy. Or follow them. Once outside Jonah leads her to a side alley, and pass that behind the coffee shop itself. This place is basically boxed in on all sides save two narrow alleys. Jonah had to turn sideways to get down here, but upon doing so he looks to the dark sky above. "At least there's no rain," he mutters. "Before I do this I just have on additional favor to request. Please don't freak out." Ashe's feet don't make a sound once she's out the door. She follows after Jonah though, not speaking, but watching. "I'll take rain over the snow." she states quietly. Then there's a look to him, "I won't freak out." she tells him. "Why...would I freak out?" she asks after a moment. Jonah doesn't answer: he just gets right to it. He lifts a hand to his head, and runs it down one of those gnarley horns. He lets the blood flow, palm facing down as it comes out drip by crimson drip. The act stirs something in the world, and begins to form between the two Changelings. A rat begins to form before them, although its the size of a small dog and ephemeral in nature. Wisps of green smoke evaporate just as they're formed on its body, and its bulging, green eyes are locked right on Jonah. The Ogre, for his part, appears as respectful as he's ever likely to be seen. He kneels down to the spirit, and from his pockets comes up with an large hand full of seeds. With his other hand he holds a small container of something and a lighter. The seeds are laid down, and the contents of the container poured over the seeds. Its all lit aflame, and then Jonah stands back up. "I apologize for the interference, Whiskers in the Grass, but I require your assistance. I offer payment, and this woman," he notes with a nod to Ashe, "Has questions." Ashe's eyes go wide when the blood is seen and then she calms down a bit. He wasn't going to start writing symbols and start jabbering. So she's okay. When the world shifts and something starts to form, the Shadowsoul pulls the shadows closer instinctively. She does give a deep bow to the spirit in respect. She waits to speak until the spirit acknowledges them. Ashe's surprise doesn't elicit a reaction. He instead begins talking in a slow, sibilant tongue that carries an odd, sing-song accent with his speech. The spirit turns to Ashe, and after chittering back in the same language as Jonah looks over to the overlarge Ogre. Both and Jonah's eyes glow a faint green for a beat, and when the light is gone so too is the spirit. Jonah's usually white eyes shift hues to a myriad of greens that swish and swirl with every breeze in the wind. Faint, ephemeral whiskers can be seen on his cheeks, but can just as easily be missed. "What did you want?" asks the echo of voices talking to Ashe. Given Ashe's line of work, this is all fascinating to the Autumn. New knowledge was always delicious. When the spirit seems to go inside of Jonah there's a moment of looking to him and then the odd voice asks a question and the Antiquarian is still trying to process. "There is an entity at Stagbridge that seems to be causing some issues. Do you know anything about them?" she asks. The pair take a few moments to examine their hands, and then reach up to the horns. The act bloodies both hands, and leave them surprised for a beat. "I see," they murmur. "I am only obligated to answer four of your questions, human. Make sure they're worth the weight in shoots. The spirit Horned Grey speaks of is Stag of the Bridge, Lord of Stagbridge." Ashe weighs the questions more carefully when the spirit speaks and states that it's only obligated to answer four of her questions. She things for a moment, "What location can I find Horned Grey at?" she asks. The question elicits a narrowing of the possessed Ogre's gaze, and no immediate response. They lift a thumb to their chest, proudly proclaiming, "This is Horned Grey." Ashe gives a bit of a chuckle, "Sorry about that. I was assuming it was another enity." she tells them. "So the Lord of Stagbridge, do we know his influences?" she asks. They look over Ashe, and consider the woman before speaking. They take a step forward, leaning down to sniff at the air around her. "He holds court over the bridge and its minor retinue. He also has say with stone, but to what degree I don't know." Ashe doesn't flinch when they lean forward and sniff the air around her. Everything was cool. "So Stone and minor retinue." she murmurs with a nod. "Do you know how powerful the Lord of Stagbridge is. Rank wise?" she asks. This would help determine if she was going to get herself killed or not. Once their curiosity has been sated the pair stand up straight. Something about those collection of shadows has elicited further study, but its ended when the question comes. "He is a-" They stop, attention shifting to the dark, cloudy sky of the early morning. When their focus shifts back down they frown. "He is, as you humans would put it a manager, but not the highest manager. He is a manager, though." The shadows pull around Ashe, it's really an unconscious thing for her, but she feels better. When they speak of management, but not high management there's a nod, "So he's like the shift supervisor. Got it." she nods to that. "Do you know anything that the Lord of Stagbridge doesn't like?" she asks. They initially answer in staring silence. Jonah may not be normal by any stretch of the imagination, but even he'd blink by now. Eventually they say, "You, Little Shadow." Ashe gives a bit of a look to them and then there's a nod, "Aha. Now I get it." she nods to this. "We'll have to go to Starbridge and see what they say about things. Last question, is there anything that it tends to like?" she asks. They idly shrug in response. "I do not know. He pays us to look for the one that used to swim the river. We do not concern ourselves with The Stag, nor his kind." With that said they give Ashe a slow nod. They do an about face, as the overlarge symbiote of spirit and changeling leave they call back, "I only have until sundown, so I think I'll bid you good day now." Ashe gives a bow to the large Changeling and then there's a bit of an eyebrow quirk when the one that swims the river is brought up. Interesting. Then they are turning to leave and she gives a bit of a wave, "Happy hunting." she calls after them.