- IC Time: Sat Mar 18 20:10:45 2017 ***
- OOC Time: Sat Mar 18 20:10:45 2017 ***
It's not long after the sun has set, maybe an hour or so at most. There's still a few people milling around in the park though most have left to enjoy their Saturday evenings elsewhere. Max is glad there's not too many people around, less bodies for her to accidentally run into. Currently she's making her way down a path near the river. Though she's technically jogging, most of her time is spent jumping, scaling, or hurdling over things as she practices some of her parkour. Dressed in dark clothing, a hoodie, leggings, and sneakers, she blends in easily enough with the environment around her. Her hair is braided into two fishtails that drape off of her shoulders and end just above her chest. As she moves about, she does her best to ensure that she remains alert of her surroundings.
At the river's border there is a very handsome man. He is too in jogging clothes, but he's not really jogging. He's just there, standing still and staring at the water's crystaline surface. To those that can see through his Mask, his bright green hair is like a lighthouse in the darkness.
Out for an evening stroll or maybe a hike is a pale blond woman in jeans, boots and a coat suitable to the New England not-spring-yet weather, though not really to the actual hiking environment. It's too big city for this place. Her hair is pulled back behind her head, the long lengths largely tucked into an oversized knit scarf... or it would be, for those who can see her mask. For those who can see what she *really* looks like, it's probably hard to miss her: she looks like she was carved out of ice and diamond, and although the sun is down, some sort of light keeps catching her faceted edges in shiny, shiny glints. She's wearing a pair of earbuds, but only one side is tucked in, and she keeps scanning the area as though looking for something. Her crystalline mouth pulls off to the side as she catches sight of the green hair, but she doesn't increase her stride, just keeps pace along the path running alongside the river, probably not to far from where Max is hurdling over obstacles.
One would normally think that the river wouldn't be a nice place to walk along in the middle of March, but John isn't your normal sort of person. He's not running, but strolling in the cold, looking out over the water pleasantly. He's not in jogging clothes, he's wearing a long, heavy coat.
As Max is running along, she catches a glimpse of light up ahead. Bright light. This of course draws her curiosity and interest. The mortal starts to slow until she's going at a light jog. Eventually, she crosses paths with the handsome man, eyeing him a bit as he stands and stares. She peers briefly at the water herself, then returns her attention to the stranger. "Enjoying the view or looking for something that you lost in there?" she wonders as she comes to a pause a few feet away from him.
"Maybe both." He answers as he turns to have a better look at the girl."What about yourself? Enjoying the evening?" He asks and offers her a soft, sweet smile as his both hands go into his pockets.
Slowing her pace imperceptibly as the parkour runner stops to chat with the green-haired man, Aneira does another scan about the area. Maybe she notices John. Probably she doesn't. What she does do is stop after a moment near a copse of trees, not too close to anyone and not too far, and look up into the branches as though focusing on something.
John pauses at the riverside, and sits on a bench not too far away from Max and Oberon. He contents himself with his favorite pastime: people-watching. They're even more interesting when the people you are watching are Lost.
"Always," Max answers with a friendly grin. There's a light sheen of sweat on her face as she catches her breath. Bright blue eyes take a brief glance around, noticing a familiar face in the near distance. A gloved hand lifts to wave at John, her expression an inviting one if he wishes to join her if he wished to - not too insistent if he wanted to be left alone. As her gaze drifts back to Oberon, the mortal notices someone else in the distance, though she can't see more than a silhouette at the moment. Her attention lingers there briefly but she eventually does look back to the man with bright hair. "Was just doing some night running. Less people to worry about sharing the path with." She chuckles and steps near the edge of the water. "Hope you didn't drop anything, probably won't have much of a chance of finding it until daylight."
Oberon follows the girl's gaze up to the other man and a nod is sent in an attempt to let the other man knows he means no harm. Then, from there to the silhouete under the tree and back to the girl when she talks again."Nah. It's okay. It's past now." He comments as he glances at the lake's surface."I'm Dave, by the way." He then grins and offers a hand to a shake.
There's a distinct rustle and snap of something from where Aneira stands, but she's off in the distance and it's pretty hard to see whatever is going on there that made the noise. After a moment or three, she emerges from the shadowy copse of trees and continues her walk along the path next to the river, closing distance.
John stands up and meanders over towards Max and the man she is talking to. "Good evening, Max. Good evening...Dave, did I overhear? I'm John."
The young woman chuckles as John practically introduces her to the much brighter Lost. "Like he says, I'm Max," she confirms. Spotting the offered hand, she gives an apologetic look toward Dave. "I got a thing about touching," she vaguely explains as she slips her hands into the pockets of her hoodie instead of shaking his. "Nothing personal," she assures him. Glancing over toward Aneira again, she raises a brow as she watches the other stranger start to approach. A nod in greeting is offered her way, then she looks back to the others already near. "Nice to meet you though. And good to see you again, John. Hope I didn't interrupt your people watching."
When her name is said twice, Oberon arches a brow in a light surprise."Max? Hm. Do you know Byron?" He asks to the girl in his natural sweet voice. His bright green eyes locked on her this time as he puts his hand back into his pocket.
As Aneira approaches conversational distance, a slight chill seems to accompany her presence. She doesn't hide the fact that she's paused to study the small gathering, and there's something just not quite comfortable about her gaze. There's probably no hostility in her look, but there's a slight cant to the angle of her head and a steady unblinking glint in her faceted irises that may be uncomfortable. If anyone looks her way long enough to remind her she's staring, she blinks then and dips a brief nod. As for whatever made the noise-- she seems to have cut herself a small branch from a tree nearby.
"No, you didn't interrupt. I'm just killing time. I met with a, hm, friend of a friend today who is going to help me get settled, I think; and so I'm mostly waiting for that to get sorted out before I do much of anything else." He looks to Max curiously, to see how she's going to answer Dave's question, but as he looks around, he catches the gaze of the crystal woman quite briefly, but doesn't really linger--if anyone knows what it's like to want to watch and choose when you have to deal with other people, it's John.
"That's good to hear..." Max first tells John. It appears that she might have inquired more about it but Oberon's question easily pulls her attention to him. A mixture of the creeping Lost in the near distance and the question by the man seems to have put her a bit on edge. It's subtle, hardly noticeable, but she /does/ take a small step back. "Yeah, I know someone named Byron," she honestly replies, her brows raising curiously at Oberon. "Why do you ask? You a ... friend or something of his?" she wonders with a small tilt of her head.
A quick glance is cast to the newcomer accompanied by a nod of acknowledgement before Oberon sets his eyes back on Max."No. He's not a friend of mine but he came to me to talk about you." He says. His sweet voice now carrying a sense of seriousness."We want to be sure you're with us and not against us."
-> >> Oberon to Here << <-============================================
Rolled 3 Successes
< 1 2 5 5 7 9 9 10 >
========================-> >> Wits + Empathy.Emotions No Flags << <-
-> >> Aneira to Here << <-============================================
Rolled 2 Successes
< 1 1 3 3 3 4 5 7 9 9 >
============================-> >> Wits + Composure + 1 8-Again << <-
-> >> Aneira to Here << <-============================================
Rolled 4 Successes
< 3 10 10 10 10 >
==================================-> >> Wits + Empathy 0-Again << <-
The branch snaps between Aneira's fingers at the tail end of Oberon's question, pale crystalline hands having tensed at that. Whatever just happened has gotten her attention, although she spares a somewhat regretful glance at the broken branch in her hands before taking a few steps to approach. She doesn't say anything, though.
John remains perfectly still. Any conversation he might've had as a followup gambit waits as he endeavors to figure out what's coming up next. He doesn't tense up per se, he just doesn't interrupt.
-> >> Max to Here << <-===============================================
Rolled 0 Success
< 1 1 1 1 4 5 5 6 7 >
========================-> >> Wits + Empathy.Emotions No Flags << <-
After watching Oberon for a moment, Max furrows her brows when she can't get a good read on him. And since there's an unknown Lost being strange and creepy approaching them, it's only natural that the mortal takes another step away from them to ensure that she has some sort of escape route. There's a brief glance to John before she returns her attention to the bright-haired Lost. "I'm not against anyone. Except people who've done me wrong, but nobody here has done so. I mean, not seriously," she replies. There /were/ a few people that were slightly rude to her, but that's hardly any reason to cross someone. "How do I know Byron actually talked to you?"
"Well. Honestly, you don't. You have to trust me on this one as I trust you you mean no harm to us." Oberon says with that same tone. The fact that the girl is preparing an escape route apparently is not noticed as the Fairest turns to look at John."Are you a friend of her?"
John looks to Dave, and then to Max, and then back to Dave, and says: "I am. However, I do not know this Byron. On the other hand, I've been here two days. Do you intend ill will?"
"Byron." The ice elemental speaks up at that, and her voice carries the same chill that surrounds her even though, again... she's probably not hostile. "Of the H... of the Chronicle?" Her attention has seemingly shifted to Oberon, but she's positioned herself equidistant to him and Max at this point.
"There's three of you here and one of me. It would be very stupid of me to try anything against any of you," Max points out. Though she doesn't always make the 'best' decisions, she likes to think that she's got a decent amount of common sense. Though she doesn't exactly relax, once she has a exit, she does stop moving. "The only reason I'm in this town is that I'm looking for something that has nothing to do with any of you." There's a pause, perhaps a light bulb going off in her head. "Well, at least I don't believe that it does. Still, I'm not looking for any of this kind of trouble," she declares, making a quick gesture between the three of them.
Oberon turns to look at John."Me? I'm part of the Waykeepers. I mean no harm. I'm just doing my job here." He says."If you're one of the recently arrived and you need help settling down, you should look for the Wayhouse. We can help you." He then turns to Aneria."You too if you're a newcomer too." Then, he turns back to Max once more. He stares at her for a second of two. His expression hard to read. Then, he takes a deep breath and finally seen to relax."Well. You convinced me. I'm sorry if I scared you. That's Byron's job, not mine." Suddenly, his voice is back to the sweet and kind tone."We're arranging a meeting with the Crown so you can pledge. As soon as that's done, people will react to you in odd ways. Sorry."
"Ahhhh..." John says as several different things come clear at the same time. First, to Oberon, he says: "I met with the Waylady Ava earlier today; she said she would arrange the meeting you spoke of. I'd like to know more about what is required of me." But then, to Max, he says: "Three of 'us', then? You can see us for what we are?" He does not sound particularly judgmental about that. "If so, I understand why you would keep that quiet. Can you?"
Aneira's gaze shifts from Oberon to Max at her response, and she studies her in silence for a moment before saying, "I see." What she sees she doesn't elaborate on, but she does add rather coolly, "You'll come to no harm from me if you don't come looking for it." As for Oberon, he receives a slight shake of the head and a two-fingered gesture which may or may not be interpretable as 'discuss that later'.
Max is quiet for a few moments as she listens to and watches the exchanges between the Lost around her. There's a hint of curiosity in her bright blue eyes, notes and questions tucked away for later. When Oberon addresses her, she offers him a faint smile. See, she's friendly! Just nervous. "I'm not /scared/. Just... never know who to trust, Dave," she responds to him, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. A slight amount of tension is released from her shoulders and she slips her hands back into her pockets. "You could have been one of the bad ones." Such is said softly. Then she looks over toward John and slowly nods her head. "Yeah. Not for too long, though," she tells him. Her attention then finally drifts back to Aneira and she gives the woman an understanding nod. "The only kind of trouble I look for is like, sneaking into a park after dark or using somebody's pool while they're out of town. You know, the fun kind." She smirks, lightly but playfully.
Oberon nods to Max's statement. Then, he turns to face John and Aneira."If you want to talk, meet me at the Wayhouse. Whatever you want to ask is not adiviced to be heard by those not oathed." Then a quick look at Max."Sorry, Max. Nothing personal." He then offers her a quick smile. Then, the Fairest takes another deep breath and grins to no one in particular."Well. I need to get going. It was a pleasure to meet all of you and I hope Fate puts us together again soon. In better circumstances." And with that, he calmly turns around and starts walking away.
John looks at Max and says, "So long as you break no oaths and make no betrayals, Max, you have nothing to fear from me. I will defend you, as you are the first pleasant person I met here, and I have a strong need for mortals to anchor me to this realm. I came to this place because I had heard there were mortals here who were used to our kind, and if not accepting, at least aware and not the sort to cause problems. That you are one of those people is very good, in my opinion." He pauses, then adds: "There are few of us. We are hunted and hounded and have been throughout our lives. So we are also a bit paranoid, as our enemies use mortals and our own kind as tools against us." Stilted, stiff, distant. Yet somewhere within the ice, a plea for a bit of warmth that might reach him.
"Ah. The fun kind," Aneira echoes in response to Max's statement. It's very difficult to interpret her expression given the natural planes of her face seem to be chiseled and frozen, but there might be a mild bemusement there. Maybe it's the idea of getting in a swimming pool that's putting her off. She casts a glance after the leaving bright-haired man, offering little response but a brief nod, then shifts her gaze back to Max. "The bad ones come in many shapes and forms. It is good if you know when to run, but better if you are careful not to give yourself away in the first place. It's dangerous for you to see what you see." John's words get a brief nod of assent.
As Oberon heads off, Max watches him until he's no longer within her line of sight. Then she returns her attention to those still lingering, briefly focusing on Aneira. "The only person I've told in this area is Byron... and that was after hanging out with him a few times. And I've come across more than a few of you while I've been here," the enchanted mortal explains to the both of them. "I'm pretty sure John here didn't know that I could see him until Dave there brought the topic up," she replies, glancing toward the Winter as if to verify if that was true or not. Her gaze lingers there for a moment, studying over the one that had called her friend. Then she gives a small nod before speaking again. "I've been told as much, part of the reason that Byron wants me to make a promise with him," she explains. "I don't have anything against any of you and I'm not the type of person to stab a friend in the back," she states assuringly.
John looks at Max and says, "I neither knew nor suspected that you could see us. However, it does explain why AJ asked me about you last night while you were there. A mortal like you who is not under the protection of a known one of us will be viewed suspiciously by the community." He pauses, then continues: "I do not know whether it would be a good or a bad thing for you to make a promise to Byron as I do not know him. What I *do* know--it is my business to know--is that pledges, promises, oaths and other agreements are taken much more seriously by our society than they are in the mortal world. The punishment for breaking them may be enchanted within the pledge, and for those who break such things regardless, there are people such as myself, as well as others. Think carefully about what, and to whom, you make pledges to before agreeing to anything; and do not be afraid to ask questions." John doesn't speak much, especially to mortals; and it is obvious when he continues, "I should be going. I mostly came out for a walk before going to sleep. I wish you a good night." He looks to Aneira, and says politely, "I apologize for my rudeness in not getting to know you as well, but look forward to rectifying that in the future."
"There are many of us here... and probably..." Aneira starts in that cool, emotionless manner of hers, but she trails off. After a moment, she says, "It is best to be careful what you reveal." It's hard to tell who she's saying that to; maybe it's to herself. John's last statement garners a nod from her and an answer of, "I'm sure our paths will cross again."
"Yeah, it's surprising how many of you are around here," Max replies to Aneira, a hint of curiosity in her tone as she wonders why that is. Those bright blue eyes of hers flit back and forth between the two before she offers a nod of her head in understanding. Her gaze focuses first on John as she says, "Don't worry. I don't make promises without knowing what I'm getting into." There's a brief pause, maybe like she might have said something more but decided against it for now. "It was good to see you again, John. Stay safe out there." The young woman offers him a gentle smile, lifting a hand from her pocket to wave to him. Then she looks to Aneira again, smirking faintly. "I tend not to reveal anything crucial to anyone without a good reason."
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