Log:Cliffside Incident Rehash

Cliffside Incident Rehash
Participants Haruki, Nathania, Teagan, Red	4 October, 2017 The group discusses Nat's scary moment at the cliffside a few weeks prior.
Location Norwegian Wood - Clubhouse
Midmorning on Norwegian Wood farm/orchard. Nat is sitting outside, watching the trees ripen, and knitting, dressed in layers: a white tee shirt under a fleece hoodie. She has bright blue yarn on the needles. If any passerby have ideas on how knitting works, it looks like a sock from the toe up. Things Darklings do not like: SUNSHINE. Things Darklings will put up with in order to do their jobs: sunshine. :( Teagan's got a large hoodie on, long enough to cover the hang of their machete at their left side, with a massive hood that keeps the sunshine off their face, and their hands are in their pockets. They skulk along, dragging Walker with them to see Nathania. "Nathania!" they call, their voice carrying rather grumpily. Haruki's through with his morning routine, and it's not quite nap time (sloth vice and all that) so here he is, wandering back from his time talking to trees, and playing them music! Trees like music or so he hopes. He usually tries to do that when the pickers aren't around in the orchard though. Anyway here's Haruki, with an apple in hand, crunch, crunch, crunch. "Hi Nathania!" Crunch. Walker, led on Teagan's heels, is dressed plainly and with respect for the weather. Flannel shirt, denim pants, plain belt, and a pair of magnificent, red Hedgespun leather boots, their soles softer than hard, modern shoes. He bears no weapons, wears no armor. His lower lip juts a touch, distorted by an Ogre's tusks beneath a few random strands of mirrorsilk hair. His eyes peer from behind the fall of reflective locks, coals set in black pools of pitch lost in a pallid face. He's followed by the stench of mouldering leaves, the dying crackle of burnt-out bonfires, the impending chill that isn't quite here yet. He's Autumn, and very. Teagan leads, he follows them, and greets Haruki with a pleasant wave and a tusky grin. Nathania has attention on her! She looks up, waving to Haruki as she looks for the source of that kinda familiar voice. "Teagan!" She says once she spots them. "We can... go inside... if you'd prefer," she offers, realizing that Darklings Need Inside. She grins to Walker, gives a polite nod, and then looks back at her friend, Haruki. "Come on... then. I'm making... tea." She stands up, deciding for everyone it seems, that We're Going Inside. "Hey," Haruki greets Walker and Teagan with a smile. "It's nice out." He then glances at Teagan and up at the shade of the trees, then to the club house. "Tea is good." He takes another bite of his apple. "I wonder how they make apple tea." He randomly muses. "Thanks," agrees Teagan, because, well, Darklings DO need inside during the daytime. They slouch toward the house, ticking their chin up toward Haruki, and leading the Walker/Teagan contingent. Shadows follow after them in a liquid pool; they're not decreased in the daytime, those shadows are just heeling closer to the Mirrorskin, keeping in closer to them. "With dried apples, I'd guess." Introductions can wait for inside, apparently. "Yep. Dried apples," confirms Walker companionably, dipping his shaggy head in a nod to Nathania, his hair a sheet of... well, whatever happened to be around. "Reintroduce water, and the flavor comes back. Clever how it works, really." As for him, he honestly sems comfortable outside, but happy to head in as well. Easy to please, this Autumn feller. Nathania leads the way inside. Once she's sure everyone's settled, she makes introductions. "Teagan, this is... Haruki, my friend. He and his... brother live here. And there's Glitch, too." She smiles comfortably. Then she looks to the unfamiliar face amongst them. "I'm Nathania Winters. It's... nice to meet you." To her credit, as old fashioned as she can be, she doesn't call Walker by pronouns or even a title like 'Mister', because Teagan opened her eyes up. Funny how that works. "I'll... make tea... in a few. Name the kind... you want; I probably... have it. I love tea, so I have... a zillion types." She grins crookedly. "And most are... gluten free. I try not to... cross-contaminate, if that's a concern." "Dried apples," Haruki considers. "Can we save some of the apples to make apple tea with?" he asks Nathania. "Just to see how it goes? I'll have to look at google. Did you know, we've got truffles growing out there? I think I saw one. It smelled all funky. I just left it there. I don't think I'd like truffle tea." His thoughts are maybe a little scattered. "I can make the tea," he offered. "What type do people want? Unless, well you want to, Nathania? That's okay. Itsy likes making the tea too. It's a sort of calming ritual thing. I just do hot leaf juice." "Yeah, I know Haruki," agrees Teagan easily. "Met Itsuki too. This is Walker, of the Red Walkers. He'll do the rest of his intro." They click their tongue against the roof of their mouth, and then shrug. "I don't really care much one way or the other. If it's got caffeine, that'll do. Knock your socks off, something fancy." Teagan looks for a place to slouch down into a chair, absently adjusting the machete that hangs from the left side of their hip. "Is it going to bother people if I vape?" Look at the Mirrorskin showing consideration. They're almost housebroken. Red nods respectfully at Nat's intro, and snorts as Teagan implies there's somehow more of substance to his introduction. He muses, then shrugs. "Autumn... face for the Red Walkers... new guy?" He rolls his shoulders again. "A pleasure to meet you, Nathania. I've heard of you, from Glitch, and am glad to see you're still doing well." A tusky smile, and he takes his own seat. "None for me, thanks. Policy. Never know who might have poisoned which waterholes- easier to drink what you bring yourself. I hope you won't think me rude." Nathania nods at Haruki. "Whatever... you'd like. I save some apples back, anyway." She smiles at him and nods. "Actually, if... you could, that'd... be appreciated. I'd like the chocolate... chai rooibos, please." She grins at Haruki then, cheerful. That cheerfulness turns to Teagan. "I don't... mind. Ask Haruki for... certain; he spends more... time in here." Then she nods at Walker. "Pleased to... meet you. I understand; Glitch is paranoid, too." She winks at him, showing she's half-joking at the very least. "You're not rude," she says more seriously. "We all... have quirks. I appreciate your honesty... about yours." "Can you please not vape in here," Haruki says. "Um... sorry." He says. "Thanks." He heads off to make the tea. He putters around in the kitchen, even using the teapot. They've pulled the vape pen from their pocket, a forest-green thing that's shiny and new -- which, for a Squire, means it must be quite new indeed, since all their stuff looks so old so fast -- and then shrugs and puts it away. A click of their tongue against the roof of their mouth. "I wanted to talk to you, Nathania, about what happened at the ... waterfall? I've hear from Ceebs a little bit about his dream, and Glitch has ranted plenty, but I'd like to hear it from you. And talk about what needs doing." "You're welcome, Nathania, though it's nothing special. No need to lie about something so simple- if folks want to dislike me, they'll find plenty of reasons that aren't a bit of caution over... heh. "Hot tea juice."" He takes the ribbing with aplomb, but falls quiet as Teagan speaks up. It's serious business time, it seems. Nathania nods at Teagan. "Sure," she says softly. Her button eyes stray to Walker. "Are you... somehow involved in this, too?" She asks politely. "I mean, you know... my husband, and all. I figure the only thing... would've brought you together... is this, if you're not... Dusk." She grins at Walker's words, then. "I like you so... far. Haven't given me reason... not to." Then she nods, growing fully serious. "Okay. I'm best... with direct questions. Otherwise... I get lost in my fluffbrain. Please, Teagan, ask what you need to know? Nothing too open-ended, if... you can help... it." Haruki's surprised when Teagan just puts it away. Thankfully, he's busy making tea now, doing it all fancy with the dainty china cups and the teapot, and the sugar bowl with sugar cubes and the sugar-tonys, and the tea-strainer. The water's boiled, the tea tray carried through and placed down on the table. "I recruited him to help me out, after your husband asked me to, in essence, keep him from doing stupid shit," Teagan answers drily. They tuck their hands into the pockets of that massive hoodie, their hood shading their face even though everyone's inside. "The Red Walkers have helped me get the fuck out of dodge before after a couple of nasty ops. Most recently in Vegas. Child porn ring with Loyalists, as bad as you can imagine." They go quiet for a minute, considering. "Okay. Walk me through the timeline of what happened with you and C.B. at the waterfall, if you can? Why were you there in the first place?" Walker nods as Teagan explains his involvement. "Happenstance turned to serendipity. Glad to be of service- we all are, when there's redcoats in the mix." Red settles, abruptly becoming unnaturally still. His eyes move, tracking the conversation, but it's immediately evident that his movements are all intentional, deliberate. Bereft of any reason TO move, he ceases to move at all. Even his breathing is slow, measured. Nathania grins crookedly. "You've learned my husband... well already," she says drily. Then she nods, shuddering at the thought of Loyalists and children, let alone porn. She takes a breath, steeling herself. "I was asked... to help someone... not of the Freehold. The name... she gave me... was... Katia Denning." She accepts her tea in silence, adding sugar and a splash of cream before stirring as quietly as she can and sipping. Haruki sits down, right next to Nathania if he can, if there's room. He's listening mostly, not having heard this much. Taking tea, Teagan adds sugar to it and nods aside to Walker, settling back with the cup cradled between their scarred hands. "For sure." Their fractured-mirror eyes slide toward Nathania, then, listening. "... very well, Nathania," Teagan sighs, shaking their head a bit. "Okay. And you'd not heard of this person before? How were you asked? How were you contacted?" They're poking and prodding at every bit of the story, apparently, their attention entirely on Nathania now. "Fake name?" Haruki asks. "Kat Dennings is an actress. That's similar." It's all he really has to contribute. Walker remains quiet and focused. Nathania has what info they have access to, little though it might be- and for now, his attention is settled on her. Nathania blushes a little. "I'm sorry," she says softly. "I'm bad... at giving information away." Winters. Hmph. She looks to them all, then specifically Teagan, and says softly: "I knew... the intermediary, although... they've since... skipped town. Allie... Dubois, I think her last... name was. She asked me... for Katia, and was paid for... the privilege." She snorts. "May the money... burn her hands." A big, heavy sigh. "Okay. So it came to you through a third party." Teagan looks off into the near distance, frowning mildly. "And when you got out to the falls, what happened? Was this person already waiting for you? This person who called herself Katia?" "... Allie Dubois. Noted." That's all Walker says at this point, nodding encouragingly as Nathania does her best to share what she knows, fighting the instinct to clam up. Nathania nods softly. "She was. At the base... of the falls." She frowns a little. "I won't ever forget... that lavender hoodie she had.... on." She shudders a little. "We talked, and she.. seemed nervous. But I saw CB was at... the cliff top, so ... while I was scared, I was.... not, if that makes... sense." "You had someone there, and so it was okay," Teagan agrees, stretching their neck and looking into their tea. "So, Katia said she needed your help. Can you remember exactly -- as close to exactly as you can -- what she wanted help with?" Nathania nods. "It was.. Bishop work," she says, plucking a feather and staring at the inky blackness. "Mental health.... business." She seems like she needs a Bishop, herself, really. "Hmm." Teagan doesn't push more on that. "Okay. So she was talking to you about her mental health, and?" Nathania shrugs. "she got... weird. Said someone... was going to get... hurt. Then the Privateers... Loyalists... whatever showed up. Mentioned... her little brother." Haruki's here, just sitting next to Nathania, looking concerned. "If this is getting too much, you could, well, more tea?" Lips pressed together, Teagan asks, "How many? Do you remember what they looked like at the time? Any distinguishing marks or clothing? All of this will help if we have to ... well. Be them. Later." A small, thin smile from the Mirrorskin. Nathania sips tea, looking at Haruki gratefully. Then she snuggles into the man after she finishes her tea, before looking to Teagan. "Two. No, nothing... distinguishing about them." She does remember them; she describes them, and well. But she doesn't say anything particularly distinguishing beyond one being shorter than the other. Haruki will top up Nathania's cup, adding sugar and cream. "What happened to Katia? What happened to them?" The questions are quiet though. "Do you think that... you might at some point be willing to show them to me?" Teagan asks, squinting thoughtfully. "A shared dream would be easiest. But it isn't necessary. I can probably duplicate them without that." A pause. "So they showed up, and... they mentioned Katia's brother. What did they say? And what did she do?" Nathania licks her stitched lips, sitting up once her tea is topped off. "They escaped. Katia shortly... after. We got.. a few questions in." Then she looks to Teagan. Swallows. Squares her shoulders. "A shared dream. Once," she says firmly. "She was the only... one to speak. Said that they... were going.. to take her brother. Didn't give me their names. Said my name, Glitch's, the Master's. And then... escaped despite... our best efforts." Haruki listens and nods at this. He cuddles close to Nathania, still concerned. "Okay. That's a little more direct than the timeline I got third-hand from Glitch, and it matches a lot of what Ben said. Not that I thought it wouldn't, but multiple points of information are important." Teagan pushes up to their feet. "I'm going to have to go get some sleep." Darkling. "Thank you for your time -- and I'll get back in touch with you soon." Nathania cuddles Haruki as she sips her tea, kissing his forehead--like -she- is reassuring -him-. She watches Teagan get up and nods. "I'll... see you soon," she agrees. She'd get up but she's cuddling a Haruki! "Take care of... yourself." "You shouldn't call him Ben," Haruki says. "Not to others. Ben is dead. He got really, really freaked out that Missy Lefevre called him Benjamin. She might have just overheard you saying it but it really upset him. You sleep well, Teagan." "I don't, usually," Teagan answers Haruki mildly, flipping their hood up over their head, "but my partner can communicate with me about what he wants. Not third parties. Take care. Thank you again, Nathania." And then Teagan is gone.