Bishop's Stone (IC)

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Kirrin blinks a moment seeing all these strange new things. His mouth goes agape upon seeing Avalon, the Cigar he had been smoking falling to the ground and cinders lightly cascade from the point of impact. Then he couldn't help but stare at Vita even as he was ushered about. Though he did glance away at the various 'creatures' surrounding him. "Well I'll be..." Is all he can say at the moment. Then upon seeing silver he whispers to himself. "A goatman..." It would seem for once in his life he was speechless. He gives a little scowl at being herded back toward the gate, that was used to get here, fists clenching for a moment. Then upon being left at the gate, he turns and begins to walk, crouching down to pick up his Cigar again Since no one had stepped on it. Taking a long drag from said cigar he begins to explore. "Wonder what kind of fun and Drinks they got here."

(Here you are, hope this is adequate if not I'll edit it.)

[Inumo]

Justice

As Kirrin walks deeper into Avalon, he spots a group of blue-robed men and women with gossamer wings sprouting from their backs, all running back towards whence he came. Further along, a few women, one rather turtle-like in a black-belted tunic and tights, the other two normal-looking in skirts and long-sleeved shirts, giggle helplessly as they lopsidedly walk out and away from a nearby storefront. Labelled the BO2ze Bar by a neon sign surrounded by bubbles, paint on the mirrored windows depict hookah-like apparatus. Inside is dark, lit sparsely by hanging lamps centered around the structures depicted on the windows outside. Each is roughly seven feet tall and ringed with stools, a circular bar placed at a comfortable height to lean on when seated, as many varied patrons are doing now. A cheap, stained velvet rope separates the front door from the rest of the room proper, the opening into the area manned by a pale woman with the head of some wild black dog. "Cash or plastic?" She asks cheerily, a smile of some sort on her lips.

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Kirrin grins a little, puffing on his cigar. His eyes widen a minute seeing the men and women with wings, wondering lightly what had them in such rush he decided he'd ignore it for now, after all he could always look later. Then his attention turned to the bar, after seeing the women giggling like they were. "Must have some really good 'stuff' in there." His thoughts turned a moment to the types of bars that usually had the looks of this one, especially when once in a blue moon a fight would break out. Looking to the dog-headed woman he exhales a little smoke away from her general direction and reaches into a pocket pulling out some crumpled paper bills. "This currency accepted her babe?" He says with a light chuckle taking the time to tap the ashes of his cigar onto the street, it now resting in his grasp, the end still smoldering.

[Inumo]

King of Pentacles

The quasi-gatekeeper watches, suddenly expressionless, as Kirrin hands her rumpled bills, asks about their validity, then walks outside to tap ashes into before walking back inside. Glancing at a rather burly man hidden in the shadows of the doorway, she asks, "Sir, before I can accept this, I'm required to ask, what is that cigar made with?"

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Kirrin blinks a moment, seeming to be a little confused at first, though he does make his own glance toward the shadows when he see's her do so. "Huh?" Then when it finally hits him what she meant, he laughs softly. "Oh, nothing special, the usual tobacco, really." He extends the hand holding the cigar towards her, the smoke gently wafting upwards. "Check it if ya want, i don't go for that 'love child' stuff, if you know what i mean." Kirrin smirks a bit, lightly sticking his tongue out towards the fellow in the shadow if and when the gate-keeper decides to check his cigar, straightening up if she should glance back his way.

[justacritic]

Lemick groaned holding his aching head. He felt like he'd been snoozing for weeks... Just what had happened during that meeting? The man looked up to the calender. 

[JamesCray]

"Eager, aren't you?" Robert says with a small grin. "C'mon, let's get back to the office, I'll take a couple of calls to show you what to do, and then I'll watch you for a couple just to make sure you've got the general gist of it. With the way your account's set up now, you can remote into pretty much anyone's user account to fix things, or you can talk them through it over the phone. Also, try not to get too frustrated by the fact that the first few minutes of each call are scripted, you can get in trouble if you skip it, speaking from experience."

"Alright, then," Patricia replies. After the demonstration calls, she tries her hand and does well with the script, though her unscripted skills aren't as proficient. Even so, she does well enough that she can work on her own. After a time, when both Robert and her are free, she mentions, "I'm just waiting for that one call that I can't fix." She sighs and stares at her screen, idly playing with a deck of cards and practicing sleight of hand.

"You're doing fine. When that call comes, you pass it off to me or Mr. Cameron. This may be the pot calling the kettle black here, but you can't be expected to know every single thing." Robert says, trying to follow the sleight of hand with his eyes, to spectacular failure. To compound that failure, he broaches an awkward topic and trips over his words doing so. "You mind if I ask something that may not be entirely tactful? Outside of nimbler hands than I could have hoped for even before the, uh, well, I was just wondering, you look, well, normal, so I was curious exactly what you are..."

Shooting the deck from one hand to the other, she lets out a short laugh and replies, "No worries, it's a rather subtle thing. I'm a mage, see?" Holding up a hand, a card springs from the top of the deck into each space between her fingers. Flourishing them to put them on display, she reveals that they're a jack of each suit, with a stylized picture of James as their faces. Another flourish, and they're back to normal jacks. "Of course, with proper preparation, I could have done that without the use of magic, but it makes for a good demonstration." Turning her attention back to the deck of cards in her hand, she separates it into five parts as she continues, "My family has had mage blood in it for God knows how long; we can trace our lineage back to the Dark Ages, or so my dad says. Can't say I mind the prestige it carries, to say the least." Restacking the deck to take the next call, she quickly resolves the issue before continuing, "Of course, I can't say I don't mind the baggage it also carries, but that's life. Say, you ever see that one film, about the people who are all genetically perfect and there's the one guy who's genetically impure but wants to go to outer space but can't until this genetically pure guy gives him enough stuff to cover for him?"

Robert is suitably gobsmacked by the card magic demonstration, suddenly very conscious of his own lack of dexterity. When she poses the question regarding the movie, he spends a minute or so with his brows furrowed, tapping his temple with one finger.
"Hmm... Sci-fi is usually my genre, but that one doesn't ring a bell. If I'm honest, I've not actually seen a lot of movies, we only had the one TV with rabbit ears growing up, I spent most of my time reading or poking around with the old Mac we bought from my school when they upgraded to PowerMacs. Why?" he asks.

"Well, it's a bit of an easy way to describe my situation. The genetic purity part, not the blood-samples-and-pee-cups-for-others part. In my family, it's expected that I maintain the superiority of the bloodline, because apparently old blood is better than new blood, but that means I can only marry men from four other families. If you were to look at our family trees side by side, we'd look like like a Chinese finger trap, we're so interwoven. I've tried bringing up the whole inbreeding issue, but they counter with the fact that our magic can purge such problems with minimal fuss. Personally, I'm tempted to just accept being that-one-relative-we-don't-talk-about if it means I can choose who I marry from more than Abusive Dudebro, Ugly McCreeperstalk, In-The-Closet Fireman, and Dull Doldrums."
She pauses to take a sip from a mug of tea suddenly on her desk. "But yeah. If you want to check out that movie, it's called GATTACA. Pretty cool story, if you ask me." She sneaks a glance at the clock on her computer screen, absentmindedly rocking back and forth. "On a completely unrelated note, how was sitting 'round here while I was in class?"

"Oh, Gattaca! I have seen that one, actually, it's been quite a while though, so I guess those particular neurons didn't fire." Robert says, slightly embarassed that he had missed a reference to a classic. "As for being that-one-relative-we-don't-talk-about, you'd have me for company, on my father's side at least. I'm in sort of the reverse situation really. You see, my father worked down at the docks, and his father worked down at the docks, and so did his, and so forth. I'm the first in the line NOT to go into work that requires a strong back, and despite the fact my father did want better for me, I wasn't even able to escape comments about 'getting an honest job' at the funeral." he scowls, rolling his eyes at the memory of that.
"As for sitting around here while you were in class, well, I couldn't tell you, 'cause I didn't. I've always been the curious type, and I've never been all that patient, so I went to meet that fellow that you gave me the Polaroid of, Forrest Birch. Seems a nice guy, we ended up attending a speech given by a friend of his, Sharise was the name, I think. Coincidentally, at least as far as I'm aware, Puck released a more complete platform statement around the same time."

"Sharise, Sharise... Oh! Sharise! I've heard a few of her speeches, though she's hardly a friend to anyone I've seen. Very reclusive, socially speaking. Good speaker, though. She has a way of attracting Puck, I've noticed; announcements, when they are made, seem to be made around speeches made by her and speakers like her. Pretty sure it's just because they attract crowds that are agreeable with their platform, though."

"I could definitely see the plausibility in that," he replied. "Coming out does seen to be Puck's tentpole, and a pro-knower advocate would definitely draw a crowd with a more or less open mind to it. Honestly, I can understand reclusiveness. Interacting with others has never been my strong suit in the first place, and when you've been doing essentially the same thing week in week out for half a decade... Well, there's a reason my sole regular social engagement before I got clued in was hanging out where I got to play at being a normal guy turned werewolf turned vigilante dating a kitsune." Robert chuckled and blushed as he admitted that last bit. "I, uh, suppose that sounds a bit silly now, and I'm rambling..."

[Inumo]

Page of Cups

The angular brows of the woman furrow as she recoils from Kirrin's offered cigar. "Thank you, sir," she strains out as she holds her breath, gingerly taking the smoking drug. Turning, she puts it out in a handy ash tray, from which a sign declares, "NO SMOKING BEYOND THIS POINT." With practiced ease she draws back the velvet rope, commenting in a detached tone, "Though perhaps it might do you well to learn some humility and study up before you travel to a new country, sir." Offering Kirrin a card, she continues, "Here is your card, loaded with the money you gave me. Oxygen costs one dollar a minute for a maximum of twenty minutes per hour; alcohol prices are available at the bar. Do not cause trouble, or you will be removed from the premises, forcefully if necessary." The bouncer in the corner glares particularly hard at that last statement, emphasizing its importance.
As Kirrin gets settled, a bubbly, giggling redhead roughly his age bounces up by his shoulder. "Wotcher upter?" She asks in a clearly goofy voice, pointedly smoothing out her forest green tunic over her chest as she leans against the counter. Something caresses Kirrin's calf, though the woman's arms and legs are all clearly accounted for.

Three of Swords

According to Lemick's calendar, it's still the Sunday he left for the seminar on luck. Later on in the week, however, someone with unfamiliar handwriting has scrawled, "New Understanding." It looks like this Thursday might get pretty interesting, though there was still the matter of what in the heck happened...

((If you're going to do anything between now and Thursday, do so, otherwise PM me and let me know; I'll do a timeskip.))

Page of Pentacles

"Ah, don't worry about it," Patricia comments, waving at the air like she's brushing away the notion of such Robert's activities being ridiculous. "Sounds like it could be quite the fun time." The rest of the shift passes with, if not ease, at least no extreme difficulty.
As Robert leaves the IT center, a satyr dressed in a graphic t-shirt - one depicting a stylized forest in dark green on light green fabric - and blazer approaches him. "Mr. Charles?" He asks, his hands politely folded behind his back. "My name is Marcus Cirio. I was hoping I could talk with you for a bit this evening; are you free?"

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Kirrin smirks, affording a little chuckle it not hard for  him to notice the woman holding her breath. Then he blinks when she snuffs out his cigar but notices the sign with a sigh, thinking to himself. 'guess I'll have to light another when i leave or something.' He then blink again at the little lecture. "My mistake lady, didn't know this country had brochures..." Taking the card he is quick to put it in the right hand front pocket of his jeans. He then grins at the warning. "Really now, do i look like a troublemaker...?"

Kirrin laughs softly to himself as he heads in, perking his brows at the bouncer in a playful taunt. Sidling up to the bar he is taken by surprise when the redhead turns up albeit confused at what she said, the goofy voice not helping but indeed eliciting a chuckle out of him. "Huh? I'm just here for a little fun is all, little drinkin' maybe I'll see what the whole serveing Oxygen thing is about later...." Finding himself a little confused yet again he glances down lightly towards what is touching his calf while he speaks, thinking that there may be a cat roaming about.

[JamesCray]

"Good evening Mr. Cirio. Or do you prefer Marcus?" Robert says, greeting the approaching satyr with a smile and a nod as he slips his car keys back into his pocket. "I didn't really have anything planned that couldn't be put off to another time, what can I do for you?" he asks, surprised to be actively approached but feigning nonchalance.

[Inumo]

Knight of Pentacles

Looking down, Kirrin finds a roan cow's tail, tipped with a tuft of blonde hair, lightly rubbing against his leg. Its other end comes out from the redhead's tunic. "Oh, I understand," the woman says airily, her head lolling back to stare at the ceiling as her long, curly hair falls onto the bar. "I figured you didn't have many friends, considering that cigar smell around you. Not real friends, anyway. I suppose you don't mind, though, do you? Love 'em and leave 'em, all that what not. Like my last few boyfriends. I guess you could say I have a type, huh?" She giggles, lost in her own world, apparently. "I'm guessing you're a construction worker of some sort? Most people's jeans look cleaner, but not yours. You must not have caught many huldra's eye, either, but then maybe you didn't know, so, werewolf or vampire?" She rolls her head to look at Kirrin, then past him. Flailing an arm out over the bar, she calls to the bartender farther down, "Hey, can I get a whiskey on the rocks over here?"

Justice

"Marcus is fine. Now, consider this a formal invitation..." the satyr replies to Robert, taking his trilby from behind his back and putting it on his head. "Two," he states to the air, and suddenly the world... twists. Colors seem to run together and turn slightly pinkish, save for Robert and Marcus. Robert's muscles feel incredibly stiff and slow to respond as things start to compress towards him, then expand again with a whole new palette. Browns, yellows, and greens start to fill the surrounding space, slowly resolving into a luxuriant salon that would easily be at home in Versailles. Verdant potted plants occupy the corners, and couches loosely surround Robert and the satyr's new location as easy movement returns. "I hope you don't mind that we simplified things like this," he says, doffing his hat again. "Don't worry, we have people taking care of your car." Heading towards the only door, a massive oak piece covered in a stylized grape vine, he hangs his hat on a handy rack before opening the door. "You've doubtless heard of Puck," he continues, standing by the doorway. "Suffice to say, I work for him, and he has taken interest in you. He was hoping to speak with you over dinner, but you can't exactly say that in a public place, or even necessarily a 'private' one. You'd be surprised how rarely they're actually private, even by your own security. However, I know for a fact this room is secure, so I now extend this offer quite openly. If you'd prefer, I can have you returned to your car, and life can go on. Otherwise, if you would come this way..." He gestures to the open doorway.

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Kirrin blinks yet again, finding himself amidst another person that seems to be part animal in nature. Smirking lightly his eyes follow the tail all the way to it's starting point from the girls tunic, Then they refocus on the redhead directly, watching her move in such a 'carefree way as she speaks. "your right, i don't really have many i can call friend...." Kirrin seems to look away wistfully for a moment, possibly thinking of times he tried for friends and possibly indicating he's a bit softer than he seems. Soon though, he returns to watching her. "..but in regards to the smell no one sticks around me too long while i got one lit." He then finds himself a little taken aback at the love'em and leave'em comment, not seeming to mind the 'last few boyfriends part.

"Not my style really, but i do have a 'type' of my own just never been able ta find someone who likes me enough though. I mean i've paid for 'it' but those kind of girls, i usually don't wanna stay around'em long." Kirrin smirks softly at the observation of his attire though realizing his jeans still had a bit of mortar and brick dust among other on the job stains he reflexively tries to brush them off with the back of his hands, his Calloused palms quite visible. He then takes another moment to rub at the red A-shirt he was wearing to go with it, remembering just today he had been needed to carry a small pallet of bricks because one of the others hadn't been smart enough to keep a good hold on it, one might also notice the pair of thick, rough leather gloves sticking out of his left hind pocket and the tan work boots on his feet.

"Uh, yeah a foreman actually, i don't tend to keep up on my clothes sometimes." He was about to ask about what a huldra was but then the other question popped up and with out really thinking he answered. "Oh, uh Werewolf. Always liked those, even got a big collection of movies about'em." This had been one of the most interesting conversations kirrin has ever been in, when ever she looked at him, it seems he couldn't help but look her directly in the eyes, then she placed the order he turns to the same bartender. "I'll have myself a 7&7 more alcohol than soda.." He then looks back at the girl. "Oh, by the way. My names Kirrin, Kirrin Shaddix." Out of habit he offers his hand for a handshake. 

(Just in case your wondering  a seven and seven is a number seven sour mash whiskey mixed with 7up or soda of equal flavoring. Also, damn what a wall of text! Hope it isn't a grammatical eyesore, but i think i'm managing to shake the rust off my rp skills.)

[JamesCray]

"Well, that was an experience...Can't say I've ever travelled by acid trip before," Robert chuckles, with a slightly bewildered look on his face. "And I don't mind at all. makes things easier on everyone... My goodness, how very Baroque," he adds, once he manages to take in his surroundings. Indoors, he doffs his own somewhat more utilitarian, broad-brimmed fedora and hangs it alongside Marcus' trilby. "As for the rarity of truly private places, I am extremely well aware of how many ingenious ways privacy can be circumvented conventionally, and I daren't guess what can be done with magic. Thank you." Pausing to wipe his glasses, he steps through the doorway.

[Inumo]

Ace of Swords

"Ceira," the woman replies as she accepts Kirrin's hand, still sideways. "Everyone says sierra, or say-ra, but it's Ceira. The Irish are weird, y'know." Glancing back past Kirrin, she calls, "Oh, don't worry, this is just O2, not C2H6O!" With a giggle she explains, "Chemistry joke. Don't worry your simple, rugged head." She rolls onto her back, hands now clasped calmly over her stomach as her hair splays out a touch. "Must be pretty lucky to turn into a werewolf when you like 'em, you know. Bet you'll hate it pretty quick, though. Full moons are where all the fun's at! Ever been to a full moon party?" She sighs, not expecting an answer. "'Least you have a couple weeks until you turn next. Oh! Oh! Where's your bite marks?" At last the bartender serves up the two drinks. Ceira slips her card out from somewhere and hands it over with a sweet smile, sipping at her drink as the purchase is processed.

Ten of Swords

Robert passes on into another hallway, as gilt as the salon save for some concessions to modern technology. A flat television set into one wall softly plays a sensationalist news broadcast headlined, "VAMPIRE HATE CRIME: BOSTON MUGGINGS." "... the last home for the historic Malkav bloodline," a professional female news anchor says as the duo passes, "known for their in-depth histories on the supernatural through the colonial era. Again, the attacker frequents dark alleys, seems to prefer striking late at night, and consistently hides his or her face. Reports vary on his or her height, build, skin color, and voice, though knives are known to be a preferred weapon. Vampires in Boston should be on the lookout as the local Haven's police forces seek out the Knower who is enacting these muggings. The latest victim..."
"Pah, ridiculous news feeds," Marcus spits with disgust before quickly regaining his composure. "On the bright side, if the enchantment is lifted, there's nowhere for the media to go but up in terms of accuracy. At least then stories of hate crimes could be honest, though I pray humanity is tolerant enough to keep such occurrences to a minimum." At last Robert and Marcus come to a pair of heavy oaken doors which swing open as they approach. The baroque dining room is lavish in its luxuries, from candelabras and chandeliers to fanciful silverware and decorative medieval arms hanging from the walls. The sizable rectangular dining table is set for six, draped with a pristine white tablecloth. The place setting at the end of the table towards the door has a card labelled, "Robert," in elegant script. Marcus stands behind the chair just to the right, and with the chime of an unseen bell, a suit-clad woman with a white cow tail sprouting from under her suit jacket enters from a door on the opposite side of the room, followed by an extremely casually dressed man, a vaguely turtle-like woman in a shimmering red dress, and finally a Fair Folk dressed in a blue robe that could best be described as "uniform casual."
"Please, be seated," the faerie says when everyone has taken their positions around the table, before sitting himself at the end opposite Robert. Subtly scooting his chair in, he comments, "I'd use a round table, but unfortunately this place was designed when round tables were unheard of." Everyone shares a light chuckle as glasses of wine and water are poured. "So, Robert, correct? I imagine you have more than a few questions, so let me simply state before you ask anything, I am Puck, or at least the primary man behind the name. Now, what can I answer for you? Feel free to ask anything; you are amongst my finest counsel."

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

"Either way, its nice to meet you Ceira." Chuckling again at the name explanation. "Heh, Irish are alright if you ask me, hardy bunch with a good jab." Kirrin did find himself lost at the joke but then nodded, lightly rubbing the back of his own neck for a moment. When she rolls onto her back he grunts a little as it is quite the sight. Then he coughs a little when she next speaks. "Wait, I'm not a.... There are actual werewolves?!"  Kirrin leans against the bar. "I'm just a normal, albeit somewhat strong human." When the drinks are served he grasps his and takes a gulp. "What..what led you to believe i was more than just a man and led to the vamp or werewolf question?" Kirrin sighed, wondering what she may think about him being 'pure' human. "Oh and just so ya know, I've gone to a few full moon parties..though i wasn't exactly invited..." He then thought to himself. 'And none involved werewolves, cept that Halloween one, but those weren't real.'

[JamesCray]

Delicately, Robert takes his seat, not caring to damage such fine furnishings. When the fae in blue identifies himself, he briefly has to suppress a smirk as his suspicion that Puck was just a little too apropos a name to not be a pseudonym. Given the opportunity to ask questions, however, he freezes. Up to that very moment, Robert had quite a number of questions lined up in his head, but as soon as answers were available, they all toppled like an upset Jenga tower, so he had to start over from the beginning.
"Well," he said, "First, I believe that you all have me at a disadvantage. Beyond that, there are two in particular that come to mind. First, what is the etymology of 'Siram', and second... Well, why me? I'm kind of surprised you picked me out of all the Knowers there have to be out there, I don't think I'm anything particularly special."

[Inumo]

Six of Pentacles

The area around Kirrin falls eerily silent. "Well..." Ceira says, breaking the stillness. The clack of small round pebbles hitting tables fills the space. "It was nice talking with you, though you won't remember it."
People start talking in much tenser tones than before. The word "Knower" is always present as the chatter starts up. The bouncer moves in and swiftly restrains Kirrin, easily blocking or soaking any response the human tries. Within minutes a pair of blue-robed women with gossamer wings and grim faces arrive on the scene and approach Kirrin. "Keep still, sir, or you'll have memories of getting bruises along with the rest," one declares as the other waves her hand in front of the helpless human's face.
The alarm clock starts beeping. Ugh, I swear I'm never going to drink again, Kirrin thinks for the umpteenth time as he reaches over and slaps it off. He got up, took a shower, got dressed, went to work, went out with his buds to a bar where he got drunk, maybe got into a fight, then came home and fell asleep. Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat...

((So, uh... take two or no? PM me and let me know.))

Page of Swords

Puck laughs as Robert asks his first question. "Ah, I forget sometimes that we use different slang," he responds as an array of waiters simultaneously serve a small plate of fried grasshoppers and crackers. "Siram's something that came out of shapeshifters. After all, if anyone could be a shapeshifter and could be any sex, while still holding one gender, many found it smart to play it safe and just use one pronoun for polite situations. Break down 'siram,' and you have 'sir' and 'ma'am,' see?" His smile doesn't leave his face at the second question, though he does straighten in his seat. "To put it simply, most Knowers aren't as lucky as you. When Knowers are found, or declare themselves in some rarer cases such as yours, those that find or hear them are almost always pro-Enchantment. You were fortunate, in that you were among sympathizers. I'd like to think that my own campaign has had a hand in that, if indirectly." Looking down at his plate, he picks out a grasshopper and places it atop a cracker as he continues, "As the grapevine goes, we heard about you, and felt you might be a good man to contact in relation to the mundane perspective of the world. One can never have too much information when it comes to war, whether it's fought on the field or through the media, after all. Anything else?" He quickly eats the bug-cracker combo in two bites, returning his focus to Robert from across the table and around a gilt candelabra.

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Kirrin was confused when things turned quiet. He looked around a bit looking a bit confused. Looking to Ceira he balks at her for a moment "Wait...did i say something wrong? I don't...."  He looks around at the mumbling folks. Confused again he blinks. "What is this knower shit?!" He was getting mad at them now forgetting Ceira for the moment, clenching his hands and gritting his teeth, he took a spare cigar from a case he had in his hip pocket and with the strike of a match he lit it. The end glowering as he took a long slow drag, making a rather devilish grin through grit teeth. "Alright, be that way...I'm gonna have some 'fun' then." With that, he sucker punched the nearest guy to him, knuckles cracking on impact. "Come one, bring it!" He said, throwing a few more punches and maybe receiving a few of his own. The moment the bouncer grabbed him he shouted. "Turn me loose asshole! I'm not done yet!" For the bouncers trouble Kirrin managed to bring his foot up in a high kick, said bouncer receiving a steel-toed work boot to the forehead even though he had grabbed Kirrin from behind it seemed he had a little flex to him. Though he seemed a little surprised when the bouncer was able to take it. Then seeing the two women he scowls at them. "Well if it ain't the merry sunshine bunch...what's wrong with me being hum-" He was about to try something else as he spoke when he suddenly went out like a light from the woman's spell and he awoke in bed. Etc. 

(heh i kinda imagine some rock music starting when he decided to start a fight.)

[Inumo]

Three of Pentacles

Joneswark seems to always have a surprise for Marci. Despite her line of work, she's still managed to find herself somewhere she doesn't recognize. The streets are largely empty as she carries her parcel in the messenger bag slung over her shoulder, thankfully making it easy to read the street signs. Of course, looking constantly for street signs isn't conducive for proper walking technique; a surprise crack in the concrete catches the toe of her shoe, causing her to stumble just long enough to push her bag behind her as she falls face first on the concrete. With a pained groan, she pushes up off the sidewalk and stands, brushing herself off before looking again for this elusive Crown Street so she could drop it under the bus stop bench and get home. To her surprise, however, the entire city has changed around her. For that matter, so have the people. No longer are the gridlocked streets sparsely populated with down-on-their-luck minorities and majorities; now, men with gossamer wings, women with goats' legs, bull-headed folk, and more varied and impossible forms occupy the winding streets before her in decent quantity. Cookie-cutter middle-class housing lines the sidewalks. A nearby intersection is marked Lily Ave & Crown St.

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Marci slowly walks toward the sign at first. She seemed unsure of herself, wondering 'Did i hit my head?'  Then turning, begins walking down the street marked Crown St. as that was the one she was looking for to begin with. Now she simply hopes nothing else happens that will delay her from delivering her package to the bus stop bench. She feeling like she should go see a doctor, having a hard time believing what she sees.

[Inumo]

Queen of Pentacles

"Oh, thank goodness!" Marci hears someone, a male, exclaim as she searches for the bus stop. A pale man in a crisp, dark suit approaches, carrying a violin case. "You must be from Black Crown Parcels, right?" He asks, brushing his damp black hair out of his eyes. "Nice to meet you. You're a new face to this particular job, I must say. Do you know where Bridget is? Ah, no matter, you probably actually don't see each other at all from what I remember of her talking about your work. Here, I'll take that..." He gently takes the package from Marci, dripping a few cool drops of water on her arm from his sleeves in the process. "Oh, where are my manners? My apologies, knowing that in here is a bottle of my home waters tends to make me rather rude. The Pothoge is a wonderful river, but it's just not the same... My name is Alfred, nice to meet you!" The man shifts the parcel into the same arm as his violin case and extends his now free hand, smiling warmly.

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Marci seems to perk up a little in surprise hearing the voice at first. Eyeing the man curiously she nodded. "Yes, Black Crown Parcels is indeed where I'm from sir...." Watching him, she would give a small confused look at why he seemed so damp then Nodded. "Yes, it's nice to meet you too..." She blinked a bit seemingly cut off as this male continued to speak about the girl who had this delivery regularly before her. But She would give over the package with no problems. Marci lightly rubs her arm a moment when the water hits it. She thinking to herself. 'What's with this guy? Is he sweating or something?' Then he mentioned the contents of the package. She smiles politely when Alfred extends his now free hand. "Oh, yeah. My names Marci." All things considered, Marci thinks that water in the package must really taste good or something. This fellow being so eager to get it and all. She having missed what he could have meant about home waters or possibly living in a river.

[JamesCray]

Shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, burning sensations in the face and neck, sudden sweating, the sensations were as familiar to Robert as they were dreaded. He clamped his eyes shut and slid back from the table rather rapidly. "I'm terribly sorry to be rude, I would love to continue the conversation, but I'm rather severely entomophobic, and currently experiencing a panic attack. Is there somewhere I can go while you all finish your meal so we can continue later?" he stuttered out rapidly, his voice weak and trembling, almost in contrast to the rather formal diction that his speech defaulted to when he didn't have the mental resources to spare in order to try to sound more normal.

[Inumo]

((Holy cow, moving into college is involved. o.o Sorry for the delay!))

Page of Pentacles

Alfred rocks on his feet for a moment, before saying, "Well, it was nice to meet you, Marci." After a few more moments, he returns to the bus stop bench. Marci traces her steps back to a doorway-shaped hole in a rough-hewn stone wall, on the other side of which is the street she was stumbling down not long ago. The people have changed, though; the creatures from the bus-station side of the hole have suddenly appeared out on the street, walking and talking as if they were any other human. Eventually, Marci returns to Black Crown's headquarters, where the once-unmemorable distributor has suddenly sprouted gossamer wings. Marci's manager, who has suddenly grown hooves in place of feet and shaggy red fur on his legs, happens by at that moment. "Aw, crud," she hears him mutter before reaching into his pocket. "You alright Marci?" He asks, his face concerned.

Six of Swords

"Oh, dear, that's my fault," Marcus declares when Robert finishes speaking. Clapping twice, he continues as waiters come in and remove Robert's full plate and everyone else's half-empty ones. "I thought to check for food allergies when preparing this meal, but phobias didn't cross my mind. I assure you, this problem won't happen again. If you need time to recover, feel free to use the salon where we came in."
((Not sure if I'm making a bad assumption on how long Robert will take to recover here (35-40 mins), if I am PM me and I'll rewrite this next bit.))
When Robert returns, the diners appear to be a little less than halfway through a bowl of dark soup, clearly miso based on Robert's sense of smell. They are politely yet heatedly discussing when, where, and what to release next about Puck's platform, though they call Puck "Jacob" and seem only to use "Puck" in relation to their platform. After a few moments, the suit-clad woman spies Robert and says, "Ah, welcome back, Robert. How do you feel? Any more questions come to mind?"

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Marci gives Alfred a polite wave and nods. "Nice meeting you as well Sir." She'd say a little Embarrassed that she let things get silent for so long. She turned and After walking back the way she came, she'd stop and blink softly. Shaking her head she thinks she must really need that doctor. She idly avoiding most people till she got back to Black crown. Seeing her manager, she gives a soft and almost inaudible gasp, wondering why he said what he did, though nodded. "Yes sir, I'm fine...I just tripped while delivering that last package. Don't worry though i delivered it safe and sound." She says carefully, wanting to change the subject, she asks. "Are there any other Packages you need me to take out?" She rubbed the back of her head and chuckled gently.

[JamesCray]

((That is a reasonable amount of time to medicate himself and ride out the most severe and visible effects  there would be after-effects, and in my experience the only way to really shake then is sleep, but he would probably be pushing himself a bit because he would be feeling a but guilty for being disruptive.))

"Much better, thank you. I do in fact have a few other questions, yes." Robert replies upon his return, smiling gratefully, although he was still slightly pale. He hadn't wished to delay for too long, but the time he took calming himself down had also allowed him to gather his thoughts a bit. He slipped back into his seat, made a note of Jacob being Puck's actual name, and took a breath before launching into Aaron Sorkin mode.

"First, there was something I noticed in your general platform statement that struck me as worrisome, but I don't actually have enough background in the economy of Avalon to comment on. I'm not entirely certain of the state of Avalon's economy vis a vis the economy in general, but wouldn't cutting welfare spending while simultaneously making grants to businesses be seen as favoring those already in a better situation at the expense of Avalon's most vulnerable citizens? Not to mention the potential chilling effects on liquidity of shifting funds out of the hands of the group who by necessity puts the largest proportion of their income back into the economy due to living expenses? I try to be open minded on this, but I have to admit, this is a subject I'm somewhat sensitive about since my mother and I lived on public assistance for a period after my father got himself killed." he asked, broaching what he thought would be the most complex topic first.

"Additionally, I'm curious as to how you would plan to go about revealing Avalon without causing a panic among both populations, as well as the populations of other Havens, as I'm certain Avalon coming out would put them under increased scrutiny as well. Oh, and speaking of Havens, how do you intend to handle the ongoing hostilities with Sanctuary?" he added, wanting to get the questions out there while he had them in his head. That done, he finally lets his attention wander to the soup. "Oooh, Miso. I grew quite fond of this when I lived in Kyoto."

[Inumo]

The Magician

"Oh, don't lie to my face, Marci, I've seen that look before," Marci's manager says. "Look, can you keep a secret? Who am I kidding, you can keep a secret. Follow me. I'll be back in a moment, Jane," he remarks to the distributor. Pulling his hand out of his pocket, he leads Marci towards the back, continuing, "You're doing better than the last person to stumble on Avalon. I'll admit I don't know much about how the Enchantment works, but everybody reacts differently to having it broken."
"Hey there boss," one of Marci's coworkers, Paul, comments as he passes. At least he was still normal-looking.
"I told you, Paul, call me Robert! Anyways, Marci, as you probably noticed I'm not exactly run-of-the-mill as you might expect." At last, the two reach a conference room. Robert holds the door as Marci enters, before shutting it behind him, cutting off most of the sounds of management outside. "Alright, here's your crash course on Avalon. Rule number one, no humans should know about Avalon, at least in theory. Obviously you're an exception, but you've gotta be careful. Lotta paranoia around humans knowing about the place, we can talk about that later. Rule number two, it's really not that different from the normal world. Start getting that internalized, because it'll make jobs there a lot easier if you can just treat it like you were heading to an outlying suburb or something from Joneswark. Rule number three, and this is just one for BCP, if you know about Avalon, you work about Avalon. You won't stop getting jobs in Joneswark, but now that you're a Knower, you're working Avalon too. Trust me, it's easy stuff, I can give you a cheat sheet on accessing the Gates while you get used to it all."
With a deep breath, he leans against the table, remarking, "Man, it's been a while since I had to give that speech. Any questions you have before I give you the rundown on Enchantism?"

Queen of Pentacles

"How is Kyoto, by the way?" the woman in the red dress asks Robert. "It's been some decades since I've had the chance to return."
"A moment, Haru," Jacob interrupts. "I'd hate for it to appear that we are dodging his questions. Let's tackle the most difficult one first, on the welfare spending and such forth. Mary, would you be so kind as to answer? You're certainly the most skilled at explaining it."
"Certainly, Jacob," the suit-clad woman answers, looking up from a notepad. "Firstly, I should note that perhaps we were unclear about what we were cutting. In Avalon, welfare is often used to refer to our social security system, though it's hardly a proper one. Historically it was used to ensure that the nobility would continue to support the ruling monarch by tying their purses to the throne, wherein applicants fill out a few particular forms which are tedious and designed for error, before which they are set in a queue to being given a very large sum of money to support them for the year. Obviously, the nobility has access to practiced form-fillers and the connections to put them at the head of the queue, meaning the money spent on welfare goes to the nobles. By cutting welfare, we are cutting the amount of money the nobility earns for doing nothing, so that we can perhaps create some social mobility as the laziest of noble houses go bankrupt and fall by the wayside.
"As to the business grants, we have been in a period of high unemployment and low economic output for some time now. Our hope is that by writing grants to independent businesses, we will be able to increase the number of successful businesses in Avalon while reducing unemployment. It cannot be denied that we are trusting our people to remember their own hard experiences and help those in trouble out of their poverty, but our platform espouses the good will of the people, as we should if we're to successfully integrate with Joneswark and beyond. As to the reveal, Pao...?"
The man in the t-shirt and jeans sits up straighter, clearing his throat as he sets his soup spoon down. "The reveal is something we've been planning for some time, though we still don't have a plan that we're willing to reveal to the public; no doubt you've heard some media talking about our platform making the very same point on our opacity. It's a delicate matter, to make an understatement, but the current idea is to begin with a series of PSAs and a gentle easing of the enchantment on Joneswark, acclimating the people to our existence over the course of a few generations. This will also give us time to handle the Enchantism problem in Avalon. If all goes well, other Havens in the area will follow suit, though if that fails our disenchantment shouldn't affect their lifestyles." With his bit done, he picks up his spoon again and goes back to stirring his soup, idly resting his elbows on the table.
"Oh, and as to Sanctuary," Jacob picks up, "it began as a disagreement between our Haven and theirs, or more rightly our king and theirs, from at least a century ago. This new election will be the second time our management has changed since the beginning of the war, matching their second time around, so we should be able to call a peace between us so long as we agree that we disagree over the morality of the death penalty. Surveys from both Havens say that people have stopped caring and just want the war to be over."
"It should be said," Haru adds, "We're not exactly seeking to get the support of the centuries old and relatively small nobility. Rather, if we're to compare to the French Revolution, we're seeking the support of the Third Estate, and hoping the threat of the people will push the First Estate into supporting us. If naught else, we're bringing topics into political discussion that haven't been talked about before, and that's an acceptable starting point. Any last questions?"
((Edited because I mysteriously added a Clarice to the dinner party, who doesn't exist.))

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

Marci's eyes go wide for a moment when her manager calls her out on the lie and gives a soft sigh, figuring she was going to be fired or possibly even something worse. Though a small look of surprise would play across her face when she was told to follow him. Clutching her delivery bag against her chest a little she would follow, listening intently. She'd give a polite wave to Paul in passing. She couldn't help but give him the once over with her eyes and continued walking. She then rubbed the back of her head lightly. "Yeah..definitely something different." She slowly walked into the conference room and turned to face Robert. She nodded intently to each rule as they were given, she seemed slightly lost on a couple subjects but nodded when he asked his question. "Yeah, since i'm going to be heading to this Avalon place, is their any creature or beings i should avoid in generally because they are dangerous?"  She smiles politely, watching carefully. Marci still seemed slightly nervous with all this new information. "Yeah, that cheat sheet would be appreciated too."

[Inumo]

Six of Wands

Marci's question is answered with a derisive snort. "Dangerous denizens of Avalon? Only if you find 'em in a dark alleyway. They're the same people you've been living with all your life, just... a little bit extra that you never knew about, and now you do. Now then," Robert declares, clapping his hands once before spreading them out on the conference table. "Enchantism. Prolly doesn't make sense until you realize that the entirety of Joneswark is under a spell, called the Enchantment. Yeah, super creative, I know, but that's beside the point. Anyways, in case you didn't already figure it out, the Enchantment keeps your average human being from catching the 'I can see faeries', and to the folks in Avalon and indeed pretty much every Haven it's with very good reason, that reason being 'you're going to murder us all'. Their thoughts, not mine. Personally, as undefined as Puck's platform is, I support him, but that's a discussion for another day and probably your own personal journey. Back on topic. Don't reveal you're a human. Easiest way to do that is to just fake being a werewolf when you're in Avalon, and make sure you don't go out on full moon nights. I know plenty of werewolves that honestly forget they're werewolves because they go to bed early and don't wake up until it's daylight again. Oh, but you might want to get a few crosses to hang around your house like in front of your door and over your bed, just to keep up appearances." He pauses to take a deep breath, then continues, "If you honestly want to know why people have it in against humans, imagine if a mob of people suddenly discovered that a good half the population of Joneswark had magic powers or were otherwise just generally better -- wait, that's not the right way to put it -- more capable of doing harm than they were. But think really cynically about it too. See? Rioting and murder gangs. Not a good time for anyone. Hence, we keep ourselves tucked out of sight from you guys, and let you think we're all just like you so you don't get scared." With a pause, he glances at first the conference room's wall clock, then checks his watch with a look of consternation. "Alright, enough of me blabbering, you've got to get back to work. Grab the package from your assignment shelf and take it to... I think it was Stross and Seventeenth. Yeah, that was it. Stross and Seventeenth. Don't worry, it's here in Joneswark; you'll be told if it's in Avalon, or your work order slip will be marked with a crown, you'll see what I mean. Off you go now! I'll have that cheat sheet waiting for you on your shelf when you get back." And with that, he exits the conference room, answering his phone and flagging down an intern along the way.

[Kirrin_Shadowclaw]

The girl blinks a little at the snort sighing softly at the explanation. It's true she only had to go on 'foolish old legends' that apparently had a kernel of truth to them. Marci simply mumbles a "Sorry." Figuring she had unintentionally insulted him. She leaned stood rather uncomfortably, one hand rubbing her arm as she listened to his explanation. Though she seemed just visibly shaken at the mention of werewolves, though she nodded in agreement. She adding crosses to the small list of things she planned to purchase when she had the free time. She gave her head a light tilt at the term 'better' though wouldn't interrupt on such a small matter, especially when Robert corrected himself. Though not able to add much to the conversation except for a nod or so on his more finer points of advice. She stood still for just a couple seconds after Robert left the conference room. She had a lot of new things to get used to and possibly a couple of questions that would have to be taken care of later. Though she was concerned on whether or not she would have to get herself something stronger than the pepper spray she had to protect herself with. Exiting the conference room herself she was quick to adjust the carrier bag she had still draped over her shoulder and grabs the package from her assignment shelf and walks for the exit, giving a quick glance over the delivery sheet that went with it. She then looked up with a soft sigh. "Okay, Stross and Seventeenth. Why do i feel I've still got one hell of a journey ahead of me?" She said to herself as she walked along for her destination.