Roleplaying
2004 Archive
2005 Archive
Seminars
| When: | 3 February 2005 |
| Who: | Bronwen, Ellen, Oreniel, Sandra (NPCed) |
| What: | Bronwen and Oreniel both seem to be looking for the elusive bagwoman, although their separate searches do find Sandra. |
The Drag - Austin
The Drag is one of the busiest places in the entirety of Austin, spanning many blocks, primarily on the streets of 6th and Guadelupe. Shops, restaurants, and the like fill every building, and due to its close proximity to UT, they are more inclined to be the ecletic sort, or failing that, the sort that sell groceries and other sundries. In fact, UT's own student co-op can be found on the Drag. There's really no telling what they'll be selling in other cases -- the stores and restaurants offer most everything the average mind can imagine, and quite a few things it may've been a little slow to. Shady oak trees typically line the streets, and it's not uncommon for people to spend a day hanging out here, walking the length of the Drag to browse its many establishments.
Bronwen is seated on a bench under one of the many oak trees lining the street. She just happens to have the bench to herself, but most of her attention seems to be on the variety of people moving up and down the street itself. Apparently this detective has a lot of time on her hands to be able to people-watch.
The skies begin to darken with a thin layer of clouds condensing from the few that were in the sky already. The late night is nothing but a hodge podge of random strangers moving along the road, a few like Bronwen, sit on the benches or in the outside areas of restaurants. But there is one person who hides in the shadows of an alleyway, Sandra. She's rummaging through her bags, not more than two dozen feet from where Bronwen is sitting, digging out her cup.
Oreniel is on the Drag again. Two times... a certain person's been found in this area, and word's on the street to try and get him dealt with, and Orion's actually keeping his eyes more open for the hunters involved, since enough damage has been done to the poor man...
Bronwen closes her eyes for a moment and tries to stretch her senses to find the person she's looking for. "Oh for the abilities of some," the woman murmurs to herself before reopening her eyes and looking around the old fashioned way. "Too bad I rather like my own." Her foot idly bounces in place as she thinks.
Oreniel spots the cop (off-duty?) along the street and heads down that way, looking at the remnants of a spray-painted circle with concern for a moment before continuing on.
You know the weatherman has absolutely got to be hating the random X-Factor that Sandra has become in whether it rains or not in Austin in the last few months. Because no sooner than the clouds begin to get a bit beefier it begins to drizzle. Sandra's two 64 ounce cups are now both out and catching the drizzle. Moving her cart out a bit from the inside of the alleyway, she manuveurs to being just at the edge of the sidewalk and alleyway to get the most water possible.
Oreniel spots the previously known, barely, walker on the street. He's noted the weather oddities, but things have been, well, 'quiet' enough he's not sure what to make of her, then possibly God feels the lady needs a drink... though he pities the poor weather people.
Bronwen ignores the light rain, particularly when she spots her quarry exit one of the alleyways... but especially the one not too far from her current position. "Excuse me, ma'am," the cop calls out softly towards the homeless woman.
Oreniel curious and wary, continues towards Bronwen as she spots someone. Maybe a break in the case? He whistles slightly, though puts his jacket hood up finally against the rain.
A flicker of contempt and fear is palpable from Sandra as she looks over at Bronwen, she's not had a lot of good run ins with the law enforcement of this city, especially the ones who are Infernals in disguise. They've sensed she was something more than she was, just as Sandra knows Bronwen isn't just a concerned citizen from seeing her flash the badge in the past. And now, the police officer is coming right toward her... Sandra rummages to collect the stuff she has sitting just inside the alleyway, putting them back into her cart to make a hasty escape.
Bronwen makes a slight sound in the back of her throat at the woman's hasty movements. "Ma'am, I'd like to simply ask you some really simple questions," she asks as she halts in her tracks. "And I'd like to give you a card."
Oreniel's footsteps pick up a bit as the lady tries to run. Kool-aid, as far as he recalls, isn't a sign of the Infernal. Marinara, perhaps... but Bronwen seems calm and in control enough...
The fear coming from Sandra is quite evident, especially as Bronwen rushes over toward her and she moves to put the cart between her. "You... you leave me alone! You lot... yer all nothin' but hyenas preyin' on us!!!" Fear indeed. Sandra look around at the pedestrians around, which constitutes Oreniel and one or two other, looking for any help she can get, completely ignoring the words Bronwen spoke.
Bronwen holds out the card as she takes a few small steps towards Sandra. "My lot? There are not many of my kind that I am aware of here," she replies. "Particularly not in my field. And if anything, I would likely be more similar to a wolf than that of a hyena. The latter have little to no honour."
Oreniel blinks, "Hyenas?" He looks at the byplay with a bit more interest. "Ma'am," he asks the police officer, "Would you like some help? She seems to be scared of you."
"HYENAS! ALL OF YOU!" Sandra's on the verge of actually making a break for it without her stuff, she's so afraid of the police in Austin that she's damn near the edge of hysteria. Taking a few steps back into the alleyway as Oreniel, instead of offering Sandra help, offers the police officer help. "Are there no truly God Fearing people here?" And that's when it hits. The vision of light and splendor upon the retinas of all three, Sandra, Bronwen, and Oreniel all at once... it's a vision of the true glory and unsurpassed, undescribable greatness of the Lord. And it's enough to knock all three to their knees, as Sandra falls, weeping with joy for a moment as it seems God has interceded on her behalf, not realizing it's she who is causing the vision.
Oreniel falls to his knees, rocking a bit, face closed with utter bliss and harmony with a Truth he can barely touch, if briefly, on occasion...
"Blades and staves," Bronwen mutters, dropping to her knees from the vision. Her hands reach out blindly for the homeless woman that is obviously not what she appears to be. Most of her mind is enthralled with something she hasn't seen in quite a while, but the tiny portion of her brain that fights it tries to get beyond the vision and back into reality.
Roll by Bronwen: (3) (3) (3)
Roll by Oreniel: (2) (5) (5)
Bronwen's reach out toward her is enough to snap Sandra out of it... "DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!" Sandra pushes herself back to her feet, her old bones causing it to be slow and awkward, and in the end all she does is fall on her butt. "No! Leave me... please..." her voice nothing more than a whimper as she pushes herself back into the alley with her feet, scurrying away from the two. "Please..."
Oreniel doesn't pay any attention to that... still in such harmony with the divine in a web of vision that, sadly, lets the mudane pass through freely, without notice or comment.
Bronwen's eyes move as if she's reading the air in front of her itself. "As you wish," the detective murmurs in response as she picks up the card she dropped to slide it towards the toppled woman. "But please consider visiting this shelter. They can offer you some warm meals, at the very least." One side of her business card lists the usual information, such as name, rank, precinct, and contact information. On the back has an almost masculine scrawl in black pen that offers a shelter's address and its amenities. Browen moves into a crouch, patiently waiting.
Oreniel shakes free at last, muttering, "Wow..." and looks much refreshed and relived, and gives a deep bow to the woman. "Thank you for that..." He offers a hand to the woman, moving forward calmly and placidly.
Sandra's noticing the way both of her 'assailants' are acting, or rather the way they're /not/ acting. Both don't seem to be disturbed by the vision, making something in the back of her mind think she's not necessarily in danger. "No shelters... no... they can't be trusted..." Sandra begins to curl up in a ball on the ground, rocking back and forth, the vision still ringing in her eyes and ears. She begins to weep, not necessarily for fear anymore, but because of a great loss she still can't comprehend, even after all this time.
"This one can be. Consider it marked as safe by wolves," Bronwen answers softly. "If you see something wrong you can call or contact me and I'll check it out for you."
Oreniel is near an alleyway, trying to comfort a frightened women. "Wolves?" he asks, looking at Bronwen with concern as he shakes the last of the cobwebs out. "Sounds... a little more violent than I would expect she would want."
Ellen comes walking along, and happens to spot Oreniel and the woman. She watches for a few moments, before padding softly closer. "Hello Orion, is everything all right?" Her eyes move concernedly from one to the other.
Bronwen offers Oreniel a rather toothy smile in reply. "I believe she knows what I am referring to," the detective replies simply. "Ma'am, would you care for any assistance to get somewhere, or would you rather I leave you be?"
Oreniel turns to look attentively at Sandra... and tries the Resonance in case he needs to see her away, somehow...
Roll by Oreniel: (3) (2) (5)
Ellen goes quiet as she sees who the ragged old woman is. She just watches for a moment.
Sandra reaches out a hand, from her curled up position on the ground. The tears still running down her face. "So long, so long in the dark," her voice still but a whisper to be heard by Bronwen, who is closest to her. "I trust you now... don't betray me... somewhere safe..." she's almost lost in the rambling of her mind trying to wrap around the faint glimpse of something she once was.
Oreniel steps forward cautiously, with a deep intake of breath. "Oh, great God in Heaven..." he whispers, "The world is a brighter place than you think..."
Bronwen leans over to grasp the hand and offer a counterbalance to Sandra. "Unfortunately not as bright as you may think, sir," she responds to Oreniel. "But we try. And I am one that you can trust, I can guarantee you that." The latter seems to have been directed back towards the older woman.
Ellen blinks at Oreniel's remark, and watches Bronwen take Sandra's hand. "Anything I can do to help?" she asks softly.
Sandra didn't want any doughnuts from her before, but you never know.
Oreniel holds up his hands, "Hello Ellen... I am sorry for not saying anything else beforehand, but... I was entranced." He looks over Bronwen, "That may be," he allows, "But it's brighter than she thinks... please, officer, do not let anything bad happen to her..."
"But not as bright as you think," Bronwen replies almost curtly to Oreniel as she leads Sandra to her cart. The little trio start to make their way deeper into the alley to another major thoroughfare on the opposite side. "But if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take her to this shelter." The cop's gaze takes a final scan of the alleyway to make sure she hasn't intentionally left behind anything of Sandra's.
Ellen quirks her eyebrow at Oreniel's words, looking at him worriedly. "Entranced?" She watches as Bronwen starts to lead Sandra on her way, smiling a bit. "At least she's finally letting someone help her," she murmurs softly.
Oreniel nods cheerfully at the last bit, though he glances at Bronwen oddly. "Be careful with her," he says again, and turns to Ellen and shrugs, "It was a vision... harmony, peace, purity... Home at its finest," He whispers as they move off. "Something I've very rarely touched."
Ellen nods slowly at Oreniel's words. "Well, that sounds like a good sign. I'm glad that woman is finally in good hands, anyway."
Oreniel looks at Bronwen's retreating back. "Yes," he allows, "I think she will be..." He shudders, "It should go better now..."
Bronwen heads into the darkness, leading Sandra along carefully. Oreniel's words don't register any remark, although whether it's because they weren't heard or because she didn't deign to respond isn't clear.
Ellen nods again. "I guess she just had to find someone she could trust." She watches another moment, then swallows and speaks softly. "Orion, I have to tell you. Pan is gone. You remember her, the orphan? She disappeared recently, along with the librarian Remy and two other people."
Oreniel spins and says, "Wait, the D-" he stops, and says, "Sorry, I don't want to drag you in farther to the War than you wish," he says with a bow, and then asks, "When? How?"
"A few days ago. It was at that new club that opened recently, Lux's. Pan and Remy walked in with a man and a woman. They were all dressed in white. Then, there was a flash of light and the four of them disappeared, in plain view of everyone." She shakes her head. "I bet the management is still giving out the story that everyone who saw it was drunk, or something like that."
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