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Wednesday--Hey, Emma? Do you want another kid?
I went by the farmhouse to drop off some supplies (found a closeout sale on Gatorade powdered drink mix and I cleaned them out) when I ran into Emma and then Alicia, who'd survived the fight with the Spirals. She claimed they were inexperienced and it sounded like her pack's totem did most of the ass-kicking. No casualties despite one of the Spirals suicide bombing and managing to take out one of their own in the process. Definitely sounds like this pack of Spirals was inexperienced and stupid. Alicia also informed Emma she knew we were a thing--she'd been to high school. (That was actually pretty funny.)
After Alicia left , Thomas showed up briefly with news from afar. There were two septs in San Fran: Golden Gate and Western Eye. Golden Gate fell and Western Eye repelled the first major assault. That got me wondering how Tyler, the Akashic Brother and one of the leaders of a chantry down there, is doing. Emma asked about Steel Angel, the sept where her dad is at, and Thomas had no news. I could see she was concerned though and I told her that no news was good news. That seemed to comfort her a little.
After Thomas departed to grab a shower, leaving Emma and I alone, and prompted by Alicia--the other day--asking what I'd gotten Emma for Christmas.... I'd been thinking about an engagement ring. Buuut we'd never really talked about kids and I kind of expect that, what with the garou pushing for more kids, that Emma'd want those. I think I'd kind of like a kid, too. But I have no illusions of being able to care for one. And Emma's in the same boat. But her mom is kin and could pull up the slack between us. I broached the subject with Emma. She seemed a little stunned by it, but this is kind of a topic you normally have if you're a serious couple. Or before you're a serious couple--when you ask yourself "where is this relationship going." She mentioned that Zoe was an accident. She didn't seem in a hurry to have another kid--and might not want a second at all. She seems to think Zoey's it. In the end, we just agreed that we'd leave it to chance. If it happens it happens, and we're both okay with that. (Although I have to admit I'm just a little bit disappointed. But I can live with that. Relationships are take and give after all. Compromise. And Zoey is pretty damn awesome. Now if I can just wean her off of Thor....) I invited Emma over to spend the night so we could give Lady Luck a shot. Been a while. Glad the moon is finally cooperating.
Wednesday night--I accidentally killed a kid. Shit.
There's a new specialty grocery store downtown, so I went there to pick up some gourmet food and a small selection of meats to cook for Emma--I wonder why I feel bad about eating meat but not so much about cooking it for someone else to eat. I think, perhaps, it is because that is the choice they have made, and I dislike people forcing their beliefs on others.
When I exited the store, I spotted Reggie and Kevin down the sidewalk, then a kid ran between them at breakneck (impossible?) speed, whipped past me, ran down the sidewalk past Fitz (oh hell), and darted down an alley. Fitz turned and gave chase. Then Kevin and Reggie. I dropped in behind those two and tried to let them know that Fitz was a new garou in town, just in case shit hit the fan, so they didn't accidentally kill him. After we were a ways into the alley, the kid turned on Fitz and dropped him with a blow to the 'nads. He then knocked down Kevin and jumped on Reggie's back and started choking him out. Jesus H. Christ! I figured I might be next, so I moved to one side of the alleyway so he'd have room to escape without needing to him me. Then I tapped into Dreaming so I'd know some defensive martial arts stances, assumed a defensive stance, and began summoning up some Forces to redirect kinetic energies aimed at me. By the time Fitz (who started singing a Christmas song) and Kevin got off the ground, Reggie was nearly unconscious. Kevin sided by me, blocking the retreat down the alley that I'd intentionally made, while Fitz assaulted the kid on Reggie's back. The kid jumped off, ran at us, threw Kevin at a wall, and then attempted to do the same to me. I grabbed his arm as he went to push me and redirected all his kinetic energy--and some other ambient energy in the vicinity--and redirected him into a brick wall. I'd intended to stun him or knock him out so the garou could subdue him, but... I accidentally killed him.
Fuck.
The rest is a blur. Reggie (an adren Uktena ahroun) asked how I'd knocked the guy out. I claimed it was judo and redirection of an attacker's kinetic energy, but I'm not sure he was buying what I was selling. Somehow, I got the Suburban brought around and Reggie loaded the body for me while the rest of the scene was cleaned and the security camera-check was completed. Then I drove home with the body of this kid in the back of my car. A scan revealed he was a fomor. Heavily corrupted. I had a couple stiff drinks once home, texted Emma that date night was off, and then started a bonfire in the back yard. Burned the body. More Forces used to make it burn white hot so there'd be absolutely nothing left but ashes. Emma showed up--hadn't seen my text. She looked nervous about what I was doing with the fire, so I stopped it immediately. I told her what had happened. She assured me I was a good person because I tried to be a good person.
Do or do not; there is no try. :/
I gave Emma the bag of groceries and mashed roses, told her tonight was off because I needed time to be alone, and that she ought to take the groceries home and have a nice evening with her family instead. She left. I went back to incinerating evidence. I melted some rocks in the process, so I got overzealous. Afterwards, I went inside and cleaned the house thoroughly. Voicemail from Tyler. His chantry has been dealing with some Nephandi in parallel with the attacks on Golden Gate and Western Eye, but he hadn't been aware of it. I'm going to go visit and lend them a hand. I think it's time for a road trip, actually. Give me some space and time to think.
Thursday--Planning a road trip. A brief chat with Val about coping with killing.
Val dropped by. I told her pretty much what I told Emma, but I also theorized that perhaps the fact that I have never killed before until this year--when I've done it twice now--might have something to do with me mingling so much with the garou. I wondered how the garou and shifters like Val rationalized killing, and Val shared the following: "There is a difference between killing out of necessity and doing it just because you can. Still, there is a very fine line between those two and it is blurred. Not always easy to tell when you've stepped over it." That's... mildly comforting that even those who kill seem to have limits, and mildly disturbing that Val believes there's a gray area between right and wrong reasons to kill."
After Val left, I put together an itinerary and packed:
First stop: Colorado to see my mentor, Pavel, and talk about my recent exploration into the past and the mage I conversed with who might have ascended.
Second stop: Arizona to see Walter, a Virtual Adept associate of mine, to discuss how Rhys used social media to manipulate people in Saint Claire to prevent full-blown rioting like happened in other cities. He might be able to use his trinary computer to write some code that would automate what Rhys was doing manually, and that could be used to prevent riots in other cities by decentralizing the enemy's online presence.
Third stop: San Francisco to lend a hand to Tyler's chantry. They value me for my ability to do ritual magick and countermagicking, which might help give them an edge or turn the tide with the Nephandi.
Fourth stop: Seattle. Lunch or dinner with Raul, the Euthanatos, on the way home. And to seek some additional advice about death and how he copes with killing.
Friday--Wheels up. Salem inadvertently spilled the beans to Slug.
This morning I awoke to discover I had a voicemail from Salem. He inadvertently told Slug I was a mage, but he said Slug didn't seem to flip his shit over that and everything should be fine. I called back, got VM, and told Salem I wasn't pissed at him. I suspect, the next time I see Slug, we'll have an interesting talk. I hope he doesn't decide to toss my cabin while I'm gone.
I went by the farmhouse to drop off some supplies (found a closeout sale on Gatorade powdered drink mix and I cleaned them out) when I ran into Emma and then Alicia, who'd survived the fight with the Spirals. She claimed they were inexperienced and it sounded like her pack's totem did most of the ass-kicking. No casualties despite one of the Spirals suicide bombing and managing to take out one of their own in the process. Definitely sounds like this pack of Spirals was inexperienced and stupid. Alicia also informed Emma she knew we were a thing--she'd been to high school. (That was actually pretty funny.)
After Alicia left , Thomas showed up briefly with news from afar. There were two septs in San Fran: Golden Gate and Western Eye. Golden Gate fell and Western Eye repelled the first major assault. That got me wondering how Tyler, the Akashic Brother and one of the leaders of a chantry down there, is doing. Emma asked about Steel Angel, the sept where her dad is at, and Thomas had no news. I could see she was concerned though and I told her that no news was good news. That seemed to comfort her a little.
After Thomas departed to grab a shower, leaving Emma and I alone, and prompted by Alicia--the other day--asking what I'd gotten Emma for Christmas.... I'd been thinking about an engagement ring. Buuut we'd never really talked about kids and I kind of expect that, what with the garou pushing for more kids, that Emma'd want those. I think I'd kind of like a kid, too. But I have no illusions of being able to care for one. And Emma's in the same boat. But her mom is kin and could pull up the slack between us. I broached the subject with Emma. She seemed a little stunned by it, but this is kind of a topic you normally have if you're a serious couple. Or before you're a serious couple--when you ask yourself "where is this relationship going." She mentioned that Zoe was an accident. She didn't seem in a hurry to have another kid--and might not want a second at all. She seems to think Zoey's it. In the end, we just agreed that we'd leave it to chance. If it happens it happens, and we're both okay with that. (Although I have to admit I'm just a little bit disappointed. But I can live with that. Relationships are take and give after all. Compromise. And Zoey is pretty damn awesome. Now if I can just wean her off of Thor....) I invited Emma over to spend the night so we could give Lady Luck a shot. Been a while. Glad the moon is finally cooperating.
Wednesday night--I accidentally killed a kid. Shit.
There's a new specialty grocery store downtown, so I went there to pick up some gourmet food and a small selection of meats to cook for Emma--I wonder why I feel bad about eating meat but not so much about cooking it for someone else to eat. I think, perhaps, it is because that is the choice they have made, and I dislike people forcing their beliefs on others.
When I exited the store, I spotted Reggie and Kevin down the sidewalk, then a kid ran between them at breakneck (impossible?) speed, whipped past me, ran down the sidewalk past Fitz (oh hell), and darted down an alley. Fitz turned and gave chase. Then Kevin and Reggie. I dropped in behind those two and tried to let them know that Fitz was a new garou in town, just in case shit hit the fan, so they didn't accidentally kill him. After we were a ways into the alley, the kid turned on Fitz and dropped him with a blow to the 'nads. He then knocked down Kevin and jumped on Reggie's back and started choking him out. Jesus H. Christ! I figured I might be next, so I moved to one side of the alleyway so he'd have room to escape without needing to him me. Then I tapped into Dreaming so I'd know some defensive martial arts stances, assumed a defensive stance, and began summoning up some Forces to redirect kinetic energies aimed at me. By the time Fitz (who started singing a Christmas song) and Kevin got off the ground, Reggie was nearly unconscious. Kevin sided by me, blocking the retreat down the alley that I'd intentionally made, while Fitz assaulted the kid on Reggie's back. The kid jumped off, ran at us, threw Kevin at a wall, and then attempted to do the same to me. I grabbed his arm as he went to push me and redirected all his kinetic energy--and some other ambient energy in the vicinity--and redirected him into a brick wall. I'd intended to stun him or knock him out so the garou could subdue him, but... I accidentally killed him.
Fuck.
The rest is a blur. Reggie (an adren Uktena ahroun) asked how I'd knocked the guy out. I claimed it was judo and redirection of an attacker's kinetic energy, but I'm not sure he was buying what I was selling. Somehow, I got the Suburban brought around and Reggie loaded the body for me while the rest of the scene was cleaned and the security camera-check was completed. Then I drove home with the body of this kid in the back of my car. A scan revealed he was a fomor. Heavily corrupted. I had a couple stiff drinks once home, texted Emma that date night was off, and then started a bonfire in the back yard. Burned the body. More Forces used to make it burn white hot so there'd be absolutely nothing left but ashes. Emma showed up--hadn't seen my text. She looked nervous about what I was doing with the fire, so I stopped it immediately. I told her what had happened. She assured me I was a good person because I tried to be a good person.
Do or do not; there is no try. :/
I gave Emma the bag of groceries and mashed roses, told her tonight was off because I needed time to be alone, and that she ought to take the groceries home and have a nice evening with her family instead. She left. I went back to incinerating evidence. I melted some rocks in the process, so I got overzealous. Afterwards, I went inside and cleaned the house thoroughly. Voicemail from Tyler. His chantry has been dealing with some Nephandi in parallel with the attacks on Golden Gate and Western Eye, but he hadn't been aware of it. I'm going to go visit and lend them a hand. I think it's time for a road trip, actually. Give me some space and time to think.
Thursday--Planning a road trip. A brief chat with Val about coping with killing.
Val dropped by. I told her pretty much what I told Emma, but I also theorized that perhaps the fact that I have never killed before until this year--when I've done it twice now--might have something to do with me mingling so much with the garou. I wondered how the garou and shifters like Val rationalized killing, and Val shared the following: "There is a difference between killing out of necessity and doing it just because you can. Still, there is a very fine line between those two and it is blurred. Not always easy to tell when you've stepped over it." That's... mildly comforting that even those who kill seem to have limits, and mildly disturbing that Val believes there's a gray area between right and wrong reasons to kill."
After Val left, I put together an itinerary and packed:
First stop: Colorado to see my mentor, Pavel, and talk about my recent exploration into the past and the mage I conversed with who might have ascended.
Second stop: Arizona to see Walter, a Virtual Adept associate of mine, to discuss how Rhys used social media to manipulate people in Saint Claire to prevent full-blown rioting like happened in other cities. He might be able to use his trinary computer to write some code that would automate what Rhys was doing manually, and that could be used to prevent riots in other cities by decentralizing the enemy's online presence.
Third stop: San Francisco to lend a hand to Tyler's chantry. They value me for my ability to do ritual magick and countermagicking, which might help give them an edge or turn the tide with the Nephandi.
Fourth stop: Seattle. Lunch or dinner with Raul, the Euthanatos, on the way home. And to seek some additional advice about death and how he copes with killing.
Friday--Wheels up. Salem inadvertently spilled the beans to Slug.
This morning I awoke to discover I had a voicemail from Salem. He inadvertently told Slug I was a mage, but he said Slug didn't seem to flip his shit over that and everything should be fine. I called back, got VM, and told Salem I wasn't pissed at him. I suspect, the next time I see Slug, we'll have an interesting talk. I hope he doesn't decide to toss my cabin while I'm gone.
