⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 3

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 15st - 22th, 2017
Where: Still in Portland
What: As all sides of the struggle gradually become informed, and the awareness of outsiders begins to spread, Portland faces a critical question - what should be done with them? And who gets to decide?
Warnings: Individually marked!

THE WOLVES AMONG US↴ ► WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS: It's fairly common knowledge that October is a special month - Halloween has always been an excitable time in the supernatural community, because its during this month that the magical energies of Earth seem to disproportionately swell in power. This peeks on the 31st, and has every year for as long as anyone can remember. The holiday of Halloween is a byproduct of this, because the magical phenomenon has gone on for ages past. It's also a pretty common time for wizards to attempt bullshit shenanigans, and also when the Severing first came into effect. ► TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL: Towards the end of the week, Prudence Jaeger will be asking her angelic contacts for a pretty huge favour - she wants them to help her and some of her associates break into the Circle stronghold that the visiting Council members are staying at. It seems that they have some kind of macguffin item that will be needed to crack the barrier cutting off the Earth from the cosmos - and, to that end, allow the angels and mysterious outsiders to return to wherever they call home. ► THE PATH TO HELL: Perhaps unsurprisingly, Team Heaven isn't the only group to clue into the fact that the Circle has what they need. On the same night that the angels go in, so will Anath's army, as the arch demon finally arrives in the city just in time to join the party. Whether the angels and demons fight each other all the way or cooperate to achieve a mutual goal is up to them. ► WITH GOOD INTENTIONS: The Circle and Torchlight aren't all bad, okay? It's entirely possible that they are just acting in the best interest of humanity - unfortunately, that has resulted in them being pretty massive pricks recently, and now the payback for that is arriving on their doorstep. If you're a member of the Circle, you may or may not realize that anything is coming in time for you to prepare. (That will depend on your threads up to the end of the week.) However, once the fight starts, you'll be charge with defending the Councillors whether you like it or not, and Torchlight is getting pulled in as an unexpected ally to ensure their safety as well. Are you going to heed their call? Or is it time to split from the pack? ► BLOOD OF ICE AND FIRE: It's been made no secret that the Rose Queen isn't the only fae trying to pull back her lost changelings - now the Winter Court appears to be doing it, as well. More than a handful of changelings have gone missing over the last couple weeks, lost to both the thorns and agents of the Count. Whatever they're doing, it's also in competition with each other - Winter and Summer will be biting at each other's heels far more than normal, to the degree that it becomes clear they must have some competing objective in mind. Unfortunately for everyone else, that objective happens to conflict with the desires of just about everyone else. Fae are, by nature, opportunists. - ✪ - These are the major conflicts that will be coming to a head towards the end of Week 3. In the meantime, your actions will decide how certain elements are set up, and what the likelihood of success is for each group. Dice rolling handily won the opinion poll where we asked for the preferred method of conflict resolution, so that will be coming into effect a bit later on to determine who actually wins and loses, with advantages based on the choices made.

Comments

[pipers_son]

In contrast, that doesn't even seem to be a problem Joker is thinking of. He just trails right behind his charge, glancing back over his shoulder and taking stock of the place to make sure that there's nothing lurking about. Normally, he wouldn't be so paranoid, but with the city as it is...

[destiny_key]

On the contrary to Zecora's impression, Sora would probably be clinging to Joker's arm if he were any younger. As it is, he's trying to be brave, trying to seem like an independent young man, so he doesn't, but he's definitely staying as close to his guardian as he can. He definitely, absolutely does not want to be by himself.

Sora steps through the door into the clinic properly, and follows the doctor back to one of the private rooms, occasionally glancing back to make sure Joker is still there.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

So long as he looked comfortable with the situation, Zecora had no complaints. She followed them in, a professional but sincere smile on her face as she shut the door behind them.

Maybe, she thought, she ought to get some sort of sealed lead plating for her exam walls. When she was rich. Ha!

"I think I have heard a little of this situation, but I'd like to hear in your own words what brings you to me."

[pipers_son]

After making sure Sora is settled and comfortable, Joker gives his best reassuring smile and squeezes his charge's shoulder. It's the most he can do right now. Hopefully his exhaustion doesn't get in the way too much.

"She won't judge," he promises. "So no worries, alright?"

[destiny_key]

Sora nods slowly at Joker's reassurances, but it takes a moment before he can make himself speak. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, almost starting before changing his mind, and then finally decides on a way to begin.

"So, um, I'm a seer, right?" he begins, and he still doesn't quite like the taste of that word in his mouth. "But, um, my visions have been weird lately. I've been seeing, like, memories and stuff. And everything's more... intense. The visions have been worse, and sometimes it feels like... like... they're bleeding into real life. Everything feels so... fuzzy."

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Zecora nodded. This wasn't the first time she'd heard such a complaint -- though she had a quiet hunch that the answers wouldn't be so simple as usual.

But still, let us begin with the beginning.

"Have you been eating properly, sleeping well?" Aside from being obvious potential causes, they also offered a springboard to deeper issues.

[pipers_son]

Joker can't speak for Sora, only help prop him up in the face of adversity (if it's not the kind of adversity he can take care of himself). So he stays quiet as Sora finds the words to say.

Still, he does have one thing to add. "I've been tryin' ta make sure he eats enough every day, but..." That last one he's not as sure about, and he glances down to his charge.

[destiny_key]

"I mean, I've been okay, but I guess... I haven't been really sleeping that great. But it's more... it started after I started having the weird visions."

If that even makes any sense.

"Everything's been so weird lately, its hard to sleep. Or remember stuff. I think... I'm not sure, but I'm not doing great at school, either. Sometimes I blink and it feels like I missed three hours."

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Zecora nodded, not at all surprised by his answer. Well, maybe a little, in that he described himself as 'okay' despite everything. "Mmhmm. And when did they begin?" That, in and of itself, might answer everything.

[pipers_son]

It's been a good couple of weeks, now, Joker thinks, but... With how much he's been running around, and all the nonsense with the angels, well. He's half not sure about the time.

So, instead, he lets Sora answer again, although he's here if he's not sure himself. It's been rough for both of them.

[destiny_key]

"The beginning of the month. I was so sick after those first few visions, I couldn't even get out of bed for a few days..."

He pauses, thinking.

"Actually, I... I think it was the first of the month, when it started."

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Zecora nodded, slowly, then took a seat on a stool to face him, folding her arms on her knees to lean on them. "I believe that, around that time, the -- if you can forgive a very unscientific term -- the supernatural world has been in some flux. I don't know what precisely is causing this, but I have observed a greater number of instances and occurrences related to it since then. Your problems may be connected to that, or caused by it, which will make treating them more problematic."

[pipers_son]

Ugh. While Joker knows that the idea has been pricking at the back of his mind for some time now, especially ever since the meeting with Prudence happened, he still doesn't like actually hearing it. His lips twist as he tries to fight off the grimace he wants to make.

"Impossible or just problematic?"

[destiny_key]

Sora listens carefully to Zecora, nodding, but it only confirms his suspicions that there was nothing to be done. He's not afraid to be here, anymore, but he's still wondering if there was a point to coming at all.

"So, um, what can we do?"

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

"We are still going to try," she told Joker, with a wry smile. "It is the same with everything, in medicine. You treat and see if it works. If not, you address and try again. An outside influence is no different than polluted air to an asthmatic, in terms of dealing with the problem."

She turned back to Sora, tapping her finger on his chart idly. "Tell me more about your gift. Do the visions come at a particular time, or in particular circumstances? Does anything set them off? In ordinary cases, could you control them? And do you know anything of how you got them in the first place?"

[pipers_son]

Well... Joker puffs out a breath and nods. Doing something is better than nothing, and you never know. Sometime it works out.

However, this part is what Joker knows Sora was most worried about- talking about what the's capable of doing that most other people can't. Carefully, he rubs the boy's back, letting him know that he's still there and that it'll be alright.

[destiny_key]

"Oh... Um..."

It's true, he doesn't like talking about this. He can't even remember the details, sometimes, and getting some people to understand is like pulling teeth. But he can do this. He can totally do this.

"I don't... know how I got them. I've had them for as long as I can remember. I don't really... remember being a little kid at all, either. I don't remember anything before I was seven."

This is depressing. Maybe lets move on now.

"Anyway, I can't control them or anything. They just... happen. Whenever and wherever. It feels like I pass out or something. They're just kinda... random. Sometimes I don't even see anything important. I've seen dumb stuff like me brushing my teeth and stuff. It's mostly dumb stuff, actually. I don't know anything about it, except that it happens."

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Hmm. That complicated things slightly, but wasn't surprising. It meant, if nothing else, that she had to start from the very basic and begin properly.

"Do you have any particular sensation or warning when one is coming on? And for that matter, have you felt different since you first noticed the increase of visions?"

Still listening, Zecora moved to a large cupboard to one side, opening the door to start rummaging through.

[pipers_son]

'Like shit apparently' is what Joker wants to say, but he bites his tongue and instead just smiles down to Sora with a squeeze to his shoulder. See, not going so badly. He knew he'd made a right choice in going to this particular doctor.

[destiny_key]

"Um, not really," Sora starts slowly, thinking. "I guess I feel sleepy for a second, but it's not really... enough time to do anything about it. It's pretty immediate."

A pause.

"I've felt sick more this month. And more tired. Like I'm always tired, but no matter how much I sleep it won't stop. What's the word... fatigued? Like that."

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

"That could be caused by any number of things... but it's good to know." Zecora set a plastic bag full of iron filings on the counter, then a double-bag full of different shavings. "I'd emphasize first of all to eat and sleep regularly, make sure your body gets what it needs as best you can. Even if that isn't the direct cause, it will keep things from getting any worse. Now then... We have a few options that may help damp down your sensitivity. Have you ever had any discomfort or pain from close contact with iron or lead?"

[pipers_son]

"He's not a changelin'," Joker promises, unable to keep quiet for much longer like the fussy parent guardian angel he is. "At least, not directly so, as far as I know." But after enough generations, who knows what's in a bloodline. Still, it's never been enough that Joker's found any problems.

[destiny_key]

"Yeah, I've never had any problems with that stuff," Sora agrees, eyeing the bags of metal warily. Just what was Zecora planning to use those for, anyway?

"And, what d'you mean, damp down my sensitivity? What're you gonna do?"

He's starting to get nervous again, now.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

"Iron affects more than just changelings and fae. It is a symbol of order, solidity, and unyielding control. Many supernatural effects are bothered by it. So, my first recommendation is simply that you wear this iron, in its bag, around your neck. That may help lower the frequency and potency of your visions.

"If that doesn't work," she continued, lifting the second bag, "then we will try the same thing, but with lead, which often interferes with the transmission of supernatural power of all sorts."

[pipers_son]

Well, she's not wrong there... Joker rubs his chin. It sounds not too bad on the safety measure, either, and wouldn't hurt Sora.... probably. Still, in the end, this isn't a choice he can make, even with his position being what it is. Instead, he looks down to Sora.

"What do you think?"