We're off to see the Wizards (attn Orphan, West and Zilker)

"Holy shit. When did they build this!"

Val had some vague recollection of the Circle of Creation as some kind of cathedralish place of worship, but this was a freakin replica of Westminster Abbey sitting in the middle of the suburbs of Sacramento. She knew there wasn't anything like this when she was growing up, but people just walked by like it's been here for years.

"Did you know about this?" Val asks Orphan as she finishes her Chai.

"No, not a clue," Orphan says, pretty amazed at the place as they approach. "I just got into town yesterday. I'm impressed, though. Cleveland and Omaha sure didn't have anyplace like this."

Val gets out of the car once Orphan parks it. "Okay, lets see how bad this is going to get."

She waits for Orphan and goes inside.

Orphan grabs his duffel bag and heads in with Val. "Hard to tell how things will be with the Guardians and the Arrow sharing a place, but I'd hope to be able to bear the daisho of my Legacy when reporting in to the ranking Arrow." On the way in, he is watchful for metal detectors or any hint of wards that might react to unknown individuals bearing weapons.

Teegan arrives shortly after Orphan and Val, parking her Ford Explorer outside the building. She heard from her mentor in the army that the Arrow had established a meeting place here but she didn't expect this extravagant facility. She looks over her plain black cargo pants and gray tank top with a sigh, maybe I should have come in uniform. She slides an mp5 out from under her camo jacket that was on the passenger seat and quickly locks it into a black case under her seat. She glances at her rear view mirror as she steps out of the Explorer catching sight of her guitar. She wonders if she'll get to play tonight or if this might actually be the start of something more important. When she enters the building she takes a moment to look around and get her bearings in the unfamiliar place.

~~Narration~~

As Valkyrie and Orphan begin to ascend the steps, it becomes increasingly difficult for Val, until she feels as if she's hit an invisible wall.

Teegan follows the pair up, noticing the small young woman stop for no apparent reason.

Teegan and Orphan both notice Supernal Script on the sides of the tower as they near; one denotes the Adamantine Arrow, the other the Guardians of the Veil.

(( Need Wits+Composure -5 from all 3, any success reveals spoiler: ))

Spoiler:

Teegan steps around Val and continues up the stairs. She takes note of the Supernal Scripts on the towers but seems oblivious to any sounds ahead.

Spoiler:

Before she says anything, Val tries taking a step backwards.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Orphan notes Val can't move, and notices the Supernal Script and the unknown woman who is walking up the stairs without a problem. "Poor Valkyrie," he thinks. "Last thing she needs is something else getting in her way. She might hate me for this, but..."


"Excuse me," Orphan says to the unkown woman. "I'm Orphan. My friend here... well, she's not with the listed organizations," he indicates the Supernal Script, " but she's really got what it takes, and she was told to come here. If you'd be so kind, would you be willing to help me see if we can carry her through whatever ward has stopped her cold? We have to be careful, though, as she's badly injured."

Teegan turns back at the sound of his voice, she looks Val over for a moment then looks back to Orphan, dubiously raising an eyebrow"I don't really have the authority to be bringing strangers into my Order's private sanctum. I think we should go inside and inform them of her situation. I'm sure they'll take her in and heal her once they hear that she's hurt."

Valkyrie looks Orphan right in the eyes. She gets out four words directed at Orphan through her clenched teeth. "Over. My. Dead. Body."

She tries casting a Sight.

Then she tries again.

She tries a third time, growling in frustration. It's like the noise an angry kitten might make.

Spoiler:

Teegan laughs lightly, "See, she doesn't want that either." She looks at Val again, "Think you can wait here?"

Teegan feels a tingling in the air and realizes the stranger on the stairs is trying to cast a spell. She seems undisturbed by the feeling.

Orphan has to put effort into not grimacing when the topic of healing is raised. He gives Val an "I'm sorry" expression and a shrug, then turns to the other woman. "That's fair enough. If you could let them know she's out here, I'm going to wait out here with her."

Val looks even angrier at Orphan's suggestion that she needs a babysitter. She looks like that "Hang In There" cat hanging from the tree limb, only much angrier.

She points up the stairs like an angry mother and snaps at Orphan. "No, you go. I figure that there are people training or something up there, so I probably won't be waiting very long. And it's lot like I can get into more trouble." Valkyrie starts pacing back and forth along the invisible line that she can't pass, examining the whatever-it-was blocking her path.

This whole magic thing was starting to seem like it was more trouble than it was worth.

Spoiler:

Orphan stops himself from commenting that it is bad luck to suggest one can't get into more trouble, but keeps that inside, not wanting her even more pissed off at him than she already was. Instead, he merely says "Okay, I'll try to be back with someone in a couple minutes." He then follows the still-unknown woman up the steps.

Teegan smiles slightly at Val, she's kinda cute when she's mad. She turns and continues up the stairs ahead of Orphan. "So, I'm Teegan. Mind if I ask your name?" she asks him, as she clomps up the stairs in her thick army boots.

Waiting until the two of them are out of sight, Val stands on her tippity-toes and reaches up as high as she can, just in case it's some perverse height-based limitation.

"Good to meet you, Teegan. I go by Orphan. The lady back there is Valkyrie." He's wearing well-weatherd clothing - hiking boots, fatigue pants, leather jacket, workshirt - and caarries a large duffel bag in one hand.

~~Narration~~

Walking inside, the grand foyer has several doors leading out of it. Both by listening, and by sigils over the doors, Teegan and Orphan find themselves in what would have been the sanctuary of Westminster, but instead appears to be a training arena.

Two men look up, one is wearing a gi, the other sweatpants and a t-shirt. Both have bruises and bloodstains on them, and the smell of gunpowder is heavy in the air. The air also smells incredibly fresh, for being indoors, almost as if it had freshly rained. There's also the tickle on the hair of arms and necks of a Hallow.

Teegan snaps to attention, a position that seems very natural to her. She addresses neither of the men in particular. Her voice is strong and clear. "Neophite Teegan of the Adamantine Arrow reporting." She quietly waits to be addressed.

Once inside, Orphan takes a moment to open his duffel bag - slowly - and withdraw his daisho, again slowly, then strap it across his back with the hilts of the sheathed weapons extending over his right shoulder. He then walks up next to Teegan and introduces himself.

"Orphan, Disciple of the Adamatine Arrow and of the Brotherhood of the Demon Wind, also reporting for duty. I have a companion waiting outside, who is not of the Adamantine Arrow or the Guardians but who was directed to come here. Her name is Valkyrie."

~~Narration~~

The men exchange a look, and approach. The Caucasian holsters his pistols and returns Teegan's salute with a crispness of someone who was also in the military.

The Asian man smiles, "I'm Zilker, Epopt of the Guardians. Let's go meet Valkyrie, shall we?"

"West," the other man says. "I'm the Arrow Magister," he says, with a slight discomfort, still uncomfortable with the role. "Are you both Talons, First Talons...?"

Teegan's eyes switch to West, "Talon, sir." Her hard expression softens slightly, "We should hurry, I believe she's injured."

"Talon as well, Sir," Orphan replies to West. "And yes, Valkyrie was badly injured last night, though her condition is now stable."

~~Narration~~

The group walks out front where they find Valkyrie waiting. West wears an unreadable expression, but Zilker looks a bit sad and amused at the same time.

"Come in, Valkyrie," Zilker says, "I'm Zilker."

When Valkyrie tests the Ban again, it yields.

Valkyrie cautiously takes a step across the invisible threshold. Then she gets this look on her face like she has a hundred different things to say, but doesn't know where to start.

An awkward silence threatens.

Teegan quietly walks with the group, waiting to be addressed again before she speaks.

Teegan scans the practice yard then stands with one boot on the bench watching the conversation between the others. She also wonders what brought Val here and thus keeps any questions she might have had to herself waiting for, what she considers, a more appropriate time.

Orphan doesn't say a thing, letting Val handle West's question but hoping she will express interest in becoming an Arrow.

Damnshitfuckdamn Valkyrie swore at herself loudly in her own mind, since apparently the only real skill she's picked up in the last three days was an uncanny ability to fuck herself completely over.

"This woman at the Museum told me I should talk to you about my future as a Mage. However," she pulls out the remains of Ghoster's phone. "I was asked to give this phone to Zilker by someone who knew Ghoster. And now I've just flubbed my second chance at giving it to him and I'm sorry, but I'd really like to take up as little of his time as possible at this point. Could you possibly give me directions to wherever he's going?" She's obviously uncomfortable with the situation, but what's she going to do?

She smiles and snatches the gun from the air. With a practiced quickness she breaks the weapon down to its basic parts wiping them clean with a cloth she drew from one of the many zippers on her black cargo pants. In no time at all the gun reassembled. She flips it over, holding the handle out to West. "Sir."

Orphan watches Teegan's performance, impressed. Though competent with firearms, he's nowhere near as comfortable or experienced with them as she appears to be.

Valkyrie looks at the damaged phone in her hand. "Alright, do you have something I could write a note on for him?"

Valkyrie declines the pen, showing no awareness that it might be a magical tool, or even one might be, instead pulling one from a pocket and spinning it from one finger to another while she thinks about how she wants to word this. After a minute the settles on what she wants and starts writing.

Spoiler:

She pulls a blue rubber band out of one of her pockets and affixes the note to the phone.

Teegan seems to loosen up a bit when West asks about them about themselves and speaks with cool confidence, "Well, I was born here in Sacramento. I joined the Army the minute I turned eighteen. My parents weren't to thrilled about it but I knew it was where I belonged. I flew through ranger training at Fort Benning so they sent me out to Iraq." She pauses, her guard dropping just enough for the others to tell that the next subject is uncomfortable for her but she continues speaking with the same confident voice. "They made me leader of my unit and ended up geting a couple of people out of trouble over there and I was up for some sort of medal but my Awakening cut my military career alittle short."

Orphan says, "My Awakening was 3 years ago. I follow the Path of Thistle and am a Brother of the Demon Wind, having achieved the Brotherhood's first attainment. After completing my studies for the first attainment, my mentor tasked me with a pilgramage. He said that until I am ready for the second attainment, I am to find my own way while staying true to my duty as an Arrow, and meditate upon what both of those things mean. So, for the past year I've gone from place to place, trusting Fate to guide my travels, making contact with the Arrow and performing what duties I can wherever I go. I arrived in Sacramento yesterday."

He thinks for a moment, then adds "I'm a Disciple of Fate and Time, an Apprentice of Life and an Initiate of Space. I'm not sure what else you'd like to know, sir."

"I fight because its what I'm good at, Sir. I'm an expert in firearms with exemplary marks in sub machine guns. Also, I'm trained in demolitions. I am a Disciple in Forces and Prime and an Apprentice in Space." She states, her eyes never wavering from West. Her stance remains tense or ready even though she's no longer at attention.

"I heard that there were some problems in Sacramento, and it being my home town, I came back to see if I could help. My parents still live in town. I guess they're my baggage but we're not exactly close. My mother taught me Spanish at a young age so I can translate if needed. I'm not really sure what my deficiencies are though, its been awhile since I've been put to the test. As for my role in Sacramento, I would like to be placed as effectively as possible. You've been in town longer than I have, Sir, so I feel that you might know where that is." She finishes off with a respectful nod to West.

Valkyrie visibly winces when West brings up the "Granite Park problem", but she waits.

Orphan looks directly at West as he replies. "I fight for honor and because someone has to, because there are things that must be fought, and things worth fighting for, sir. My father was also an Arrow and a Brother of the Demon Wind, and I see myself as carrying on his legacy while also finding my own path. I specialize in up-close fighting and have trained extensively with the daisho and in grappling techniques, but I'm comfortable with a pretty wide array of weapons. I'm not as proficient with firearms as I am most other sorts of weapons, but I have had some training with firearms and recognize that as an area of weakness which I intend to improve upon. In combat, I use spells primarily to enhance my fighting ability and that of my companions, and generally favor the Fate Arcanum for that.

'I haven't been in Sacramento long enough, and don't know the local situation well enough, to have an idea yet what I'd like my role here to be, other than to serve as ordered and with honor, and hopefully join or help establish a cabal in which I can fight as part of a team. I believe Fate guided me here for a reason, though, so I trust a greater purpose will become clear with time.

"As to deficiencies... Well, other than needing to improve my skill with firearms, I know that I haven't yet developed any leadership skills. When I was younger, I was sort of a loner, not really a team player, got in trouble, all that. I'm past all that now and have learned teamwork, but I know that my growth as a warrior will require me to learn how to lead when the situation demands."

Valkyrie looks a little surprised when she hands him the phone, and she answers without thinking about it. "It's the right thing to do. If you have some skill that you can use to protect someone that can't then it's your job to help them. If you can't do it in a way that you thought you could, then you need to find another way to do it. My father's always taught us that. I've been working as a paramedic for a couple of years now as a stepping stone into law enforcement. As to what I can do, like I said, I work for the city as a paramedic,"

BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Screams her conscience, but she doesn't say anything about that.

"And I've grown up around cops my entire life, so I know some of the older ones that are here, as well as a lot of the Hospital staff here. I can also speak Spanish, since it's pretty much a required skill in California. I'm a good driver and I have an excellent sense of direction, and I know how to manage my time really well. I know how to shoot a gun, and I have a sandan ranking in judo. I've picked up a lot of police training from the rest of my family. I help teach a self defense class on Thursdays, actually. I'm new at all this," she says, referring to the magic thing, "and I'm not very good at it, I think."

Teegan thinks for a moment, why do commanding officers always have questions like this? Then she said the first thing that came to mind, "A protector will die to defend whatever it is they have sworn to protect and a warrior, to me, might be anyone that defines battle as their chosen profession."

Orphan says, "A protector is mostly reactive, and his concern is more limited in scope than that of a warrior. If something doesn't concern whatever he or she is trying to protect, then it isn't relevant. Being a protector is an honorable thing, and protection is one of a warrior's many duties, but a warrior must also be active in seeking out threats and problems before they arise, and know when to use his or her skills and might to advance a goal, achieve an objective or promote a cause, rather than just defending it."