Fool's Journey

"Oh, nice! Huh. Uh. Careful with the candles, right? Rosie's got a phobia."

 

"Oh... Freddie didn't mention that. Good to know." She hums a bit, "We have fake battery operated candles... is she okay with those? Or should I stick with my strings of garden light tubes?"

 

"She's OK with light, it's just fire that makes her jumpy." He grins.

 

"Cool! Thanks." She grins back, then stacks their empty plates and stands. "Round two!?"

 

"Fuck yeah."

~~

After some convincing, Nick finally agrees to take Mischa by the antique store, which, from the outside, looks absolutely packed full of fascinating items...

 

She's grinning from ear to ear when she sees the place, "Eeee~! I had no idea this place was even here! And you really get to restore stuff too! That's so awesome."

 

"Yeah, well... it's... work, I guess?" Nick blinks, baffled, then waves. "Hey, Lou."

 

Louis Aurelio looks up from where he's carefully cleaning a brass candelabra, smile spreading from ear to ear. "Hey, Nick. New girlfriend?" He teases quietly, then gives a shy little wave. "Hello, Miss. Welcome in."

He's got short, dirty blonde hair, and is at least as tall as Nick, with a wiry, lanky build. He's wearing rather plain clothes, but the bangles and necklaces covering him are many and sundry, rustling and jingling and clicking together as he moves.

 

She smirks, "Nick's still getting all the ladies I take it. I'm Mischa." She extends and offers her hand.

Spoiler: Spell Roll

Smell Detection Aura : 7 successes
Wits2 + Occult5 = 7 dice
Roll 1: 6 - 8 - 9 - 7 - 10 - 8 - 9
Reroll: 10
Reroll: 8

Sight Detection Nimbus : 4 success
Gnosis1 + Occult5 = 6 dice
Roll 1: 10 - 8 - 2 - 9 - 8 - 1
Reroll: 5

 

"As ever," he chuckles quietly, carefully shaking your hand.

As you activate your spell, the scent of musk grows strong, overlaid with a myriad number of other smells - dust, blood, vanilla, pine, fruit, rain... - all flowing from his jewelry and making his precise scent harder to pin down for someone with a... less magically sensitive nose.

For a moment, you push your magic out, and see sharp teeth and gold eyes, and feel claws upon his fingertips and sharp points to his ears, the briefest flash of a magic that isn't like yours, and then the vision fades, and he scrunches his nose, reaching his free hand up to toy with one of his necklaces... grip on your hand going a little tight. "I. Er. What... what was that?"

His smile goes a little brittle and wary. "What. Was that. That you just did. Right now, Miss?"

 

"...uuuh. Lou?" Nick frowns, sidling forward. "....sssomething wrong, bro?"

 

"I... what...??" She blinks, tensing up and looking between Lou and Nick, a little worried, and inches a bit towards her friend. Uh-oh. There's no way he should know... ... It's not like she really cast anything. "What!?"

 

His grip stays tight on Mischa's hand. "...Nick?" The man asks, slowly, drawing the word out in a clear signal of... something...

 

"Uh. Woah, hold on, Lou. I think.... it's a misunderstanding? I... I mean..." He shoots Mischa a look, then throws one to Lou, clearly attempting to communicate... something.

 

The look she returns is slightly worried and a little confused, and cautiously looking to him to back her up. "... Nick."

 

"Uuuhh. Miiischa. Do you. Uh. Have. Anything, er. Weird. To tell me?" He asks, smiling weakly.

 

She glances warily at Lou, who she definitely doesn't trust right now, but still snirks a bit despite the situation when Nick asks that. There's no way she's getting out of this anytime soon. "Weird... ... ... Yyyyeah maybe." She gives her friend a softer look. "You already know I'm a witch..."

 

"Wait, like. A legit capital double-yew Witch, witch?" Nick yelps. "UUUUh. Is that. Why you know Freddie?"

 

"............if she has been, she has far worse manners," Louis rumbles quietly.

 

"I'll explain the Freddie thing later..."
"Has been what??" She frowns a bit at Lou, a little offended now. "What about my manners?! I was completely polite!!"