[Shaman_Yuri]

"Marco-san," I try hard to keep my voice level. 

After all that happened just a week ago, how could he ask me to let him shape change me?

"I'm glad to hear that you're trying to learn more about your magic.  I truly do wish you well, and will do my best to back you up as part of the team.  But there...is...no...way...in...Hell...that I would ever lower my defenses to you.  I was clear before and I will be crystal clear again.  Do...not...ever...use magic on me again."

I give a few moments for my words to sink in.

"Marco-san, as long as we keep that straight, I think we can work together.  I'm ready to go with you to Poland. I trust Yelena-sensei and Yelena-sensei trusts you.  That's good enough for me...for work.  Just do not target me with your magic ever again."

[gilga]

Marco sighed "I do not think that you are ready, but it is okay. I do not believe that any of us are, even Yelena.
You are what you are and I accept that - You can not truly be prepared to participate in a mass murder, not now and not ever. Not as long as you are a person. I was thinking of that spell as a possible escape in case the killing would not go as Nikolai intend it to. I bet Tsina is also quite a dangerous murderer and forgive me for not sharing the optimism  of a guy that was beaten by that woman once already and did not manage to get his revenge for longer than I am alive. 

I do not go there to take life, I go there to keep us alive. To save as many as I can. I just hope that if we ever need trust to survive we'll be able to actually work together.  At any case this is not your fault that I am flawed, this is my cross to carry. I do not study for you, I study for myself so that I can be the man I aspire to be.  You kept your temper, that is a good sign - a sign of progress."

To Velenkoradi he said "I am sorry beautiful Velenkoradi, perhaps some other time, but I do have very big plans for you once we reach Poland. You are going to do the most noble of tasks, saving people."

[Shaman_Yuri]

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Marco-san.  In the meantime, we try and keep our heads and prepare for this mission as best we can.  I'll wait to hear more from Yelena-sensei.  In the meantime, I'm going back to my game."

[gilga]

Marco followed Firefly out of the room, Arc and Yelena seemed to have been discussing something and by the look of it it did not seem very different than what he and Yelena were discussing. He approached Arc and trying to change the direction of the conversation he asked Arc "How are you feeling? Did Jamie like the enhancement? Can you still drink alcohol and not over think your life decisions?"

[SgtBoomCloud]

"You're really going out right now?"  The troll lady was speaking to Arc with a raised brow as Arc held her pack of cigarettes in hand, arms folded before her chest inquisitively and causing Arc to pause.

"Hoi, why not?  Lotta heavy shtuff goin' down, figured I'd take the edge off, eh?"  She chuckled, tapping her cheek with the pack before trying to move past but was stopped.

"Sure thing, boss, but when you tried that two days ago you were puking for an hour, remember?  A bit cold for that right now..."  Another chuckle, but the expression was enough.  Swayed, the short mechanic sighed in defeat, stowing away the smokes for another time and shrugging.  "Aye, fine.  Another time then.  Leasht we got time for thish headware sicknessh to go away, heh."

She paused, looking up at the troll and thinking deep, but giving a smile before shooting her hand out, offering it to her.  "I wanna shay shomethin'...thanks.  For what you about to do widdus.  I'm a real drek to be draggin' you along, regardlessh of whether or not you agreed to it.  But either way, It'sh been nice to work with someone shkilled with me thish past week.  No matter what happensh..."  She paused, smiling wide.  "You'll alwaysh have a place here, aight?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few moments later caught Marco approaching the human girl, her attention diverted at the odd questions.  Offering a grin, she flashed her tusks as if to emphasize her impending answer.  "Could be worshe.  The headware I got still fraggin' with me.  Haven't drunk shince because the thought shends my shtomach rollin', hah.  At the leasht, Jaime enjoys the look.  It feels right." She paused, holding back her mirth.  "The fact I can Zun'ko nas Tetala'kan  sure don't hurt!"

Scratching the back of her head, she looked the mage over, nodding.  "Ya look a bit different too.  In a good way.  Maybe we in a place we can do thish drek.  We'll make it work, eh?"  She offered out a hand to the elf, gauging his reaction.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena has been working on the list of cold-weather gear each person might need before going to Poland.  She finalizes it just before Marco and Firefly come out of the bedroom together.  The two are not at each other's throats, but neither are they chatting as happily as Yelena had hoped they would.  Shaking her head, she can only hope for the best and that the two will be able to work through the remaining issues together.  She sends the list of recommendations to the team as she walks to where Marco is standing.  "Marco talk Firefly?  Is better now?  When want go home?"

[gilga]

Marco thought "We seem to be passed hand shaking after all we've been though" so instead he warmly embraced Arc and said "I indeed sleep a lot better when I feel relatively safe. I am not used to this level of rule bending. It was some serious drek we handled." .

 To Yelena he told "Why go home, home is boring I can take you to my village that place is so different from here that sometimes it feels as if it is in a different reality."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena looks closely at Marco.  "Yelena say yes.  Yelena take on bike or Marco use magic?  Maybe show others magic not bad?  Go ahead.  Marco change Yelena."

[gilga]

Marco smiled "Off course magic, the only reason I use cars is not to attract too much attention to myself. I am usually a bit more discreet with it, it is just that I feel comfortable with you."

[Mercy Merchant]

"Will things be left here?  Yelena store in bike and get later."

[gilga]

Marco asked Arc "Would you like to join us in a trip unlike any other? If you need it to be 'work' I'll let you know that it is better to know in advance how flexible one's shape really is - and that we might need to do if we need to run away for what ever reason that is.  He looked at Tuska and said, "If you ever change your mind about mojo, I could find some discreet animal for you to fallback into. It is difficult to digest, but this is what I can bring to the table - odd ways to move people and some unconventional mojo like that love spell, I am not a particularly good warrior or anything."

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc definitely tilted her head at the query.  Sure, she was not a stranger to mojo...Merlin and Blue were proof of that (among others).  And given recent events, the instinctive fear of the magic could definitely be tangible at the back of the mechanic's mind.  But...seeing the apprehension in Tusk's expression (at least she deduced it as such, who knows), and the whole Marco-Firefly deal...

Maybe an olive branch is what's needed..

Cracking her neck, she shrugged and offered a smirk.  "Jusht gotta be back to get to my Vruk tonight, yo.  I'll give it a try, even if you don't need it with me..."  She glanced over at her van, and the set of drones lined up on the nearby bench.  "It'sh looking like my role will be hanging back and using tech to shupport y'all...shtill, I'll let you try it once."  She laughed, setting her bag of grasshoppers on a table and stretching her arms.  "uwahh....hoi, jusht tell me what ya turnin' me to....ahh....I don't gotta shtrip, do I?"

[gilga]

Marco was mildly amused with Firefly's response and then Tuska's, it was refreshing. The girl seemed to be able to keep it together as he further and further pushed her, but there was no other reason to take him to Poland. He was a pacifistic, if he could not keep them safe with mojo what could he possibly do there? Marco needed to be sure that he can use spirits and mage in front of the impulsive decker mage. Hopefully Tuska will ever trust him, but she accepted the invisibility offered  - at least that. At her weight, without the shape change it might be difficult to move her - but people have a right to their body and body shape is a large part of body image.

Marco said to Arc,  "I do not know, what suits your fancy? Are you a dog or cat person? Yelena chose a giant octopus last time- but it would make a terrible mess on your floor." He smiled.

[Mercy Merchant]

"Yelena think maybe birds?  Maybe learn to fly."

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc shrugged at the suggestions.  "Tchae, ain't nevah had a pet myshelf.  If I had to guessh, given my upbringing, dogs would fit better.  You pick, just don't messh it up eh?"  she laufhed, tapping her arm with a finger.  hmm...will my animal shape have a metal arm I wonder...