[gilga]

The rest of the dinner goes by quite casually and friendly, Marco feels a bit of an outsider being generally uninterested in computer games. VR technology can be viewed as the enemy of a guy like Marco as anything he could possibly make people experience in their own skin could be faked by VR technology. "Some people just like to keep it real... besides - my way is usually safer... unless my client is having a panic attack while flying above the city that is." he thinks to himself. A while passes as Marco watches the rest play video games. He patiently wait for Firefly to emerge to the world that he understands.

>>Okay, I'll bite.  Tag me when things wind down.  I'll be playing games here on the couch all evening.

>> I figured... just ping me when you'd like a little break - I do not want to ruin your game or anything.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena takes an opportunity to go over to where Arc is standing.  "Yelena thinking.  Poland very cold in winter.  Much cold.  Need clothing for winter.  Yelena was going to get after arriving but now have extra days get ready.  Yelena and Arc go shop?  Yelena go alone if Srui busy with cars.  Can take Firefly if not busy."

[SgtBoomCloud]

The evening was certainly a pleasant one.  Good food and good company raised Arc's spirits high as the dark crept over them.  After a while, Jaime admitted he had to get going...offering to get the nieces' gifts while Arc wrapped up here.  While legitimate, Arc knew the ulterior understanding...he knew she didn't want to involve him in "work affairs" for his safety.  And she knew he knew.  Walking hi to the door, she embraced him tightly and promised not to be home late...

Back inside, the mechanic was chewing on a particularly spicy roasted grasshopper when yelena approached where she was chilling.  "whassat?  Oh, drek, yeah.  Tuska washe saying shummat bouta that too.  I guessh I didn't think it got colder than here, heh.  Yeah, why don't we all go get some new gear?  Thoshe suitsh we ordered are due in, we can pick them up while we out"

She grinned, stretching her shoulders and stifling a bit of a yawn, turning to the others, who were engrossed in their discussions and diversions.  Leaning forward, she looked her blood sister in the eye.  "think we will be ready for this?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena looks back at Arc's eyes...................and shrugs  "Maybe, Srui.  All here ready go.  Ready help.  Ready go mission.  Yes.  Ready for killing?  Yelena not think so.  Will be much killing, Srui.  Much.  No one here walk shadows enough for ready for that.  Yelena afraid of taking you with me.  Not afraid of Arc dying, but of Arc changing.  Of Marco changing.  Marco not like killing but follow Yelena to much death.  Such killing changes people.  Yelena already used to much death because Yelena is death.  Arc is not.  Arc is nice person.  Arc going because Yelena going.  Yelena hope Arc still look at self in mirror when done and not be like Yelena.  Arc is Srui.  Only person that close to Yelena ever.  Yelena not try talk Arc not come, but want Arc remain Arc.  Be much careful."

"But yes.  Need shop clothes.  Get suits and warm clothes.  Is good decker mage and mage start talking.  Better work together than fight each other.  Now Yelena need talk PI man."

Yelena squeezes Arc's arm before walking over to where Jed is standing.  "Hello, PI man.  Jedediah find where Bella is?  What happen to her?  Yelena worry is dead from husband."

[SmilinIrish]

Jed gathers his thoughts as he prepares to reveal to Yelena what he has found.  I was able to get some of the police reports related to the take down of the club through a PD contact of mine.   Last night I did some surveillance and found out she made it out of the club and is at Bellvue General Hospital right now.  We probably want to be careful if you try to visit her. I don't think we want Gregory to know you are still around.  As far as I can tell, he was arrested and is being held without bail.  But he may have someone watching her.

I also did a little digging on Tsina.  I found that they have a package delivery service based out of Wroclaw with offices in Zielona, Gofra, and Poznan.  After a lot of digging, it looks like it is a front for drug and slave trafficking.  They do some high profile charity work, which includes work with an orphanage, which is worrisome.   Nicolai used to be an interrogator for a bratva, but now runs his own.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena frowns at the information the PI gives her.  "Yelena sad.  Had hoped Bella not involved with anything.  Still, is information.  Wroclaw and other names are in Poland.  Much coincidence.  Maybe too much coincidence.  Yelena want see Bella.  What Gregory do?  Is he not in custody with others from club?"

[gilga]

Arc and Yelena seemed to be chatting, a variant of the chat Marco previously made with Yelena tough this time passionate kissing was probably off the table. "Could have been interesting..." Thought Marco as the thought crossed his mind. He approached Firefly that seemed to be playing online and expertly shooting all sort of avatars. After a few moments in silence he asked "You seem to be into games, were you always so good? You fight like a combat adept".


 

[Shaman_Yuri]

"Only in virtual reality," I answer as I finish up the current stage and save so that I can focus on the elf seeming very eager to keep things civil.  "I would be lucky to hit the Renraku Arcology at 50 meters in real life.  I'm a very different person on the 'trix...and in astral."  I pause a moment to look up into the elf's hesitant eyes.  "And speaking of astral, you've developed a new trick, haven't you?"

[gilga]

"It is funny that you mention the Renraku Arcology, their old building is one of the spookiest buildings in the city. I always feel uneasy flying above it.  I am actually professional with automatics, if you ever want to learn a weapon skill it is a good place to start. You do not have to be very fast, just sturdy few people in this world can dodge a full automatic burst.
I can show you sometime if want to learn. 

I completely understand how you are different in VR and in the astral. My definition of self was completely revolutionized when I started changing my shape. I could not imagine how many of my emotions where actually body specific, and each body feels different. Each body wants different things. "

He sighs "You can see that heh? It is a bit embarrassing, I used deep weed to be able to sense my craft
but it feels like I no longer need it. I can not handle it, I am overwhelmed with the amount of voices whispering in my ears. How did you learn how to control your abilities in the astral?
"

Marco takes out his comb and hands it to firefly, the wooden comb is skillfully carved, someone have clearly spent a lot of time carving it with a sophisticated pattern of geometric shapes. "Here have a look, tell me what you think - it is a new hobby of mine. Perhaps I can make one for you."


If Firefly successfully assense the comb (resists with 6 dice) she discovers that it is an F3 power focus and that it contains painful memory that were skillfully weaved into it with some magical technique.

[Shaman_Yuri]

"I...I'm not very good in astral myself.  I think there's something special to it, but I couldn't tell you what it is.  It's lovely, though."

(is told what it is)

"A power focus.  My teachers spoke of items that enhance magic, but they wanted me to learn how to handle myself on innate ability alone before I learned to lean of outside artifacts.  We...never had the chance to start the next stage of my training before I came here.  I haven't found a teacher since."

[gilga]

"Well, I can certainly understand them, I spent most of my time trying to avoid power. it is a double edged gift, the more you have the more risks you seem to take and the harder it is to keep your humility. My guess is that you found some way to restrain yourself as otherwise you'd be spiraling out of control. After all, you already posses the most overwhelming of professions, a decker.

I crafted this focus myself with Jed's assistance, neither of us was skilled in the craft before we started. So they are not that very difficult to create once you see them for what they really are. They are tools, but they are not external to you, in order to use a focus you need to expand your definition of self until the focus becomes one of your organs. This comb is now a part of me, it reflects my aura and those experienced enough in the astral can learn quite a lot about me from this comb."

Marco hands Firefly the comb again and say "I will not be angry if you shatter it right now. I would suffer as if you shattered a piece of my body and took away a piece of my soul. Yet, I damaged you and you deserve your vengeance if you wish. I am utterly and completely sorry for what I did. You seemed to be in pain, and I wanted you to be whole again. I had good intentions but I suppress many of my negative emotions - I think that deep down I desire to let go of my faith and moral restraints and just watch the wold burns. I crafted this focus in order to confront that part of myself."

[Shaman_Yuri]

I've been stewing, sometimes even seething, over the interaction with George several days ago.  Even more, my unexpected goodbye with Jenna have been on my mind.  I've wanted to reject both, but part of me has been trying to draw what use I can from the unsatisfactory dialogues.

"My guess is that you found some way to restrain yourself as otherwise you'd be spiraling out of control."

I weigh Marco's words in my head. 

Maybe he's right.

"I've done a lot of thinking since you sent that infernal creature to me.  Yelena-sensei has also had some words with me, so I'm more open minded than maybe I've been up to now.  I think you're right.  I do restrain myself.  Magic makes me uncomfortable.  It doesn't follow the rules like I'd been taught before I manifested it.  Remember, I came to magic only a few years ago - and yes it was quite a shock.  I think I expect everyone to approach it in that cautious manner, like we teach little children to handle fire.  To see you so loose with it, well I wasn't surprised when someone got burned and I was angry that it was me.  You've been reckless with your magic, Marco-san.  I'll be blunt.  But...maybe I've been too timid."

[gilga]

Marco sighs "I successfully used the heal spell in that manner before, I was in one side of the city and Yelena was in the other side, wounded. I did not even ask the specific - just sent a spirit to heal her and anyone else that was still alive on scene. She has an habit of leaving a body trail behind her you see, she became numb to the pain of others. It is what happens after so many years of darkness.  Anyhow, I pulled off that feat with no complains from Yelena - so I figured it all went well.

This time should have been easier, I was right there the spirit summoner bound was solid. My control should have been complete, this is why I do not think it is my use of magic that was flawed, it is me that was and still is flawed. I think that it has something to do with my astral blindness, I am awaken since an early age, probably since birth. It took me a while to understand that other people do not hear the spirits as I did, that adults dismissed them as imaginary friends.

I am certain that I could hear them without the aid of drugs, that I posses the astral sensing capability. I do not remember much, but I feel that something I encountered overwhelmed me, so I decided to never again open my heart to the astral. What happened with you changed me, just because I do not remember events does not mean that they do not still effect me, corrupt me and there is a great deal of pain, anger and sadness in my story, emotions that I locked away to survive.  I am only now trying to experience them again.

I can craft you a focus if you like, I can show you how to do so, it would make mana more accessible to you, more intuitive. That said, I have no idea how do you access your magic. I am experienced enough to understand that different mages do so in a different manner - some things you will have to deduce your own. I lack the mental discipline and training to follow an hermetic tradition. I cannot explain magic, the same way as I cannot teach you how to breath - I do it without thinking about it, but should you require me to engineer the electrical signals that keeps air in my lungs I'd be lost. "

[Shaman_Yuri]

"It sounds like you're really intent on changing, Marco-san.  I know how hard that can be.  I'm trying...not always very successfully.  I'll let you have time.  Just...no more demons.  If if you have to, not at me.  Okay?"

"And about the focus, I will admit to being interested.  Still, we have this mission for Yelena.  It'll give us something to to talk about in Poland and, if we both survive, we can take that on when we get back."

[gilga]

"It sounds like you're really intent on changing, Marco-san.  I know how hard that can be.  I'm trying...not always very successfully.  I'll let you have time.  Just...no more demons.  If if you have to, not at me.  Okay?"

Marco replied "I do have a spirit with me, tough I am not sure about letting him materialize here. Would you like to go to the room with me? I think that you will be pleasantly surprised. I am trying to keep low key with magic. 

Since the flight is postponed, we should have enough time to craft one right now if you'd like. We have a proper lodge in here and everything. You can then bind it when you have the mental capacity to figure it out."