Logfile from Brass&Steel. North Metro -- Liberty -- Cup of Life A bookstore/coffeehouse, filled with the scent of roasted beans, and the background sounds of hymns and madrigals. The front section of the store seems comprised entirely of couches and chairs and low-slung tables where students from William Jewell and other clean-cut local kids sit sipping their favorite java-based concoction and discussing topics that -- miracle of miracles -- do not always focus on religion. Indeed, there always seems to be the two teenagers there in the corner discussing computers, and at least one night a week, sayeth a flyer, a local group meets to play chess. Beyond the coffee area, a long counter serves as both the coffee bar and the cashier stations. Smiling, happy young kids work behind it, ringing up drink and book purchases and preparing the usual run of coffee drinks, non-alcoholic fruit punches, and so forth. Even further back are the row upon row of books, all of which are Christian in theme if not in direct content. The 'Left Behind' fiction series has a subsection of the fiction shelf all its own, along with the works of CS Lewis, for instance. There are many, *many* Bible versions, and inspirational works, and books on political philosophy ranging from right-wing neo-Fundamentalist conservativism to feel-good quasi-New Age pop-Christian healing. There are occasional passionate discussions about the merits of one book over another but this is a quiet place, all in all. Zach walks into the coffeeshop looking around curiously. He sniffs in the pleasant aroma of newground and -brewed coffee with a smile, and heads over to the counter to get a cup of nice, black javan. Roger is sitting there already, reading a book with a cup of coffee in front of him. He's stiring in cream as he reads." Zach flirts shamlessly but politely with the girls behind the counter. As he gets his coffee and turns to find a place to sit, he spots a familiar form bent over a book. He walks over and stops next to Roger. "Evenin' pal, whatcha readin'?" Roger looks up and grins "Hey Zach, how's it going?" He glances down at the book "Oh just a history of the Bible Zach takes a seat opposite of Roger and smiles. "I'm good. Any particular theme you're studying?" Roger shakes his head "Not at the moment really." He closes the book as Zac sits down "What have you been up too? Zach sips his scalding hot beverage and winces a bit as he burns his tongue. "Ow!" He mutters a quiet swearword. "I've been working my role, meeting peole and trying to keep a woman away from Lucian." Roger raises an eyebrow "Oh? What woman is that? Zach frowns a bit. "She's an artist. Just moved to town.. Say, didn't you meet her the other day? Harriet?" Roger nods "Yeah yeah, I remember Harriet. She does sculputer right?" Zach nods affirmatively. "Apparently Lucian is.....wooing her.." He makes a face. Roger blinks "Wooing her? He's...attacted to her? That seems somewhat out of character." You say, "Mhm. Probably to get me worked up. He's figured out my Boss, and with her an artist... It's working, I can tell you that!" Zach scowls at the very thought! Roger drums his fingers on the book "Yeah, that is troubling. Does she like him? Zach grumbles into his coffeecup. "Yeah, she does. Kinda. He's a charming, stylish fella with Good Hair and intelligent to boot. What's not to like - when you don't /know/..?" Roger nods slowly "And from what I've learned about these guys, can't they just talk you into liking them? Zach nods quietly. "Yes they can, in a way. They can't induce emotions like a habbalite can, but they can make you belive you're attracted. In addition to 'normal' charming manners." Roger sighs and leans back in his chair "So, what are we going to do about it? Zach leans a bit foreward, cradling his cup and lowering his voice considerably. "We need to make him dead." Roger glances around and leans forward noding "Ok, can we get him and Traci at the same time? You say, "I doubt it. I play to win, and my odds are higher with only one demon at the time." Roger nods slowly "Alright. So how do you want to take him out? Zach looks somewhat whistful. "I'd love to just blow him up with dynamite. And maybe some added colorful fireworks added." Roger sighs "Lets think subtle for a few minutes shall we." Zach fidgets and looks somewhat annoyed. "If I get more subtle now I'll go insane. Damn but I wanna make some waves in this town!" Oh dear. Bored creationer... He drinks his coffee. "But you're right. A simple wrench or axe to his head should be sufficiently subtle." Roger nods "Of course, then we have to get him alone...I wonder if he has a crimial record. Nahh, Probably not. Zach shrugs. "Can't hurt to check him out." He grins. "Hiding nude pictures of Traci in his drawer with his fingerprints on would be fun too." Roger laughs "Ah, but where would you get the pictures...well maybe she has some in her apartment. Have you broken into it yet Zach shakes his head. "No, I haven't." Roger nods "Yeah, I haven't had a chance to get ahold of the magizine. What did you say it was called? You say, "Beppin School. Japanese." Roger nods and jots it down. "Is it popular here in the states? Zach shrugs and shakes his head. "I have no idea. It's apparantly Schoolgirl smut. You have to ask vice about that." Roger nods "I will, be sure." He sips his coffee "Anything else going on? Hachilah enters from the street. Zach thinks for a bit, then grins. "Well...maybe. Heh. I nearly got a heart attack yeasterday. There I was sittin' in the park, playin' my guitar and minding my own busines. I was chatting up a lady when Lucian came sliming by, and somehow he got the lady to tell him her name. I swear I nearly fainted!" Roger frowns "Ah...how annoying. Why does he hang around you if he hates you? Hachilah wanders into the cafe, humming absently to herself. Her eyes light up when they lock onto Roger and Zach. She pauses briefly, to study them. You say, "Nonono! IT wasn't him that induced my shock. It was HER!"" Hachilah raises an eyebrow and tilts her head at Zach. Roger blinks "Why was it so shocking? Zach looks excited as he leans over the table, obviously telling Roger some tall tale or other. Hachilah listens very carefully, with supernatural Perception. >:) Zach leans in closer, grinning exitedly and gesticulating with his hands to underline his point. "Because it was the one /single/ person in town that I did NOT wanna run into. Ever. ...Delia. Fell." Roger raises an eyebrow "Oooh...the err judgement angel right?" Hachilah's other eyebrow comes up, displaying interest. She wanders casually over to the pair of conversants. Roger looks up as Hachi wanders into view and he grins "Hey Hachilah, hows it going?" Zach nodnods. "The very one. Holy shit! And Lucian must have seen my face when she presented herself, 'cause he got quite interested. And I tried to get myself outta the mess backpeddaling and treading water. I... Oh HEY! Hachilah!" He lights up into a huge, delighted grin and hugs her. Hachilah glances at Roger, and starts to say something with an expression of mild reproach. But, before she can, she is suddenly hugged. Needless to say, it takes the reproach right out of her expression. She grins at Zach. "Zach. Good to see you!" She glances at Roger, her expression turning mildly stern. "Hello Roger. I am fine. As is my hearing. You really should try to be more discrete... or at the very least, more careful with your words." Hachilah says, "You know it's bad when a Seraph is telling you to be discrete. :D" Roger glances around and grins "Eh, it's ok, no one else knows what we're talking about." Zach says, "We weren't /that/ loud, but you missed those posts where that was stated.:P And your hearing /is/ exeptional so.. :)" Hachilah says, "Don't mind the Habbalah in the corner, reading the Book of Job... ;)" Zach clears his throat slightly embarrased. "Ehm. You never know, Roger. You never know.. That's part of the deal." Zach laughs. Roger sighs and nods "Yeah I supose so, Still it's hard to remember sometimes you know." Zach pats his arm. "You'll get used to it, pal." Roger grins "Maybe one day." Hachilah nods in agreement with Zach, though she regards Roger with a measure of sterness. She joins the guys at their table, sliding gracefully into a seat. "So." She says it in a low voice, to Zach. "You've met Ms. Fell." Zach grins. "Sure did. Scariest moment in Kaycee so far!" Roger chuckles "Tell me more about her." Hachilah raises an eyebrow. "I thought that she was very pleasant. I took comfort in our conversation, actually." She looks sort of confused. Zach smiles crookedly. "I didn't know that. I figured she'd be just like all the others of her kind and word. So I was desperate to avoid a confrontation in front of Lucian. I wasn't sure if he knew her, so... I phoned her up later, figuring I'd probably get into less trouble if I introducesd myself right away instead of Pretending It Never Happened..." Roger raises an eyebrow "I see. What was her responce? Hachilah's eyebrows knit together. "Oh." She says it simply, but it's a very significant word. Hachilah's legs swing absently, as her expression grows more and more ponderful. Zach snorts and grins. "Why she ruined the whole gig. She had to go and be /nice/." Zach keeps his voice to a low murmur all the way. Hachilah is conspicuously quiet. Roger chuckles softly and leans forward "What? She didn't arrest you on the spot?" Zach tilts his head and looks quizically at Hachilah. To Roger he answers: "No, she didn't. Apparantly that's not what she's here for. And when I think about it, it makes perfect sense. It was a very pleasant surprise, I'll tellya." He smiles. "She wants to meet you." Roger raises an eyebrow "You mentioned me? Err what did she say? Hachilah's hands fidget quietly as she chews on her bottom lip, grimacing delicately. Zach smiles to Roger. "I mentioned that I had spilled the beans on her to you, when I probably shouldn't have. I also told her that I'd made you promise not to seek her out unless you were desperate. And that was quite unnecessary. She said she be delighted to meet you." He then turns and regards Hachilah. "Well little sister... Out with it - what's wrong?" Hachilah glances at Zach, looking rather contrite. She pauses briefly, then blurts it out. "I told Lucian about Delia. A few months ago. Before I knew. What he was." Zach sighs. "Oh... Hmm, yeah. You did say you had sent him her way. Did you tell him what she was..is?" Hachilah nods miserably. Roger frowns slightly "Well...that's bad." Zach wrinkles his brow a bit in thought. "How come you thought he was Destiny?" Roger blinks "You thought he worked for Destiny? Hachilah sits up, becoming vaguely indignant. "I thought he was Destiny, because he _told_ me that he was Destiny." She says it like it means something. Roger rubs his chin "And you belived him? Hachilah blinks and blinks. "I." She pauses. "I. Was resonating at the time..." Roger raises an eyebro and glances at Zach "And your resonance said he was telling the truth? Hachilah gathers her arms around herself, hunching her shoulders slightly. "Not exactly." Zach smiles sadly. "A balseraph never lies, according to himself. If he utters something, then he belives it to be so. At least there and then. Until he does the spring cleaning thing on his brain again... Now what did the Symphony tell you, Hachi?" he murmurs. Roger squints at the girl "So what did it tell you> Hachilah looks at Roger, then at Zach. Her expression is solemn. She speaks with quiet horror. "The Symphony was silent." Zach winces but pats her arm comfortably. "Shit happens, kid." Roger sighs and echo's Zach's words "Yeah, not your fault. You probably get a headache just listening to him huh." Zach says, "Roger better not be nodding in Zach's direction... :)" Roger laughs "Nope :) Hachilah can't help but raise an eyebrow at Zach's condolensces. She blinks, muchly confused, then looks at Roger. She nods. She glances at Zach. There's a measure of indecision in her eyes. She's thinking about something. Hachilah says, "Luckily, Hachilah isn't listening very closely most of the time :)" Zach hmphs! :) Hachilah tickles. ;) Roger laughs Zach looks at Hachilah with some expectancy. Roger sighs "Well can I buy you a cup of coffee Hachilah?" Hachilah continues to stare at Zach. "She should be informed." She pauses a moment to assess Zach's reaction to the statement. She looks positively miserable with the idea. Zach nods. "She knows what he is. I told her. But she probably doesn't know that he knows what she is. He showed no signs of recognising her, but he's a professional so that means absolutely nothing. Hell...why am I even waisting breath saying it.." Roger sighs "What does she do down here anyways? Hachilah sits back rather unhappily. You say, "She's a psychologist. And on call Agony Aunt for the local menmbers of the Host and their associates. Like you, Roge." Zach reaches out and takes Hachilah's hand and squeezes it comfortingly. Everything's ok. Hachilah glances at Zach, and squeezes his hand gently. Hachilah continues to look uneasy and conflicted. Zach smiles quietly to her, eyes warm and kind. Zach leans over and whispers something in her ear... You whisper "Have you come out from the spell Traci put on you yet?" to Hachilah.. Hachilah sways gently, leaning toward Zach. She winces and nods. Hachilah whispers something back. Hachilah whispers "It lasted about a week." Zach go wide-eyed. "What??" He lowers his voice again. "What the hell was it she did to you?" Roger looks between them looking confused "What are you talking about? Hachilah raises an eyebrow. She shrugs. "She used an attunement of some kind. I felt the disturbance, and the Symphony told me that much." Zach nods. "I knew that too, but I haven't seen them do stuff that lats for /days/. I'm glad it's over. Are you ok?" Hachilah looks at Zach with unveiled misery. "Rather the opposite. The attunement made me happy." Zach glances over to Roger and mouths one word: "Traci." Then back to Hachilah, "But you /know/ it was false and that it was forced, do you not?" Roger scowls "When was this?? Hachilah nods, sitting back and taking a plunge into the realm of extreme misery. "It felt real." She glances at Roger. "A few weeks ago." Roger sighs and runs his hand over his face and looks at Zach "What exactly did she do to you?" You say, "Like she said, T used an attunement of some sort. That's it really.." Roger nods "Well, has it worn off?" Hachilah nods, and unhappily so. Roger says, "That's good. That's something."" Zach looks absently at a random wall for a while with a small frown, thinking. He taps his fingers on the coffeecup. Then he says in a really low voice: "Hachi... You shouldn't happen to know any of the Songs of Dream..?" Hachilah shakes her head. "Nope." She gets a thoughtful expression. "Why do you ask?" Roger raises an eyebrow and says softly to Zach "Thinking of Harriet?" Zach sighs and looks slightly strained. He shakes his head to Roger. "I ask because if worst comes to worst, I might need it to help Goldie." He doesn't look happy at all about this. Hachilah's interest is piqued. "How so?" Roger says, "Err Goldie that is" Roger needs to take off. Hachilah aww. <:P Zach says, "Ok.<:(" Zach says, "Take care then! :)" Roger says, "see ya!!" Roger's beeper goes off, and he heads out. Hachilah nods to Roger as he leaves, giving him a tiny wave. Zach hesitates a bit to weigh his words. "She's been tormented by a shedite. It may or may not still be after her. When I resonated her, I found no evidence that she was being ridden at that time. But... She seems desperately afraid of sleep. She said something about being plagued during her sleep.." Hachilah settles back in her seat. She nods very slightly, as her lips curl softly downward. "What can we do?" Zach sighs. "If it is a 'normal' shedite, I know how to handle it. They have certain weaknesses that are easy to exploit. The trick will be to get Goldie along, and frankly - I have no scrouples about kidnapping her if I have to. But if it's a Belethine shedite... It can find her dreams and torture her there. And I'm pretty much useless in the Marches. We need a Dream-servant. No matter what sort of corruptor is at work." Zach fingers his coffeecup. "Goldie has see thing in her dreams she shouldn't be able to see. And she remembers them when she wakes up from her sleep. I've seen the drawings she's done and if scares me. She /must/ be helped and soon." Hachilah nods. "I am not aware of any Dream servitors in the immediate area. Perhaps we could... send the information along to the appropriate... people. In the Marches." She studies Zach carefully. "Perhaps. This isn't a job that you should undertake, personally." There is a measure of concern for Zach in her eyes. She squeezes his had softly. Zach shrugs and sighs. "I have to do what I can. My soul forbids me to do otherwise. But yes, I will try to compile a..." He makes a face, "..report to Dream's organization via Trade." Hachilah squeezes his hand again, this time more tightly, perhaps to get his attention. "You will... allocate your resources to the point of depletion, my brother." Hachilah says, "Outsourcing is good! :)" Zach smiles to her. "I know, I know. Like I said. I will notidy Dream of her. She may have some unique talent they may know how to foster. I know next to nothing about Marches stuff. What I do know is that Goldie has somehow seen Nightmare's tower and Fire's volcano. Perhaps it's been planted by the corruptor - I dunno. I do know that it must stop. Even if I have to to Dream's tower and beg on my knees." Hachilah nods, smiling gently back at Zach. "I know even less than you do, and of that, I am very certain. We are _instruments_, Arethas. We have specific... uses. I have recently decided that you undertake too much responsibility." Hachilah regards Zach somewhat sternly. Zach shrugs. "I have had the luxury of a mostly carefree, roaming life until I was sent here. Now that existence is over. It's all part of growth. I can't sit around and see all this.... /Evil/ at work and do nothing. But I do need help. Your help, Roger's help, Ada's help... All the assets we can muster, 'case there's a lot of work to do.." He looks equally, and uncharacteristically, stern. You say, "My 'use' if to fight and exterminate Evil." Hachilah's chin goes up. Try to out-stern a Seraph, will you? She tilts her head delicately to the side. "In this case, you're only _reasonable_ recourse, however, is to give the information to the instruments best suited for the job." Her nostrils flare slightly. "You aren't doing Goldie any favours by... depriving her of... the 'best tool for the job', as you mechanics say." Zach's steely gaze becomes slightly annoyed as it bores into hers. "Are you purposfully not listening to what I am saying, sister? How many times must I repeat myself? I. Will. Notify. Dream. About. Goldie." A hurt look flashes across Hachilah's face. Her eyes narrow with cool precision, though, as she responds, "I'm just worried about you, you unreasonably stubborn oaf." Zach curls a corner of his mouth into a half-smile. "Have you ever come across the saying 'That's the pot calling the kettle black'?" Hachilah blinks and sniffs. "I am not unreasonable." Zach takes her hand and kindly says: "If you are worried, then say so in seraph-speak. Don't mess around with words like that. It sounded to me like you doubted my intentions about notifying the proper people. I would NEVER deprive a human of the best help possible. Never!" His voice grows stern again. "I /cannot/." Hachilah regards Zach briefly with a mildly puzzled expression. In a heartbeat, she wraps her arms around his middle, giving him a solid squeeze. "I would never doubt you, brother." Zach says, "A 'kite telling a seraph to be seraphical. And the second trumpet honks! :)" Zach smiles then and hugs her back. "Thank you, sis. Come, let's go home.." Hachilah grins and hugs. Hachilah says, "Home would be nice." Zach takes Hachilah with him to his shoebox...er flat, where they can chat, paint, play, sing and talk to the plants. Fade to black... ------------- Hachilah says, "I, the player, was confused. I thought that you were indicating that Zach would try to do the job himself, _then_ contact Dream. <:)" Zach says, "Ah. No. No. No. :) Zach said that 'if worst comes to worst' - ie desperate measures. Then he'd consider goind into the Marches. :)" Hachilah says, "So, you only go to the Marches if worst comes to worst? :)" Zach has no desire to go into the weird places.:) I can to a celestial fight there, and I have Ethereal shields. It could work, but I don't wanna. And kites are made for insane dangers like that.:) Zach says, "I want to go to Dream and let them deal with it. But /we/ might need to deal with Goldie. :)" Hachilah nods. "Sounds good to me. :)" Hachilah says, "I'm going to sleep now. :)" Hachilah says, "Sorry to be away so much." Zach says, "Ditto. Thanks for the rp! :) 's ok."