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>>3053544
You relax some. This is going remarkably well, and it's hard to think of this place as threatening. You kinda gesture at the other side of the table, and Emily invites you to sit with a wave of her hand; you lace your fingers under your chin once you're settled in, keeping your eyes on hers.

Emily continues in a light, thoughtful tone. "There is the obvious problem, of course. You did get exiled, dear."

You nod. "You'd be in your rights to kill me here and claim your reward."

"I thought about it," Emily admits, her tone unchanged. "It wouldn't be hard, not here in my place of power."

The lights flicker as the pop music from the speakers is cut through with a strange tune on fife and viol. You're pinned between the table and the bench, but you try to stand up as fast as you can.

By the time you're fully out of your seat your face is being touched by tendrils that extend from every plant around you, from the cacti to the ferns and even the little fir tree.

Then it is over, as if it had never been. The plants are back in their places.

Some of the customers look around in confusion, but they go back to their browsing soon enough. Emily gestures back at the table you just left, but you stay standing, your hand locked on Bifrost's hilt in a death grip.

Emily sighs, but nods. "I suppose that's fair enough. But note that you are not dead, Warlock Knight. This city...this Freehold," she corrects. "It's poison. It turns us into the meanest and cruelest versions of ourselves, and the strongest of those mean and cruel things survive. And yet you come back here, and you enter my place of power freely wearing the Mantle of rebirth on your shoulders. You changed. If you're anything like you are on the news, you changed for the better."

"...How am I on the news?" you ask.

Emily quirks a grin. "You don't watch it much, do you?" You shake your head. "You really should. I'm certain some of the segments are on the internet...now. You're back in town, and you've come to me. I imagine you'd like something?"

Your face goes a deep black. "I hadn't meant to be so...I mean...it's - yes." You cough into your fist. "I'd like you and your Court to sanction my presence alongside Raul the Inquisitor's Autumn."

Emily Rose sighs a deep sigh, but whatever she's about to say is interrupted by the little girl and her father returning. She immediately gives her attention to the child, who signs something at her. Emily tousles the girl's hair.

"You should be confident in your tree before you try a terrarium," she tells the kid. "I know they're exciting, and very pretty, but they take a lot of caring for just like your tree does. It would depend on you. Remember what I said about not taking care of something that depends on you?"

The girl signs again, with her big solemn eyes looking up at Emily.

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>>3053612
"That's right," Emily says, glancing over at you. "It's cruel not to care for something that needs you." Her eyes go back to the girl. "I'm very sorry, but I have some unexpected guests who've come a long way to see me. Can I ask you and your daddy to head on out, and ask them to come inside from the rain?"

The girl signs rapidly, looking distraught.

"I promise, we'll have a longer session next week to make up for it. You have my word." Emily offers her hand out, and the little girl shakes it after a moment. The two share a tight hug while her dad gives you a dubious look.

"I could stay," he offers. "If you need me to."

The Fairest queen tilts her head back to give him a grin. "I can take care of myself. Please, send my guests in."

You rub the color back into your cheeks while the little girl gets disentangled, grabs her tree, and leaves with her dad. He gives you one last suspicious look on his way out.

Soon enough, everyone else is inside.

"Some friends you said." Emily looks everyone over; Fido trots over to her and is immediately pet all around the head and behind the ears. "This is a bit over half of the people I could command, in theory. Why so many?"

You gesture vaguely. "Most of 'em are in my Motley, and then Erin wanted to go, and Sally's gotta go where Erin goes, and then Fancy said she was going -"

Emily laughs and shakes her head. "Alright, alright. Introduce me to your friends."

You introduce everyone for the second time today, though this one has a lot more 'how do you do' and 'charmed, I'm sure'. The Rook remains relatively quiet; you can almost see him visibly restraining the scowl he so often has when dealing with Fairest.

Emily rests her cheek in her hand while she looks all of you over. "I'm almost inclined to back you just to see what happens when chaos reigns," she admits. "A power bloc like this, in Philly's delicate balance...but I can't just give my favors away for free, no matter how interesting it might be. I have a friend making a documentary on our kind, the Lost, that she's been working on for some time. Grant her interviews with each of you - excepting Fido," she adds, smiling down at your dog, "and you'll have my blessing."

Forum clears his throat. "Misery Monroe'd crucify me. How am I supposed to sell that to a Winter king?"

"That would be by way of being your problem," Emily says. "I want the world to know us better."

> Accept
> Counter-offer (what?)
> Decline for now, see if Raul has another idea.

>>3053683
>> Accept

>>3053683
>Discuss with your Motley

>>3054121
>Discuss with your Motley

Exactly *how* dead are you Forum?

>>3053683
this>>3054121

>>3054422
>>3053683
Yeah, we have to figure this out first.

>>3053683
>> Accept

Aight, here we go.

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>>3053683
You look between Forum and Emily. "I'm gonna need a few minutes to chat this over with everyone."

The Queen of Roses quirks an eyebrow but nods, and shrugs.

Everyone forms a huddle immediately.

"This is cliche," Fancy whispers.

"Welcome to being Lost how can I help you," comes Vickie's irritable rejoinder. "Where's this bitch get off, demanding interviews?"

"Be nice," you scold your Darkling friend. "Is it really such a big deal? Forum, why would Misery be mad? Arthur televised the Feast of Strength."

Forum makes a pained Face. "It's not - look, if I just go giving interviews it's like - I - okay. Okay let's try it like this. What if you just beat the unholy hell out of someone in Ramona's name without asking her if she needed a man beaten?"

There's some nodding all around. The Rook clears his throat with a wet sound. "I'm not seeing a viable alternative. The Queen of Flowers has the power in this negotiation; we need her, and she knows it."

Fancy gives your Wizened friend a Look. Fido pushes his way into the middle of the circle and starts licking everyone's faces.

"Could you sell it to Misery?" you ask Forum. "Do you think you could?"

Your Ogre friend frowns. "I...I dunno. Not enough to want to try but I really don't like our options here. Think an impassioned speech will work?"

You think back to the caresses of Emily's plants. "No."

> Agree, but try to get Forum an exemption (Persuasion against difficulty 9)
> Just accept straight-up; you have confidence in Forum
> Counter-offer?
> Decline

> Agree, but try to get Forum an exemption (Persuasion against difficulty 9)

>Agree, but try to get Forum an exemption (Persuasion against difficulty 9)
Just because the endeavor is likely futile doesn't mean it's not worth the effort

>>3056271
>> Agree, but try to get Forum an exemption (Persuasion against difficulty 9)

>>3056271
>> Agree, but try to get Forum an exemption (Persuasion against difficulty 9)

Unless we fail /really/ hard, this doesn't seem likely to cause too much trouble.

>>3056271
>> Agree, but try to get Forum an exemption (Persuasion against difficulty 9)

>>3056271
>> Just accept straight-up. You'll personally explain to Monroe and take part of the backlash if you can.

>>3056271
>What is our end goal here?
>Does Misery consider it important?
>What are the probable consequences if we DONT do this and fail.

Oh, also spend glamour and will power.

>>3056592
Why take the risk ? And you think kicking Andy off the throne will be accomplished without...sacrifices ?

>>3057594

Er...I mean, no, obviously not, but that's not really at issue here. I just meant that it seems like asking for the exemption for Forum is likely to be a low risk/high reward option as compared to the plain Agree option.

> Agree, but try to get Forum an exemption (Persuasion against difficulty 9). If Emily couldn't understand that we need to /try/ and get him out of it or he's going to have an even harder time selling it to Misery, to say nothing of our obligations as his Motleymate and friend, she wouldn't have power here.

In other words, if we fail, we're still in a better position than if we just accepted straight-up. We made an effort to avoid getting into the situation, and that will count for something with Misery - to use Forum's analogy, it's like the difference between just beating the dude up in Ramona's name and trying to get him to stop doing whatever made it necessary before you start throwing punches.

>>3056892
Changing my vote to >>3058071
Make it a little obvious that you understand why you are objecting.

Kids go home tomorrow. Thank you for your patience.

Aight, roll me 1d10+5, ONCE

Rolled 6 + 5 (1d10 + 5)

>>3064037
rolling

Rolled 7 + 5 (1d10 + 5)

>>3064037

>>3064037
We continue to ultimate smash those social checks.

>>3065102
You do. Yesterday ended up not working out but I'll sketch this update at work today.

>>3065263
see you tomorrow

>>3065325
Well, you weren't wrong.

Sorry about this transition period folks. New job adjustments are always rough, and right now this one's coming in at just a little more or a little less than sixty hours a week.

>>3066906
Ouch hope you're at least making some decent dosh.

>>3067168
$12 an hour, I've got a carpool and they feed my ass. I haven't had to consume the flesh of another human being in nearly a week.

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>>3056271
6+5 = 11; SUCCESS

You look around the circle. "Alright. I'm going to see if I can talk her out of including you in this one, Forum. That way, Misery can only be mad at me if he's gonna be mad at anyone."

"You might be surprised," Forum mutters. "...But that sounds workable anyway. Especially if we really do need her say-so to be in town."

Vickie nods her head. "I've been smelling war on the wind like smoke since we got into town. It's all gonna go to shit here pretty soon if someone doesn't head it off, which...guess we've been voluntold for that one."

Everyone nods at once and then the huddle breaks up; you catch Emily Rose smiling coyly when you turn to face her again. You clear your throat and step forward to be the Official Spokeswoman.

"We're willing to accept your offer [i]with[/i] an exception made for Squire Forum Troll of Misery Monroe's Winter in addition to Fido Eriksdotter, professional dog," you tell her in your best formal tone. Fido barks when he hears his name and sits in front of you with his tail wag-wag-wagging. "I'm honored to count Lord Monroe as my friend, and Forum as well. Winter's ways are not Spring's."

Emily quirks an eyebrow, but when she answers back she's matching your formal tone and cadence effortlessly. "Why should the Coldest Court bestir itself over a lowly Squire?"

"Why should the Antler Crown contend so fiercely for one?" you counter. "If you call my friend lowly, then let him go. You have celebrities enough without him." You nod towards the window, where outside it's still pouring rain. "Mariah the Nerd would raise a fuss if Forum were [i]her[/i] Squire. Surely Misery Monroe deserves your equal courtesy, as a peer who has never done you wrong?"

The Queen of Roses nods to herself and then knocks, just once, on the table. "Well-reasoned. I agree to those terms and will get in touch with Raul as soon as possible."

It's all you can do to avoid sagging in relief. "Excellent. Today's schedule is...gonna be busy...since we have other obligations. Which, meaning no offense -"

Emily waves you off. "No, I understand entirely. Leave me your contact information and then get what you need done, done. And, Colors?"

You pause in the middle of getting out your phone. "Lady Rose?"

"Welcome back home."

It's a block and a half out the door and back towards Dad's house before you register that you're soaked to the bone from walking ahead of the group and its umbrellas, lost in the weird feeling that meeting has left behind. Erin catches up to you first once you slow down, umbrella in hand; the transition from exposed to sheltered comes with a sound like it's stones instead of water hitting the stiff umbrella.

"Hey," Erin murmurs. She puts a light hand on your shoulder, and when you don't shake her off she goes for a full arm around your shoulder. Shipmate Sally trails behind, exposed to the elements and loving it; she skips and splashes with a huge grin on her face.

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>>3070348
Man I really need to see if I can tempt someone into drawing New!Erin

"I'm all wet," you say, a little black in the cheeks. "Thanks for, y'know."

Erin makes a dismissive sorta sound. "So...okay. I've been talking to Ramona, and the Bishops, so I'm just gonna say this now. Maybe there's no good time to say it at all, so - I know you're gonna be busy with your family, and with your old Freehold, and we're all going through some important stuff. But I was hoping, since this is about the closest either of us will ever get to a vacation, that you and I could slip away for a night sometime."

You blink. "Like a date?"

Erin gives you a Look, an accomplishment since she has a blindfold on and no eyeballs. "A date, yeah. An intimate meeting of explicit romantic intent. Y'know, that thing we probably shoulda done prior to fucking. Sally and I talked to Morris before we all left, and if you ask, and Sally agrees, she can transfer my minder rights to you for a set period, like when we were gonna do the ritual. No third wheel, no expectations, just..." she trails off. "What happened in my apartment was one of the best moments of my new life," Erin says. "And what happened after...I like you. And I'd like to see where that goes."

> Agree to a date
> Decline

>>3070413
>> Agree to a date

>>3070413
>> Agree to a date

>agree to a date

>Agree to a date

>>3070413
> Decline
Not here, and shes not Vickie

>>3070413
>> Agree to a date

We can find the time.

>>3070413
>> Agree to a date

>>3070413
>> Agree to a date

Gonna call and write at about 10 AM (2 and 1/4 hours) EST. Got the day off, but also got Professional Obligations for the writer end.

And here we go.

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>>3070413
You look back over at Erin, then lean in and kiss her cheek. "When we've got time, I'd love to," you tell her. "Just...things are complicated for me right now and I'm sorta answering some questions for myself. Can you be understanding about that?"

The smile that plays across your blind friend's lips is girlish and giddy. "I get it. I'll start scheming with Sally when I get the chance."

"Scheming?"

"That would be telling," the Fairest singsongs. "You should call the Valks up."

Y'know, you should. You dig out your phone and dial the contact information that Agents Martin and Candle gave you. The Valks pick up on the second ring.

"Agent Vasquez, Task Force: VALKYRIE."

You breathe a sigh of relief - dealing directly with the person in charge should simplify matters. "Agent? This is Colors Eriksdotter, from New Avalon. We were told to meet with you today. You actually met with my parents, about, um..."

She cuts into your trailed-off sentence smoothly. "About Susan Moore, yes. We're actually still here."

You blink. "It's been hours."

"I'm aware. Explaining things took some time, and then your sister insisted on hosting a tea party."

Ahhh.

"We're on our way back, if that works to meet," you tell her. There's some generalized agreement, and then you catch Betsy's voice saying something about brownies.

Which is when you hear the spookshow go, "Fuck yeah, brownies," under her breath before, at a much more normal volume, "I'm afraid I have to hang up now." Agent Vasquez hangs up with indecent haste.

"Everything okay?" Erin asks.

"I think my sister is going to be a lobbyist."

* * * *

That block and a half with no umbrella has you all fucked up by the time you get home; you breeze past your Dad, still kinda dripping, and tell him you need to change. Once you emerge from the bathroom in dry clothes and with your hair very carefully toweled off, you're met by the person who is presumably Agent Vasquez in the upstairs hall just outside the bathroom. Your first clue is the bit where she's an alert Hispanic woman in a sharp suit openly carrying a pistol, but the real clincher is the bit where her breast pocket has 'VASQUEZ' embroidered on it.

You offer a hand out to shake, and she takes it firmly. "Eriksdotter, nice to meet you in person," the Agent tells you. "There somewhere private for us to do this?"

"Not really," you admit.

"I'll ask your father if he minds stepping out for a bit, then. Get comfy in the kitchen, it's the only room that'll fit all of us."

Five minutes later, everyone you brought with you, and Vasquez's crew ("Freki Squad") are assembled. Aside from Vasquez herself there's a lupine Beast who introduces himself as James, all aglow with a Summer Mantle of warm noonlight, a small, thin dude that won't stop chewing on his coffee cup who introduces himself as Ricky, and an older blonde woman introduced as Agent Michelle, all in suits and ties.

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>>3075469
Everyone gets settled, an activity that involves a certain amount of raiding the fridge for snacks (Forum and Vickie, sitting next to each other, are visibly writing a grocery list with which to restock Dad's kitchen) and drinks. Agent Vasquez eats what has to be her fifth Easy Bake brownie and then clears her throat.

"So, to recap and be sure we're all on the same page, you all have come here in response to an act of war on the part of Andy Nubis's Summer, which you feel demands his removal from power." She produces a sixth brownie from her suit pocket and nibbles the corner. "You got in touch with VALKYRIE in an attempt to ensure there's no misunderstandings, and don't intend to start a war or particularly kill anyone. Sound about right?"

You nod. "The scope of our mission is to topple the King of Jackals and ensure a successor that won't do this again."

Vasquez nods. She and James share a look while she continues to nibble her brownie, and then she looks back at you. "What if we told you to turn around and go back home?"

"Excuse you?" Vickie asks.

"Didn't ask you," Vasquez answers without looking at the Darkling. "I'm speaking to your commander."

> I am not their commander! No matter how many of them tell me I am!
> What's VALKYRIE's other option? You can't prosecute crimes committed in the Hedge, it's lawless territory. We've always had an understanding.
> With respect, we'd stay here and get this done. New Avalon has asked for VALKYRIE's assistance, not its permission.
> Write-in?

>>3075499
>With respect, we'd stay here and get this done. New Avalon has asked for VALKYRIE's assistance, not its permission.

>>3075499
> I would ask you to provide your damn good reason. This is Court business; we're just being good neighbors and keeping you in the know.

This is related to option 3 but is also very different.

>>3075499
I very much support this
>>3075531

>>3075531
>>>3075499
>> I would ask you to provide your damn good reason. This is Court business; we're just being good neighbors and keeping you in the know.

Yep, thirded.

>>3075499
>> With respect, we'd stay here and get this done. New Avalon has asked for VALKYRIE's assistance, not its permission.

>>3075499
>> Write-in?
>Motley Spokesperson. And please don't adress my very deadly Armiger like that.

>>3075499
>> With respect, we'd stay here and get this done. New Avalon has asked for VALKYRIE's assistance, not its permission.

>>3075499
>> With respect, we'd stay here and get this done. New Avalon has asked for VALKYRIE's assistance, not its permission.

>>3075531
fourthing

>>3075499
Supporting >>3075531

>>3075794
Supportibg

Called, writing new thread.

>>3081449
Writing new thread tomorrow, I gotta go to bed for work.

Adjusting's been a bitch.

So, aside from the short threads: everyone been havin' fun?

>>3075794
>Motley Spokesperson. And please don't adress my very deadly Armiger like that.

This too^

NEW THREAD

>>3086875
>>3086875
>>3086875
>>3086875