2020-05-25 TPC: Scouting a Cloud, Meeting at the Gas Station
Still Alive
Participants: Abigale, Alexa, Ashlynn, Addison, Edgar, Artaud, Flynn, Sandy, Snake
Storyteller: Nate
Location: Just north of the thick miasma over the umbral 405
Date and Time: May 25 2020
Summary: Reunion. But wait, there's more!
(A continuation from 2020-05-25_TPC:_Scouting_a_Cloud,_Northern_End and 2020-05-25_TPC:_Scouting_a_Cloud,_Southern_End)
From the distance a silvery gleam can be seen, followed by the sight of Protects The Fallen as she glows, encassed in a silvery wrap of armor. Along with the other three that is Circuit Tracer, Onuris and Smoke On The Water, there is not a scratch upon them. The large Ragabash is currently floating in the air and scouting with a blurred ripple through the Umbra. She lifts a large paw and waves it in front of her muzzle, hacking a few times from the smog, ears wilting backwards. As she spies the others, she tilts her muzzle upwards. << I see you're all alive! Good job, good job! A victory for the Sept! I look forward to hearing your side of things later. >>
As he did prior, Flynn Circuit-Tracer leads the remaining half of the group along the Umbral freeway with his tail flagged up in the air to provide a marker through the smog and eyes gleaming with the fullness of the moon. He took to the Hispo form as he went to make crossing the distance a little easier to catch up with the other Garou quicker. Outside of reeking like the back end of a poorly tended diesel truck, the gang look to be whole and unharmed. He lets Protects the Fallen share the initial greeting as the two groups converge and he swaps from Hispo back up into Crinos with a few pops of his spine and the faintest iridescent shift to his coat that shows the delicate tracery of circuits. << What have you found here? >> The Master of Rites asks as his eyes take in their surroundings.
And Onuris Den-Digger is here, better known as Artaud, again looking happy, and cheerful. <<Was flying! Flying wolf. Got caught. But is good. Not hurt. Made it all fine though.>> Artaud muses even as he trots along looking all happy and confident. Though his nose constnatly scrunchs up every few seconds from the scents.
<<Doing things well?>> Incredulity from the Ahroun, Ashlynn pushing herself up to her full height to stare at the others in her group. There's a shake of her head and she starts to move back the way they came from, where hey first entered the Umbra, patience tested until rage limns every movement.
Ghostwalker was slim for a Crinos. Slender and long of limb rather than brutish. Smooth lean muscle twists under his dark pelt, which is trim to body save for the mane of jet black hair that stripes down the back of his neck and spine. Rather than of a particular line, his Crinos expresses the diversity of peoples that were collected under the umbrella of the Tribe of the Elder Brother. His pelt, sadly, suggests two species of wolves that were extinct all but in Garou bloodlines. Here in the Umbra, there's always a flutter of unseen wind through his mane, suggesting that he is more spirit than flesh.
When the Northbound Pack reaches the Station he pauses, rising up on his haunches to peer around. Though resilient, this place made his eyes burn and water. He looks to Circuit-Tracer as the Southbound pack joins them. <<"Furmling,">> he reports, <<Bane of Fire... and Wyrm's Blood.">> The Ragabash reports to the Master of Rite with a gnash of his teeth. <<"Ugly place. Needs cleansing.">>
Snake is in the air above the senior group, blurry at the edges and even less obvious than an airborne Hispo would usually be around people who don't usually look up, even such a massive Hispo as the Uktena makes. He doesn't come down to land, instead staying aloft to play lookout, for now at least.
Abigale saw the others now recently joined as she approached the group of newcomers and held herself up in a sort of respectful manner. Yet she would stop as one of the others in her pack made the report. She sat back and waited. Her time as leader was done as of this moment.
Alexa's fur bristles at the Ahroun's words, and her gaze snaps after the Cracks-the-Skull as she breaks formation. Her teeth flash for a second, ears perked, but then she sees that the Ahroun is doing what she can to manage her rage. <<"We'll talk later,">> she says firmly, simply to her cousin. <<"Gather yourself. Cool off.">>
There's a slight tremble to her arms as she cools her temper. She is grateful to hear that Addison has filled the elder pack in, and she lets a long exhale through her nose, eyes flicking back to the gas station.
Giving a nod of her head, Protects The Fallen says, << Same here with the Furmling and several hodglings. Nothing we couldn't handle. The pollution from the freeway is probably going to keep attracting more of them. Busy lanes of traffic. Did you all find anything of interest that could shed some more light? We had a straight forward battle, quick and easy but nothing stood out to us. >> The Adren gives a swivel of her head towards the retreating Black Fury before she gives a curious look back to Alexa.
Abigale didn't say much but she was watching the place. She clearly did not look very happy at all. Something was gnawing at the theurge. Her spirits were lifted but something was still bothering her.
<< There are many such places. >> Circuit Tracer looks to the gas station with a distasteful curl of his lip. There's an odd gleam to his eye, an electric greenish cast. << Cleansing can weaken their power, but the taint must be removed from the other side as well. We will need to say if there is anything making this place more attractive than others. >> He looks to the departing Fury with a wordless stare and a flattening of his ears, but he makes no move to stop her and instead looks back to the station with his cybersight to see if anything is hidden from normal view.
Forged-in-Flames glances up to Protects-the-Fallen, her hackles still on end a bit, breath heavy. The moon was large, and her cousin had just thrown a fit. A few slow breaths, and she began steadying herself. <<"Though the Theurge is skilled with soliciting information from the spirits, we wound up being lead down an old trail all the same. Ashlynn is frustrated that we were not lead to our quarry. The moon is large, she's an Ahroun, and the hunt was not as straightforward as we had hoped.">> A slight smile. Her hackles continue to fall. <<"We also disagree where the fault lies. But that is a conversation for the Bawn, and not here in the thick of the Wyrm's stink.">>
Abigale did not say anything, there was a very long whine. Her ears flattened down, visibly looking down and huffed. The Lupus seemed a little crestfallen.
Ghostwalker's nods is chin in response to the Master of Rite's wisdom, clearly respecting the premise of picking one's battles. It would take considerable efforts to truely cleanse this place and even with two packs... they weren't very many Garou. <<"Should we try and lure it out?">> The Ragabash suspects. Fire-y Bane inside of a gas station sounded like a recipe for fireballs. <<"I would rather not like to... explode.">> He gives the umbral shell of the Gas Station a glare that suggested he wouldn't shed a tear if this place exploded, though.
Artaud blinks then as he looks things around as his eyes narrow for a second, finally looking at the gas station. But he stays quite and out of the way.
<< I feel like you are leaving out some details. >> Protects The Fallen says as she perks her ears upwards. << You say there is more of the enemy out there? None of you are at fault. Not every battle is a straight line. What is important is doing your best and if there is more to come, we create a new plan and we go in again. You are all alive and uninjured. I see this as a small victory for all of you. >> As she looks towards the gas station, then over towards Ghostwalker, she gives a shake of her head. << No, let's not try and lure it out. If something of such power that can make a gas station explode, it's best to have a tactical retreat and we can scout the area fresh once more. We do not wish to run the risk of danger to not only us, but the humans on the other side. >>
The Adren gives a glance over towards the pair of Ragabash, lifting her ears upwards as she seeks a response from Snake, at the least. With a look back to Alexa and the others, she says, << You /all/ did fantastic. Be proud of yourselves tonight. Much glory to you and your pack. >> <OOC> Sandy radiates her high charisma. Boost dem morales.
<< Spirits don't always give us the answers we ask for, but the answers they feel we deserve. >> The Furmling inside the building is larger than what we fought by several times. It isn't likely to go down easy and this is a dangerous place to battle fire. >> Circuit Tracer states as his eyes study the building. He flexes his claws to form a sphere about the size of a basketball. << We need to determine what is feeding it and come prepared to draw it away without destroying this place. That is a scar I don't want to put on this city. >> He looks back to the gathering of Garou and declares, << We scout the area and then we go home. This is a battle for another day. One when your hearts are in it. >> He grunts out to the younger lot of Garou, though he doesn't sound judgmental in it. << Not all battles are won in one night. >>
Snake drops down to almost join the others. <<If we know what we're looking at, we can work out what to do,>> he says. <<But we can't do it now. We've done good work, all of us - now let's get clear before their reinforcements arrive. Hit and run, because hitting and sitting gets people killed in this town. Time to go, ladies and gents and anyone else not just covered.>>
Abigale would nod, looking very tired and a little distraught. "I would agree... perhaps at a later time we can reach this place." She said, looking to the others, waiting to see if they would begin to step out of the Umbra.
Alexa's shoulders square up, and she gives a firm nod to Sandy. <<"And glory to you and yours as well, Rhya, for your victory.">> At the instruction to fall back, first from Sandy, and then from Circuit Tracer, Alexa nods her understanding of the orders and glances to the rest of her war party.
<<"Whatever Ashlynn says, I want you to know that I'm proud of you,">> says Alexa, her gaze first looking to Addison, and then to the young Theurge. <<"I'm impressed by the skills I've seen at play today, and the size of the quarry we've tracked speaks volumes about what we are facing.">> Her eyes turn back up, and she slowly rises to her feet. <<"Honorable Adrens,">> she turns, addressing the southern war party. <<"Thank you for your kind words.">>
And then crouching back down, she brings a hand to rest on Abigale's back. <<"If I might have a word, young Theurge, once we are clear of the Bane?">>
<<Honorable.. yes? Yes.>> Artaud muses then even as he continues to listen, just staring at the gas station from afar. Therei s so much going on, so many people aobut, that Onuris doesn't seem interested in getting involved! Keep his distance for now at least.
Ghostwalker listens to the rest of the Adrens as they seem to conclusively agree that they should scatter and regroup. The Crinos bobs his head in a nod. Being no Ahroun, he wasn't about to go attempt to tangle with that thing himself. He turns his head towards the compliment Alexa gives and bobs it in thanks. The Uktena then turns, gazing across the umbral landscape lit by the light of the moon. He squints down into the hills of Los Angeles, having the first real opportunity to look at them from the umbra. His eyes seem to be searching pathways, figuring out how he was making his way home.
Abigale would look to Alexa and slowly nodded to her. "Yes Alexa-rhya. Of course...lets go please"
<< If you wish to speak more of the spirits, seek me out. >> Circuit Tracer says to Abigale, but the wording is as a request and not an order. << I am always here to teach and discuss. >> He gestures away from the station and says further, << Go and cross, everyone. I will watch our backs until you are all across. We will make plans later. >>
<<"Addison-yuf,">> says Alexa, looking up. <<"Will you be able to join us in the Tellurian?">>
It's not immediately clear why he wouldn't be able to, but the question sounds genuine, and she watches the Ragabash thoughtfully.
Abigale seemed to nod and would look at the two of the pack she was in. "I will follow both of you" She said
Snake nods to Flynn, then finds himself a spot and makes his way across the Gauntlet again. And then, still blurred at the edges, heads off to reclaim his bike and head back to the Sept.
The Ragabash closes his eyes to focus. There's a great strain in his brow. It seems like, to the homids anyway, that he has... much more difficulty than he should assuming his breed-shape. When he finally does manage to do so, he looks a bit nauseated standing there. His eyes were on the ground as he nods his tight lipped reply to Alexa. He pulls out the strip of cloth from his back jean pockets, ready to blind himself again as soon as they crossed.
Alexa rises up, letting her fingers glide off of Abigale, and she shrinks down into her breed form, massive form and Fury-patterned pelt disappearing into her regular clothes and skin. She rests a hand on his shoulder, and looks at him with deep brown eyes. "Alright," she says, and smiles a bit. "Good. Let's get the both of you home, yeah?"
And with that, she guides them back to where her car is waiting.
