Wandering in Dark Worlds (Jumpchain SI)

[Oddly Lionized]

0. Durance

I had to be dreaming.

I hoped I was dreaming.

Because if I wasn't dreaming then I'd actually be here.

I'd be staring up this grand ephemeral Gothic styled castle. I'd be staring at the castle drawbridge descending towards our procession of strange men like beasts in chains. I'd been watching as the silver gates rose upward.

The ogres, the scary and dusty skinned men reminiscent to, but not exactly, boars herded us in. Their armor gleamed in the strange misty light of the sun in the green sky.

If it wasn't a dream I would have been in chains, if it wasn't a dream, I'd been one of those beast-men, if it wasn't a dream, I'd been a child instead of a man. I'd have had two tails, I would have had cat-like ears, I'd have plantigrade cat legs, clawed toes and all. I would have had talons instead of fingernails.

Except, I felt the gravel as they stabbed into my feet with each step. The air and smells were too real to be a dream. The sting of the collar biting into my neck with each tug reminded me that this was no dream.

I held back a whimper as I felt the steel dig into my neck again.

It was real.

I shook my head, I had to keep thinking otherwise I'd go insane.

I glanced around and noticed that there were other creatures, but some humans in chains. They looked scared as everyone else, some of the creatures were resigned.

I really needed an explanation, but it seemed like a really bad time to ask.

The noble people were coming and they were beautiful.

Creepily beautiful, like something made of CGI but in real life. Ephemeral perfection, a bad sign, a really bad sign, like I think I fell into some demonic crack in space.

Most people would call this heavenly, but that was for people who never dealt with occult nonsense. True evil knew not to be ugly when appearing to a target. It preferred making a great first impression before turning on you.

This smelled of bad juju, I had to trust no one.

A skeevy looking man dressed finely spoke in a grandiose voice shouting ", the grand auction is now beginning, lords and ladies our stock is quite the haul this season."

He stood on a small stage connected to one of the carriages, the guy was not bad looking but not great either. That top hat with a coin in his hand, I stared at the coin. It felt really familiar for some reason, but I couldn't place why.

"There is also a gem hidden in the common stock, I'll discuss the details with the pricing if you locate such an interesting find," the man announced with great cheer.

The lords and ladies gained a look of interest. I sat in the corner, I kept my eyes to the ground, I needed to not draw attention to myself.

I watched as a normal scared blonde kid cried as he was dragged off by a matronly being. I took a deep breath and the instant I did I felt a presence behind me.

A strong hand snatched my head and turned it. The sight a bespectacled visage an elderly, yet lovely, woman took up my vision. Her grey eyes stared into mine, then her head swiveled around like a bird as she grabbed me.

She was about to shout to one of the slavers, until a chime like voice stated ", my what is that."

The few captives near shrunk back as a woman who had this slender build in yellow finery with long deep dark red hair, she stared straight at my eyes.

Most likely they were staring at my soul or something. I was not happy at this development. I try to look away but she held my chin.

"How interesting-'"

The red head was shoved back by the elderly woman who snapped ", I saw it first."

That caught the attention of others and I could feel eyes on me. Eyes that were ambivalent at first glance, but zeroed in on my existence in curiosity.

I'm not sure why I knew this, but I did.

The bespectacled elderly woman snarled at the crowd that wanted to get a look at me. Several of the captured just stared bewildered. Even the slavers were wondering just what had gotten into the crowd.

I felt hands trying to rip me from the elderly woman's supernatural grip.

"Let me see the boy," declared a man whose eyes were crazily opened eyes.

"Let go of my new pet, ya hag," an angelic little girl shrieked. I bit my lip as the bratty little girl tried to rip my arm off.

"He looks like good partner" a luscious woman smelling of strong perfume exclaimed

"Give him to me" a fat richly dressed gentleman declared angrily.

" A new choir boy, I need a new choir boy," a ghostly preacher with glowing eyes growled.

"Such a child could use some discipline," a frigid woman grounded out. The frigid woman was trying to shove the elderly one off of me,

" He's made to be a soldier," some sort of finely dressed knight announced, the knight gripped my left shoulder

With a sour expression, the redhead held my other shoulder.

I glanced around and I couldn't see anything past the growing crowd.

They snarled and snapped at each other I kept myself as quiet as I could. I couldn't think of what to say anyway. I always had a fear of crowds and being surrounded by non-man entities of unknown origin wasn't any better.

But I couldn't power my way through, so intelligence over brawn will see me through this.

The long game is my best bet at the moment.

Jesus preserve me.

"If it makes a difference to any of you shall we get this buying over with?"

I asked with the most deadpanned expression I could manage and what would most likely be the mask I'll be wearing until I get away.

I kept quiet as they all froze and stared at me like they hadn't expected me to talk.

"Quite right my dear boy!"

The crowd parted and there stood the skeevy merchant looking peeved at the crowd.

"Now, in truth, who was the first to lay eyes on the gem?" The man asked.

"That would be me," the elderly woman shouted joyfully. She picked me off my feet and shoved her way past the disgruntled crowd.

I kept my mask of indifference as she paid the man. But what he said after the payment to the woman bothered me more than anything else.

"Be sure to hold on to him because if he does get away from you, he will be snatched away by anyone who finds him."

I kept my eyes narrowed around as she led me through the courtyard. The sharp and inhuman gazes of the envious creatures zeroed at our backs.

I just had to hold on and I should be able to get home.

Back then I really thought that, didn't I?

---
The Durance

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Name: Kinjen Gonzalgo

Age: Age of Abduction: 10+ Time Spent in Arcadia: 33= 43
Time passed on Earth: 4yrs

Origin:

Drop-In (Free) – You're immediately dropped into Arcadia from your previous Jump. Normally you'd leave to some place you'd had strong memories of before your abduction and durance, but now you're out strictly by divine intervention. Don't say I never did anything for you.
Age of Abduction: 17+1d8yrs, Time Spent in Arcadia:1d8yrs, Time passed on Earth: 1d8yrs

Child (50 CP) – You were taken at a young age, and have lived most of your life in Arcadia. On your return, you sought out your family and realized that time hadn't passed for them nearly as quickly as it had for you. Decades had passed for you and months had passed for them. You can no longer return to your old life.
Age of Abduction: 9+1d8yrs, Time Spent in Arcadia: 20+2d8yrs, Time passed on Earth: 1d8 months

Location:

3 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Theme: Territory – Mood: Fear
For all the horrors of the changeling world let it never be said that they are alone in the
shadows. Nowhere do changelings feel that pressure more than the Well of Artifice. Werewolves press in from all sides, vampires take advantage of the college students, and an eerie number of ghost's haunt this seemingly innocuous metropolis. Every other week there seems to be an incident that could expose the changelings to the predations of other supernatural. The largest court, Autumn, is doing its best to organize the other courts in defense should they be discovered, but the relatively small Summer Court is the only ally willing to assist. The courts also do their best to spread rumors and do whatever else they can to protect mortals from the supernatural, themselves victims of its cruel whims, to little effect.

1.1

It was night when I arrived at a gas station I never heard of. It was then I realized what really happened to me.

A jumpchain, I was dragged into a jumpchain, to Changeling the Lost….

God...bless it.

I just sighed, adjusted my backpack, and I held my breath.

My senses were above the norm and the smell of urban pollution was terrible.

I trudged through an alley and then felt a chill creep up my spine. I increased my pace a little and reached for a bit of Glamour. I toggled the contract of stone and felt my muscles bulge under my hooded trench coat without cost.

By the sound of the footsteps I knew there were more than one behind me.

I felt tense as I reached the exit to the alley.

"Hey friend what's the hurry?" I heard a gruff amused voice behind me.

I felt my heart speed up when two men, wearing leather and jeans that screamed generic biker gang, stepped out from both sides of the alley.

But their scent wasn't right it was pungent furry smell.

Like a dog's fur.

"I don't get what you mean... friend?" I responded back.

They paused then in creepy unison they chuckled. I had three behind me, two at my front and in this narrow alley I was trapped.

But so, were they?

I didn't even need to spend Glamour for my contract of stone and just reached for the nearest trod. It was, to my luck, back the way I came. I needed to cut past them.

Unfortunately, one of them got impatient, the freak grabbed my shoulder. With ease the big guy threw me towards the wall.

I let out a yelp, even with the added strength, my durability wasn't as high as I'd like. I got myself up and kept the scared act as best as I could. I faked trembling as I kept my back to them.

I reached into my pack while stuttering out ", l-look I don't got much, but just take it and-"

I didn't finish as I took out the loaded large S.M.G from the portal of my warehouse with little effort.

One of them shouted", he's loa-"

Was all he could get out before I filled the alley with the sound and glinting lights of gun fire.

With the practiced ease I gained from my durance I took out the machete from the portal I opened in the backpack to my warehouse. I mentally toggled its flame mode as slashed the thigh of the guy nearest to me.

I didn't check how many of them were gunned down.

While the big guy roared in pain I was already moving. I jumped over the guy who was wigging out over the shots in his stomach.

Then used the added strength of my legs to propelling out the alley towards the gas station.

I didn't expect to run into a shrieking blonde as howls echoed at my back.

The girl was sprawled on the ground reaching for her purse. Most likely she was taking out the pepper spray. I rolled my eyes pulled her to her feet and shouted ", run!"

Her eyes were wide and her pupils dilated at the sight over my shoulder.

I ran to the trod as frantic pace of that party chick and the sound of rapid pounding were left behind me. I entered the trod and kept going down the path surrounded by warped vines. I didn't stop because of the smell of dog fur was still around me with the sound of thumping footsteps.

I didn't look back and kept my path straight as this sudden road kept stretching.

I already knew they were werewolves, now how to wreck them was all I could think about. Yeah, before I started this jump, I didn't think I'd be able to even survive five minutes against one wolf.

But it's been 32 years and I got transmogrified back to being a kid.

I have seen and done way too much crap as a lab assistant to the mad Scientist Managloria to ever be bothered by anything like this.

I vaguely realized I had the machete in my hands. I toggled the fire on machete, I heard the swiping of air.

There was a crash of wood with growls as I rolled off the path into the denser brambles. My teeth gritted in response to the pain caused by the thorns.

From a vague memory of my time in Faery I realized I had done this before in a failed escape attempt.

I shook my head of the thought and poked the flame of my sword and invoked the contract.

Orange veiled my sight as the warmth of the flames surrounded me. My ears twitched as I swung to my left. The strangled yelp as clawed fingers fell to the ground elicited growls. I think I may have hit the pup of the group.

But my plan was already brewing, I ducked deep in the briers. I focused the flames to the tips of my tails. I focused the thorns and brambles to open a path in front of me even burning some glamour to do so.

What I got was a slight part that looked like I could barely fit through.

All I could think was ', This is going to hurt."

I went as quick through thorn, subtly I pulled a thorn and letting my blood fall.

Instantly, I knew how to get back to the gas station.

I kept moving not bothering to look behind me as my tail lighted my location to the wolves.

I winced as more thorn's cuts stuck and let me go. The thorns closed behind me and clumped as I willed them, becoming a thick web. At the lack of sound behind me the plan to trap them in the vines full of soul sucking power was a success.

I forced my way through. With all my strength and found the path that would take me back towards the real world.

I ran back and found it was already close to dawn, but I was a bloody mess.

Stupid wolves trapped in the… Hedge...

I sighed and went back through trod.

Being a good person can really hurt.
-------
The jumper's obsession with trying to not be the 'bad guy' is showing.

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Wincing as I spilled more of my blood for a very stupid reason. I walked down to the path, I can't believe I'm doing this using my wyrd, I can actually feel this, and the thorns parted fully this time…

I just sighed with my machete in hand as I saw the state of the werewolves. All but one was consciousness even then he looked to be barely holding on.

It was the big guy who did the talking back in the alley.

"Well, friend how about I free you and your pack and you all agree to not-" my ears heard a twitch of movement from the thorns I turn and stabbed an ugly bird creature killing it instantly.

I heard another bit of movement from the thorns and it was the pup trying to shift, I think. His form bulged a bit, but shrunk back to human size and sighed. He gave me a look that spoke less of inexperience and much sharper, longer lived.

It then clicked, in wolf packs it's usually the alpha that gets the lead.

"I suppose you're the actual alpha of this group?" I asked with a wan smile.

His baleful glare narrowed but kept quiet.

That wouldn't do I needed to make a deal of mutual non-aggression. Hm, maybe even a little help with getting situated. Not that I thought some wolves I got caught in the brambles would want to help me.

But I find their knowing their situation might help move things along.

"You know the magic permeating this place causes mutations?" I feigned innocently as a threatening lion creature could. "These vines really tear at your soul, tugging it and causing little rips that let the foreign energies of this dimension seep in and turns you from the inside out into something like well", I gave out a little chuckle and point my machete to the twitching bird thing. I cut off its head keeping my wan smile as I turned back to my hateful and fearful audience ", like that."

"R-really?"

It was the actual youngest one who looked about mid to late teen. Dang, couldn't leave him here to die in mind and soul.

Not that I'd actually tell them that.

"Damn it, Jonathan, just keep your mouth shut!" The only girl snarled. A brunette with a crew cut and many tribal tattoos on her muscular torso…

Just realized that they were naked.

"What you never seen a woman before?" She grunted as I looked away.

"More like I detest seeing a lady's nude form without proper permission," I started looking towards the leader. He was the only one who didn't have the 'scent' of fear. It was impressive how he kept his cool.

"Now about me releasing you-"

"You're bluffing," the leader interrupted.

I paused but my smile widened showing teeth at his assessment of my character was interesting I continued ", will require that we make a deal with me setting the terms."

"Blow me hoser," the female said, I could smell her defiance, but still an inkling of fear.

The youngest's, Jonathan, emotions spiked in fear. "N-Nina stop," he shut-up when his leader growled at him.

The alpha turned to me and smirked ", I think you need us more than you're letting on."

I snorted, that smirk got wiped away from his face, and said plainly while I waved my hands dismissively ", not even close."

"Then why come back, ah wait let me guess, you think you could somehow make us work for you," he said amused. The others, minus Jonathan and the silent black guy, chuckled

I rose a brow as he started talking, just realized that their english was distinctly accented.

"You just think you can attack the Cold Wind pack and think no reparations would follow," he said with teeth grinning.

I felt something, it was weird, like the Hedge resonated with me and I felt an itch to my leg. Except it wasn't my leg, darn it, it was a vine being crushed. The thought that maybe. I came in too fast after being torn to shreds by the vines.

"I only retaliated when your, beta?" I asked gesturing to the big lug ", attacked me."


"He just shoved you, ya big baby," the girl chuckled.

I felt another twinge from the vines and felt shape that was big like they were when they changed.

I'm not sure why but I felt stronger.

I really needed to get into the human world before I became a hedge denizen.

My eyes narrowed and my smile became devious as I said ", and where I was raised dismemberment or gouging out an eyeball were usually be the punishments for such actions."

I wasn't lying, that's how things were in the lab.

"A bullet or two was me being lax," I started brightly.

"Your mad," the black guy said, felt no fear from him.

"EH,ehehe," I chuckled darkly ", years of being an experiment does that to you."

The shape the vines revealed to me was crouched a little way away watching the exchange.

"Wh-what?" Jonathan said not as afraid now. I think he was acting; they all were at this point.

I just smiled and said something that filled them with fear ", you know the longer I'm here the more I can feel and influence things around me and…"

I paused as I felt a bit of fear from our dear observer. I think I was getting high off their fear. The thing tensed as I finished with "...the stronger I get."

But I needed more glamour though so I reached ou-

...

That was a bad idea.

-----

Still dealing with that crazy.

 

[Oddly Lionized]

1. None of their group can ever attack me under any circumstance that I have not instigated against them, such as murder and great harm.
2. I shall assist them if asked and only if I agree to their reasons or goals on why they need my assistance.
3. If I am attacked or planned against my best interest by a member of the greater pack. The cold wind pack will endeavor to help my best interest as long as it doesn't kill them. Let it be known that my best interest is being an a of able-bodied state and free of mind spirit, soul and body
4. I shall not fight any of their greater pack members as long as the I/their circumstance do not cause issue with me and or attack me.
5. I shall not assist any vampire in conflicts involving combat against the Uratha unless the Uratha are attacking me in the territory of Manitoba.
6. The Cold Wind shall give me amnesty in the territory their greater pack's hold for as long as I don't betray them.
7. I agree to be an ambassador to the local Lost in the area to try and open negotiations between the greater pack and the courts to a non-aggressive mutual beneficial agreement against the vampire and other entities that threaten both the local humans and the status quo.
8. Ending stipulation in the event that I or any of the Cold Winds fail to hold to the clauses of this agreement they are to be left at the mercy of the other party. If I were to die in any way or form the Cold Wind pack shall be put in a state of indefinite frenzy.

I sat in the empty warehouse waiting for the greater Alpha who rules this territory. I was a bit nervous, and was ready for my nuclear option.

I hoped it really didn't come to that.

I yawned, whether it was the actual leader a representative was irrelevant, as long as I can be left alone it's fine.

I heard the door open and got off the floor, I needed to meditate for a bit to clear my head.

I turned and saw exactly what I expected, a muscular strong man with a mullet and scowl as he took my form in.

Then I saw Joshua walk in resigned and the worried Richard siblings and Nina was not happy same with Mathis.

There was something I was missing and I prepare some glamour. I had an abundance of It now. I kept my silence and my smile as I reached for the contract of stone and- my element of flame.

The man turned to Joshua and asked ", you made sure he was one of them?"

I ignored the obvious display of a power play and simply said ", you want me to play liaison with the court's correct?"

." Courts? Don't you mean a pack or pride?" Jonathan asked but quickly wilted at the combined glare of the mullet guy and Nina. Never thought a werewolf would have a confidence issue or maybe it was something more?

"It's a four-ruler system decided via election of the four faction's discretion with an exchange of rulers per times of the year of each of the four parties," I explained with gusto and warping my mask a little to let my eyes glow gold and the slit pupils to be exemplified by the light.

Their sudden tensed forms told me I did it right as my blasé smile appeared inviting.

"That means what?" Nina asked with her deadpan expression.

"It means first I would have to find out who is the current ruling faction, speak to their representative, and plead my case to them in a manner that would convince them to make a treaty with your faction," I said brightly.

I also needed to make some allies speak to the current kings or queens and try to keep to their side if there is a bump in this little plan of theirs.

I had to convince them that I was not a loyalist scumbag.

"I also might need to convince them that being bitten by a werewolf won't turn them into one," I said with the same bright tone.

Mullet growled at me but I kept to my exuberance and he grounded out ", be serious about this."

I just chuckled as I said", oh, I am, but you should know that I'm the one who is most likely to end up lynched if this goes sour."

That got confused looks I kept my smile at their perplexed looks.

I just kept my smile as I said ", those of my kind are very suspicious and quite frankly I'm new blood, so while I will attempt to best of my abilities to make things go as promised I can say that a dramatic failure on my part will leave me in the grave in a place you won't be able to find."

Mullet glared at me furious and everyone else tensed as fur started popping out of him ", are saying we're just wasting time with you."

I kept my smile as I answered ", I'm saying that in the unlikely event I fail to convince them I will most likely be a corpse,"

Mullet calmed down a bit and grunted ", how unlikely are we talking about."

"Oh, they won't kill on the spot, they'll in all likelihood make me pledge my intentions, gauge the pros and cons about allying with werewolves, most likely hold a vote, make sure I'm properly vetted and not under some mind control, and I'll pushing to have an open dialogue wi -" I paused as a whiff of glamour burned my nostrils.

I sniffed the air deeply and smile showing teeth ", or they somehow found out about this and have been listening in."

"Wha," was all mullet could say as a tapping was heard through the warehouse. I looked at a window and saw a bird, a dove that I'm sure didn't migrate anywhere near Canadian territory pecked at the window on my right.

I smiled as I walked to let the thing, I was sure wasn't a dove in.

"Wait what the hell are you doing letting that bird in here?" Jaxon demanded as he took steps to follow me but Joshua held his shoulder and shook his head.

I let it in and it flew to the railing on the second story part of the warehouse there it sat staring down at me.

I kept my smile as I politely waved ", so are you going to give us whatever message you have or leer because I doubt you want to waste yours and our time?"

The bird gave a tweet that spelled amusement.

"It's just a-" mullet stopped talking as I motioned him to stop which he growled at me, I resisted an eye roll and motioned the bird to continue with a roll of my hand.

Suddenly the bird form expanded in a human shape.

Long plump legs connected to wide child bearing hips, with a thin waist and impressive bust. Her neck was long and slender, a sharp chin, small mouth and slightly pointed nose. Her eyes were wide avian like with deep violet irises and a light purple sclera with long lashes, Her round head was covered with waist length wavy feather like pinkish hair.

She wore a midriff showing top with a skirt that split down the sides at mid-thigh reaching down to her feet with ridiculously high heels.

I glanced at the wolves and noticed mullet was staring hard at her, I had the feeling that someone wanted to ruffle some bird feathers. The rest were varying levels of baffled, aroused, and jealous.

I noticed dancing leaves around her form, bright vibrant, very much of spring.

"I take it you're an envoy to the hold?' I asked pointedly.

She smiled calmly and mysteriously, slowly working her magic burning a bit of glamour to make herself more glamorous…

Felt dumb for thinking that.

She stared at mullet like she liked what she saw and gave him the look of desire.

Meh to each their own taste.

"While I'm glad you've taken a liking to the lycan, may you please do as you came to do," I said calmly ignoring the spike of annoyance behind me.

The bird pouted, she made a show slowly persed her lips like a kiss towards mullet whose head lolled towards in response. I felt a bit sick but swallowed it down as I remembered my flirting with –

I started burning glamour to keep my head clear.

I didn't want any of the crazy to pop out.

The bird glanced my way then tweeted towards a window. She probably thought I was getting ready to fight.

A bird flew in, it looked like a falcon with a fancily embroidered green leaf covered envelope. She put out her hand in an exaggerated fashion, the falcon dropped the fancy envelope in her hand. I noticed nail were wicked talons painted a deep red.

They looked rather lethal.

She threw the letter at me with her nose turned up in disgust. It fell at my feet and I rolled my eyes as I crouched down to pick it up. It smelt of roses with lavender. I read the fancy script addressed to the 'Wolves pet cat.'

She smiled mullet's way, I heard a low rumble of male satisfaction. I remembered- I burned a bit more glamour to keep my composure.

She tsk'd at me and I just rolled my eyes at her. She took her index finger and blew a kiss at mullet and I just rubbed my eyes in annoyance just to clear my thoughts.

She gave another calm smile as she petted her falcon and just like that her form shifted to the same type of bird and she with it flew out together.

I hated her already.

"Damn, that was a fine ass, hmm," was all mullet said as he rubbed his bearded chin..

I sighed and decided to just say my thought to the birdy.

"I'd recommend not chasing a fairest, it leads to pain, loss, and a lot of 'why is this happening to me'," I stated plainly.

Mullet gave me a severe look and asked ", what does that mean?"

I just sat down the floor looking at the envelope as I spoke ", just like you Uratha we have different spheres similar to your Blood Talon, Iron Masters, Bone Shadows, Hunter in Darkness, and Storm Lords."

"For example, I am a Beast," I said cutting into the side of the envelope with my claws ", I'm more on the wild side as a result and am more prone to following base instincts able to sympathize with animals better than most normal people."

I gently took out the parchment paper with fancier font that reminded me of old cursive. I continued ", but Fairests, like that bird, are more human based able to manipulate and charm people with their looks, strong presence that can be felt by anything humanoid, naturally politically savvy, but they're also known for drawing prey in with themselves as bait and making toys out of whoever catches their fancy."

I turned to mullet and ignored the sudden realization that the Cold Wind pack surrounded me. I decided to ignore the proximity of the violation of my personal space.

"I'd rather not have to find out if she's toying with you or how serious you want to be about a bit of flirting, so please don't go hunting for her if you'd don't mind risking being put through the wringer," I said with the flattest expression I mustered.

Mullet grunted my way but I ignored him and took out the fancily, gold embossed, and mint green letter.

I skimmed through and debated whether this was a good thing or not.

"Looks like they want to meet up in the Assiniboine Park Zoo entrance Door, 3:00 A.M tomorrow," I stated.

I felt a strange feeling about this.

I passed the note to mullet, he stared at the letter. For a second his expression got intense before going back to normal.

Once again, my intuition flared a warning.

I know that I'm paranoid, but this was something given by a creature of the fae.

I kept the suspicion off of my form as mullet and the pack said that they were heading out.

I needed to think up a few contingency plans.

--

Paranoia

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Name: Kinjen Gonzalgo
Age: Age of Abduction: 10+ Time Spent in Arcadia: 33= 43
Time passed on Earth: 4yrs
Origin:
Drop-In (Free) – You're immediately dropped into Arcadia from your previous Jump. Normally you'd leave to some place you'd had strong memories of before your abduction and durance, but now you're out strictly by divine intervention. Don't say I never did anything for you.
Age of Abduction: 17+1d8yrs, Time Spent in Arcadia:1d8yrs, Time passed on Earth: 1d8yrs

Child (50 CP) – You were taken at a young age, and have lived most of your life in Arcadia. On your return, you sought out your family and realized that time hadn't passed for them nearly as quickly as it had for you. Decades had passed for you and months had passed for them. You can no longer return to your old life.
Age of Abduction: 9+1d8yrs, Time Spent in Arcadia: 20+2d8yrs, Time passed on Earth: 1d8 months

Location:

3 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Theme: Territory – Mood: Fear
For all the horrors of the changeling world let it never be said that they are alone in the
shadows. Nowhere do changelings feel that pressure more than the Well of Artifice. Werewolves press in from all sides, vampires take advantage of the college students, and an eerie number of ghost's haunt this seemingly innocuous metropolis. Every other week there seems to be an incident that could expose the changelings to the predations of other supernatural. The largest court, Autumn, is doing its best to organize the other courts in defense should they be discovered, but the relatively small Summer Court is the only ally willing to assist. The courts also do their best to spread rumors and do whatever else they can to protect mortals from the supernatural, themselves victims of its cruel whims, to little effect.

Powers: 2800cp

• The Beast Seeming
• Beasts are changelings whose Seeming is connected to the animal world. They come in many shapes and sizes, and may be tied to a particular type of animal, an animalistic concept, or even an animal that never existed in the real world. Beasts were all used by their Keepers as animals in one form or another, and they all bear at least some bestial features. Many were innocents, lured into the Hedge by the tempting excitement of the wild, but regardless they felt the pull and power of raw instinct and sensation.

• • Blessing - Beasts are creatures of the wild, and have a natural understanding of animals, which helps with training creatures and avoiding danger. This same wild nature grants them great personal magnetism. By expending glamour, they can very temporarily increase their presence and composure.
• • Curse – The downside of a wild nature is that powerful instincts can leave you less capable when dealing with things outside of nature. When you approach skillful work that you have no training with, you are more likely to fail than a normal person would be.

• Hunterheart

• The spirit of the hunt, Hunterhearts are usually natural predators like wolves, cats, snakes, or birds of prey. These changelings have naturally deadly claws and teeth, capable of cutting like knives

• Dancer

• Changelings of exceptional grace and agility, a Dancer is happiest moving to their own beat, whether as an entertainer or assassin. When performing in a way dependent on movement, a Dancer can easily steal the show, and this agility translates into a small boost to dodging incoming attacks.

• Chirurgeon

• The surgeons and pharmacists of the changelings, a Chirurgeon can be a back-street doctor or an altruistic healer. The Chirurgeon is able to perform medical miracles, and receives bonuses to any attempt to heal someone through non-magical means. Furthermore, any medical tools they use are considered to be of the highest quality, regardless of age, dullness, rust, or damage.

• Mental Focus (free) – You are quicker of wit, sharper of intellect and more resolute in purpose. You receive a small boost across the board to all your mental capabilities.
• Physical Focus (50 CP) – Your body grows in strength, dexterity, and stamina. You receive a small boost to all your bodily capabilities across the board

• Social Focus (50 CP ) – You have a more pronounced presence, a wonderful sense of composure, and find it easier to manipulate others. Your social talents receive a small boost across the board.

Skills

• Academics (100 CP, discount Professor) – You have an increased knowledge in the Arts and Humanities. You also know how to study and research, and are an excellent student.
• Craftsx5 (250 CP, discount Drop-In) – A boost in knowledge of how to construct, create, and repair technology, art, and objects.

• Athletics (300 CP, discount Socialite) – Training in athletic fields from running, climbing, swimming to push-ups and throwing your sword.
• Brawl (300 CP, discount Officer) – Hand-to-hand combat training, from kung fu to bar fights to CQC. 1 purchase is equal to a year of karate classes, 5 purchases is equal to the world heavyweight champion and several black belts.
• Brownie's Boon (100 CP) – Complete mundane workings in half the time. Spend glamour to half that. Spend glamour to half of that. Spend glamour to half that. Then you're doing it in 1/16 of the normal time.
• Faerie Healing (100 CP) – You can now use goblin fruit to heal mortals. You must feed them the healing fruit yourself.
• Quick Healer (150 CP) – You are a naturally quick healer, recovering from your wounds in half the time a normal human would. Bruises heal in hours, stabbings heal in days.

• Common Sense (50 CP) – Chasing things through the dark woods is a bad idea. Pissing off a werewolf will get you killed. If someone makes a series of bad poison puns, don't eat the food they serve you. You are now in possession of common sense, greatly increasing your odds of survival.
• Danger Sense (100 CP, free Officer) – You have a knack for knowing when you're about to walk into danger, allowing you to choose when to avoid it.
• Eidetic Memory (100 CP, free Professor) – You have a picture perfect memory, able to recall minute details with astonishing accuracy.
• Polyglot (100 CP, free Socialite) – You have a mastery of languages, and can quickly and easily learn any spoken language.
• Light Sleeper (100 CP) – You awaken from non-magically enforced sleep at the first sign of danger.

• New Identity (50 CP) – Upon arrival, you find a basic ID, birth certificate, social security card, or whatever else comes with a new identity. They're clean and match up to you under all but the most stringent of examinations.
• Hollow (400 CP) – On your way out of the Hedge, you ran through an abandoned building in a glade, and you memorized its location and what trod lead to it. For 100 CP, you came across an empty clearing with a single wooden door and a lot of potential. For 200 CP, you went through a small cottage which was a bit bigger on the inside and is surprisingly sturdy. For 400 CP, you lucked your way into a nice two-story ranch style house with basement, found a safe passage through the wards protecting the place, and it has running electricity and water somehow. Post-jump, the glade will be available through a door, well, or skylight in your warehouse. Attempts to leave that glade except through where you entered will return you to the glade in a different location. If you choose to, you can spread the cost for the hollow merit among yourself and imported allies from other universes.
• Pact-Binder (600 CP) – A changeling can, by meeting certain conditions, forge pacts and create contracts with aspects of reality, rather than just inheriting the contracts of their Fae masters. By honoring the aspect, completing a great quest in their name, and then offering an appropriate sacrifice, you can now create contracts and found Courts in any world into which you venture. Appropriate sacrifices have been a True Fae, the changeling's only child, and a meaningful portion of a changeling's own strength, intelligence, or other attribute. A minor side benefit is that the specific aspect of reality used will be less willing to harm you after the pact is completed.
• •Wyrd (900 CP, first mandatory, first purchase free, discount Child) Wyrd 6 – Changelings are intimately and permanently connected to the forces that guide Arcadia. Multiple purchases multiply your effective connection to the Wyrd. The benefits and drawbacks of your connection to the Wyrd are numerous, and increase with more purchases of this Merit.

CONTRACTS

Supplies and Gears: 1600 cp

• Fairy Garden (25 CP)
• •Healing Fruit (25 CP)
• •Amaranthine (50 CP)
• •Hidefruit (50 CP)

• •Bilefruit (50 CP)
• •A Changeling can only carry a certain number of goblin fruits, depending on their wyrd rating.
• 450cp
• Sports Car (100 CP)
• Heavy Auto Pistol (75 CP)

• Large SMG (75 CP)
• SUV/Pick-Up (75 CP)
• AP Rounds (50 CP)
• Motorcycle (50 CP)
• Fancy Clothing (25 CP)

Hedgespun Equipment (Original Price + 50 CP) 800cp

• Yacht (200 CP) – A HUGE boat. Basically,a futuristic warship with cannons and reloading munitions every twenty-four hours and can fly
• Cell Phone (50 CP) – For free, you receive an old school flip phone with a decent wireless plan. For 50 CP you receive 8 of the latest smartphone models, and a plan with Jump chain Wireless that covers up to 8 phones. The bill for Jump chain Wireless is anything worth roughly 50 dollars a month, including local currency. Cells have a built inAutoMap function that leads me to fruits, trod and potential hollow spots and can show everything in a kilometer radius around it.
• Simple Weapon (50 CP) – Any mundane melee or throwing weapon. Switchblades, morning stars, or flying guillotines. Indestructible Armor piercing Steel Stave of Penetrating thorns
• Flak Jacket (50 CP) – Bulletproof vest with the metal plates, able to block a few shots from most common firearms before the plate breaks. Breastplate of Courage blocking all incoming blows as I fight my enemies all around my body
• Simple Weapon (50 CP) – Any mundane melee or throwing weapon. Switchblades, morning stars, or flying guillotines. Matchette two modes one flaming, the other freezing.
• Mid-Sized Car (50 CP) – A sedan basically a tank with clockwork armaments and rocket boosters and an armored vehicle mode

Street Clothing (Free)
Hedgespun Wardrobe (150 CP)

SetbacksI'm Taking all this CP. Because this is CHANGELING THE LOST so no limits!) 2100cp

• A World of Darkness (+0 CP)
• Fetch'd (+0 CP)
• Lost in Time (+0 CP) 1995
• Addiction (+100 CP)
• Goblin-scorned (+100 CP)
• Contracts of the Jump (+200 CP)
• Interesting (+200 CP)
• Red Badge Target (+200 CP)
• Unclear (+200 CP)
• IT'S TIME TO D-D-D-D-DUEL (+200 CP)
• Deadly Fetch (+300 CP, Fetch'd Drawback taken automatically) Perfectly Normal Humans (+300 CP)
• Annoying Bane (+300 CP)
• Mods: X4
  Start bonus: [-20%]
  This can be taken twice.
  With one purchase, you get to multiply the points in your first jump by 2. With a second buy your first jump is multiplied by 4 and the second is by 2.
  This still counts your %modifier. So, if you are at 50% and have this once, you get 50%*2 points in your first jump, and then go back to normal.
  Warehouse: [free]
  You get the warehouse for free, but you have no points for it.
  • Butiwant the stuff [-5%]
  You get points for your warehouse
  
  Bodymod: [-5%]
  You get full access to the bodymod supplement.
  
  Arena [-10%]
  You get full access to the arena supplement
  • Coliseum [+5%] requires "Arena"
  You get no cp for the "Arena" supplement
  
  The docks
  You get full access to the docks supplement
  • Not much here [+5%] requires "docks"
  You get no cp for the "docks" supplement
  
  Space dock [-15%]
  You get access to the space dock supplement
  • Really spacious [+5%] requires "space dock"
  You get no cp for the "space dock" supplement
  
  Companion housing [-15%]
  You get full access to the warehouse supplement.
  • It'skindaempty in here [+5] requires "companion housing"
  You get no CP for the "Companion housing" supplement.
  
  Housing system [-20%]
  • Abandoned house [+5cp]
  You get no CP for the "Housing system" supplement
  
  Warehouse: [free]
  You get the warehouse for free, but you have no points for it.
  • Butiwant the stuff [-5%]
  You get points for your warehouse
  
  Bodymod: [-5%]
  You get full access to the bodymod supplement.
  
  Arena [-10%]
  You get full access to the arena supplement
  • Coliseum [+5%] requires "Arena"
  You get no cp for the "Arena" supplement
  
  The docks
  You get full access to the docks supplement
  • Not much here [+5%] requires "docks"
  You get no cp for the "docks" supplement
  
  
  Space dock [-15%]
  You get access to the space dock supplement
  • Really spacious [+5%] requires "space dock"
  You get no cp for the "space dock" supplement
  
  Companion housing [-15%]
  You get full access to the warehouse supplement.
  • It'skindaempty in here [+5] requires "companion housing"
  You get no CP for the "Companion housing" supplement.
  
  (Supplements don't count as jumps.
  
  In it to win: [+5%]
  See those go home and stay here options? You don't get those. The only way to stop is to win an end jump.
  Theme [+10%]
  You get a theme that all your jumps must fall within. It can be anything from "all jumps where you can only be a specific gender", to "jumps that don't have a monkey in them" to "jumps with a superhero setting" you can also take multiple themes, but then the jumps must follow all of them so you can take "grimdark with a tie in story" if you want. No jumps without a world ending monster or events that could get a lot of people killed.
  No safety net [+10%]
  You like to live dangerously? Take this. If you die, you don't get sent back home, you just die, like you would if you died in that setting. Better hope it's a setting with an afterlife. Failing a jump will just kill you, unless it's a gauntlet.
  Lost map [+10%]
  You and your companions don't start at the same place

 

[Oddly Lionized]

2.2 Wanderings

* A few weeks later *

The club was simple to get in. After setting up shop in a bit outside the city I was set.

The scent of joy, euphoria, was like a strong-smelling fruit. Her smell was temptation to feed to gorge oneself. But I wouldn't be fat from this, that just made it more the tempting.

I drunk more than needed. All that I could take in, but I knew I'd need it.

The problem was I had nothing.

Sure, screwed up with the courts though. The Militia will probably have a hit out for me now…

I kept to the shadows away from most people except for the shadier crowd. I debated whether or not I wanted to take their excessive amount of cash.

But it was better to not, there was a stench of corpses and blood. The smell of dead flesh on a conveyor belt, flooded with parts going to the fire.

There was a pain in my hands.

I was back at the club, my scent entered the throng of sweat, flesh, and blood.

"Hey there."

I didn't look as I trotted into the brighter crowded area. Acknowledging none the leers at my direction.

Walking into the hedge would be a good idea if I wasn't getting bumped around. Someone dragged into the hedge would cause the Militia to have more fire to burn me with. So, for now I let the dancer out a little. I maneuvered out myself away from the scent of death.

Until a smiling bombshell with long straight blonde hair in a messy princess cut. Her maroon eyes bore into mine.

Glamour flooded my mind blocking out whatever she was trying to do.

"Would you like to come to the back room," she was being sultry as played with a lock of her hair ", I'm sure we can have some fun."

She motioned with her index finger for me to follow her with a smirk. I was in a jam, surrounded by vampires and their puppets. It was time to throw off expectations.

A smile full of charm bloomed from my lips as I said the following words.

"I'm sure it would be, but dear lady, I'm not so easy."

She stared at me with a quirk of her brow.

"I know there's plenty of vixen boys you can play with on the dance floor, I'm sure you can find something there to quench that thirst," I said.

My maneuvering through the crowd continued as I swayed out of her sight.

More like she allowed me to.

I considered heading to a bathroom, but I nixed that.

The masquerade was a public affair and being alone was an unwise.

I focused on blending in hoodie up. I wasn't the only one.

"You selling?"

The only way to describe the scent was wrong.

I kept dancing to the sound and acted like I couldn't hear the girl that was human, but smelled like she was everything wrong with the world.

I grooved away from the hand that grasped at me.

Slipping through two couples grinding into each other caused whatever was following me to pause.

It wasn't a vampire or one of their tools, but it was definitely something of the dark side of the world.

"AHhhhhh!"

Through the heavy beats I heard the sound of fright.

"Hey if you got some, I have cash on me."

I didn't realize I paused at the sound.

*Growl*

"Hey!"

My eyes sharpened at the stench of canine.

"Oi, buddy!"

I turned to the petite brunette girl in black clothing with sunken brown eyes.

"Look you hoser you got some pot or not?"

*Howl!!!!!!!*

Several people paused at the noise.

The girl gritted her teeth in annoyance as the air around her got colder.

I shoved my way through the crowd as the doors to the entrance were caved in.

The werewolves were attacking and most likely the court was around.

Wonderful.

 

[Oddly Lionized]

2.3 Wandering

People were screaming.

The crowd was already under the influence of the Uratha's lunacy.

People weren't sure why they had to escape. But on a primal level they ran for the opposite sides of the exits away from the roaring rage beasts.

"Where the hell did those guys come from?" the rasp of the persistent addict behind me growled through the shoving and yelling of the crowd.

I hmphed as I glanced around for an exit.

The few there were had people clamored to get out, the wolves stalked the others searching for targets.

I turned to blend in the crowd and heard a growl towards me.

Frantic steps with the crowd was my only wall from the screams as a heavy thump of bodies hitting the floor at my back. The contract of stone of the first rank activated, gun shots were echoing now.

'…. this is a mess.'

I ran straight to a wall away from the chaos.

The rank 1 and 2 clause of stone activated as I struck the wall.

The sting of going through a wall was barely there. The resulting boom was deafening, I didn't look back to see what I had done.

Spent glamour on the rank 1 contract of Oath and Punishment I jumped. Landed on a rooftop, I heard a shout of surprise.

Glanced back to see a crowd staring at me but I just kept going.

It's not like people had smartphones, twitter, or Instagram in the 1995.

Anyways, I had a glamour itch that needed scratching, preferably in a supernatural free area.

Maybe the college was a place to start.

….
Jumper Achievements
-Wyrd rose to 7
-Your contract of Stone rose to rank 3
-Accidentally made devotees
-Caught the attention of both local and international hunters (Especially those in Milan)
-Vampires are aware of your existence and are searching for you
-The courts see you as a larger threat
-Most of the local werewolf population wants to fight you one on one and mount you on their wall

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Observer Interlude

Kelly sat with her friends in silence.

They still couldn't believe that Bret was in the hospital, that monsters were real, and they killed people.

It was just so fast, the door crashed near him then the screaming started.

Some crazy chick just took a step and blurred across the room with guns up shooting the closes one at the head.

The roaring that still sounded in her mind.

One actually reached out towards her, but then he - it - whatever that cat thing was happened.

The thing that woke her up from whatever the werewolves did to their heads broke. Three of those freaks with fangs crashed into the one reaching for her.

She and her friends ran out and saw the cat guy in the destroyed hoodie staring down at them from a rooftop. With those glowing gold eyes with the moonlight behind him turning him into a silhouette on the brickwork.

Bethany yelled as she pointed at it.

Marcus was holding Bret who had a been clawed by those things. What he gets for getting high off of coke, the idiot.

But it looked at her with this gaze and she couldn't help but think it looked cool.

She sighed and looked towards the college lobby.

It was some sort of company doing a survey with well-dressed people. Suits and skirts with plastic ever present smiles.

Robotic and creepy, where the politest students took pity on their sparse list of applicants.

Kelly played with a strand of her apple red hair.

She thought of that thing that crashed through the wall, freed everyone from being near... those beasts.

But she thought about how it's hoodie was rags and the shadow of its muscled body and piercing -

"KEL!'

Kelly almost fell off her chair with Beth yelling in her ear.

"What the hell Beth!?"

"You were zoned out again," Beth answered with an eye roll.

Kelly scoffed, she was fading out a lot. It was getting in the way of her classes.

It's just his image wouldn't leave her head, she felt like looking for him again.

Like she had been for the pass few nights.

-----------------------------

Devotees

 

[Oddly Lionized]

2.4 Wanderings

22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.

Doing exercises is always relaxing to me.

34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

It was one of the things that kept me sane in my cell.

45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50.

My legs fell forward from the vertical push-ups I had been doing.

10 sets of sit-ups, leg lifts, squats, burpees, push-ups, and vertical push-up made me sore.

Putting the goblin fruits in my mouth fixed the tears in my muscles. Min-maxing while dodging all sorts of hijinks involving everybody in this city was nuts.

The past few months had been insane.

Every time I went out for my glamour run, I ended up having to deal with something supernatural.

Werewolves skulking about, vampires with blood dolls trying to find me, then there were the humans.

God bless the humans, just keep the guy who'd stab me in the middle of the night away.

They were on the hunt and the college was their base.

The demons of the night, AKA vampire, were fighting on two fronts. The humans on one the wolves in the other. The court obviously played the bias somehow, figured they'd pull something like that.

The walk through the very sparse warehouse was quiet except for the *whirring* sound of robots.

The green portal led me to the basement of the holl-

*CRASH*

I heard several voices up the stairs. The footsteps sounded above; I rubbed my chin in contemplation on what to do next.

I took a backwards step into the portal behind me, closed it, and went about to the living area of the warehouse.

Made fried chicken with white rice and vegetables on the side.

Took a seat at the table and wondered when the house would reemerge after I left this hellhole.

I had a headache and needed some glamour.

Groaned loudly as I headed out to the other portal that led to a place just outside the city.

----------

With an eyeroll I stared down at the vampire, it snarled at the group of hunters that cornered it.

It was easy to lure the thing once it got a sniff of me.

Walked to a back alley and went back to my warehouse through another portal.

Honestly, I got used to having to dodge around these guys.

I hm'd at the thought, I realized that if I headed into the hedge the court would be on the lookout for me.

Which means until I left town my hollow wouldn't be safe.

If I had gone nuclear and used the Vimana, I'd lionized the entire changeling population against me. The hedgespun yacht with a laser and nuke armament based off, but not exactly, a certain golden douche's ship.

Whom I might end up meeting, if I survived the next nine years

Well, that'd make me even more wanted.

I didn't need that, not yet anyway.

The warehouse housing was furnished well, nothing cheap. I laid on the king sized mattress and thought back to the college.

The people that handed out those flyers for a tech company smelled all types of wrong.

Metallic wrong....

Oh, oh!

That was bad.

The groan I let out echoed off the wall.

I had to do something risky now or something worse will happen.

Being a good person was so life threatening.
---------------
Jumper Achievement
-Wyrd 8
-Gained more Hunters coming to town
-Other changelings thinks your one step away from a true fae

 

[Oddly Lionized]

3.1 Mechanism

Vitotech, a new an upcoming enterprise that was selling computer components.

It was also emotionally empty, as in there is a lack of human emotion.

A blank spot in the shape of a warehouse

The plan was simple, scout out the cameras, see where the exits are, watch the few employees I thought were human. Then come out around midnight, sneak in, then find out whether I should leave Manitoba.

I don't want to deal with any of the God Machine's crazy.

I'd leave those in the know the bit I knew on these things and bounce.

That was the plan.

Then four changelings, the blond vampire from the club with three friends, and three werewolves decided to crash through several entry point.

Then ten armed, armored people; who I presumed were hunters by the guns and such; stayed close to the entrances. They yelled for everyone to ", freeze."

Before I could check the back, two more humans carrying weapons that felt... not right walked in.

They looked Arabic.

"Hey, it's that dealer from the club."

It was that the girl who asked if I was selling pot at the club.

Everyone glanced at each other and I looked towards the back.

While everyone was busy thinking about killing the other side of things, I focused on the back.

My ears twitched at the metallic movements around us.

I decided my realization of the situation needed to be aired.

"I'm surrounded by a group of trigger-happy, inattentive, fools."

Everyone glanced my way then the wolves started glancing around growling.

Then suddenly the realization that something was here hit everyone.

I heard the slither of metal come near me.

On reflex I activated the first rank of stone and jumped away from the glinting tentacle grabbing at me. Everyone looked my way as I dodged the thing, I kicked off the ceiling. I landed near one of the holes in the exit and was about to make a break for it.

A roar was heard, I turned, and saw the ignorant wolves trying to fight that thing.

The vampire and her followers hung back and watched the battle.

She probably wanted to report to the prince on what exactly she saw.

The normal humans watched from behind cover.

The changelings were- my ears twitched at the sound behind me. I rolled forward reached into my unzipped jacket and pulled out the Colt M1911A1/ .45 ACP from its holster.

"Is now really the time for this nonsense?" I asked the ogre with the gun pointed at his head.

He was red skinned, with tusks, horned, and big; as in the way above my weight class big.

"You think some keeper you cal-"

"-What the hell are you talking about? That's not a keeper, it isn't fae, it's a-" my interruption was interrupted "- Bora help!"

A girl mixed with a stone and a bull was pulling a tentacle off the puppet like boy trying to kick it off.

The ogre growled at me, but went to help his friend.

I looked on as I shuffled behind one of the holes. I glanced at the vampire who glanced at me with knowing eyes.

She heard what I was saying.

I had this feeling that the local coven was going to be on the lookout for me.

How wonderful, everyone; but the police; were after me.

I watched as the thing in the back started coming closer to the lobby. The struggling of the wolves as they tried to break out of its grip.

There was a normal human videotaping.

Bora was able to break his friends' legs out.

The main body in the back blinked red light and I stared at it.

And I knew despite it focusing those limbs at everyone else it was staring at me.

I needed to do something.

I fed off the human glamour of fear and determination. I put my gun in the warehouse, then the contract fourth rank of hearth activated.

With a deep breath I moved with the dancer and the hunterheart as I did a very foolish and brave thing.

Why was being a good person so life threatening?
-------
Jumper acheivments
-Nothing

 

[Oddly Lionized]

3.2 Mechanism

I moved with grace unnatural of my build.

My breath was regular as I weaved past the changelings, dodged the things limbs as if they moved in slow motion. I activated the fourth rank of the contract of fang and talon moving with feline grace.

I barely noticed the attacks coming my way of whipping limbs. My calm breath etched my intent twisting the fate of each duck, dip, roll, step and lean to my favor.

With focus my warehouse portal opened under the mechanical beast.

I flipped back with inhuman skill dodging each limb that grasped at me.

The limbs that had the wolves let them go and converged towards me.

All focused on me, the portal expanded.

"Vimana, fire tier 1, 2, 3 laser armament on hostile."

From the portal beams of light shot to the heavens.

With a mechanical shriek the machine shot into the sky, but it froze in place some five stories in the air. It was polygonal with gears surrounding it. It spun and stared down at me.

Then it faded away revealing the moon.

The portal closed.

I let out a breath and glanced around.

My breathing was immediately disrupted when I blocked a punch from Bora. I rolled in pain from the force and opened a portal on my path.

I closed it behind me with gritted teeth and held my left arm.

The wrist was broken.

Tears stung my eyes as I stood and walked to the medbay.

I needed to patch myself up.

---------------

Jumper Achievements
-Wyrd rose to 9
-Contract of separation rose 2 ranks
-Bane can now reach lethal levels
-Jumper has obtained the bane of Foolish( Research Shirou Emiya for better understanding)
-Clarity dropped to 5

 

[Oddly Lionized]

3.3 Mechanism

Few days later

The goblin fruits fixed my wrist up, I bound it beforehand.

Didn't want to break it again to reset it. I got the glamour for the day so I was right as rain.

With a sigh I laid on the king size bed and I stared at the ceilings.

Without any companions I had a lot of free space.

With a thought of wondering what to do.

Me on the God Machines radar, yeah, I needed to leave.

The interesting drawback makes me a beacon to every supernatural on this planet that sees me. Add to the human noticing my existence drawback and I have far more to deal with.

Oh, there was my fetch to deal with too; my indestructible, immune to magic, psychotic, fetch.

Ugh, what was I thinking with these drawbacks?

I looked at the wrist that Bora broke. When I realized I was here It dawned on me again. I could totally die a horrifyingly painful death with one wrong move.

That was all it'd took, one gun-shot, one hit to the head, one bad bite from a werewolf, one over eager vampire, one spike of iron, heck one wooden stake.

I let out a shaky breath.

It took so much just to not screw up. I couldn't fight directly, low risk high return tactics from now on.

Was what I hoped I'd do, but I'm not the type to leave people being alone if I legitimately can help.

Luckily my warehouses time was stopped so I could recuperate as long as needed in here.

I breathed through my nose closed my eyes and I dreamed.

I saw into the past as I did.
----------------
Jumper Achievements
-Wyrd rose to 9
-Contract of separation rose 2 ranks
-Sublime Merit obtained
-Tokenmaster Merit obtained
- Animal Ken with canines obtained
-Animal ken with Birds obtained
-Bane can now reach lethal levels
-Jumper has obtained the bane of Foolish( Research Shirou Emiya for better understanding)
-Clarity dropped to 5

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Observer Interlude

Bora took a drink from the shot.

He was of the few left in the summer court, they had only 21 members.

It was supposed to be simple scouting, no fighting, no dealing with a mechanical monstrosity.

"I really am starting to hate this city."

What happened was after that crazy bastard's light show was him getting the third degree by the Summer King. The guy approved of his actions, but he nearly got Dan snatched up by that thing.

"Tell me about it," Céline grumbled as she took a seat next to him.

The girl who looked like the love child of a bull, a rock, and a female body builder threw back a shot.

"Like the werewolves forgetting who their friendlies are, or the maniac with some sort of death beam running around," Dan the red-headed Inuit looking puppet man sat next to him. Their newest recruit and a pretty good guy all around.

He took a swig of scotch.

"Or the giant mechanical monster lurking about?" Mads, the only fairest in the summer court, joined the conversation. Dark haired beauty with half-lid green eyes and the body to match.

Bora admits he had a dream or two of her, but he knew her type when it came to guys. Tall, dark, and quiet, not him at all.

He turned to Céline and asked ", so they tell you what we're doing about it?"

The leader position was always a tossup between him and her, but the Basso Nova always gave the orders to her.

He understood; he wasn't supposed to be smart by changeling standards. But he was, hell he worked IT, but he looked like a brute, acted like a brute when he needed to. So, everyone just thought he was a brute.

"Apparently hands off for now," Celine grumbled.

"Seriously, the guy destroys a building with actual lasers and we're letting him walk?" Dan griped.

Celine sighed and answered ", the red badges are scouring the hedge looking for any sign of the freak, but our job is to keep our territory safe."

Dan wasn't satisfied and was about to say more, but Mads interrupted him.

"What type of contract lets you make portals?"

Bora didn't know, but that wasn't what worried him.

"I think we should worry about the thing behind the portal."

That's what worried him.

"Hey buddies."

Bora rolled his eyes as a racoon faced man joined them in the freeholds personal dive bar.

"Finally joining us, Corrin?" Mads asked as she sipped her Mai-Tai.

The beast was her type and he liked acting like it didn't make him feel special. Their interactions would be cute if they all hadn't done the deed together.

Yeah, they were that type of Motley.

The type that enjoyed each other's company in private rooms.

Bora could also admit that he was jealous of Mads. Since he and Corrin had this 'not' a relationship going on before she joined up with them.

Actually, he'd like them both to himself.

Bora let out a huff.

"Only got one good hit on the freak," Corrin said to him.

Bora shrugged and took another shot.

Corrin made a face; Bora noticed the beast has been doing that whenever he acted uninterested.

So, he'd threw the guy a bone.

"After he fired death through a portal," Bora said with a smirk.

Corrin smiled back and Mads made a loud slurping noise when the attention was off of her.

Corrin gave her a sheepish smile in response.

Bora loved these two, he'd rather they'd be happy together.

"Still no new members to the court?" Mads asked changing the subject before he and Corrin did there inside jokes.

"Nah, just more headed to the airhead brigade, the sloths, and Autumn," Dan griped.

The guy did that a lot.

Their lack of members was a problem; the summer court was just a stretched-thin overblown Motley with barely any clout. If it weren't for the Autumn Queen giving them backing, the court would have fallen apart completely. It didn't help that Basso Nova had a thing for the Fairest in the Autumn Court.

Everyone else hoped he wasn't just a figure head.

"What I don't get is what the bastard said," Bora grumbled.

"You mean the thing about the mech thing not being fae?" Mads asked. Finally looked like she wants to talk.

"Yea, he seemed sure for some reason and he didn't look like acrazy or soulless," Bora said rubbing his chin. Nothing about the guy looked that different other than his crazy wyrd aura. That thing put him on edge, like he was being vivisected by that guys glare.

But it wasn't crazy.

Well, not changeling crazy.

"He drew the things attention to himself, that's what has me on edge," Bora crossed his arms in thought, "why do that for the people hunting you?"

"Maybe there's more to this guy than what the Badges fed us?"

Mads might be right and that was scary to think about. Then she snuggled into Corrin who acted like his happy tail didn't give him away.

Dan asked a question that was bothering him ", do we even have a name?"

"No, the guy was pretty mum about it," Céline answered.

"But I think we all could use some stress release," Mads said giving Corrin bedroom eyes.

Bora resisted a snort.

"Rain-check, me and Dan got shafted into patrol duty again," Céline announced as she and a groaning Dan got up.

"Have enough fun for the both of us you three," Céline said with a wink.

She knew what Bora wanted.

He'd owe her one later.

He gave the two a smile and a shrug. Mads rolled her eyes, she still didn't get what he wanted.

"So, where to?" Corrin didn't really notice the nuance of it all.

The lovable innocent.
----------------------------------
A much needed interlude.

 

[Oddly Lionized]

4.1 Constructive

It was my birthday, I barely noticed it half way through the day.

It wasn't celebrated after I reached my twenties. Was never really a big deal; a cake was all I got, but I wasn't the social type so it never bothered me.

Now I realized there was no one to say 'happy birthday' that was kind of emptying.

I was able to keep from dealing with anything from the darker parts of the world. Mostly by staying hidden during the day. I drained mostly from schools, gyms, hospitals, and office buildings.

These places had either misery, occasional joy, or disgust.

It was boring and bland since it had been as about a month and a half of just escaping.

Staying hidden in the warehouse at night helped loads. Had to admit it got stale, taking glamor from bored kids in a summer school.

But it was better than dealing with the bloodsuckers and moon howlers at night. The court prefers to stay out of public eyes, thankfully.

The hunters though, were waiting and watching. I noticed stalkers from time to time.

I slipped away, constantly.

Those guys that looked middle eastern were pretty persistent. There was a lot of animosity directed towards me.

I put down the dumbbells and ate the fruits.

The aching faded and I.....

Oh boy.

I used the Vimana in front of the worst type of hunters in my opinion. Sure, TFV might have been there and the Lucifuge girl. But those two guys with the weird weapons were probably from the Aegis Kai Doru.

The hunters with a hate on for everything magic user and werewolf. Add to the fact that Vimanas were a type of flying vehicle for gods in old texts. That they probably all studied if they were savvy at what they did. Meaning that a whole bunch of hunters were on their way to this town.

Probably to try and confiscate the ship.

…..

With a sigh I reloaded the pistol, my SMG, and put my machete in its sheath. I took my pistol and left the sub-machine-gun ready for use. I took the machete and hid it inside the hedgespun hooded trench coat.

I wore the hedgespun breastplate of courage under it.

Invisible arm and leg guards covered my limbs over my hedgespun clothes. The invisible weightless helmet covered my head.

With a sigh I went through the portal to an empty dark street.

It was time to do a bit of gambling.
---------

 

[Oddly Lionized]

4.2 Constructive

You know that feeling being prepared and never seeing what you expected to happen occur? Like those people who prepped for the Mayan Calendar Ending and nothing happened?

That's what it felt like to walk a few hours with nothing occurring.

No vampires, no werewolves, and no hunters.

The things this town was lousy with just a few hours ago seemed to all disappeared.

You'd think this would be a good thing, but it made no sense whatsoever.

Every day, night and day, I was either stalked or chased by these guys.

I was still unharrowed and it's been 5 hours and sometime around 12.

Again nothing.

Nobody in dark alleys, no one on rooftops, and no suspicious cars.

I through my portal, I clos-

I heard a thump behind me, like someone slammed painfully into a wall.

Heard voices and more thumps that sounded like knocking.

Several voices were heard, then several yells, followed by a familiar roaring, then gunshots.

It was probably wise to close the portal, didn't think anyone would try to break in. Wait, this portal should have cost glamour to use, but then again it was an item by technicality.

A shriek sounded through the portal.

A very human shriek.

…...

"God Bless it."

Picked up the SMG on the way out.

I put my face out first and decided I had to act.

So, I blasted the werewolf attacking the girl.

Being the good guy was harrowing.

The wolfman howled in pain while I activated the 1st rank of stone. I jumped at him with my legs tucked in and lashed them out in a heavy drop kick with all my strength in the stomach.

Didn't expect the guy to be smashed through a wall and not get up.

Then again, I know my wyrd is high end at the moment and higher wyrd meant higher than humans limits.

I gave the girl goblin fruits and told her to swallow, she didn't fight me on this. The evil bite to her side healed and most of her obvious wound's closed

More fighting heard out of the alleyway and to the street. There I saw that blond vampire; that just kept finding; me throwing a knife at a werewolf's eye.

While the thing yowled, I contemplated what to do next.

I felt a tug at my tail and hissed at the offending party. The girl I just saved flinched back, murmuring ', its real."

She got up and held her ribs.

I let out a huff and was about to jump up on a roof to get a better to get a better vantage point.

"Wait."

I turned to the girl to see what she wanted and it was a slip of paper with a number on it.

"I'm Kelly 'Cough' a bunch of us saw what happened that night in the club, you saved our butts 'cough' call us for help," she said. She wasn't lying, I knew she wasn't because I could smell my influence on her.

She was enchanted hard.

With a nod I took the slip, then reached in my portal and grabbed one of my concoctions.

I passed her the vial and said ", rub it on your wounds and they'll heal."

I reached in the portal again and passed her a Glock 32 I swiped and another clip.

"Don't die," was all I said before jumping onto the roof.

I put the slip of paper in the warehouse and hoped the girl would live.

There was carnage to observe and I'd rather see whether I could somehow stop this.

I looked to the street and gaped.
---------

 

[Oddly Lionized]

The inspiration that kept me going was this group of songs



4.3 Constructive

Why were they openly warring like this?

It was like a bomb went off in this street with all sides trying to get a shot in edgewise.

The hunters were letting the vampires and the werewolves have their 'fun.' They hung back waiting to pick off the winners and stragglers

".... Which idiot let this become this bad of a mess?"

I wondered out loud, I turned with my sub- machine-gun to the changelings behind me.

The Autumn Queen, a petite fairest with hair in a single braid stared down from a water tower. Beside her was a burly man that looked like a fiery furry lizard with horns that glowed. I counted at least thirty on the roofs in front of me.

"Your little cascade of problems is just coming to a head," the girl said from her seat on the burly lizard guys shoulders.

I did say something like that, but it was more towards myself than them.

"You really think this is coming to a head?" I asked with more vitriol that...that...

Its past my birthday.... I made a deal for them not to hunt me until past this date.

There was a chill and I understood what was happening.

The sound of hooved feet hit the street. The chill was now bone deep and everyone around me felt it. The sound of combat stalled to a halt as a familiar carriage appeared; black with silver trim, wheels, lavish finery, and horses.

The carriage handler was dressed in apparel found in Victorian era.

There were large contingent of men dressed in hunting gear of that era with dogs the size of mountain lions walking quietly behind the group. They numbered in about a hundred in the least.

The procession of out of era existences stopped behind the stalled carriage. Servants put a stair case that matched the carriage down to the color theme with railing.

The rider's door swung open and stepped out a darkly dressed lovely figure.

Her silver hair was fashioned in a beehive hair style; she wore a grand Victorian black gown with silver accents, they also left a boob window that showed off her enormous assets.

Her heeled boots made loud footsteps as she went down the stairs.

Opera binoculars in her gloved hands, she gripped the handle and looked at the crowd through them.

I gulped as I recognized the luscious woman from the auction.

Her gaze turned towards me and my twitching eyes.

She clasped her hands to her bosom with a bright, tooth, grin on her painted face. With a loud voice she announced words that ruined my enthusiasm for the night.

All while she pointed her delightful hand towards me.

"As I promised, as I said, bring me the Gem, Kinjen Gonzalgo alive, to warm my bed, and your freedom I shall sing 'be freed and thrive away from me for all eternity'."

God bless me.

Please.

-----------------------------
Jumper Achievements
-Everyone's WTF moment
-The Hunt of 20 true fae gunning for him
-Freehold Hate
-Nothing Good

 

[Oddly Lionized]

4.4 Constructive

Like a spell that was said at her words all the dogs, horses, servant, Victorian styled hunters, even the freaking carriage began coming at the building I was on.

I turned to the Autumn Queen and gestured towards the mob of this Leanan sidhe's victims.

"That, that is what coming to a head looks like."

Her shocked face only had a slight part of the lips as every changeling looked ready to book it.

Not that they needed to, because I was the only target.

Why? because the Other only named me.

I didn't need a retort to the words I just said. With a grand leap I flew through the air to the roofs on the other side of the street.

The actual 'ojo-sama' laugh was heard as the true fae found the scrambling scene of men and women amusing.

I jumped off a ledge headed away from the wrecked street. A yelp was heard a werewolf flew into a water tower ahead of me I didn't even glance his way.

It was time to see just how far I could push showing off as I activated the 3rd contract of stone.

From my side I twisted as I dodged one of the dogs headed my right.

Then I ducked the net thrown my way, snatched it from the air then winked at the girl who threw it.

"Bwah-"

I flipped over the horse that somehow was behind me, I covered its head with the net while spring boarding off its rider. I heard troubled yelps and neighs as I jumped from horse to horse dodging their rider's grasps.

"No"

"Sparkles!"

"Crazy Bas-"

"Move out th-gyah."

I nicked a rope then jumped then with a twist I put it around a dog's neck like improvised reigns. I stabbed its butt with a claw.

'Rooorrruuuuuuu'

The thing went wild as it ran around with me on its back as I burned glamour to improve my luck and dodging. All the while I had the brightest grin on my face.

"How The-"

"What the-"

*Crash*

"I'm Fall-"

The dog went over the edge as I got off on the ledge.

"Wasn't that Doodles!?"

I heard a crash and a car alarm went off, I didn't look, didn't have the luxury.

I turned with a smile at my would-be captor the 2nd rank of stone activated.

I hopped back, grabbed onto the ledge and I rent downward. My hand left great destruction othe wall I was going down.

"Whoa-AHH"

"Nonono-"

"This is cra-HHH"

The sound of falls to the street echoed behind me didn't move me one bit. I wanted my freedom just as much as they did and they had to work hard for it.

Like every other changeling.

I ran forward and leaped into the air more than I ever had. I heard the whistling of wind I twisted to the side as huge shape rammed into me. The armor blocked out the damage I heard the turning of hinges. It was the carriage; I dug my claws into it I pulled and dug the nails of my feet into it too.

"KyyyaaaH!" Was heard from the inside of it.

With all my strength I held on as it tried to shake me loose screaming in pain.

With a tsk I activated the 1st rank contract of separation and let go as I fell to the ground. That falling feeling was nothing compared to the thrill of seeing the ground come at you.

I landed on all fours; there was a slight sting, but nothing broke.

"Ohohohohoho!"

With a flat gaze I realized I was surrounded.

From atop a corner of a roof on the intersection I stood in the middle of there she was, the luscious woman.

"Now bring him here for his long-awaited duty!"

The true fae's yell set the hunters all yelling a battle cry as they converged at me.

I thought ', three, two, one."

I fell in my portal on a king-sized bed.

The portal closed as a loud crash was heard from it.

I stared at the ceiling few moments.

Then my chuckles started, they grew, and grew into full blown laughter. Then they turned to sobs as the realization of what I did hit me.

The fae that fought over me at the auction and I had a deal.

In the next ten years if they couldn't catch me, I was free.

But if they did, I wouldn't run away from my new keeper.

That was bad.

I curled up in a ball and mourned my next nine years of being hunted.

My six months head start was wasted.

-----------------------------

Jumper Achievements

-wyrd 11

-4th rank in the contract of separation and stone obtained

-Devotee contact made

-Wyrdskill in dodging and athletics obtained

-Clairity at 6

-Everyone's WTF moment

-The Hunt of 20 true fae gunning for him

-Freehold Hate

-Nothing Good

-First arc finished​

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Observer Interlude

Kelly didn't know what to do, the werewolf woke up and was going to take her.

Next thing she knew it protected her from a giant brutish monster.

She saw where he landed after he was thrown.

The guy was still choking when she helped him to their secret meet up.

Her cabal's secret meet-up.

Jonah was a dark haired electric green-eyed scraggly hunk. But he was still a werewolf so guns on him were a must.

She was currently getting told off by Beth.

"You guys almost got caught by the vamps, you know that?"

Kel nodded she knew it was risky but somehow through the army of hunters they made it to home base.

"What's this about a life debt!?"

Jonah was saying he wouldn't rest until he paid her back for the save.

Not sure what'd she would do with it though.

"I got the message to him," Kelly said as she rubbed the concoction over her wounds. She felt them painlessly shift back into place.

There were only like, 17 of them, but that guy needed some support.

Especially with his enemies.

----------

A wild hunt just took place for one changeling.

One, the Gem, Kinjen Gonzalgo.

The red badge squad were found barely alive in the hedge. Half of the group didn't last through the night; the others were on the mend for the next few days.

Karlann, The Autumn Queen sat at her bed with Bosso Nova next to her. The beastly furred lizard like man just kept an arm around her. She found the heart of the man beautiful, but everyone thought that she was manipulating him. The truth was that he was the one that moved her.

Even now he was a voice of defiance to just surrender. It was the reason his court wasn't growing as it should. Not many wanted to take the man's fervor for what it was.

Pride at keeping this town safe.

A few from the Spring and Winter court felt that fire from the meeting that night about the incident.

The summer court had twenty new members that wanted to fortify their place in the city.

But several of the freehold already headed out for greener pastures away from this nightmare of a town.

It was only ten members, but that was a Motley down.

Ones that decided this town wasn't worth it. But they weren't born in this city, they came from outside it. Everyone else that had a connection here, a family to watch over, grounds they knew.

That connection wasn't easy to abandon.

Karlann understood their worries, a true fae came to town with a small army.

All for one changeling.

"He needs to go," she said as she snuggled into the monster of a man.

She wasn't shallow, her ruling over the court of fear and horrors proved that. She liked scary things; she should have been a darkling. But to escape she used seduction, charm on one of the guards to trick him into letting her out.

"Yea, we'll get rid of em'," the rasp of his baritone always comforted her for some reason.

That night they consummated their feelings.

A beauty and a beast.

------------------------------

The blond in her trench coat sat in a room sipping the red liquid from her glass.

Other murmured around her.

"Our blood servants' numbers have dropped."

"Those blasted dogs attacked my warehouse, costing me thousands..."

".... Still, those fae creatures backing up the wolves are interesting ...."

"Is the prince sure that we can stall this fighting...."

"You weren't there, you didn't see that an army appeared out of nowhere...."

"….. Kinjen right, who is he and why is he so important?"

Her thoughts in a nutshell.

The man with a lion like appearance shouting at her to a run. A man she spotted in the distance appeared at a gas station out of nowhere.

Then when she saw those wolves follow him; she thought she could make a new blood doll.

If life had been in her she would have a blushed at the thought. He bowled her over and sent her running from the pack.

He did distract most of the wolves that time away from her hasty retreat.

One bitch did chase her, but she got away injury free.

A drip of red ran down her chin, she traced the line back to the corner of her mouth with two fingers, she sucked the blood off of them.

"Trishia."

She gave a tilt of her head towards the burly muscular man that called her.

"The prince is calling all active member, a response for the losses of several servants must be made."

The man's deep baritone that once made her shiver in delight had lost its luster.

"The Grangels have arrived," he said with a smile.

"To get a bite of wolf it seems," she said with a smile.

A simple deception, he could never truly read her that well.

Honestly, she was beginning to find the Carmillia a bore.

But because of those wolves she couldn't reliably travel by herself.

One whiff of her and they'd rip her to shreds in an ambush.

Her mind went back to the lion that everyone was so interested in. His portal didn't allow access; even their magicians strongest spells did jack squat against it. Trishia resisted a laugh, those Tremere and Ravnos said they were fairies.

The leading theory was that Kinjen was some sort of fae gigolo. Whom played with far too many hearts both male and female.

It was like a bad trashy romance novel.

But it looked like fun.

More fun than she had in years.

-------------------------------------------

Jonathan tried to control his leg from bouncing.

His pack had been removed from the active fighting because of the contract. Kinjen's contract with them. Until they heard the man was dead, they weren't allowed to engage with any fae stuff.

Nina was beyond angry and jumped at any chance of action to bite some vamps.

The pack and him were scouting areas with the vamp activity. They took out one of their holdings and several their puppets.

"Hey, how's life Jony?"

He looked up to see a short plain looking bespectacled brunette giving him a wide grin. A deeper instinct told him to take it as a threat, but it was her so he stuffed it down.

"Clementine, life's been .... interesting," he said with a smile.

She sat down in one of the college cafe seats.

Jonathan's father wanted him to be a law graduate, since it looked like he wouldn't turn. Then he did and that made things complicated.

He was expected to fight, but he was also balancing his schoolwork with it. Not that anyone expected him to. Jaxon wanted him to drop out, the man viewed his brother's efforts as a waste of time.

But Jonathan put years of work into school.

Jonathan even graduated when he was sixteen, from High school. He was twenty-three and already gained his bachelor's degree in criminal law. He was a year into his masters and didn't want to let it go.

It was familiar, it was human; the part he didn't want to let go. The part that his family kept telling him didn't matter.

He wished he was born Forsaken instead of Pure.

At least then he could have some freedom.

'He's so like one of man.'

That was what was always said of him.

The runt of the pack.

Jonathan was slimmer than most; even his form as a golden lean beast seemed beautiful to others. It was a blot that he had non - Pure friends that he hung out with.

Clem was probably his only human friend left who hadn't been intimidated away by his pack.

She took their posturing at her as a bad joke.

"So, how was coding class?" He asked.

She sipped her sugary latte; he liked how cute it was. It was like instinct, maybe mating instinct. He didn't like when she showed him teeth. Everything else though made him want to eat her up.

He hoped it wasn't literally.

They met in the senior year in high school and kept in contact ever since. She was cute to him back then, but someone this fragile with his family would be bad.

She wouldn't survive types of bad.

"Meh, it was eas-"

"Jonathan."

His heart dropped to his stomach.

"Oh, hi Nina," Clementine greeted, oblivious to the threat Nina gave baring her teeth at her.

"Nina, what's going?" Jonathan stood between his pack-mate and Clem.

Nina looked around him towards Clem, he moved to guard his ...friend.

The she-wolf just snickered and motioned him to follow her.

He nodded, turned to Clem, and said ", sorrylooks like something came up." He and Nina walked off and were about to turn the corner.

"Man, you like em' short!" Nina suddenly exclaimed.

Jonathan glanced back at Clem who tilted her head him. He looked away and pouted, Nina laughed as she pat his back.

She loved teasing him.

-------------------------------

Clementine stared at the man's back.

She took off her glasses and murmured something under her breath.

A smile came onto her face as she saw the golden wolf-man overlaying Jonathan's form.

"Ah, well better get back to the job the Free Council wanted done."

Her glowing hazel green eyes were hidden under the café's parasol.

"Sorry Jony, but it's just business."

She put out her hand on the table, hummed a tune, a magenta butterfly flew out from under the table without any other café goers noticing.

She always thought he was cute, so she kept an eye on him like most of her friends. Low and behold, the boy was from a family of werewolves.

Man hating werewolves to be exact.

At home she watched him, it was a hobby of hers.

People watching, she called it.

Clementine watched as he was knocked down and treated like the lowest of the low.

If he ever exerted any form of personal strength or will they'd put him in his place.

Often a punch to the gut or a smack to the head. He had a scar from a time a younger cousin bit him once. It was a nasty event, you'd think they's show him more care.

Not the case though.

"Maybe he can live with me?" She murmured out loud. She took a bite from her cookie.

Clementine lived in an apartment all by herself, it was lonely since her parents were gone.

It wasn't every day you watch a vampire kill your mom and dad. Then imploded the vampire into a shower of rose petals.

She was an Apostate mage after all.

She and the others were forced to cooperate with each other to veil their existences from the bloodsucker and rage beasties.

It wouldn't do to die from being all alone.

It was a truce until this territory battle was done.

She got up from her seat and wandered off. As a mercenary for the local cabals she had a job to do.

Locating Kinjen Gonzalgo and send the Adamantine Arrow after him.

------------------------------------------------------

'The spectator Unit observed: City denizens'

'Desired subject: Inter-dimensional deviant entity Kinjen.'

'Directive: Assimilation.'

'Process: Beginning step 1.'

--------------------------------------------------------

Jump Achievements

- Allies Made: Devotees, ??????

-Neutral Interest: Vampire Coven

-Enemy made: The Freehold, Werewolves, Hunters, Mages

 

[Oddly Lionized]

5.1 Maneuver

It was morning and I sat at a coffee sipping coffee and drained a bit of glamour of a couple being frank with each other behind me.

I noticed the changelings, the ones openly staring at me.

The parked car I ignored, seriously guy get tinted windows if you're trying to spy.

The number on the slip Kelly passed me had been uncalled.

Why?

Because every time I stepped out someone was watching

Suspected blood dolls, hunters thought I couldn't sense their hostility.

Not like the werewolves; they were beacons of hatred.

I debated whether I should check something out in the hedge, but it was still too dangerous.

The cup in my hand was empty, I let out an annoyed huff.

This was super annoying.

I got up and walked a bit still vexed by the inane number of followers. Most wouldn't risk pestering me....

I glanced around at a street crossing waiting for the light to change.

That was when I noticed her. The beautiful red head in the yellow sundress. The true fae smiled and put her index finger on her lips. She wanted me not to make a fuss.

No one else had noticed her yet. I just clammed up and kep-

My vision swam, something tugged at me and I realized exactly what was happen.

Something had been trying to drag me to the hedge. But in the distance in my distorted vision a vague shape resembling a mansion was about to take shape.

It was Arcadian, I focused and popped a claw.

I needed to think quick.

The talons stabbed deep into my right arm; I kept my face stoic as I burned through glamour. I pulled back and announced my words with strength.

"This pain and this blood, I declare is of the children of man at its core. Thus, I stay by this blood's shores, away from the lands they of man do not reign."

The shifts in my vision faded back to reality.

It was night and the streets were empty.

Across the street stood no one.

I glanced around and could see-

I was on the ground and kept myself from freaking out and breathed.

I felt sick as I sat up.

There were thick globs of blood on the ground.

My blood.

A black van with at-

It's the Cheiron Group abort!

"He's ours!" A female voice from behind me shouted.

I fell into the medbay area of my warehouse.

I powered through the lightheadedness and lethargic feeling caused by blood loss to disinfect and bandage my arm.

I didn't expect to wake up on the floor, but I realized I needed water.

I needed glamour too.

--------------------------------------------

Jumper Achievements
-Wyrd 12

-Contract of Dream rose to 3rd rank from 1

- Contracts of Omen rank 2nd

- Contracts of the Moon rank 2nd

- Contracts of Hours rank 2nd

- Contract of Thorns and Brambles rank 2nd

-Clarity dropped to 5

 

[Oddly Lionized]

5.2 Maneuver

Three days later and I felt better and there was now a glowing claw scar running up my right arm.


I didn't risk goblin fruits undoing the effect of the wound being a totem binding me to Earth. After five years I would be able to take it off after I cemented my roots to the dimension a bit more.


It was a spell that bound me here. I needed to do a few things that would make it harder for me to be snatched away so easily.


Rather not become a walking talking scar.


That meant being with my devotees. That meant I needed to have time to call them up and perform the...the...


I snapped back to the bench I had been sitting on at the zoo.


I fed on childhood wonderment at the animals they've never seen before.


A shaky breath left from my mouth and I remembered something important I did with someone. Someone who had died in Arcadia because of me.


I got up and took out my cell phone and hit the speed dial.


With a calm pace I walked on with a frown on my face. There were several glares of curiosity and apprehension.


I was a guy in a hooded trench coat obviously I got stares.


The phone rang and I heard the voice of someone picking up.


"Hello."


It was a man's voice, her boyfriend maybe.


"I'm sorry for waiting this long to respond, but I simply hadn't got a chance to call without someone pestering me," I said in a hush tone.


"Who is this?"


The man sounded irritated.


"Kinjen," I answered as I hid in a bathroom stall.


There was a bunch of voices on the other side of the line.


I waited on the line and got out the stall and found to bald men in shades and suits waiting for me.


"Kin, this is Kel-"


"Call you back I have some men in black to evade," I interrupted, quickly I shoved the phone into the pocket of my trench coat.


The men wordlessly took out two guns that made the hair on my arms stand on the end.


I wasn't going to fight and completed the catch of the 4th rank of the contract of separation with the 1st rank of the contract of stone.


These guys aren't going to complete their mission.
-------------

The group is not liked.

 

[Oddly Lionized]

5.3 Maneuver


One stabbed forward with a sparking electric rod. I side stepped and jumped over the other one lounging.


I ducked under another stab at me, I responded in a swift uppercut. The guy dodged most of it, but a glancing blow to the jaw with my augmented strength he stumbled back clumsily. I didn't waste time at awing at the strength I could reach and ran out the room.


I blew past a guy dressed the same as the two gathering themselves from my path and dashed to the more crowded area of the park.


Know what, I didn't need this right now.


I dropped down into my portal closed it behind me. Then dashed through the warehouse to the other portal.


I paused and whistled, the headgespun car parked beside me. Opened the door, went inside, and drove through the portal.


It was a good thing this thing can drive through water, on walls, and through snow. Did I mention this thing has an invisibility mode?


I stopped under a bridge.


I took out my phone and called Kelly.


"Yes hello."


"Hey," I breathed out ", I give me a moment."


I didn't realize just how tired I was.


Kelly's voice was soft as she asked ", what happened?"


"Oh, you know, the usual," I answered.


"Specifically?" Another female voice asked


I watched as a fish swam through the water.


"Just dealing with the agents from a conspiracy of evil pharmaceutical and medical companies that like to experiment on supernatural creatures," I said. I turned the cloaking mechanism on and stared easing forward.


"Wah- seriously?"


It was a guy this time.


I turned the speaker phone on and started to drive.


"Yeah, this is my life now," I said.


I drove out the lake to the grass. It was about a mile until the nearest highway.


Maybe I can finally make some friends.

Yes there is a super car in this story

 

[Oddly Lionized]

5.4 Maneuver

This was awkward.

"Can you stop staring at me like that Jonah?" I asked.

The werewolf; who apparently was a stray not local; just huffed and looked away.

Currently I and the group that wanted to talk to me sat in an abandoned apartment complex they were using as a base.

It was cleaned up pretty well. There was a slight hint of bleach in the air.

"So what do you want to know?" I asked.

There was I pause as the group huddled a bit away from me. I glanced out the boarded up windows and looked out to the barren streets.

It was around sunset.

"Okay!" Kelly exclaimed. Jonah fell off his seat away from the group at the sudden shout. Kelly went up too him with a slightly worried expression.

"Uh, you okay Jonah?" She asked.

The man waved her off as he stood.

"I'm fine," he muttered. His flush of embarrassment was clear to see.

Aw, did someone have a crush.

I hid my smirk and said to them ", know what your going to ask?"

With a more determined face Kelly asked ", what the hell is going on in this city?"

The smile I gave put people on edge. I drained whatever glamour I could from the. I reached into my trench coat, took out the map from the warehouse, and passed it to her.

"The map shows the general territories of each faction, the no go zones you should avoid unless your feeling ballsy."

Kelly spread the map on the floor and asked

"What about these colors?" Kelly asked.

"The red side would be the vampire, the silver would be the werewolves," I answered.

"What about the green and white dots?" she asked. Her group converged behind her. Jonah stayed close to her side.

"The green are the spots where ghosts and spirits I've noticed while exploring the town," I answered.

Outside the window showed a still barren street.

"Sh*t, there's one close by," one of the boys muttered.

Having the contract to see ghost and spirits was useful. It let me know what places had potential poltergeist activity. In a town with so many supernatural creatures there would be side effects like those.

"And white marks are….?"

"Places that I recommend no one goes near," I said. I kept my face as stern of an expression I could manage.

"I wouldn't want anyone going near those points," I said gravely. No one should go near the God Machine. Why? Because that's how we get cyborg werewolves, nobody smart wants cyborg werewolves. Or nanite empowered vampires that can walk out into sunlight.

We didn't need anything like that.

"Any reason why?" Jonah asked.

It was hard for me to take his 'obligation' to Kelly at face value. He could just be gathering information for the local pack. Who just happen to be Pure instead of Forsaken. Not the people I wanted to associate with.

"I rather not talk about it directly or I could get it's attention and that would be bad," I answered plainly. I didn't want it pestering me. The G Machine was a pain to work around. If it's effects weren't so easy to read I'd have been captured a while ago.

"There's really something like that in the city, uh what about the big blue marks?" Jonah asked. Seriously, this guy pinged all my suspicion.

"Potential magi spots," I said. I walked towards the group and sat in front of them. Jonah let out a low growl at the sudden proximity.

"Magi?" the girl said behind Kelly.

Kelly looked through each street of the map in focus. Most likely she was figuring the best ways to maneuver around them.

I took notice that they had more female members than male in their group. . Not sure why that raised a flag in my mind.

"Plural for mages," I answered calmly.

"Just some ridden then, nothing to worry about," Jonah said. He rolled his shoulders calmly.

"Nope their the most dangerous beings on the board compared to the white marks, which I reiterate do not play with."

My very stern expression made them pause. Kelly looked up from the map curiously ", how are a bunch of nerds in cloaks that dangerous?"

I just tilted my head at them like they were crazy. Then I realized of course they think that mages aren't that dangerous. They were just some guys who could maybe curse you or throw a fireball.

A desperate correction was needed before someone wandered into a sanctum and got themselves body horrored.

I stood up with a click of my tongue and the portal opened behind me.

"I'm going to explain to you why mages are things you fear the most when dealing with unknowns," I said.

I grabbed a stack of papers, pens, clipboards, and a bottled water.

My warehouse was stacked with a whole lot of stuff I'd never use.

My class stood at attention when I got back out the portal. Jonah was at his seat again. Kelly still stared at the map while a few stopped talking.

"You're all going to take notes because I really don't want to explain how mages are not possessed by powerful spirits, " I gave a pointed look at Jonah who growled " aren't a bunch of nerds in cloaks, " I gave Kelly a disappointed look, she looked a bit disheartened.

"But are majorly a powerful bloodline that could be traced back to an age where the world's continents were one," I put up my hand to pause people who tried to interrupt ", and remember history is written in the present mostly by people who hear about it second to twentieth hand from other sources."

I took a deep breath before I continued ", now then what is the difference between a thaumaturg and a real mage."

"There the same thing, tomato tomahto," said a more bookish girl.

I walked up to the girl who froze and the people edged away. I smiled and passed her a sheet and a pen ", more like tomato…..."

I held onto the sheet as she tried to pull back. I leaned in and said ", ….. to- nuclear warhead." I let go of the sheet of paper then started passing around the sheets.

"You need to realize everything you think you know is just something that was fed to you by an authority figure that treats the information they're repeating as gospel, but I'll be blunt," I sat back on the barrel near the window.

My eyes narrowed on a oddly pink butterfly in flight at night.

I turned my eyes back to the group ", personally I do believe in God, but you all need to learn the things that others believe both human and not human in this world. The darkness isn't something to fear, its what hidden in these various mysteries that will leave you in disbelief."

Kelly stared at me and nodded. She got that werewolves and vampire meant there were other things that bump in the night.

I gave them a friendly closed lipped smile at them.

"Now what am I?" I asked calmly.

"A fairy," Jonah answered.

"Seriously," someone muttered under their breath.

"I am fae, but what am I specifically as a fae?" I asked. There was silence, I chuckled.

"Another question, what is the basic society of my type of fae like?" No one answered

"What are the enemies my type are at odds with that hunt for me?"

Jonah shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Kelly just stared at me wondering what I was getting at. Everyone else was waiting for me to get to my point with various expressions of discomfort.

"Come on, know thy enemy, know thy friend, and you'll know fear, but it won't rule you when you encounter them and have at least a general guideline on what to follow when you meet them."

Realization went through the room.

"Information is a power not to lack, because knowing the difference between a Changeling," I pointed to myself ", and a true Faery will help you at least know what is going on."

"So, you got switched out for a real person?" The pouty husky girl asked.

"No, a real changeling is someone the true fae takes and leaves a fetch as a replacement," I explained.

"So you were human?" Kelly asked. She looked at me with a bit of pity.

I smiled ", yes I was in faery, Arcadia, for about, thirty some years, but I got out."

I chuckled ", but I think we got a bit off topic."

I glanced out the window and noticed the butterfly sitting on the window sill. Everyone around me noticed it as well.

I went to smash it but my hand went through it. It was an odd color of pink. It floated then dissipated into motes of light

The crowd got startled at the sight.

My head went out the window and I saw the deserted street light up. In the middle of the street a rent the size of a doorway in space appeared.

"What's happening?" Kelly asked, the glocke I gave her in hand .

The crowd already were taking out various knives and pistols.

They noticed the light, but they were sleepwalkers so no paradoxes occurred.

Jonah was already hairy with a wicked set of claws.

These idiots were going to die if I let them try to fight prepared mages head-on.

I activated the first rank of vainglory. I turned to them catching their attention with a start.

"Into the portal, now!"

Without thought they flew to the portal with only Jonah and Kelly hesitant.

The crunch of boots caused my ears to twitch as I went for the portal. The other two stopped hesitating and went in. I entered it without hesitation.

'STOP!' Echoed through my head.

I blasted glamour at the presence and a scream of pain was heard behind me. The urge to glance was there, but I was already in.

I heard a metallic crunch and saw the werewolf standing over on of the robots that took care of the place.

It was sparking and wrecked with a dent on the head area.

I rolled my eyes at the sight and ignored the sight. Time relative in the warehouse was at a ratio a billionth a second. Meaning no time outside the warehouse past in relation to it.

But I had work to do and a demonstration of magic to make.

"Wait, Kingen, wha-"

"Mages located our meeting and they are not to be trifled with, take the stairs to the lounge area and make yourselves comfortable," I interrupted Kelly while heading to my workshop.

I needed to destroy the memories of the area and curse it against Mage magic.

"Oh come on their not a threat-"

"Jonah you have no idea what they're capable of, if you did you'd know that one mage with proper prep time and intelligence can destroy a city by themselves and they were listening for God only knows how long to us," I paused and he was quiet, stepped back, pointed ears drooped, and backing down.

Vainglory was going to be used more in the future if this is what having a large wyrd with it could accomplish. Werewolf obedience through mega persuasion was convenient.

"I need to destroy the memories left in that place because they can watch the past like a movie, I don't think they read my mind to get your names and faces because anything faery can screw up your day if you aren't careful, now go upstairs and relax, pick a bed it'll take me a bit to set this up," I finished.

They didn't need to be told twice to head up. I watched and waited with the sternest expression I could muster.

They closed the door.

I waited a bit staring at their direction. Then I headed to the workshop, I stepped around circle I drew for s special ritual I was making for absolute emergencies. I got a bottle of beer emptied out the contents then replaced it with new alcohol removed the wrapper around it.

On a new part of the floor I drew a circle slowly. I drew a octagram in the middle, then drew a Jera rune in a flame to burn the year from the place.

The clothes I had on where in a furnace for added effect. My only clothes was a loincloth with three red yellow and orange bangles on the skinniest part of my limbs.

I put the bottle in middle; so happy I remembered to lock the door; I let the dancer enjoy the sound of his heartbeat.

Was going to pray forgiveness for this later.

I forgot what exactly happened as I danced, but I do remember circling the bottle twelve times as I burned glamour. I was sweaty from the intricate movements I had done, but I didn't have time to rest.

My blood needed to be heated for it.

I stabbed my index lef fingers with my own claw. I let a drip of blood fall into bottle. Then from my middle finger, then the ring finger, last my pinkie.

"Dagaz, Jera, Kenaz, Ihwaz."

Bottle glowed orange with flints of yellow with red.

I did so four more time and on the fourth I added the drop from my thumb.

By then the bottle looked like it had flame glowing inside it. I grabbed one of the rags I had in my lab and drew the Ihwaz symbol with lighter fluid mixed with ink.

I wrote each rune I spoke in the air and breathed it over the rag. I then said to the rag with burned glamour ", burn away all the time wherever fire burns."

The rag sparkled with magic and olde wonder. I kept the nausea from my face and form.

Took out the light drew Kenzas on it with ink and blood. The fluid in it glowed bright greenish blue. "Light a flame of new years turning the olde to ash."

It was sparkling too.

I Dagaz on the bottle and said ", by my right as your owner be joyful in the final day as whole, as all burns around where your content spills."

Finally I left the room to the portal and ignored the stares I got from the innocent lambs watching me, but I focused on the task at hand. The rag was in the bottle and I lit with the sparkling lighter that turned into ash after the flame was lit.

"Those memories at ye land, burn them to nothing."

I drained the fear of the power I held and threw the magical Molotov cocktail through the portal and closed it.

I turned to may class.

Their various expressions at what I had done just then were a bunch of gapes. Either at my body or the electric heat of the power of fire in the air.

"Now that the mages are going to be busy for the foreseeable future, let's all enjoy my luxuries."

I paused.

"Just so you all know the hot-tub is mine for the next hour, I reek of sweat."

I could feel the incredulous gazes pointed at my back.

Yet, I was satisfied and secure.

Better work on making them some tokens to use.

Preferably ones that exploded in the hands of people who aren't under my umbrella.

--------------------------------------------

Jumper Achievements

- Wyrd 16

- Contract of Dream rose to 3rd rank from 1

- Contracts of Omen rank 3rd

- Contracts of the Moon rank 3rd

- Contracts of Hours rank 3rd

- Contracts of Vainglory rank 3rd

- Contract of Thorns and Brambles rank 3rd

- Contracts of Element rank 4th Fire

- Contracts of Communion rank 4th Fire

- Clarity rose to 8 via controlling others and feeding survival instinct

That was fun to write. I'd love some feedback for this one. Its my Favorite so far.

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Observer Interlude

Clementine bit on her thumb nail as she paced in her apartment.

Everyone was blaming her for what happened, she wasn't paid for doing her job. Just because she wasn't backed by a cabal, it was okay.

It was okay that fire that ate memories was blamed on her.

It was okay that one of the Adamantine Arrow who jumped the gun and ended up comatose was her fault.

It was okay that she was suddenly blacklisted from the local cabals.

No, no it wasn't okay.

The guy that got thrown in a coma was from some important family. Said family was into the old magi related to the Silver Ladders. Add to the fact that she's an apostate mage that led the group there made her the perfect fall guy.

All those connections and good will she had gathered, gone.

In one week she had gone to be the rose of the local mages to six feet under. People edged away from her or acted like she was poison. It wasn't her fault that the changeling had that much fire power.

Both figurative and literally.

The fire ate through the apartment then the next, it burned through the mind and ate the very soul of everything it came into contact with. Nightmarish flames that burned neon in brightness from what the report had said.

She wasn't there.

That's what everyone wasn't getting. She sent the signal, a beacon, to one of the teams on the lookout for him. It wasn't everyday a greater fae made themselves apparent for anything.

Let alone some unknown no name that nobody has heard of.

This guy had his named jammed into the archives involving Arcadia. The Guardians of the Veil were looking into his name throughout all their musty old tomes. The Free Council vouched for her, but they figured it was better to drop her.

All because of a faery that she had met in person.

The sound of her teapot whistling broke her forlorn pacing.

She sat at her coffee table with a cup of vanilla infused chamomile in hand. She took a sip frowned then added a tablespoon of sugar. She sipped again and nodded, that was the level of sweetness she was looking for.

Maybe she needed to take a step back.

Ever since her senior year in high school she had been immersed in magic. She cut off so many non-magi ties that she could count the number of her sleeper friends by hand. It was horrific what happened to her mom and dad. It didn't take long for other mages to take notice of that amount of mana she had accumulated over a matter of months.

She declined all offers.

Her parents death was her fault…..

She paused her thoughts, maybe she needed to go out for a bit, clear her thoughts.

But not alone.

She activated her watchers at a certain werewolf's home. It would take a few days to know exactly when to give him a call, but she needed someone.

Someone who didn't know about her being a mage.

--------------

*Several days later*

"Needed this?" Clementine asked Jonathan. The reluctant werewolf gave out a happy hum as a response. They were eating ice cream away from any mages. It was what both of them really needed.

But Clementine knew there was a catch to all this.

He had been told to stop beating around the bush and seduce her already. Meaning there would be no interruptions for the day. She may had been able to hide how much that made her nervous.

Jonathan was a nervous mess at the start until she said ice cream would be nice.

It was around eighty out. They got the ice cream cones and ate it outside in King's park. It was close to the University and she didn't mind sitting next to him under a tree.

Clementine wondered how to get this over with.

It's not that she didn't think about sex it was that she never bothered with it. She had a natural connection to the Thyrsus path, but it never affected her love of tech. Other Awakened thought she was just weird because of that.

Her extensive collection of plants in her apartment said otherwise. She may not be animalistic, but she liked her roots where they were.

"So, anything you want to do today?" Jonathan asked

She held her chin in thought and answered ", let's see, maybe a movie?"

"Well, it has been a while since I've seen one," Jonathan said.

He ate the waffle cone and licked his fingers. Clementine knew he hadn't really done anything normal other than school. She was pretty sure she knew the last he watched the television ……..

'Wow,' was all she thought; she didn't realize how creepy she was being.

Clementine made sure to have kept all her eyes away from the bathrooms. But some of these pure guys had no qualms with moving around naked. Jonathan was probably the only peep show she hadn't seen. She had seen him in only boxers a few times. She looked at him still licking his fingers, she wondered what type he had on.

"Uh, do I got something on my face?" He asked. His calm face indicated he had no clue what she was thought. Clementine smiled sweetly and put her cone his way.

"Want it, Jony? I'll need room for popcorn later," She said with a slight blush on her face. He smiled back as he took her treat. She stared at him, he took long laps on her barely touched strawberry.

Clementine wondered if he did that on purpose.

"Um," Jonathan paused for a moment and looked at her.

"Whats up?" she asked with her still present smile.

"Well, ya see, I kinda can't go home for a a bit, fumigating," He started to say.

She could practically see his nervous wolf like ears twitch.

"And," she drawled out.

It was cute that he was so nervous. It was obviously a ploy to get into her apartment. She heard his dad telling him he wasn't allowed back into the house until he slept with her. They thought that was what he kept meeting up with her for. That it had nothing to do with the fact that they were forcing him to be a part of their pack. Or the probable years of treating him as low as dirt. Or the sexual indiscretions from older women he dealt with.

"Well, I hoped it'd be okay to crash a night at your place?" Jonathan was really nervous.

Clementine once again debated absconding with him.

She felt that he wouldn't be against it either.

"Sure," She said as she scooted closer to them.

He stared at her for bit and said ", you sure?"

She got closer to him and leaned into him. Slowly he wrapped an arm around her.

"Sure! just don't try to lie again, you suck at it," she said.

He hm'd at her words.

Well, she never had to use the blood of a virgin for any of her spells anyway.

She just hoped the stalkers his family sent weren't going to watch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jonathan stared down at the girl in her bed sheets.

He had always felt low. He was the unimportant child, the runt of the litter. The one everyone thought would amount to nothing. Jonathan smiled wistfully, nothing by the pure standard anyway. He knew that escaping alive was slim, knew that he had only his life to risk. He supposed his family noticed and kept trying to keep him in line.

They knew he had no real love to this territory.

His family had done very little to endear themselves to him. They were so happy when he changed and congratulated him. Treated him like one of their own, but he was distant. Never wanted to be around them to celebrate victories. To socialize or even shown interest in any of the daughters they introduced him to.

When they finally confronted him about it….

They worked him over to remind him where his place was.

His only response to their constant pestering had been a matter of fact tone.

"Ah, so you all caring was just a act."

That earned him a beating, nothing he hadn't known before.

Now, he looked towards Clem. She had snuggled up to him in her sleep. That bought him more satisfaction than any praise his parents gave him. He huffed at the thought of their fake affection. But it also meant something else.

Something now tied him to this wretched place.

It infuriated him that he let his smaller head do the thinking. Even if he could go they'd tear Clem apart in retribution. It was their modus operandi, fear to control the masses, power to cow them. It was why he never mourned whenever a family member died.

It was one less potential opponent to think about.

Jonathan slowly breathed in the earthy scent of herbs and flowers. Around her apartment were menagerie of potted plants, some he never heard of. Clementine's apartment was not what he expected. He thought about all their talks about the internet, tablets, the new mobile phone coming out, the internet, and computers. There was only one custom tower and monitor in her bedroom.

It was odd that she didn't have more tech around. But she admitted to having a green thumb and it showed.

Clementine softly snored into red bed sheet covering her. She had been wearing red summer dress and a red hood. It was like she knew he was a wolf. Jonathan may have ripped them off of her like the wild beast.

"Hey, still awake?"

He glanced down at her, she squinted in the dark.

"Yeah."

"What's got you up and pouty?"

"Pouty?" He quirked a brow at her.

She snuggled into him with a giggle.

"Yeah, you got serious face on," she sat up with the blanket covering her ", what's wrong?"

He looked at her eyes and saw that she was genuinely concerned. He debated on what to do, so he made a decision. He kissed her suddenly, he didn't let up until she groaned under him. She gasped as he kissed her neck leaving small bites. He traced his lips to her ear and said something that made the girl shiver.

"I want you to see all of me."

With hands on both sides of her head she stared at hs form. He was always on the slim muscular side. Not one of those guys with bulging muscle, you couldn't tell without his clothes off that he had them. Now he was more hairy, muscular, bigger and borderline inhuman. He gave Clementine a awkward smile with sharper looking looking.

"Is it wrong that I think you're hotter like this?"

Jonathan just stared down at her, he thought she might need her glasses. The lights were off after all.

"Well, since we're finally being honest," Clementine started, she looked a bit nervous.

Jonathan's hair stood on end as the scent of flowers and spice exuded from her. It was always around her, he thought it was some nice scented lotion or homemade soap. But it was deeper, it was from her very flesh. Slowly he moved back onto his knees and waited for an explanation.

This was the girl he just spent the day with then had been intimate or several hours.

"What happ- what are you?" Jonathan was surprised and unlike other uratha he had the self-control not to freak out.

She sat up with glowing green eyes.

"I'm a mage," she said.

Around her room a blueish green glowed around them. The plants glowed brightly and showed the her face as flowers covered the walls on walls.

"So your possessed by a nature spirit?" He asked.

Clementine quirked a curious brow at him ", no my atlantean heritage just acted up and I got magic powers because of them."

"Atlantea- as in Alantis?" He asked slowly in disbelief.

"Hey, mister I'm descended from a giant wolf and the moon, don't judge me on weird ancestry." she stated flatly.

…..

Jonathan paused and admitted ", fair."

There was silence in the iridescent glow of the room.

"I may have known you changed a while ago…." she admitted.

Jonathan was bewildered, but he figured out how she did it.

"Magic?"

Clementine put out her hand with a smile. A low light formed in her hand, it was shaped into a butterfly. Multiple of them fluttered around them, Jonathan glanced around the moving pseudo-insects. He poked one and it dissipated in little motes of light.

With a smile she said ", I can see through these little guys when I focus and get a general location when they poof."

He had no clue what to say. He had a magical stalker who had- wait.

"Poof?"

"Yeah," she poked one making it break apart ", poof."

"Heh," was all that came from Jonathan's mouth.

Well. it wasn't as if he had any real complaints about being watched. But…..

He pounced on her with his lips onto hers. It was hungry, primal, and filled with wanting.

Clementine had no problem with that.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Is this all?" Trishia asked.

She twirled a piece of her blond hair as she looked through various photos.

The suspected werewolf associates, possible friends, humans with actual knowledge, the ignorant humans that got drag in, and the mages. The Tremre have made contact with the local cabals and drew up a non-aggression pact with them.

As long as their goals didn't come in conflict with one another they'd avoid fighting each other. She supposed it was easier to work with the more 'human' side. Rather the ones that looked more human all the time. It was no secret that the werewolves had a dislike to humanity. At least the locale variety.

Mages viewed their working with the local spirits that wanted mankind out of the wilder territories aggravating. Apparently there may be something worst running around. Something that has the mages wary.

She looked at the picture taken of Kinjen. Him in his human guise from what the Tremre said. He was a furry man, but looked like he could snap you in two with his bare hands. The fairy's glamour hid the supposed cat like appearance he had.

"What do you think?" Her muscular companion asked.

Maybe it was just her, but everyone was far too eager about this fight. There were skirmishes before this little war. But what had made it all become so….

"Hm, I think Van, that our dear fairy man might have the answer to a question that's been bothering me," Trishia answered.

"Hm, what could that be?" Van asked.

"When did this war even begin?"

Van was quiet and stared at the blond with the others. Wasn't it when a one of their businesses had been destroyed. Or was it that one of theirs went missing in werewolf territory. The territory of Canada had been in conflict for years. They had to have recorded what instigated the fighting, but ....

Van froze, he remembered combing the records of their bouts with the wild curs for the local Mekkhets. But there wasn't a exact date on when it started. Just vague mutterings of a meeting gone wrong with the prince.

The problem was the local prince had only ever sent representatives to deal with other species.

"She's very much correct to ask."

They turned and knelt at the owner of the crisp and experienced voice. The darkly dressed man in an expensive red and black suit with a silver wolf hanging from his shoulder walked in.

"Rise."

At his word all rose from their position and parted from his path. Trishia really hated being in the presence of the man. He was always staring with his blood red gaze. It was uncomfortable.

"This 'fairy man' knows things from what I am told."

Trishia and the others nodded.

"Bring him here, I would like to discuss what he does and doesn't know personally."

They all responded with a bow and a ", yes my liege!"

Trishia wanted to protest, she wanted a taste of the man herself…..

Why did it feel wrong to bow towards the prince?

He was the prince, so why did she feel as if this wasn't correct?

She looked at one of the photos and saw one of the wolves from the night she met the fairy. That hound with a petite girl with the glasses looked like good leverage. They had just got out of the cinema with him protectively staying near her.

It'd be sweet if it weren't for the fact that one bad mood swing could kill that girl. The girl herself looked far younger than him. Trishia wasn't one to judge one's kinks, but she was sure the man was years older than the girl.

Maybe she can get the a bit of info on what the man could know.

"Get someone to follow this girl, find out her schedule, and see to it that the dog with her doesn't notice any of you," Trishia ordered several by the walls.

They moved out with a series of nods.

Trishia's eyes focused on the Kinjen photo. The man liked to have green tea with a pastry of some sort every morning. She resisted licking her lips in front of the others. Any hint that she might disobey the princes orders would cost her chances at him.

That fairy's blood was hers.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jumper Achievements
-Obtained a stalker

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Troupe 6.1

"What the hell did you do!?" A man's gravelly voices sounded.

Currently, a week after dealing with the mages, I decided to go into the hedge. I was supposed to be a simple hedgespinning mission. Nothing grand as a dnd dungeon crawl, but more trying not to get caught.

"Like always, I didn't do anything - left," my voice yelled as the sound of hooves thundered behind us. The wizzing of arrows barely missed their marks. The contract of hearth was a God send.

"Don't give me that- right, they're coming from the right!"

I expected a few red badgers, a dangerous hob or two, maybe a quick run from a Gentry. What I didn't realize was how hard it was to hide because of my wryd. Or the ease I had been able to shift materials to what I needed. The problems only happened when a group of red badgers came running at me.

They were being chased by a group headed by a Gentry. In chariots led by Centaurs. Arrow firing centaurs roaring at us to comeback.

With a chunk of glamour I lobbed several boulder sized fireballs in their direction. There were several screams and crashes behind me. I took note of the metals and cloth I had on hand. The portal to my warehouse opened to my side. I glared when I ran past it while dodging a silver arrow.

With a roll of my eyes, I flipped forward. A portal opened under me and I dropped all my stuff into it.

Arrows flew past my twisting form as the portal closed. I landed with handstand and activated the first contract of stone. I pushed up and flew to the large thorny vines over head.

My claws latched onto the thing and I got on the top side.

"GYAHH."

"Reese!"

"What are you idiots doi- Drop me you morons."

I stood in the shadows of that hedge that hid me. I watched the large rottweiler man being carried by a fae faced blond with a scar under her eye and a whisp like shade like man.

……….

Why did I have to be the good guy again?

"The hell we're letting you die, your the, my, we-" the woman's voice was struggling to come up with a reason.

"Cas…..drop me," the rottweiler man's voice ordered softly.

Darn it sensitive ears, why were you so perceptive?

"Would both of you just-Gyaah, sonova-," the others voice cried out in pain.

I sighed.

I had to be the good guy.

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Troupe 6.2

First I reached into my portal and nabbed one of my gemstone projects.

I may have thought more like a nasuverse mage when it came down to making it.

Rin Tohsaka, thanks for the inspiration. This gem, a onyx, filled lovingly with three weeks of dancing rituals involving heavy stomps and safe falls to the ground.

My index finger sliced itself on the sharpened edge and I jumped. With a grip strength that could crush refined steel the onyx became dust in my hand. This dust glowed neon purple. I jumped down head first and swung the dust towards the cut up centaurs headed my and the red badger's direction.

I righted myself in the air and noticed the dust covered the no bewildered pursuers.

My hands slammed to the ground along with my feet with my bellow echoing.

"Usque ad Terram."

Immediately fields of purple surrounded the centaur and those on the chariots. But instead of the desired effect of increasing gravity it instead released gravity and blasted them to the unforgiving thorny vines above.

I was a bit bewildered and realized it must have been affected by height. I reached into my portal grabbed my notes and jotted down that height was a factor. It could also had been the last place my feet were on, as opposed to the ground. Noted down it could have been my subconscious mindset on where I stood being the 'earth'. Faery magick was high level sympathetic magic so that could've been a factor too. One differing synaptic response could make all the difference.

I glanced at a unmanned chariots and drew them into the warehouse by putting portals under them. I'd break them down for material later. Yes, there were screams of pain and agony, but it was either them or I.

I refused to choose them.

"Hey!"

My ears twitched as I turned to red badge boys and girl. I sighed and reached for one of the potions I had with me. I rolled it to them.

"This is a medicine I made using healing goblin fruit," I said. The whines and groans that came from my back irritated me. The Militia brats gaze were annoying too.

I wanted to go, but these injured guys would just get chased by the Gentry in the vines again. I couldn't let that happen.

"Why save us?"

The question made me pause; I gave the Militia man my attention. Reese the tall shirtless red-orange rottweiler man with a red badge bandanna on my neck glared at me.

It'd be more intimidating if the fae girl, Cas, didn't help him stand.

I shrugged and said ", it felt like the right thing to do."

I reached into the portal and took out two large packs of flour. The Militia guys edged away from me, I ignored them and threw the things at the group still stuck in the thorns.

A cloud of white powder covered them above.

"What - oh crap!"

The red badgers started moving away as fast as they could when they saw the fireball floating near me. I started moving away from the area.

I twitched my head upward and the fireball flew to the flour cloud.

I walked into my portal and ignored the resounding boom echoed behind me.

The portal closed behind me and there on the floor of my warehouse were a multitude of hedgespun items and equipment.

I cracked my neck and got to work.

A few friends needed some armor and weapons.

 

[Oddly Lionized]

Troupe 6.3


"Hm, I think I overdid it," I said.


Kelly and the others stared at what could only be called a dramatic supernatural success. From a crater the size of small clearing jumped out a a dark brown and green shape. It landed in front of us, dented the ground.


The arena supplement was was the useful otherwise I'd be drop kicking a werewolf through cement for making such a mess.


It was a tall brunette gaoru decked out in green fantasy suit of armor. The color was leaf green with golden accents with each piece from the cuirass to the greaves. It was missing the shoulder guards and plating for the thighs, but I think the mystical add-ons were good enough to make up for them. The armor does triple his natural defense strength and speed.


At least it was supposed to.


Instead our wolf friend Jonah was seven times as strong, seven times as sturdy and seven times as fast. Oh and laser claws, those gauntlets produced lightsaber claws. His words not mine, Jonah was a star wars nerd.


Who would've thought?


Apparently jacking the metal, leather, wood, and cloth from the chariots made the wyrd increased my creations success rate. I think it laughed at what happened to the Gentry and decided anything I made from that incident would be a dramatic success.


Like the chainmail covered cloth armor I made for the girls. Those things didn't dent from gunfire or me taking a sledgehammer to them. The guys prefered more plate armor and heavier weapons.


Oh the weapons, sabers that cut through steel like butter and made the wielder a advanced level fencer. Dual edged sword and bludgeons that increased striking power and speed of the user. The staff that throws fireballs, lightening and various nonsense.


I made myself a suit of chainmail with bracers and greaves.


……


Did I mention several of these guys were dnd nerds in secret. It was an interesting conversation.


I also felt like I was playing dad/life coach.


Why?


Because, I was getting them in shape; made sure they got plenty of sleep; forced the ones in college to study for their classes; make sure the rough housing didn't go too far; and some of them mistakenly called me dad….


There was something I kept telling myself these past few weeks.


I was not becoming a cult leader.


….. I wasn't!


"That was pretty cool," Kelly said.


Jonah preened with a wagging tail.


The guy wasn't a bad.


He had his changed about mid-May and had to deal with the Pure indoctrination junk. It wasn't like he chose it, if anything I felt bad for him. Mullet was the one that fathered him in Montreal. Coincidentally his mother was from this town and was there on a road trip with a few friends. His mother's parents weren't keen on taking care of their eighteen year old daughter's bastard. When they couldn't convince her to give him up for adoption they set her up with a job, found her a cheap apartment, and threw her out. He had a difficult childhood, but tried to get his degree.


Then the crazy cult kidnapped him then forced him into their ranks because his 'dad' was high up. He wasn't even the first of the guy's bastards to be found. At least the man got Jonah's maternal grandparents to leave town when he heard what they did. The Pure were never happy when they hear one of their kids were mistreated. Whether those two were alive or not was up in the air.


Not that Jonah cared, to them he was the thing that ruined their daughter's life. They made sure he never forgot that. He doesn't talk about his mother though, that was a sore spot for some reason. I suspected some kind of abuse, but that was his story to tell if he was ever ready to.


"Hm, it surpassed all expectations, but you'll need to train in control," I said while looking at the hole. Jonah growled, I ignored him and said ", you don't want to hurt your allies and I rather you never have to feel that pain."


His ears went down a sheepishly and nodded.


He was the only one who lived in the companion housing, it was to stay out of the Pure radar. He viewed me as the superior and respected my ownership of the house. We rarely interacted because of the sheer size of the place. I also slept at the workshop most of the time anyway.


It was pretty clear he was lost on what to do. It was obvious his 'life debt' to Kelly was just an excuse avoid dealing with everything. I'm pretty sure the others suspect that too.


"But it was an impressive showing," I said. The gaoru looked neutral and nodded again.


"I still feel that you all should-"


"No, we're not going to ignore this, so can we stop having this conversation," Kelly interrupted.


She and the husky girl; Beth; had been pushing for me to be more…


Inclusive when I go out.


It's not that these guys aren't capable without me around; I'm just private. Honestly they admitted to taking on a few Kindred and blood dolls already. There are a few blooded too, but the werewolves were in need of culling. Hm maybe isolating a few ….


I was not a cult leader and I am not sending out members to do hits on people.


"I wanna cap' a wolf."


This five foot seven, sandy haired Canadian, from the suburbs looking ghetto boy wanna be, who liked rap named Bret holding the rune covered beretta added.


Kelly, Jonah, and Beth just stared deadpanned at the man.


"You know what, fine go out," I said flatly.


"So where too, O.G?" Bret asked with a smile.


…...I was not a gang leader, Bret.


" We're going in separate groups of four, scouting only; am I clear?" I stated loudly.


Everyone nodded, except Bret whose groan filled me with joy.


"Seriously?" Bret asked.


I sighed as I walked up to him. With speed everyone barely noticed I disarmed Bret of his gun and had It pointed to his forehead.


There was silence, Bret gulped.


I put the gun down then passed it towards him.


He took the gun back nervously.


"No fighting werewolves until you can hold onto your gun, Okay Bret?"


He nodded back, I then said ", with words."


"Yes, O.G."


……. Really Btret?


I rolled my eyes ", Everyone get the cloth armor under your clothes and head out."


There was a bit of a commotion as everyone scrambled to get their stuff on.


I headed back to my workshop It wouldn't do to-


From behind me I smelled wolf. I stopped and turned around to see Jonah standing there. He was nervous, his head was down to avoid eye contact, and he was in his Dalu form.


His armor was charmed to change with his size and weight. So he didn't look too small for it.


"Well, what is it?" I asked with a quirked brow.


He took a big breath, he sweated a bit.


"What do you think of Kel?" He asked.


I gave him a deadpanned gaze. He really asked what I thought about the girl that wasn't my type.


"Kid, I have way too many issues in life for a relationship," I said in the flattest tone.


Jonah perked up at those words, he composed himself then asked ", so if I asked her there wouldn't be a problem."


What he wanted he was so obvious he didn't need to go into detail.


"As long as she wants it too," I added as I headed into my workshop.


"Uh, duh, I wouldn't do anything like that," he denied.


"Obviously, kid," I said while I closed and locked the door.


"I'm not a kid," I heard him say through the door.


I shook my head and headed through my lab to do my nightly ritual. I knelt down in front of a wooden cross in the circle of calla lilies. I took the cross made of twelve precious gems fused together. It was capped in gold on each end of the cross. In the horizontal part of the cross has the word 'heart' carved in Hebrew letters.


I held it in between my hands in the prayer position.


My eyes then closed in deep prayer……


-------------------------

This is going to get interesting.​