Just Why?

[Casey]

Casey watched as he drew what he was doing to create the pretty colors. It seemed incredibly complex to her. She had never really utilized that many threads before. Then again, she was still new to all of this stuff. When Nox mentioned the name Aurora, he had to wonder if this particular weave meant a lot to him - some sentimental value. The name of the person with the name of the weave. Then again, that might mean nothing.

Casey smirked and looked at Claude. "I'd give it a try to see, but I don't think there's anyway I can do that right now. Looks way too complex for my skill level right now. I can barely hold together a couple of threads."

Casey went back to her light and made it again. It seemed so much easier - even if it used the dreaded fire. Casey frowned at it. Why was this one, using fire and air, so much easier than just using fire. She grabbed for fire again, but it still seemed weird to her. Maybe it was a mindset thing. She thought she sucked at fire, so when she tried to use it, she found it difficult.

She thought back to what she knew. She was able to throw someone with air, and make a wall with air. She had done that before, but the shield she had made over the woman hadn't just been air. It could have been - probably with the same effect that it had. But that shield had spirit in it too. That seemed weird. "Once I made a shield over a woman who was being beaten by her husband/boyfriend. For some reason, I added spirit into it. I didn't know what I was doing then, maybe it was a mistake, but I don't know - felt natural to me. What would spirit do in that situation."

[Nox]

Claude's question was valid but not right. Not really. "Well usually it does nothing. If it does something it usually is bad. So I don't recommend trying to do an opposite weave. I'm sure there are rules to how a weave behaves for a man and different ones for women. I've never compared two identical weave before. Not sure anyone has. Though we could try with the drawing program. But the analysis is far beyond me."

Casey thought the weave was complex and he guessed she was right. Though he rarely thought about the complexity. Unless he was investing weaves. Then complexity mattered.

And Casey's question made him grin. "Spirit does a lot of things in the case if a shield it statements strengths it. I'm some it's a binding agent. In others it is destructive. It can slice other weaves. Even ones you can't see."

"Trust your gut. Most of us have a truck or two we learned before knowing what we were doing. It's your guy that saved you from death. Don't discount it."

[Claude Saint-Clair]

Claude nodded in understanding. Most things should be the same - some things are not. It would be good to know, especially if he practiced with Nora. He had no idea if Nora wanted whatever resources Nox might have to help her, but that was something he could let her know. He'd make sure to get his contact before he left.

Casey seemed to operate in instinct. There could be good to that, or it could be catastrophic. But Nox was right in a way - don't discount that feeling. There was a reason why people had instincts, and if it served you well in the past, it would likely do the same in the future. His weaving hadn't been instinctual in that way. It hadn't been productive, just a release of emotion. The power had more controlled itself then than he had, but that was sometimes the nature of things.

"I think for me, that's good enough for now. I can tell I have some stamina building to do with this as well. Is there anything else you can think of for a beginner to know before I head out and let you get on your day," he smiled warmly. It had been more pleasant that he expected, and most of the unpleasantness had been from him. "And I'm grateful - truly. As long as you're okay with me coming her on a fairly regular basis and continuing to learn, I plan on doing so. At the very least until I can figure more out on my own. I hope you understand I'm not a threat to you and yours." Nox knew what he was and he had no desire to hurt anyone that was truly innocent. In truth he generally stuck to actual monsters.

[Casey]

Spirit it seemed was the “other” of the one power. It just did different things depending on what it was used in. Nox had it right, she’d added in the spirit instinctually. Why? She had no idea. It was something to thing about later. Spirit and air came to her more naturally. So she would keep that in mind.

Casey nodded at the stamina part. She was already beginning to feel it, and she might have been able to do more had she been well rested. She didn’t have a whole lot more in her either, but she was grateful for the mini-lesson and practice session.

Claude mentioned to Nox that he wasn’t a danger to him or his family, and it made Casey wonder if this Claude was also a part of the people who hunted people like her and Cadence. She knew Nox was - or had ties there - or something. She wasn’t sure on all of it. Casey didn’t think Nox saw him as one simply because he was here and not bound and gagged in threads of air. Nox was significantly more powerful and in control too. Claude wouldn’t have stood a chance. She said nothing, but backed up. She’d let Claude and Nox finish before she asked Nox some more questions.

[Nox]

"It's fine, Claude. If I'm not here feel free to use the dojo anytime. Sky will let you in. But I do warn you there are gaggle of kids who do come down here and make a nuisance of themselves. They have their own lessons to attend down here. And some of them might be able to help Casey, I don't have any boys who can do what we do." Which was odd if Nox really thought on it. He had a Siren though, and that was unique. Though Ashton was hardly a child, hell he was older than Nox.

"And I know you aren't a threat to mine. It takes me one call to fix any threat you might have posed if I felt it necessary." He didn't need to call anyone. But he wanted Claude to know that he had resources. "You will be safe here even from our brethern. Any of the known godling hunters are already on the 'no-fly' list." Which was also why he had made it past the perimeter without too much hassle.

"Sky is at your disposal, she has eyes and ears everywhere that is not going to get me sued." He grinned playfully. Nox offered Claude a hand. "There is also a gym style shower down here. If you are concerned about young eyes, you might want to lock the door behind you. But they've seen enough in their life that I'm not worried about exposure." The kids had all sold sex in some form or another to seduce marks. It was their job to bring home food. And that was what they brought home fucking pedofiles who no one would miss.

[Claude Saint-Clair]

Claude accepted his hand. Having this place to use would be helpful. It was good to know about the kids. Kids didn’t necessarily bother him, but her really had no experience with them. It was also good to know that should he use the shower he should lock the door. It seemed like he had potential resources to help Nora should she want it. Nora would, of course, hear about this meeting.

Claude’s handshake was firm, befitting the aristocratic gentleman he was. ”Thank you for everything,” he said, forming a slight smile. ”Have a wonderful day.”

Claude exchanged contact information with Nox before turning to Casey. ”Casey, ma’am. A pleasure,” he shook her hand too and with a nod, headed out. The day hadn’t gone how he thought it would, but it hadn’t been a bad one.

[Casey]

Casey shook Claude’s hand and spoke her goodbyes as he left. Ma’am? She’d never been called ma’am before. She didn’t even think she was old enough for that platitude. But hey - he was French if she judged correctly from his accent. All old world politeness. It was probably second nature to him. It didn’t really bother her. At least she didn’t think it did.

She turned to Nox. ”You know, I met you yesterday and since then I’ve found out - on top of being a witch - that there are people who can talk to wolves, there is a dream world that is just as real as this one, met people who are members or connected to a secret society that probably were part of the whole Salem Witch Trials thing, but, thankfully, wont kill me because they’re witches too, and met a prophet who had a vision about me and gave me a quest. I’m like a level one wizard in D&D or something. Not that I’ve ever played,” she said, her voice humorous. With a mischievous grin she continued. ”Im inclined to believe it’s all your fault. Or Cadence’s. Or both. A complete conspiracy.”

[Nox]

Nox grinned. "I can take the blame lol. But you were the one who came here. Weird before you met me. And if you wanted to play D&D I'm sure Liam and the boys would love to let you join them. They fancy themselves monster hunters even if they really don't wanna do it for real. Cause I did offer. But I do warn you, you would probably be the only girl there. My girls are too busy either beating up the boys, or dancing."

Nox paused moved back into the middle of the dojo mat and this time took a deep breathe as he started practicing his way. Inverted weaves, all of them. Including shielding and his other more complex ones. Casey couldn't see them and he wasn't finishing any of them.

The first weave was simple if slower as he moved through the motions of his practiced chorography. It was a test of will and strenght and power and it wasn't showing off. He needed the practice just like everyone else. After the first weave Nox took a deep breath and wiped sweat from his brow, he was obviously working hard even though what she saw as nothing to sweat over. "You are free to use the dojo too. Sterling and you could get some weaving practice in, maybe learn a bit, teach her a bit. She used to play violin. I'd really love it if she got back into it. But she's too wound up in the power to stick to it much. But maybe meeting a pop star or two might push her back towards it."

With all the other work Nox had done that day he only made it through one round of inverted weaves before he had to stop and take a break. Sweat pouring form his body and his breath coming in rags as he tried to catch it.

[Casey]

Casey smirked. ”Think I’ll pass on the D&D for now. With the album and tour - I probably won’t be able to be there on a regular basis.” she crossed her arms contemplatively. ”Monster hunting, huh. That what you do with the…umm…what are they called. You and Claude? Guess it shouldn’t surprise me that monsters exist after everything else. Vampires, zombies. Elyse is kind of a werewolf - without the whole changing at the moon thing. She doesn’t change at the moon, does she? the statement was made with a smile as a joke, but there was some seriousness to it.

Nox began to move again, but he was beginning to perspire. She guessed that he was using magic, but she couldn’t see anything. ”What is it that you’re doing there?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. She couldn’t see anything, but as someone who had been trained to teach, she liked learning. ”And if Sterling wants to get back into violin, I do teach lessons in orchestral strings. Played double bass before the bass guitar and studied music ed before Cadence claimed me for her band. I’m certainly willing to teach her. My schedule isn’t very flexible right now, and when we tour some lessons may be virtual. Also not free, but for her I’d even give a discount.”

As he sat down trying to catch his breath, her eyes became softer. ”Do you need a water or something?”

[Nox]

Nox shook his head. "I'm good. I was inverting weaves, something neither you nor Claude are even close to ready to try. It allows a male channeler not to see my weaves. It's complicated and dangerous and a hell of a lot of work."

He sat and stretched cooling down, the power was gone from his grasp and he felt normal -- though the horde tickled at his skull. Nothing more than annoying noise that he could ignore. He wondered when the other shoe would drop.

"If Sterling wants to, I'm sure he parents would pay, it's not a matter of money. It was a matter of fitting it into Sterling's new schooling. And most people think coming to the club is not for kids, so I don't try to push too much. I'll talk to her, and she can talk to her folks if she's interested."

She had mentioned hunting monsters and kinds that she thought existed. He gave her a wry smile. "Monsters are real but none of them are like you think they are. Those are all myths based on the truth, much like the myths of old. The gods were men and women like you and me. Could channel. But they lived long lives and could do things mortals couldn't so they were worshipped until the Atharim took them down saving humanity. And we what remain kill the vesitages of their reign in what we call monsters. Vampires sorta exist but they aren't fang sucking like in modern media. We call them dreyken. A creature with long razor sharp talons and long tongues that lick the blood from the body. And Drainka, which also feed like a vampire but they can see into the future and are very hard to kill because of it. The closest you can come to a zombie is a Rougarou, which ironically is where I found the kids, working for some high functioning Rougs who were using the kids to bring home people to feed on. They are all dead now because they kidnapped me and didn't kill me like they were told to, so I torched their house with them inside saving most of the kids. An no Wolfkin don't change with the moon. Though you'd have to ask Elyse if she feels the affects of it. We all do in some form not sure if she does with her links to the wolves."