Just Why?

[Casey]

Casey sat down and let herself relax a bit. She hoped Nox didn’t mind her company. If he had anything to do, he was certainly free to leave or something. It was nice to just exist for a bit with someone else. No agenda - just talking about things.

Of course things got dark fast. These kids were probably traumatized quite a bit. It explained a lot about how Cadence saw them. Casey had her own issues, but nothing in either Candence’s or the kids’ levels of trauma. Seems like Nox himself had a pretty up and down life too. It was a reminder that things weren’t always what you saw on the surface.

”Sounds like you all have had pretty hard lives. I’m glad you’re all still here though. Don’t know the kids as well, but I met some of them yesterday. Can’t have been easy for them to be in that situation. Same for you. Probably still very hard. You ever want to vent, I can listen. Sure as hell can’t offer advice on any of that, but I’ll listen. Cadence will too.”

Casey looked at him. ”You know, she holds you in pretty high regards. Cadence that is. For what you’re doing for these kids. It’s not really public knowledge, but she has a very traumatic past too. Not like these kids. Hers is different, although you could probably say there was a monster involved. Just of the human variety. Also a victim of the failed American foster system. If you ever really talk to her - like a real discussion - you’ll probably catch on to it. Her social-emotional maturity is pretty low for someone her age - particularly in social skills. Shes getting better at that though.” she gave him a smile. “Just want to let you know you’ve been noticed - and noticed by someone who has experience with trauma and failed systems.”

[Nox]

Nox grinned. "I have an endless supply of unwilling listeners. I tend to talk ... a lot. So thanks for that. I can get advice from Hayden if I need it." He really needed to talk to him, fix whatever was going on, but there really wasn't anything to fix. He was pissed about things that didn't matter. Nox understood Hayden. And his reasons but that didn't make it feel any better, or make him feel any better about the rest of his choices.

Nox sighed and stood back up and shut down the equipment. "I'm not doing any of it for recognition. Even the project for the refugee's I've asked Ana and Emily to help out with. It's the right thing to do. And I think that there is now a group of Atharim who are going to exploit that philosophy. And I don't know if it's a good or bad thing, specially with me as the face of it all." He shook his head and got back on topic. "The kids are great, they are resilient and without the pressures of their former life are thriving as normal kids. Half of them even started going to a physical school so they could socialize -- all their own idea not mine."

"You hungry? I'm sure I can whip up something? I need to feed the hunger." He'd just eaten but inverting weaves took a lot of energy he needed a snack already.

[Casey]

Casey smiled at him. She hadn’t thought he had done it for the recognition and it wasn’t why she had told him about Cadence’s admiration. Cadence didn’t always have the luxury of not being in the limelight for such things. People watched her always. Casey knew she had donated a large sum to Emily Shale’s project and had kept it anonymous for the most part. She was however a vocal advocate for ophaned children. Even if it wasn’t public knowledge that she had a traumatic upbringing, it was know that she had been adopted. Finding out she had been in the system wouldn’t be hard to find out. Knowing she’d been in nine homes in seven years was a little harder to come by.

”Of course you don’t do it for the recognition. That’s part of why she admires you for it. Don’t worry, she won’t be screaming your praises while on tour or anything. Your anonymity will be safe,” Casey stood and stretched, giving a yawn. ”I told you because I’m sure it presents a lot of challenges, and it’s easy to get discouraged in situations like that. Sometimes, it’s just nice to hear that someone sees something and appreciates it. I’m sure these kids do too. From what I se, they seem to be pretty happy.” Casey’s face grew somber. ”I also say it because it’s not likely she will. It’s not easy for her. If she thanks you - just know it’s coming from a six year old girl who couldn’t understand why her only parent hated her so much.” it was an understatement for Cadence’s actual trauma.

Casey sighed and it turned into another followed by a grumbling stomach at the mention of food. ”I could eat. I could also do with a third cup of coffee. That weird dream place really takes a lot out of you.”

[Nox]

Nox's parents hasn't been lost until he was older. Granted he watched his mother for and did nothing to stop it. He found his father dead in his own vomit. But he had Aurora until he didn't. He didn't get list on the system
Didn't have a bag life. His choices were his own.

"I want to say her parents didn't hate her. But I know mine would have hated me. My father at least. She's welcome to come by the house anytime, as are you."


Nox lead the way up the two flights of stairs. "Coffee and good I can manage."

[Casey]

Casey followed Nox upstairs and took a seat as Nox poured her a cup of coffee and of all things began to cook. She blinked at that. He could have poured her some cereal or handed her a breakfast bar and she would have been completely content with that. Still, she wasn't going to say no to a cooked breakfast. I mean...that would just be rude right?

She took a drink of her coffee and spoke her thanks to Nox before continuing. "Elyse and I met someone else in the dream last night. She was a prophet apparently. Saw somethings about me. A vision of me going to a building under construction. Looked like a castle or old style manor house, know what I mean? She seemed to be a little like me - knew little about the dream world. She even stated she wasn't sure what the prophecies always meant, but she thinks I'm supposed to go there - and of all things I was wearing armor - complete with sword on my belt and shield on my arm."

She sighed. "You're a monster hunter - well traveled, probably seen more nooks and crannies around the Moscow area than most. Maybe you might have an idea of where this place is. Ummm...Sky?" she said, her voice tentative, unsure if it was okay to use the AI. "Can you show a map of Moscow and the nearby countryside."

To her surprise, the AI complied and a map was projected in front of her. "We were able to find it in the dream. Elyse said that because it was there - it's probably in the real world. She was able to get a position based on what she saw there and we think its...right around...here." She pointed at the map. "You know of anything there?"

[Nox]

Nox nodded as Casey talked and he made breakfast for the third time that day. It was a good thing he liked breakfast -- he was hungry too, it wasn't like he was only making food for her, so he didn't feel bad, but he had just eaten while Claude had showed up. It was a good thing -- and a worrisome thing. At least he wasn't craving near raw steak. But increase in food that might be a sign of the horde too. Something he would need to keep an eye on.

He'd met another dreamer -- a prophet. He only knew of one, though knew her wasn't really a thing. She was Adrian's sister and he'd met her once. Had her contact. She was an EMT -- a good contact to have. And they shared common interests at least in the taste of me anyway. "I don't know many prophets. But I know enough to know that you should take what they have to say with a grain of salt. Not saying it won't come true, but knowing your future and all that changes it sorta thing. It's one of the reasons they are hunted down too." He grinned at her "But you are safe here. No one will know your secrets." Well that's not true, Sage probably knew everyone's secrets and more. Though he usually kept that to himself till you pissed him off. The things he could share about him was probably massive and scary in detail. "And the dream world too. It's real if you found it there, may not be exactly the same. I've never hunted a nightmare before." Though he could easily do that with Mara living in the house. Not that he thought they were dangerous as long as they didn't hurt anyone. Then he might have to do something she wouldn't like.

Sky didn't answer but provided a satalite image of the surrounding area where Casey had pointed out. It didn't look like much, but there was something there. And it looked like it wasn't run down. "I'm sure you'll find something there." He pushed a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her and took a plate himself. "I wouldn't go alone, just to be safe. No telling what you'll find."

[Casey]

Casey paid attention. He was saying a lot of things she knew. Anita had said similar things - she gave her interpretation with a simple she wasn't sure how to interpret them exactly. Casey didn't think Anita had any evil plans in mind or anything, but she had also advised caution. Nox finished cooking and passed a plate of bacon and eggs her way.

"Thank you," she said, taking a bite of egg. Her eyes widened. "Is there anything you don't do well. Christ!"

The words were followed by another bite of egg and bacon. "Hunt nightmares? Are you telling me nightmares can kill me too?" she said, shaking her head. "I'm assuming that someone like me is probably more susceptible to them than the average individual. Any tricks to give a civilian to protect herself from them?"

She finished her coffee and indicated that she didn't need anymore. "Anita said a lot of the same things. Oh...that was her name. Don't think she had any ill intentions, and I definitely intend to be careful. It's all just weird though. So much stuff right underneath my nose. I'll be cautious. Just didn't want to head out there for nothing. I'm sure I can find someone to accompany me there, so I won't go alone either." she took a final bite of her food, pushed the plate away and leaned forward with a grin. "I just want to see - see if there is something there for me. It's been a strange couple of days falling down the rabbit hole. I just want to see how deep the rabbit hole goes."

[Nox]

Nox chuckled as her eyes widened. "My father taught me if you are going to do something you better learn to do it well. Don't half ass it." It was usually in conjunction with a lecture on how he was always failing his father. But that was still beside the point. It was one of a few peices of advice his father gave him that he lived by.

Nightmares. How do you protect yourself from nightmares? "I dunno how you can protect against nightmares. I mean I can't and I know about them. I suppose you could befriend their keeper and she might keep them from you. But I don't know how much control she has over her pets."

Nox laughed. "Of course it's Anita. She's a friend, family for the most part, her twin brother works for me. We've met and she's helped me with some issues." She was there after he was healed. She'd made sure he was alright. He liked Anita. Not his type, female but she was Hayden's which made him chuckle softly to himself. "I'm sure she wouldn't send you someplace dangerous, but she doesn't know anymore than you do really. Very few of us living know a lot about any of these things. The magic is reawakening, things that were gone are coming to heel. Monsters are more prevealant than before coming out of hiding. The world changed when the Ascendancy was born and even more so when he revealed magic."

Nox picked up the plate and set it in the dishwasher with the other dishes he'd run when he was done. Not his 'job' today but one of the kids would be grateful their chore was done for them.

"If you can't find anyone to go with you let me know and I'll go with." Nox offered. "And that rabbit hole is a lot deeper than anyone really knows."

[Casey]

The hunter didn’t know how to protect against nightmares. That was kind of scary. It opened more questions, but Casey couldn’t deal with those right now. There was so much already that she was trying to digest. That was enough for now.

She wasn’t surprised that Nox knew Anita. Already the man seemed like he knew a lot of people. She agreed with his assessment. Anita wouldn’t want her to get hurt. The woman had worn a firefighter medic jacket, and unlike her own clothing, Anita’s had been consistently solid. But it never hurt to be cautious.

”I appreciate the offer. I’ll keep that in mind,” she said with a smile. ”However, I think for now, it’s best for me to get going. We may have some time off from recording for the holidays, but the boss lady will be upset if I don’t practice.” Cadence wouldn’t be angry. Casey wasn’t sure she had the capacity to get angry, but upset and disappointed were worse. She stood up and gave him a hug. ”Thank you for everything in the last couple of days. I mean it!” she released the hug and pulled out her wallet, sending him a message. ”My digital business card. Feel free to send it to Sterling about lessons. Would love to help her out.”