Vexboy steels himself and puts on the suit. He will need to contact Astral about a radiation bath for his gear but this was the time. He put on his suit and mask with his arm guards. He took out his quick draw holster and put his fichetti in it. And his combat knife on the other. He got on his motorcycle and drove following the signs to glow city. He hadnt been in a while and didnt remember the look.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1730; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

Of course Vexboy knew that following the 'signs' to Glow City was a figurative endeavor. No civilized municipality would lay claim to such a place. And there were no signs pointing to the Shiawase Atomics fusion plant - clearly visible on the horizon, security was elaborate, and the company regularly changed which access routes were viable and which pre-sighted kill-zones.

But there were other signs aplenty. The boarded buildings, trash barrel fires, thrill gang tags, and begging children were merely the precursors of the Barrens. Halfway from the edge of Redmond to the area known as The Glow, burning cars, intermittent gunfire, and a decided absence of working infrastructure added to the hopelessness. After that, if Vexboy had still been unsure he was on the right track, he had but to watch for increasing signs of rad poisoning - the hair and tooth loss, the smell of vomit - and its countermeasures - the masks, the wearable sensors, and hazmat suits in all states of disrepair. A vacant lot on the corner of one intersection witnessed a meeting of women in black robes and white-painted faces - the Mourners convinced themselves that their stillborn infants had been spared this plane in order to accelerate their exaltation, and prayed to the lost souls of their would-have-been children. Opposite their impromptu meeting, a cluster of stalls sold protein of unknown provenance alongside enslaved changelings and snuff beetles.

And Paco's was supposed to be around here somewhere - when pressed, Mr. Mouse had described it as basically a tattered tent covering a sour-mash still surrounded by a collection of tables and benches liberated from what had once passed for public parks in a long-ago time.

"Ugh... I don't feel so good kid. Im gonna have to leave you on your own as much as I can." Vexboy nodded to himself. He walked to the stalls and took a better look around.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1730; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

A small electric motor was turning half a dozen rats on skewers over a charcoal grill. A man sitting in a darkened stoop finished melting some white powder in a spoon, hastily loaded his rig, and wasted no time injecting it into his left eyeball. Threadbare clothes were piled randomly into rough wooden bins for display. A man handed something to an emaciated woman and she led him into a nearby alley. Trestle tables were laden with scavenged electronic bits and bobs. A few cleaner-looking individuals in decent hazmat gear appeared to operating a clinic of some sort out of the back of a van; people were lined up for two blocks. Vexboy could feel dozens of eyes sizing him up.

I go to the man grilling rats. "Looking for a place called Rico's. You know where it is?" I ask in as low a voice as possible.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1735; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

The man on the other side of the grill could probably count his remaining teeth on one hand. His face and neck bristled with silvery whiskers on whatever surfaces were not scarred. He spoke as if too lazy to use his tongue. "Rico's. No. No. No Rico's," he grunted in manic annoyance, then smiled crookedly. "Buy rat."

"How much?" Vexboy asks unamused.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1735; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

The vendor wore fingerless knit gloves and held up two fingers on his right hand, four on his left, and grunted something that sounded like "Five."

"Two please." I hold up my hands for 2. And pull out my credstick. My new plan was to bribe a hobo with rat.

The rat-seller panicked at the sight of the credstick, shouting "No no no no no! " Then he smiled avariciously and pointed at Vexboy's shoes.

"Bye." He said simply. After meeting the one toxic shaman he wasn't taking any chances. He looked around the stalls for anyone else who may know where Paco's is.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1736; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

Casting his gaze about for a likely source of information, Vexboy's eyes met those of a slight Hispanic man in a white T-shirt with the sleeves torn off. He had several thin gold chains around his neck, two thick gold loops in his ears, and a dirty pair of slacks on over spit-shined black leather shoes. His hair was long and wild, likely not washed in weeks, and there was a pathetic attempt at a moustache on his upper lip. He said, "You looking lost, young friend. Maybe I can help you. Maybe we could even be friends." He reached out and touched Vexboy lightly on the shoulder, almost a caress.

"Yeah... Um... This is awkward. Im flattered but... I can only be friends with people who know the directions to a place called Paco's." Vexboy said trying reallllly hard not to give into his instincts regarding the rapey vibe he was getting.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1736; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

It was full dark now, the early evening gloom broken by makeshift fires and flickering neon from a few dives running their own generators.

"Then you can be my friend. But no directions. I will take you to Paco's myself. It is close, my young friend. And a good place to sit. To talk. Have a drink. We can go there now, si?"

"Sure thing amigo but if I end up jumped the jumpers are dead men." Vexboy says casually. He offers him a ratkabob.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1740; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

The man, who wore no protective gear whatsoever, smiled and shrugged good-naturedly at Vexboy's threat. And licked his lips as he accepted the proferred rodent, wasting no time in taking a huge, greasy bite. "Oh, that's good, my friend. Very very good."

By the time they'd walked three blocks the rat was gone, bones and all, and the man stopped. Wiping his face on his bare forearm, he spread his arms wide at the sight that loomed before them - a huge tent in a vacant lot, smoke streaming out of a hole in the center. A ragtag collection of vehicles parked around the place was teeming with partying men and women, and beyond that Vexboy could see dilapidated trestle tables scattered around the interior, packed with people drinking, fighting, and dancing on tables.

"There you go, my friend. Paco's! Maybe I can buy you a drink, si?"

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1740; Outside Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

Before Vexboy could respond to the man's offer of a drink, two hugely muscled orks erupted from the side of the tent, the force of their tumbling bodies pulling a tent stake loose as they tore out from under the canvas in a violent embrace. Punching and scratching ferociously at one another they rolled across the dusty gravel, almost to the feet of Vexboy and his companion. But the moment one of them noticed the man next to Vexboy he broke his hold on the other ork and scrabbled away. The other followed suit as soon as he noticed what was happening. "Sorry..." the first one said. Then got up and went after his opponent again, who had taken the opportunity to flee.

"So my good friend, how about that drink?"

"Well alright. You must be a scary guy." Vexboy said in regards yo their reaction. "Getting a.......weird vibe..... Kiddo..." The Dragonslayers connection was still weak.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1740; Outside Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

The man appeared visibly pleased by Vexboy's acceptance. "Bueno. Bueno," he said, ushering the young man into the fastness of the tented watering hole. Long trestle tables scavenged from parks and defunct soup kitchens covered the floor as filth drank shoulder-to-shoulder with scum. A still bubbled away behind the makeshift bar. The man caught someone's attention with two raised fingers and by the time they were seated cups of...something...appeared before them.

"So, my young friend, why you want to see Felix so bad?"

"I need to ask him something. Its simple and not hostily intended but I'd prefer to keep it to myself. Plus you wouldn't believe me." He chuckles.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1740; Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

"Well, if I keep this up any longer it's going to be a cliche. So you have a question for Felix, you can ask right now. Because I am he."

"Ah... The old Yoda trick." Vexboy was smirking under the armor. "Well Bronwyn and Daphne said you may be able to help me. Involving learning a rather obscure... Are they listening?" Vexboy says pointing to others.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1740; Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

The little man purporting to be Felix shrugged his slight shoulders. "Maybe the leesten, maybe no. You no say anything inneresting yet, mi amigo. But Senorita Bronwyn, she is a flower. What did she say i could do for you?"

"Teach me to read or at least percive the Pattern." Vexboy said plainly.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1740; Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

"Ay caramba," the man calling himself Felix exclaimed quietly, almost to himself. "Thass some verrrry old shit you talking 'bout. Those crazy chicas, they talking out of turn. You even see the astral yet, boy?"

"Power never manifested. And as for foci... My guy Lore does good work and can adapt designs but he is small time when it comes to the level of Force. Thats a Force 4 foci and I am not sure he could swing the regents for the ink. Always wanted to see the Astral." Vexboy said.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1741; Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

"Foci, those are a crutch mi amigo. Useful, but not for you, not yet. Like pushing a baby around een a wheelchair - it will never learn to walk. And eef you just sit around waiting for powers to manifest, then you will be waiting a long time. You got to work and learn and sweat and bleed for them, for the ones you want. Or else you are just driftwood bobbing on the waves, no mast, no rudder." \

The man waved for two more drinks.

"What did you say. Use or at least perceive the Pattern? How you think you are going to do that without even the Sight, man?"

"You mean intiate? I did that recently. I could do it again. Unless... Your saying I could learn adept powers without having to initate!" Vexboy said. He wanted to be skeptical but the mere suggestion of a concept completely excited him.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1741; Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

"Eeneeshiate. Si, thass what some people call it. Textbook magickers. I just call it learning your shit. And yeah, you got to do it. But since you can't do caca on perceiving the Pattern without opening yourself to the astral world, I might be able to show you some shortcuts. I warn you, though, amigo. Sometimes the shortcuts, they are much harder than going the long way around. Sometimes much harder."

"Heh. Bring it on. I have the Dragonslayer for a totem. The way he acts trying it the hard way will end up having me initate and get the power which will have defeated the purpose of trying it the hard way in the first place." Vexboy says with a chuckle.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1741; Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

"Bueno," said the man, draining his plastic cup. "Then first we get you settled. You going to be here with me in the Glow for a while. If you're serious, that is. Hope you got everything you need."

An emaciated woman reeled into their table, stumbled and fell to the gravel floor. Started dry heaving. Her hair was nearly gone.

The man calling himself Felix put a hand on her neck and her convulsions calmed. Her head dropped inert to the ground.

"You ready to go? Help me roll her under the table."

"I may have to go back and get my weapons later and tell m sister to calm down off looking for me but I am good to go for now." Vexboy said. He kneeled down and rolled the woman under the table with Felix. "Poor girl."

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1742; Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

"The Glow is full of weapons, and so should you be. Your seester you can call. Don't you do sims? Watch trideo? Karate Kid? Neal the Ork Barbarian? Decadent Disciple? You want to learn, you do what I say. You want to go home, go home. Your choice."

"Karate Kid is a big yes, but no for the others. Neil the Ork Barbarian is women with large tits the series. I prefer Women with large tits the manga thank your very much. Or at least the Early Bendis run on Spiderman. EARLY RUN. That asshole couldnt write so he decided to go political..." Vexboy started then stopped himself. "Sorry.. Im kinda a geek. But yeah Master?... Master Felix? Maestro Felix maybe? I am down for scrounging. Its been a few years since I have done it but I should be fine."

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1742; Paco's, Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

The man calling himself Felix held up a hand. "Si si, I surrender. Your geek-fu is stronger than mine. Just remember to do what I say. We go to my place now."

And with that the man was up and out the tent flap.

For a while as they walked there was a fair amount of foot traffic. Most people were wearing some combination of Read Warrior and homeless, with a healthy dose of Chenobyl thrown in. But Vexboy's companion somehow managed to offer fashion notes to half the people they passed. "If you tilt that mask up slightly, it will do wonders for your eyes." "How about a leetle sparkle on those boots?"

After about ten minutes they were making their way though deserted streets, and the cooling stacks of the old Shiawase reactors loomed closer. "Stay close by me. I haven't had time to prepare you yet, so you need to keep verrrry close to me if you don't want to lose your hair. And then your teeth. And then your life."

No one was here, not even in suits. But the man callin himself Felix wore no protective gear, at least not that Vexboy could see.

"Got it Maestro, Im on my guard." Vexboy stays close to him but otherwise keeps an eye on his surroundings. Activating his Traceless walk he didn't make a sound.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1813; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

Silent as he was, he was no quieter than that which strolled along behind him. For he heard nothing. It was only when they turned a corner and the angle of the shadows shifted that Vexboy sensed a shape behind him. Turning, he found that an eight-foot neon pink cat walked along behind him, erect on two legs. It's head was disproportionatly large, broader than its shoulders, and its eyes were the size of dinner plates. It nodded at him as they walked along, then resumed scanning the surroundings for danger.

Vexboy, after a brief pause continued after Felix. "At least that solved the mystery of whether he was awakened or not." Vexboy thought. He wondered what kind of Tradition Felix was. That cartoonish looking cat's coloring reminded him of the city.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1827; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

After a few minutes the trio came to a small house in what had been a residential area before the evacuation decades ago. A lime green can about the same size as the pink one stood outside, and opened the door for them to enter.

Inside the place was immaculate. The decor seemed to demand an old grandmother be sitting in a corner knitting and watching The Cred is Right - everywhere were embroidered throw cushions and porcelain curios. But there was no old woman that Vexboy could see, only the man calling himself Felix and the two giant cats. He was ushered to an interior room. It was windowless but comfortably furnished, the small sofa covered in a lovely turquoise and green macrame.

"You stay here. It is the only room that is safe for you until I prepare the ritual."

The room had a heavy door. The man and two cats stared at Vexboy expectantly, waiting for him to enter.

"Wow... It uh... I like it." Vexboy said stepping inside. "Very retro. Which I can appreciate." Vexboy sat on the couch with hid hands on his lap.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 1827; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

"The door is shielded, so I must close it. Tiddybombom will stay with you. It may be a while, so practice trying to see him."

And with that, the man calling himself Felix and the neon pink cat were on the other side of the shut door. Inside the room. The lime green cat sat down in a chair and folded its hands in its lap. Even sitting it was as tall as Vexboy standing. Saucer-sized eyes stared straight ahead.

"Goodbye I guess..." Vexboy said with a sigh. "Unless there is something I am missing and I bet there is... I can see you just fine..." Vexboy said aloud to Tiddybombom. "But uh... Let me see..." Vexboy stared hard at the green cat.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 2004; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

Vexboy stared. He stared hard. He stared as hard as he could. And nearly two hours later, the lime green cat was still a lime green cat. It did not move. It sat with its hands in its lap.

Vexboy looked around the room without leaving it. He thought about and decided not to try and touch anything. "I like retro stuff. So I admit this is nice. Very 1950s. Makes me wanna read a silver age comic." He said either to himself or the cat. It didn't matter.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 2044; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

Nearly another hour went by and then the man calling himself Felix was suddenly there. He was standing a few feet off the floor. Vexboy knew an astral manifestation when he saw one.

"Okay, we just feenished the ritual. You'll stay healthy enough as long as you are with us here. Come on out and have some deener."

And he disappeared.

The eight-foot lime green cat rose and opened the door for Vexboy.

At dinner the four sat at the table, but the giant cats did not eat. The meal was fish. Fresh sea bream, garnished with dill. New potatoes and collard greens on the side. It was hard to imagine where one got ingredients like that in Glow City. The man calling himself Felix did not touch the vegetables.

"So, you are very patient to wait so long. Many people of your age would not have lasted without acting out somehow. I am glad to see it about you. So, did you see him?"

"If you mean the green cat with hands instead of paws yes. If not, no." Vexboy sat down. "Aren't you gonna eat? This looks delicious." Vexboy couldn't hear the Dragonslayer but he could FEEL him nudging worriedly.

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 2044; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

"Oh, I will eat. I seemply want to make sure it is to your taste. As your host, you see." The man calling himself Felix helped himself to a generous portion of fish, though he still did not take any vegetables.

After eating for a bit, he said, "Tiddybombom is not a cat. Not any more than Fluffle-oh-Seven here is. And yet they are the essence of Cat. How is that for cliched mystic double-speak? But of course for some it takes time. For some it is hard work more than brilliance."

He was interrupted by a sudden purring sound from the neon pink cat. It was the first sound he'd heard either of them make. It stopped as abruptly as it had begun, and the man who called himself Felix continued speaking. "So, you want to know about the Pattern. Why?"

Vexboy after taking off his helmet, cleared his throat. "Your awakened so you will not take offensive at this simple observation. We did nothing to earn our powers. Nothing. Unless I am mistaken and you had extraordinary circumstance we basically hit the jackpot of the mystic lottery. True learning spells and manifesting powers does take an effort, I always felt... Well... Its hard to explain." Vexboy sat back and gained a faraway look in his eyes.

"When I was young I read a great many books from the 5th age. Fantasy books. Books of dreams and asperations and heroic quests and mystic secrets that lucky few can learn and harness. We have EVERYTHING those worlds have. But... Dreams are often nightmares. The Megacorps aspire to rule us along with every cruel minded warlord and crimelord and their grandmothers. Shadowruns have taken the place of adventure and they cross a grey area I don't quite agree with. Point is life sucks. And I have given up on saving the world or some crap like that. Id rather help people in my own lifetime. I like being the hero.. But all I have found is a meaningless piece of shit in this world. I love my sister. I love all that I have accomplished but, it hasn't done anything."

He sat back and covered his face. "In the grand scheme of things all I will have accomplished at best is the salvation of a few. To remain in a prison. For life. And I don't regret any good I have done. To the contrary, as contradictory as this sounds, I cherish my good deeds. Its good that I have been able to last even this long. Heroes don't last long in the sixth world. I can't be the hero very often. Even when me and my sister used to play vigilante we often had to stop and make sure we didn't piss off the wrong people." He took his hands off his face. A drained annoyed look on his face. "I used to work for lone star as an adopted adept part of some apprenticeship clause that allowed them to basically use child soldiers. And our job was to hunt down the contracts that Lone Star would put out before any bounty hunters could claim them to improve Lone Star's credibility. At least several times a year, orders would be given, credsticks exchanged, and some killers would get off despite my badass sister finding and tracking down them in a matter of days. Weeks sometimes for the smarter criminals. Those bastards got off. And a POLICE STATION ALLOWED IT!"

Vexboy stopped himself. "RANTING!" He said angrily. "Im sorry... I follow the Dragonslayer Totem. I take adventuring and heroic shit seriously. Ill stick to the point. I know that sounds stupid but if this were the previous age people would KILL for magical powers. And here we are doing nothing. We are just a stagnent puddle of hate and depression and greed. As opposed to the worlds in my books. I began to think fantasy was just a fantasy. As I grew up I complyed with that and went through my life happy with what adventure I could get. Then I learned of the Pattern. And..." Vexboy gained a bit of a smile. He was trying to supress it. Not burst in glee like a kid. "The fucking Force. Haki. Whatever the hell you wanna call the magic from Lord of the Rings! Its real! Something IS out there thats bigger then this! Ive been looking my entire life for this! I just wanna see it. You know. I can't know it exists and not be a part of it. Metahumanity wasn't meant for...for..." He gets up and walks to a window then points. The wasteland outside is very jarring compared to the interior of the house. "That is not what we were made for. We were made for the great unknown! The Illiad! 10000 leagues under the sea! Star Trek! We should be doing that! But its 20-fucking-75 and we haven't even fucking perfected the jetpack! We have LASERS and the jetpack still doesn't function at mass production levels! So when I hear that there is some ancient power that proves my hopes about some deeper meaning and secret fantasy shit I kinda wanna learn how it works... So yeah.

Vexboy sat down embarrsed at his losing emotional control like that. He cleared his throat. "Now that I have given you context this won't seem so childlike. I wanna learn it because I crave adventure. And this may be the only genuine adventure on Earth. The Pattern is my one shot at doing something with meaning beyond the urge to just help people, which I don't condemn, but I understand there is more to adventure then just heroics. There is discovery. And even if I end up doing nothing with it, which is unlikely, at least I will die knowing I found something real in a world of soyproduct corporate apathy that has drained the soul of the world from its true calling."

Saturday, 23 November, 2075, 2047; Glow City, Redmond Barrens, Seattle Metroplex

The man calling himself Felix let out a low whistle. And smiled warmly. "You have beeeeg thoughts, amigo. And an open heart. That's good. Okay. Okay okay. Well, you want adventure? The ladies you're mixed up with, I guarantee they have adventure in store for you. I can see now why they picked you. You are a lot like them. The unapologetic good guy. Oh yes, they are going to make sure you have plenty of adventures. And it's up to us to get you ready."

He licked fish oil from his fingers carefully. "Tiddybombom will show you to your room. Try not to let his funny stories keep you awake. You need to rest. We got a lot to do tomorrow....No, don't bother with that, Fluffle-oh-Seven and I will clean up."

And with that, the iime green cat rose and walked away down the hallway without a backward glance. Hurrying after, Vexboy caught up with it standing outside an open bedroom. It was done up in the same old lady decor as the waiting room he'd used - a bed with a patchwork quilt, antique wood furniture, and small cat figurines cluttering every surface. The lime green can followed Vexboy into the room and took up silent stationin the far corner of the room, where it stood staring into space with its saucer-sized eyes.

"Wow. Hey! This genuine wood?" Vexboy called out to Felix. "This must have cost a fortune altogether." Vexboy thought to himself gently rubbing his hand across the wooden frame of a chair. He sat on the bed. And pulled out his Commlink. "Hey. I am staying with a friend. Learning magic stuff. Will see you when I can." He messaged Jessica.