Dumpshock Forums > The Found Arcana - Tenth Interlude

Beta

Sep 4 2023, 02:36 AM

While Raven is cleaning, an astral form manifests nearby. A man, native but likely not Sioux by his looks, a human by his looks. He scrunches up his face to show his embarrasement and says "I'm sorry to bother you, especially as I may have lost count of the houses -- but does AM live here? She doesn't appear to be here, but the lodge looks right."

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tamarind watched the Rat chase for a while, then gets on with the real business of the day. She places a few orders and then sends her drones to pick them up. And then she simly went to do laundry. She'd bought some new clothes with the recent paycheck, but her grandmother had always insisted on washing clothes before first wearing them.

Gilga

Sep 4 2023, 04:08 AM

My initial thoughts are that something is locked in a locker at the train station, and the combination is 4 1 7 9. However, that train of thought misses which locker it is. I search the Trix for clues and if the keychain has some tag in it.

Before examining any theory ... I pocket the keychain and go to Raven's room to hug her.

Thanee

Sep 4 2023, 08:13 AM

After detaching the makeshift keychain, AM finds the number 22 on the other side of the card.

A quick Matrix search reveals a number of monorail stations, but one is not too far away. Seems a likely candidate.

When AM knocks at her door (she wouldn't just enter with her quickened spell, since Rachel has her own lodge set up in her room), Rachel comes out. She smiles. "Oh, you are back!" She feigns surprise (in a pretty obvious way). "Happy Birthday!"

* * * * *

Earlier in the house...

When the astral form manifests next to her, Rachel is a little irritated at first, but it seems like that person must know AM. She does not have any context, though, so she switches to astral perception to take a look and asks:

"Hello! You have me at a bit of a loss here... you are? And why are you looking for AM?"

[ Spoiler ]

Gilga

Sep 4 2023, 08:46 AM

[ Spoiler ]

You remembered! Thank you so much for the riddle! I say appreciatively, and then I hug. I am generally not that warm, but somehow, I appreciate not being alone all day at my birthday like I was the year before. Did you sleep well? I wink, not judgmental, just happy she is back. Thanks for last night, I needed it.... I smile sheepishly , and I got this to you, and I give her a green bandana. It would have a good story. Tomorrow.

----

***
22! - So it all adds up. Let's see if I am any good with riddles. It is not like I am swamped anyhow I don't do day jobs.
I let the autopilot drive and prayed that my jests would be well received. On my way out, I place a single green Bandana in our mailbox as well and a letter to Bobby as the rest of the neighborhood watch.

[ Spoiler ]

Thanee

Sep 4 2023, 09:38 AM

"Oh, uhm, thanks!" Rachel looks at the bandana, not entirely sure what it is about.

"Last night was fun. I got home a couple hours ago. Didn't get a whole lot of sleep, though." She winks mischievously.

"They have amazing strawberries there!"

"I made sure to look a little less 'club girl' when I got here."

* * * * *

When AM arrives at the monorail station, the trains look quite a lot different to the one on her "keychain", which looks ancient, probably still uses coal.

Nonetheless, she gets inside and takes a look around. It is not hard to find an area with lockers, that actually do have keypads to enter a code. They also have numbers on them, and one is labeled with "22".

Typing in the four numbers 4-1-7-9, a green light appears and an audible click announces the lock opening up. The door slightly opens.

Inside she finds a small, green foam block, with a white pin stuck in it, on top of which a golf ball rests.

There is something written on it, but it is turned in a way, that mostly white is showing.

Taking a closer look...

[ Spoiler ]

Gilga

Sep 4 2023, 10:39 AM

I wonder if Strawberries is a codename for something sexual or if she had strawberries in the middle of the night, probably in the morning - but I feel silly to ask. "Likely nobody was here when you got back; they all go to work in the mornings," I say, appreciating the novelty of hardworking people rather than a bunch of misfits, unfortunate souls and bullies.

***
At the train station, a golf ball is a strange role for a hint, perhaps; the ball looks like some map - and I should probably look for the direction of the eyes. Am I at 3? What could the numbers be? Perhaps platform numbers? If I am on Platform 3, Platform 4 is right on the other side of the tracks. If I am looking at 110 degrees, then I see. I am going to platform 3 and then look to my right at approximately the right angle. Trying to see what the mischievous witch had in mind.

Thanee

Sep 4 2023, 03:44 PM

"Plenty people here, that do not work. They were out tending to their gardens mostly. Anyways, pretty sure it was the right choice not to come home in the morning in my LBD and heels. Well, at least looking like it."

* * * * *

At the monorail station, AM is at a loss as to what the scribble on the golf ball could possibly mean. She can see nothing that makes any sense. Thinking about it, the whole platform is simply too big to provide a good hint. It needs to be something a little more precise.

Gilga

Sep 4 2023, 06:22 PM

"You are probably right though it might make us appear less like a cult and more like ahm... students or something."

***

The train keychain was a train station, so the goofball is likely a golf court. A golf ball - I check the trix where there is a golf/minigolf. 3 and 4 can be hole numbers - worst case, I'll play some golf and learn to control my new body.
I download a map, and try to see if I can locate where I am at hole 3, with hole 4 roughly in direct line of sight at the right angle.

Thanee

Sep 4 2023, 06:42 PM

Now, that she is thinking about it, AM quickly recalls that Rachel actually went to the nearby Country Club, that was recommended to her during one of those meet the neighbors things, and is playing there occasionally.

From there, it is a simple matter of downloading some of the club's promotional material, which does include a map of the golf course.

Drawing a line between hole 3 and hole 4, and putting the second line roughly as it is on the ball, AM notices, that it points towards the very edge of the club's grounds. Hole 3 is not too far from the border. The map isn't topographic or anything, but it does show a bunch of trees at that area.

Gilga

Sep 4 2023, 06:52 PM

"I guess I go to the edge of the golf course to look for... something." I think, and that is what I do. I admire Rachel for feeling at ease in such a place. I can fake confidence, but I won't go there to have fun.

Thanee

Sep 4 2023, 07:11 PM

After using the map, AM has a pretty good idea, where to go, assuming the trees at the edge of the club's grounds are the destination, but it does seem likely. AM cannot drive right there, but she can leave the car in the vincinity and go the last bit on foot. There are no fences or anything there, probably just a small piece of no-man's land (it will likely belong to the city but there is nothing there).

There are, indeed, a few trees there, and AM looks around for a clue. Switching to astral perception, she does actually see something hidden in the grass right at the bottom of one of the trees, shielded due to the natural vegetation there, you would have to be pretty close to actually see it.

It's a wrapped bonbon, something Rachel used a few times as carrier for her preparations. Looking at it more closely, it seems to be a Gecko Crawl spell. It cannot be here for more than a day or so, otherwise it would start degrading.

Gilga

Sep 4 2023, 07:42 PM

"Guess I am climbing a tree..." I comment a bit shocked at the use of magic for mere entertainment. My entertainment - so triggering the preparation feels wrong - but at least it is not my mojo. I touch the preparation hoping to trigger it - and regardless, I think I can climb up to see if I find anything up there above the preparation.

It all feels a bit Alice in wonderland.

Thanee

Sep 4 2023, 07:54 PM

AM has to unwrap the bonbon, in order to release the magic, and it does give her the ability to climb the tree with absolute ease, and pretty quickly, too. Up there, she finds an envelope attached to the tree. No magic to be seen on that one.

Inside the envelope is a card, much like the one she found sitting on the table earlier. No invisible ink this time.

It reads:

Happy Birthday!

Enjoy the view!

The view is pretty cool from up there. But AM also notices that the dot of the second exclamation mark is a small silvery pin, actually. Quite plain and unostentatious, something you could wear as an accessory to all kinds of clothes.

[ Spoiler ]

Gilga

Sep 4 2023, 08:54 PM

I place the pin in my shirt to give Raven a few quarter naughty pictures of my bra in bad lighting. I could always claim that I did not realize it was a camera later on - but she has seen me shirtless already, so it is just a little jab.I enjoyed the view for a few minutes and practiced some yoga. I then take the pin out so she can see my face. "Hi sexy! love the view." I say and wave to the camera in case it does not have an audio sensor.

Beta

Sep 5 2023, 02:05 AM

[earlier]

[ Spoiler ]

Jawsey introduced himself quickly to Raven, and established if there was a time later when he could come say Happy Birthday to AM. He does explain "I don't have the astral endurance to hang around for too long, and it took some work to figure out the right mix of astral speeds and search patterns to get down to Seattle, and back, with much time at all to spare when here. So it will be a short visit this evening, if you can arrange for her to be in the house just before 7pm, that would be perfect."

Thanee

Sep 5 2023, 05:56 AM

"Oh, you are Jawsey. Hi! I'm Rachel. Yeah, I can see that she will be here. I guess, I should not tell her anything, so it is a surprise?" she answers the mage. "Do you need the address?"

* * * * *

AM quickly realizes, that there is no microphone, the tiny housing has no room for it. It stores up to 24h of video, before it begins to overwrite its own small storage. Right now it is just a bunch of gray in various degrees of brightness, as the camera was inside the envelope for at least a day.

[ Spoiler ]

Gilga

Sep 5 2023, 06:20 AM

Oh well... I can call her later. I am taking a selfie and texting it with the words "Thanks Rachel!" in the meanwhile.

I pocket the surveillance gear. I am in a bit of a bind because I don't want to go down so fast, but the alchemical preparation won't hold for very long, so I make sure I am mundanely stable. I find a lower branch that can support me and that I think I'll be able to get down from quickly - and...

Nothing. It is sunny but not hot; the golf court makes the environment pleasant, and I stay there for a while and let the train of thoughts leave the station and begin its inevitable journey. The adrenaline and excitement of the hunt are over, and there I am, alone on a tree, thinking about my life and how it got upside down in ways that I could have never anticipated. I could have been married with a child by now - and here I am on a tree chasing a pin and playing jests on the neighbors, making friends and money - it almost feels good. Almost because it may all disappear at a moment notice sending me to brave the chaos again.

After making sure the spell is over, I climb down, and... then I hack the little pin with my Erika to watch if anything interesting happened in the last 24 hours. Because I am a decker, and it would be inappropriate not to.

[ Spoiler ]

Beta

Sep 6 2023, 02:24 AM

Jawsey says "Nah, let he know that I came to wish her happy birthday and that I'm going to try to come back this evening. I think I'd rather that she knew I was thinking of her in case things don't work out, than have the bonus of a surprise. With what I'm doing these days, I've come to appreciate the value of a solid floor more than the 'if it all goes rights'. Also, nice to meet you, if briefly. I'd best fly and let my spirit rest in my body until later." If Rachel is watching astrally at all, she can see Jawsey's aura relax when he decides not to go for the surprise.

Thanee

Sep 6 2023, 08:17 AM

"Okay, as you prefer. I will tell her as soon as I get the opportunity. I'm sure she will be happy to see you. Until later then."

True to her word, Rachel informed AM when she visited her in her room after finding the first card, that Jawsey visited astrally, and will be back in the evening to wish her a happy birthday as well.

Gilga

Sep 6 2023, 10:36 AM

When I am back, and Rachel notifies me that Jawsey came all the way here from a different country, I find it mind-boggling but endearing It does raise some musing as to the man's behavior. Jawsey has been a lot in the astral - and it may explain why he comes rather than call or use AR/VR, which would give a more realistic experience. Perhaps he has reached a point where seeing an aura is like seeing a face. I mean, I can read auras and recognize people I know, but a room filled with auras is a bit much. I'd rather see faces where I know which is which instinctively. "

"Wow, he came all the way just to say he'll come again later? Impressive. Though, I wonder why didn't he text I think he was going for a surprise visit."

Thanee

Sep 6 2023, 02:50 PM

"He didn't know where in Bellevue, so he searched for the house. And he really did not seem like the surprise-type. Anyways, he will swing by later," Rachel explains.

Gilga

Sep 6 2023, 02:58 PM

"... I would have texted him the address. Odd." I wonder what the Trickster had in store for me now? "Thanks for the treasure hunt - dig the surveillance pin- makes me feel like a spy." I say, and then head to the shower - I need it after boxing/treasure hunting and the rest. The rest of the day I'll spend making a simple chocolate cake, the only one my mom knew how to make when I grew up. Too bad Jawsie would not be there for cake - but I can't make anything edible in the astral - is that even a thing?

[ Spoiler ]

Thanee

Sep 6 2023, 05:43 PM

"Glad you had fun. And who knows, maybe the pin can even prove useful at some point."

[ Spoiler ]

Beta

Sep 7 2023, 08:06 PM

When Jawsey shows up, it is somewhat awkward. He isn't part of what is happening now, there are new people who he doesn't know and who don't know him. But he does show up on schedule (having remembered the count of houses from the corner of the street this time), and seems very happy to see how well AM and Bobby are doing. He's also happy that they haven't had to deal with Urubia recently. It sounds like he is a bit lonely still, even if he is theoretically 'back home.'

He stays for about half an hour, but it can be awkward to find things to say with someone who is literally not really there, and his astral limit is looming, so he then zooms off and lets things get back to normal in the house. At least for a few moments.