Ragabash Moot

4/1/2006

12:17 PM
Logfile from GarouMUSH.

Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (21% full).
Currently in Saint Claire, it is partly sunny. The temperature is 48 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the southwest at 7 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 29.89 and steady, and the relative humidity is 76 percent. The dewpoint is 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius.)
It is currently 12:09 Pacific Time on Sat Apr 1 2006.

The Sept Compound(#2075RAM)
Sweeping branches of trees form a sort of natural roof overshadowing most of this clearing, no more than an open space of grasses and beaten earth in the heart of the forest. Some pains have been taken to keep wear and tear on the area to a minimum, so the firepit tends to shift from time to time. The firepit, several sawn logs polished from use, and a stack of firewood discreetly piled up at the base of an old spruce under a tarp, are the only signs of constant occupation. However, a student of such things might think that some minimal landscaping or planning has been done, for the meadowlike profusion of grasses and other plants has an unusually high concentration of brilliant flowers, which attract a number of bees and butterflies.
A faint trail leads off to the east, and a bit north.
Obvious exits:
Forest

Rusty comes hiking into the compound, a large backpack slung over his shoulders.

Yi is already waiting at the Sept Compound, sitting upon one of the weathered logs, poking at a fire she's got going - nevermind that it's daylight. When Rusty comes into view, she grins at him and waves him over.

Rusty smiles, and heads over to her. "Hey there. Thought maybe some refreshments wouldn't be amiss. Got some coke and some Guinness in my pack....work for you?"

Kevin comes ambling into the compound a minute or two after, hands in pockets, unhurried, watching the clouds chase each other across the sky. He nods politely to the two other new-moons already there, and strolls up to them, seeming relaxed and affable. "Hi, guys."

Rusty grins at Kevin. "Hey there..."

Yi waves at Kevin as well when he's in view, leaning back on the log and nodding at Rusty. "Well, while we are waiting, why not enjoy ourselves?"

Kevin looks at Rusty thoughtfully. "I've seen you before," he says, "but I'm blanking on your name... sorry..."

Rusty nods, settling down on a log and pulling his backpack off. He grins. "I'm Sean Fitzpatrick, but everybody calls me Rusty. Eamon's nephew."

Yi eyes around the forest, scanning with a soft, thoughtful noise. "How long have you been in the Hidden Walk, Rusty? I remember you were here before I was..."

Kevin seems to know the name. "Rusty. Hell, yes. I remember now. You came to the farm one time when I was still a cub. Brom picked a fight with you." He sighs nostalgically, giving the redhead another look.

Rusty sighs, opening his backpack. "You guys want Coke? Or Guinness. BOth are cold; I've got some dry ice in here." He chuckles at Kevin. "Yeah...." He shrugs at Yi. "Ever since I was a cub. Close to nine years now."

Yi looks back at the Fianna, surprise on her face. "Nine years? Really..." She pauses, then answers with, "Is it too early to drink?"

"Coke, please." Kevin reaches out a languid hand, smiling at Rusty. "Didn't think to bring anything myself, sorry. I've had stuff on my mind."

Rusty nods to Yi. "Close to it. Hard for me to believe, too. Doesn't feel like that long." He shrugs. "Though I've not been here the whole time. I was off in Ireland for a while with family." He grins. "And it's never too early to drink. Silly question." He nods to Kevin, and pulls out a can of Coke, handing it to him.

Yi chuckles a little, and nods. "Then I think I will have the Guinness." The fostern tosses her small poking stick into the fire, freeing both hands. "I was thinking, today is April Fool's Day here. Any plans?"

Kevin cracks the Coke. "We've a couple of other new-moons in my tribe. Tu said he should be here. Dunno about Ramona though... best not to ask where she gets to, if you catch my drift." He up-ends the can and takes a good long drink. "Ahhh. Cheers, Rusty. Yeah, what're we gonna do to hoax the sept this year, Yi?"

Tu slips into the Sept compound, dressed as one might for a business lunch. A Dark grey suit, and tie. He also carries a brown briefcase. He nods at those gathered, choosing a place near Kevin to sit down. "I apologize for my lateness." he says as he sits.

Rusty pulls out two cans of Guinness, handing one to Yi and taking the other for himself. "Hadn't really thought about it, to be honest. Never saw any reason to confine tricks to just one day..." He grins, popping open his can and taking a cip. He blinks as Tu shows up, and nods in greeting. "Heya. Want a Coke or some Guinness?"

Tu smiles at Kevin's question, having caught the tail end as he arrived. I half thought this meeting would end up a joke", he says before shaking his head at Rusty. "No thanks", he says politely to Rusty. "I'm Tu, by the way. I can't recall if we've met."

Yi cracks open the Guinness without a second thought, spotting Tu in a business suit. She lifts her free hand in greeting to the Walker elder, waiting for him to be seated first before continuing. "There's a whole sept waiting to be pranked, but the question is, what is the lesson you want to teach them?" She looks over to Kevin, brows arching as she takes a sip.

Rusty nods to Tu, grinning. "Sean Fitzpatrick. But call me Rusty."

"Heya, boss-man," Kevin greets Tu, using his usual epithet for his elder and co-worker. "Glad you managed to get away from that meeting in time." He turns to Yi, then. "I taught Laura a lesson a day or two back, or tried to... it's one that the whole sept could do with bearing in mind..."

Rusty arches an eyebrow at Kevin, and grins. "Hmmm?"

"Let's see. Fitzpatrick. Guinness. I'm guessing you're of the Fianna persuasion.", he says with a light tone. "That reminds me", the Walker says, setting his case down on the fround in front of him. With a click, the two latches are free, and he slips it open just enough to slip his hands in. A second later, he pulls out a handful of cigars. "We have a new cub."

"What lesson?" Yi asks of Kevin, appearing quite interested in his further storytelling. Though, with the passing out of cigars, the Gnawer gladly partakes of one of them. Well, takes one anyway. It gets slipped away into the folds of her jacket, rather. "What cub?"

Rusty chuckles softly at Tu. "Guilty as charged." He takes a cigar as well, tucking it away into a pocket of his backpack. "Thanks. New cub, eh?"

Kevin grins. "Yup, we have a new theurge. Seems to be taking to it well so far. Might even be a fast enough learner for us to bring him to next moot. Anyway, yeah. I'll show you." He picks up a bit of twig from the ground, holds it up to the other three ragabashes, then tucks both hands and the twig behind his back for a few moments. "Which hand?" he asks, bringing his two clenched fists back in front of him.

Tu smiles at Kevin. "Dinner /and/ a show." He thinks for a second. "How do we know you won't change hands after we guess?" Another pause. "I'll pick the hand Yi doesn't pick."

Rusty chuckles. "I say neither."

Yi glances at Tu, then Rusty, and then back at Kevin. Being on the spot huh. "Which hand..." She lifts a finger and the points at the younger Walker raggie's left. She's admittedly curious. And springs the trap on purpose.

Kevin opens both hands to reveal two empty palms, and points a finger at Rusty. "There speaks a guy who /doesn't/ need to learn this lesson." And he shakes the twig from its hiding place, down the sleeve of his track-suit. "I'm a great believer that when faced with a choice between two actions, you look for a third. Get out of dualistic thinking. Hell, we're Garou, right? We know better than God and the Devil. We have Weaver, Wyrm and Wyld. Three of them. Two roads diverge in a wood? Walk off into the woods."

Rusty grins. "THings are more than just black and white...."

Tu smiles. "That's pretty good. I was worried you were going to say something like 'what does it matter, we're all doomed anyway'." The briefcase is opened a little bit again and, after a bit of rumbling, a small bottle of Pierre is pulled from it. "Of course, you offered us choices, not options. Not quite the same thing."

Yi smiles, but comments, "You could have also broken the twig in two and had it in both hands. But I see what you mean. And it would be our job to keep them from forgetting the unseen. Speaking of unseen, we are all somewhat city based here. Have any of you seen the Nexus Crawler?"

Rusty shakes his head. "Not I...."

"Not a dicky-bird since the hospital went boom," agrees Kevin.

"Not recently. Being packless unfortunately makes umbral trips in the city less than an option.", Tu adds in chorus with the others. "I heard it moved, though."

"The Crawler was near the hospital before it exploded," Yi explains. "Since then, somehow Circle Keeper had received information from the spirits that it moved north, and was weak at the time because it fought against many Pattern Spiders. I admit, I heard this information and Touch Deer as well, but since then, nothing has been done about it. I wish to encourage all of us to look for this enemy again. We need to know where it is, and if it is coming after us. And yes..." She glances at Tu, "there is danger of going alone. I do not recommend it. Take at least two others with you, if you decide to scout in the city Umbra. I will be forming a new pack, and this is my next item on the shopping list."

Kevin looks oddly uncomfortable at this detailing of plans. He seems to find his can of Coke fascinating all of a sudden, and looks intently at it in lieu of any of his fellow ragabash.

Rusty arches an eyebrow, sipping at his Guinness and turning his attention to Yi.

Tu says "I'll gladly come help scout for it", Tu says to Yi. "If you'll have me along.""

Yi watches the three for their reactions, and nods to Tu when he takes up the offer. "Good. That said, yes I am forming a pack around me. I do not know if you know Sepdet Hope-Star-rhya..." She does look to Rusty and nod at him, however. ".. But she had come back one time, while my tribemates and I were taking care of a tainted ice-spirit in the Umbra near our hideout. She had said to me, before she left, to look for Coyote. I could only think her words mean I should try to gain his favor. So that is what my pack will search out. We will try to find Coyote, and ask him to watch over us. Hopefully, we will pull many pranks in his name." She forces a slightly bigger smile, taking a deeper breath to steady herself.

Kevin takes a drink from his Coke. "Where's this Coyote likely to be hanging out?"

Rusty hmms softly, and nods. "Coyote is cool..." He grins.

"Who will be running with you?", Tu asks of Yi as she discusses the pack. He sips his water, then grimaces a bit. He slips his hand into his briefcase, pulling it out a moment later with a slice of lemon. He squeezes it into the bottle, a small amount of pulp and juice running down the sides.

"Coyote is Coyote," Yi replies. "He could be anywhere. But the Rite of the Totem is performed in the caern. I guess after that, it would be depending on what quest we might be called to do." The Gnawer takes a moment to sip her beer again before answering Tu, "Whoever is interested. My plans are not long term, as I feel any plans would be limiting to such a pack. But I plan to ask my tribemates, Masao and Aaron as well. And I know Kevin is in his warpack, but the invitation is to you all anyway. Harbor Park is where the pack will patrol. The hospital, and its Umbra, is the area to watch."

Rusty hmms, and nods. "I'm interested...."

Tu nods at Yi. "I may be as well." He sips his water again, finding it more to his liking. "Has there been any hint as to the new Alpha's ragabash role? She's been pretty by the book so far, which is to be expected at the beginning."

"I cannot refuse a fight," Kevin concedes. "You know that, evidently, as well as I do... if the crawler is located, I'll be there along with every other decent garou in the sept." He still doesn't seem to relish the prospect of the battle in his normal way.

Yi nods slowly to the trio. "Well, I do not expect the Crawler to be weak. Though I have never seen it myself, I have heard stories. That is enough to say it will be looked for only on the bright moons. When the time comes, I will send out the 'invitations' to the party." She smiles wanly, before looking back to Tu. "What do you mean, the Alpha's role?"

"I mean, in addition to being head Garou and all around important person, she's a Ragabash in an honored position. It might mean a larger role for our moon. It also might mean a different way of working. But my interactions with her have been minimal, and I'm curious if there has been any feel from her." He sets his water bottle on the ground, and slips his hand into his briefcase, pulling out a burrito-size bundle, wrapped in banana leafs. "You get any feel for her?"

"That's true." Kevin seems to remember something. "I almost forgot she shared our auspice. She really doesn't act like one. She got well pissy at me just for poking the mildest bit of fun at the Silver Fangs. Is she not coming?"

Rusty hmms. "Must admit, I'm curious as to how she'll take things, as well..."

Yi draws her lips tight. "The last Shadow Lord I dared to trust, culled one of my cubs. I was foolish for trusting him, and that will not happen again." The Gnawer wets her lips afterwards, as she takes more consideration. "What I feel about the Alpha... she has done many great deeds. But I am not sure of her intentions still. She is.. quick to remind us of her rank, but she does at least hear the voices of those beneath her."

"Any new leader's bound to overcompensate a bit at first," Kevin says indulgently. "Let's not write her off. But if she keeps throwing her weight about... I think it's no more than our bounden duty as new-moons to trim her down to size again."

"Well, she wouldn't be the first to feel the pull of her tribe more than that of her moon." A pair of chopsticks is taken from the briefcase, now that the bundle of leaves is open. It reveals a molded rice ball, with specks of fruit in it. "Can I interest anyone in some sticky rice?"

Rusty smiles. "No thank you." He sips at his can of Guinness, and hmms softly. "Anything else to announce, Yi?"

Yi thinks some, and nods. "I have spoken to Emma about the tire yard fire. I think we have determined to scout its Realm side again. Something is not right there, and what more is that the owners of the yard are not doing anything about it." Her eyes are drawn towards the rice ball. Her eyes switch up to Tu's face. "Did you make that yourself?"

Kevin waves away the rice. "Isn't that," he says thoughtfully, "the place where that kid Maggie bought the farm? Shame, that. I liked her."

Tu shakes his head. "I could, but it's easier to buy it at the market." He take a bite of it with the chopsticks. "I made fermented rice a few weeks back. It took me almost a week, and it still didn't taste as good as the market." From the briefcase, a second pair of jet-black chopsticks are produced, and proffered towards Yi. "I can poke around the tire yard on this side, but I thought the problem was a spirit in the umbra."

Rusty hmms. "There's definitely trouble in the Umbra....but it can't hurt to see if there are any problems on this side as well..."

Yi dips her head, taking the chopsticks and picks a small portion out of the sticky rice ball. "Ah, this is a memory-filled flavor," she utters softly, making sure not to speak with her mouth /too/ full anyway. The chopsticks end up as her main pointing implement now as well, as she gestures to Rusty. "I agree. There is trouble in the Umbra, but there is a source in the Realm as well. If we put out the fires on this side, I think the other will grow weak. It is like the hospital. There were problems on both sides, but because we could not fix the Realm, the Umbra continued to grow worse."

"Like a mathematical equation," Kevin muses. "You add something to one side, you have to add it to the other side too or it won't balance out. So which side do we scout first?"

Rusty sighs. "Already scouted the Umbral side. NOT a pleasant stay, believe me. Fire spirits...feeding and growing tainted."

"I'm surprised that the fire department hasn't done anything. We'd need to get a water truck, or something, to bring enough water to douse the flames.", Tu adds as he eats. "Fire truck would be ideal, but construction sites also often have water trucks around. Or, we might be able to buy a US surplus one." He smiles. "Or a forest fire plane."

Rusty frowns. "MIght not work. Tire fires are pernicious buggers...."

Kevin pulls a face of distaste and drinks more Coke. "Anyone feel like dedicating a few fire extinguishers?" he quips drily.

Yi furrows her brow. "The fire department did go, but they were determined to let the fire die by itself. That, however, has not happened. But if the fire department does not handle it, then why would the owner of the yard not do it? This is why I think we need to scout the Realm again. The last time I went with Touch Deer and Alicia and others, we found nothing but the tire piles on fire, and a few dirty magazines. There was a guard, but for the sake of the Veil, we did not try to kill him." Her eyes narrow. "Though I am tempted to do so the next time there is opportunity."

"We could make some false IDs, and go in as EPA folk. Tell them the Feds are shutting the fire down due to concerns of the smoke." Tu shrugs. "If the guard is just a dupe, it should work. If not, then he can be dealt with. Still, I'm not sure how we'd get the flames out."

Rusty hrms. "A bit too fancy, maybe. That'll leave people wondering what's happening if something goes wrong. And it probably will." He chews his lip, thinking.

"Pessimist," Kevin accuses Rusty. "We won't know unless we try, will we?"

Rusty snorts. "Realist, please. I believe wholeheartedly in Murphy, and in frustrating him at every turn if at all possible."

Tu nods, in agreement with Kevin. "We do stuff like that all the time. /Anything/ we do will be complicated, I think. It's an easy entry and should be an easy execution." He smiles. "This is nothing compared to the Hospital job."

"Trust an Irishman to believe in Murphy," Kevin says, with a somewhat less than pleasant sneer. "Plan properly and we don't need to worry about the unexpected."

Rusty groans softly. "You ALWAYS need to worry about the unexpected. First rule of war - no plan ever survives contact with the enemy."

Yi laughs softly, despite the subject. "Well, I have told Emma to ask Laura, and some of the other theurges if she can find them, to make talens. I will let the seers deal with the spirits."

"So why bother planning, then?" Tu asks curiously. "I'm not saying it'll work, I'm saying it's worth a try. Quick and easy. If it fails, we can try something else."

"Yeah, well," Kevin fires back at Rusty. "Maybe that just means the plans weren't good enough in the first place. But you should know, after all, the Irish did get their asses kicked by the British every time..."

Rusty snorts softly. "We're still here....unlike a lot of folks who've gone against 'em."

Tu rolls his eyes visibly, and takes that moment to eat more rice.

That remark from Rusty draws an unexpectedly negative response from Kevin. The British ragabash's face goes a dull red and he pushes himself to his feet. "You bog-trotting bastard," he snarls. "Don't sit there and grin like it's some kinda joke."

Rusty arches an eyebrow at Kevin. "Wars are never a joke. Unless the universe has a particularly sick and twisted sense of humor...which I'll allow, it might. But we HAVE survived. And will continue to do so."

Yi looks up sharply, eyeing Rusty and Kevin as they continue discussing.

"Is that all you can set your sights on?" Kevin still sounds immensely angry, spitting the words out at the Fianna. "Survival? Scratching a living, eating nothing but potatoes?" He snorts and jams his hands into his pockets. "And planting bombs because you haven't the guts to face people in a fair fight?"

Yi sets her chopsticks down and stands up abruptly, dark eyes setting onto the two arguing Garou. She says not a word, but simply gazes at them with none too pleasant an expression on her own face. It's not a scowl, nor a frown, but there's a set to its flatness that is quite telling of her intolerance for this fight.

Rusty snorts softly, and gives Kevin a slow smile. "My da was Irish...but I was born here in America, boyo. As I recall, the first time WE fought the British, we kicked you out of here. Then saved your asses back in the forties...ring any bells?"

Kevin's face flushes even more livid in hue. "My 'da' was English. He was a soldier. You bastards killed him." He turns his back on Rusty, quite deliberately, which leaves him looking at Yi. He catches her gaze for a moment, then looks down at the ground, chewing his lip.

Tu isn't even watching the altercation, focused on his food instead. The history of British -Irish strife mostly lost on him.

Rusty's smile fades, and he sighs as he hears that. "I'm sorry to hear that. There are things that I DON'T agree with, even with my Irish cousins. That particular idiocy is one of them."

"If we are done discussing matters across the ocean and time," Yi says slowly, emphasizing through tone her wavering line of patience, "then we can return to matters that matter to the Hidden Walk. Is there anything -else- that needs discussing? Fomori by the university, vampires in the city, Our Missing Septmates, perhaps?"

That remark of Rusty's seems to take the wind out of Kevin's sails a little. He stares at the ground for a few moments longer, then picks up his Coke and drains the remainder. He gives Yi a bare nod, and says nothign.

Tu looks up when the arguments seems to have died down. "What's the situation with the missing septmates?", he asks curiously.

Rusty frowns. "Yeah, have y' heard anything?"

Kevin looks back up, eyebrow rising in silent query.

Yi sighs afterwards, picking up the chopsticks. "The missing are Grey, Clemency, Kenneth, and I have heard Abraxas as well. Their pack totems, at least Vex, has not been able to find Havoc's packmates." She looks around at the faces of the three. "So, we should be on the look out for signs of where they may have gone."

"I damn well knew Grey was missing," Kevin bursts out, still sounding angry. "Didn't I say, Tu? That kinfetch on Derek should have gone to Grey if he was at home... his apartment is nearer the truckstop than our house. Hellfire." The teenage Glass Walker chews his lip again. "Have we got any clues at all?"

Tu shrugs slightly, at Kevin. "Yes, assuming he was home. He could have been out, though. Still, maybe a trip to his apartment is in order."

Rusty frowns, and nods. "I'll keep an eye out for them. And maybe check out the others' places as well, see if there's anything there?"

"I've been by two, three times," Kevin says. "Nobody was ever home."

Yi shrugs a shoulder lightly, but the look of concern doesn't disappear from her features. "If not one thing, then another. For now, the tire yard fire attack is held up because we need Havoc to be at full strength. With them missing two, and Requiem's missing one," she says with a glance to Kevin, "Our defenders are lessening and we do not know why. The theurges might be working on this. We should make sure they do. As I said, we could only continue to check their usual places where they visit or stay, and search for them when we patrol. Maybe we can look in places they would Not be, as well."

Tu glances at his watch, starts to pack up his stuff, all of it going back into the briefcase. "Unfortunately, I have another meeting I have to attend. Kevin and I can check out Grey's place, and see if anything stands out."

Rusty nods, thinking. "Think I'll patrol around the city on my bike a bit...see if anything stands out as different."

"Is there much more to do here?" Kevin asks, with a pointed glance back at Rusty. "Or shall I catch a lift back with Tu?"

Rusty shrugs. "I was going to ask if anyone was willing to teach a gift if they had it..."

Yi nods slowly again, looking around the bordering forest around the compound. She sighs softly and then looks to the three. "Gaia watch you all, then. I think we are done, for now. If you need anything of me, teaching or otherwise, you can find me at the Odeon, or my flat." She looks to Rusty and Tu. "Thank you for bringing food." She lifts the still relatively full Guinness at both.

Kevin raises that eyebrow at Rusty again.

Rusty shrugs at Yi, and smiles. "Not a problem...." He hmms. "As for teaching...looking to learn Blur...it'd help in the scouting, which I'm doing more of these days..."

Tu, all cleaned up, pushes to his feet with a nod. "We'll be in touch. Thanks, Yi." He nods at Rusty, and starts to head out.

Kevin seems quite relieved to be able to mutter "Don't know it," to Rusty as he follows Tu out of the compound.

Which leaves Yi to answer. "Yes, I know it," she says to the Fianna with a nod. "And I would be glad to teach it to you. And the Walkers," she says towards the departing duo. "Perhaps when the moon is brighter, we will see?"

Rusty shakes his head as he watches Kevin leave, then sighs and nods to Yi. "Yes, I'd appreciate that."

Kevin half-turns his head at Yi's offer. "Mebbe," he says as he continues to walk away after his Elder.

Rusty runs a hand back through his hair. "My size makes me a poor fighter at best...but it's useful for scouting. I'm hoping to become better at it."

Yi nods, and then looks off again. "IT should be fitting. I will teach you. When the moon is brighter, we can begin." She smiles back at the Fianna, small, but warm.

Rusty nods. "OK, thanks. Cool." He smiles.

Yi returns to firetending then, and sits back upon the log to do so. She'll wait for the fires to die off before making sure they're snuffed out properly.

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