.001 | Mostly Open

[inducings]

Who: Piper and mostly Open!
When: Throughout the month
Where: Throughout the city
What: Influence Threads! General interactions.
Warnings: Nah


For Jason
[ It would not be unjust to say that Piper McLean has a personal vendetta against cold weather. Having a snow goddess freeze your boyfriend right in front of you while her creepy brother talks about how you’ll get used to him and what an excellent kisser he is could do that to a girl. With her thin California blood already shivering in sympathy for the landen who were so desperate to get repairs on their houses that they shot a councilwoman, Piper is glad to volunteer to help make heating spells and witchlights. Even if the Ebon Council is organizing this, which is… strange to her. Why this, why not move to rebuild the houses instead? It seems like slapping a bandaid on, but she supposes a bandaid is better than nothing.

And anyway, this is good practice with the craft. And if she and Jason happen to see a few houses out there that they can try to help patch up so the heat doesn’t just evaporate while they’re at it, well, she’s willing to try.

As it is, so far the landen they’ve seen haven’t exactly been friendly when approached, more startled than anything, but so far they’ve been able to put heating spells and witchlights in several houses. All the same, Piper is kind of glad she’s not walking these streets alone.



B. Shock it to Me
[ Look. Piper is a vegetarian. Has been since she passed a slaughterhouse on a road trip and smelled what was happening. But this is the first time she’s gotten up close and personal with the animals she is no longer eating.

Cows… are big.

But even though she feels a little hypocritical leading them back to their fates… it’s not like it’s going to be much better for them out there. Feel free to find her either 1) trying to catch a cow, 2) petting one now that she’s caught it, 3) humming under her breath and walking back to the gates… several cows are following her. Her Opal jewel is active, if hidden. It is just… easier this way. ]



C. General
[ For the first three weeks, Piper can be found living in the Queen’s Residence, eating porridge, going to the training sessions, except not exactly in that order. She’ll be very curious about meeting the other Strangers and the members of Fayura’s court, so it’d be very easy to strike up a conversation during breakfast, or in the halls, and if she sees you, she’ll greet you.

After a while, she decides against getting her own place and goes to move in with the boys. It’s just… better that way. There’s not much at all to pack up, and this inspires her to head to the Old Town Bazar to find some clothing so she doesn’t have to keep doing laundry every day. The clothing, although fine, is expensive. She won’t be getting a stipend after she moves out, and has no idea what she can do to earn any money, so she heads to the River North. She’s surprised that the cloth in the landen district is actually of better quality, and less expensive. That doesn’t stop her from shamelessly haggling in order to try and get a better price, although she won’t use her power to do so. Feel free to come upon her while shopping in either place -- or even helping out a shopkeeper in exchange for being able to walk away with an extra pair of pants. ]

Comments

[inducings]

[ ...as this takes place before her conversation with Verim, Piper is more than a little skeptical about a 'male's innate capacity to protect.' That has... not been her experience with most men. At all.

But, well... should be. She only wishes that people aligned with what they should be doing, herself included. ]

...so the titles for men -- for males are like reminders?

[ That's something she can understand a little more readily than 'mental scent.' Although, now that he mentions it... a certain recognition begins to stir in the back of her mind. ]

[agentlenpc]

In the simplest sense, yes, and that reminder is as much for the male in question as anyone else. Used in the right tone and by the right Lady, title can help deter a Warlord Prince's temper. [ Picking up his cup, Allairavar indulged in a long drink. Coffee is just one of those all important things. ] His Queen can say his title and one other word and it's enough to draw the leash on his ire.

[inducings]

[ She blinks. Okay. Sure, that makes... no sense, but okay.

But more importantly... she can sense it now, the mental scent Alliairavar referred to. It's sharp and distinct and like... a low warning buzz in the back of her mind. It resonates on a similar frequency as her other senses, but... as if using a different sort of instrument.

Piper tilts her head and closes her eyes for a moment, concentrating, pulling at the loose strings of her awareness. Then she opens up her eyes and breaks into a brilliant grin. ]

Hot metal. That's what you 'smell' like -- like someone's left a metal spoon on a stove.

[ She did it, she did it! In that moment of achievement and confidence, Piper's honest enthusiasm and pleasure is infectious. ]

[agentlenpc]

[ Hot metal. Allairavar laughs with easy amusement. ] That's more flattering than some descriptions that I've heard.

You learn fast. [ He observes a moment later. ]

[inducings]

[ Did she? The compliment knocked the enthusiasm from her smile, froze it before it shrank in stiff increments. That... was not the sort of thing she was used to hearing, at all.

Piper relied on her instincts, her perception. Looking back over what he'd told her to do, it would make sense that she'd been able to pick it up relatively quickly - a child of Aphrodite had to be subtle, had to be able to manipulate the faint ebbs and flows of desire and emotion in order to use her gifts effectively in battle. But now she was caught flatfooted for a moment - learn quickly? Years of being labeled disruptive and a failure battle against such a concept. ]

Uh, it was just - there. Once you pointed it out. [ A tentative flicker of a smile. ] And you said all the people in a certain caste feel the same way?

[ She wants to go try it out now. What would other castes 'smell' like? ]

[agentlenpc]

[ Dryly: ] You'd be surprised how many people still cut themselves on the sharp side of a blade despite pointing out that it is the sharp side - numerous times. [ From the sound of it, he's had that experience more than once. ]

Similar, yes. Our psychic scent is unique, but there are common threads for caste. Those with the skill can hide it, but most do not bother.

[inducings]

[ ...physic scent. Okay. Was this place ever going to get less weird?

She blinks. And then she laughs a little - ]

So... my mind is smelling your mind. [ She smiles again, bright and amused and relieved now that the attention is off of her. ] Oh man, Leo is going to have a field day when I tell him. [ She shakes her head a little, sobering enough to tell him sincerely: ] This is going to be really helpful. Thank you for taking the time to explain it to me.

[agentlenpc]

In a way, yes. [ Allairavar's eyes fall half closed and his head tilts. ] You feel like Spring breeze. Crisp like an apple but tart. [ Most witches were, but Allairavar wasn't sure if she'd understand the context and see only insult. So, he kept that to himself. ] A hint of earth.

It's been my pleasure. [ He replies with equal sincerity. ] If you learn the patterns of psychic scents, they can tell you much about the person in front you. Not just their caste, but who they are. It's an art many fail to learn and it's to their determent. Trust what you sense from another and trust what your instincts tell you about it.

[ One of the kitchen staff came by to collect the knives Allairavar had sharpened. The young witch, wearing a Summer-sky Jewel seems to have no problems chiding him for seeing to a task that any of them could have undertaken and he seems to indulge her chiding with the feeling that next week, he'll do it again anyway. ] If there's nothing else, I should go make sure that no one else has forgotten which end of a sword is the pointy one.

[inducings]

[ That... was really good and fascinating advice. Patterns of scent, insight into the person, as well as the caste -- that's really something she's going to want to learn to do. Suddenly, she wants to go back and see Jason, see what she could 'smell.'

She's also curious about -- what does her 'scent' say about her?

She gives a quick flash of a smile, remembering. ]

I have a friend who'd say that was a valuable lesson. [ Learning by experience about which end was pointy would at least be a lesson they wouldn't forget, she can almost hear her voice in her head. She hesitates for a moment and then decides just to ask. ] Just one more question? What do you mean, the scent can tell you who they are? What can you tell?

[agentlenpc]

Depends on them and on you. It won't be something direct if you detect it all. It will be subtle. [ Allairavar strokes his chin. ] It's a bit of a learning process not only to find what a psychic scent might tell you, but also what your instincts say about it. I will say this, though, if you run across one that feels wrong to you, trust that feeling.

[inducings]

[ She nods a little with a sincerity, but a certain wry reflection. Piper listens to her instincts, they're something she's learned to trust. ]

I can promise you that. [ And she decides she doesn't want to specifically ask what he can sense about her. She'd rather... wait and see what happens. ] Thank you again, Prince Allairavar . [ A quick, brilliant smile. ] See you tomorrow morning.

[ At dawn, but thankfully not before. ]

[thestewards]

For asking for training, Piper gains +1 Reputation with Allairavar.