Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He says nothing while escorting Alice via subway and taxi to a run-down area of Steinway, Queens.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He seems on alert for anything that may attack her.

Alice Newcomb: His watchfulness makes her a little nervous and paranoid. Soon she's looking for monsters in the shadows.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: Eventually he draws her down an alley. "This will hurt," he says truthfully, gazing at her. "The faster you move with me, the less it will hurt. Do you understand?"

Alice Newcomb: "What? What will hurt?" Clearly she doesn't understand.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: "To reach the place we are going to, I will need to take your hand. This will hurt you if it continues for too long, so you must be willing to move swiftly and listen to my instructions."

Alice Newcomb: "Are you a chimmerling?" she asks him suspiciously.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: "I'm a magus," he grunts.

Alice Newcomb: He certainly reminds her of Yavah. She takes a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He nods and begins weaving his hands through the air, fingers making precise movements as he utters an incantation.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: 10,2,6,

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: 7,10,6,

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: 7,10,5,

Alice Newcomb: 8,2,9,9,4,9,7,4,

Alice Newcomb: ((awareness))

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: All light gets blacked out, rendering Alice blind.

Alice Newcomb: Pale eyes tilt up to watch him as he waves his hands around like street magician. She almost expects a door to shimmer into existance.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He takes her by the hand, and begins pulling her, guiding her.

Alice Newcomb: "Isaac?" she whispers when the lights go out.

Alice Newcomb: Her fingers curl around his and she moves forward with uncertain steps.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: "You are safe," he whispers. He tugs her across the street, lifting her physically down one curb then up the next, rather than desribe their locations. He wants to minimise the time he's touching her.

Alice Newcomb: Flinches the first time he lifts her, finding air quite unexpectedly under her feet. "I can't see anything..."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He waits in his office with Tiger, taking time to organize the place so things don't look quite as...well, bizarre. Not that the Deacon's office is very out there typically anyway. Tiger gets attention in between organizings.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He stops her abruptly, and whispers "I need you to obey me implicitly now." And he begins giving her a steady series of instructions on how to move. When to duck. How far forward to move her foot. Where to place her other hand. And all the while the ice is sinking into the flesh of her right hand.

Alice Newcomb: It starts in her finger, then her hand, creeping up her wrist, the steady ache of the cold. She wants to let go, but she's afraid she'll be lost in darkness forever if she does, so she clenches his hand even tighter and tries to concentrate on his instructions.

Alice Newcomb: (Int + ath to see how she does?)

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: "You may stand," he says finally, and the blackness receeds into simply darkness, the outer shell of the Covenant all around them, the mansion before them.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: ((Naw, I'll assume a few knocks and bumps here and there, but it's 3am and I need to get moving on this *G*))

Alice Newcomb: She straightens slowly rubbing her head which took a few bumps, darkness becoming a visible, palpable thing. She's still clutching his hand, the ache starting to travel up her arm now.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He releases her hand, stepping away from her a little to allow some warmth to get to her.

Alice Newcomb: She rubs her numb right hand with the warmer left, and looks slowly around. "Is this it?" Maybe no one paid the electric bill?

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He smiles a little. "Yes. This is it." He strides to the porch, taking the steps two at a time, then pushes the door open and strides inside.

Alice Newcomb: Lolligags, looking around, then has to run suddenly to keep up when he takes the stairs two at a time, hurring after him.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He closes the door behind her, and breezes past the apprentice who's already waiting there to greet them, leaving the poor boy standing there as he moves into the mansion, heading for the stairs, and taking them two at a time also.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: Finally, he moves to take a seat, moving the note Tiger scrawled for him into a desk drawer and petting the cat as he waits.

Alice Newcomb: He's only a foot taller than her! She has to run to keep up, her feet thumping on the stairs.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: Raps once on the Deacon's door.

Alice Newcomb: Brings up the rear, catching up when he stops at a door.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Come in."

Alice Newcomb: This has got to be the part where she meets Dr. X.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: He pushes the door open and holds it for Alice.

Alice Newcomb: Looks up at Isaac, then slowly steps into the room ahead of him.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He's sitting behind the desk, hands folded next to Tiger, smiling pleasantly. He rises as they come into the room.

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: Steps in after Alice, closing the door. Nods to Kelton. "Sir. Alice Newcomb. Miss Newcomb, this is Kelton Michaels. He is partly in charge of this Chantry."

Alice Newcomb: "Hi," she says shyly, voice soft, so deeply lost in her delusions now that she's sure there will be no turning back.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He nods, smiling a little, and leaning over the desk to extend his hand. "Miss Newcomb...a pleasure."

Alice Newcomb: She steps forward and shakes Mr. Michael's hand. "Thank you." ((dd on Kelton please?))

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: Tiger bounces from the desk and heads to the door, and Isha nods, opening it once more.

Alice Newcomb: Her hand is cold to the touch, her grip light and uncertain.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: Kelton Michaels is an approaching his middle age in years, and he certainly looks it. A touch frail at 5'9" and barely 135 pounds, the look of weakness is amplified by the cane that he has to rely on to walk. His hair combed straight, falling to his shoulders and having a steel tint to it, which goes well with his pale blue eyes, which look out under wire- rimmed glasses. He has a tendency to dress in a business casual style...dress shirts and slacks, with loafers to complete the ensemble, and he prefers blacks, subtle greens, and grays in his coloring. All in all, he looks very much the eccentric academic that he is.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He smiles to Alice, then looks up to Ishachus with a nod. "Thank you, Ishachus."

Ishachus Lucias Sabina: "You will need to switch off your cellphone while here," he adds to Alice. Then he nods to his Deacon and exits, leaving the two alone.

Alice Newcomb: Looks back at Ice Man and reaches into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone and switching it off, before stashing it back in her pocket. The fingers of her right hand are starting to tingle in that painful way limbs do after they've been asleep.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Please, Alice...have a seat." He seats himself as well, sighing a bit in relief as pressure comes off of his leg.

Alice Newcomb: She settles into a chair, and sits there nervously rubbing her right hand with her left.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "So, please, tell me about yourself, if you don't mind." He leans back, watching her with that pleasant look on his face.

Alice Newcomb: She feels like she's been left in the principals office. Why do old people always ask you to tell them about yourself? "Ummm.." *swallows* "My name is Alice Newcomb. I'm from Brooklyn Heights, New York. My Dad's a stock broker and my Mom manages an old people's home. I don't have any brothers or sisters... I have a couple horses though."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Mmmm." He nods. "May I ask how old you are?"

Alice Newcomb: "Seventeen," she says, staring down into her lap, because he's not going to believe it, no one ever does.

Alice Newcomb: Of course if she only counts her real birthdays, she can round that down to four.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He nods. "And when did you start noticing that things were...a bit off?"

Alice Newcomb: Her eyes dart back up to him. Should she tell the truth? "When I was thirteen."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "And what happened?" He nods, inviting her to continue, with a calm, inviting demanor. Almost paternal.

Alice Newcomb: "You won't believe me," she mumbles.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Yes, Alice, I will." He nods. "And if I don't, I still will not judge you for it. You have my promise...anything that is discussed in this room will not affect you negatively."

Alice Newcomb: Crosses her arms and doesn't look at him, the floor suddenly very interesting. "A giant preying mantis, dressed like the pope appeared in my bedroom and told me I had to listen to it."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "I see." He nods. "And what happened next? What did he tell you?"

Alice Newcomb: Glances up at him then back to the floor, frowning. She's only told this story to 3 people before. Mom, Dad and Dr. Cline. "He said his name was Yavah and that I had slept too long. That he was glad to see me back, then he sort of... hugged me and it felt like... it hurt... but it felt good too. And at the same time just... weird, like electric centipedes were crawling inside me. It seemed like the whole world had changed," she says wistfully. "But they said I had a psychotic break, and that I'd hurt myself." Her voice drops to a whisper. "And was suicidal..."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He smiles a little, almost sadly, and shakes his head. "You didn't have a psychotic break, Alice. You Awakened to a new life."Alice Newcomb: "They sent me to the loonie bin," she says angrily, citing the evidence for her obvious madness.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "And they were wrong to do so," he murmurs, watching her. "They didn't understand, because so few people are aware of the potential humanity has."

Alice Newcomb: "How do I know?" she asks, looking up at him suddenly. "How do I know you're not just part of the delusions?" Her voice drops to a whisper. "..part of the madness.."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Alice, have you taken your medications today?"

Alice Newcomb: "Yes," she says softly.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Then why would you be able to see me, if I am a delusion?"

Alice Newcomb: "They're not working?"

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Or perhaps they are working, and I am real."

Alice Newcomb: "I saw a cannibal in the park, am I supposed to believe that's real too? Or wouldn't it make more sense to believe I'm developing a resistance to my medications?" It's like talking to Dr. Cline only with their roles reversed.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Ignore what you have been told, Alice. Dn not listen to what others have said to you. All you need to do is listen to your own heart, mind, and soul. And see if you truly believe, without influence from me or others, whether you are truly seeing us, or we are delusions."

Alice Newcomb: "I can't tell. I never could. I guess that's what makes it a delusion. If you could tell it from reality, you'd know."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Well, what can I do to prove to you that I, and the things you've seen, are not delusions?"

Alice Newcomb: "Even though I know there aren't any human sized talking preying mantis', when Yavah came, it still seemed real. I believed it at the time. How stupid is that?"

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "It is not stupid at all, Alice. There are quite many strange things in this world, not explained by science. Though I have never seen Yavah, I would not reject his existance out of hand."

Alice Newcomb: "No one could explain the scars though," she whispers.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "The scars?" He frowns a little.

Alice Newcomb: "They said they were self inflicted but... no one could explain how."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

Alice Newcomb: Rubs the back of her neck, feeling the pressure building. "Just cause, no one knows the answer, doesn't mean there isn't one."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Do you read much, Alice?" He laces his fingers together, watching her.

Alice Newcomb: "I used to, before I had to take so many meds. It's hard to concentrate long enough to read any more."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Have you ever read Sherlock Holmes?"

Alice Newcomb: "Yeah, a long time ago. I always liked Watson best. He would try so hard."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Do you remember this quote? 'When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'"

Alice Newcomb: Frowns and nods, remembering it mostly because Data quoted it on Startrek.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "So, let us consider, Alice. What is impossible in your scars, and what is improbable?"

Alice Newcomb: "Okay..." Nodding.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Any known way to inflict the wounds upon yourself. Are they impossible, improbably, or probable as an option?"

Alice Newcomb: Reaches an arm around to rub her own back. "Almost impossible. Not with anything that was in my room anyway."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Almost?" An eyebrow quirks. "What ways would have been possible, even if improbable?" A pause. "And may I see the scars, or would that be too uncomfortable for you?"

Alice Newcomb: "I guess if I glued a bunch of spikes to a board and threw my back against it, you might be able to duplicate the scar pattern." She rises from her chair and pulls her hair to the side, then scrunches up the back of her shirt so he can see the rows of puncture scars evenly spaced in a trail along either side of her spine.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He looks the scars over, and nods. "I see. And where there spikes and a board in the room? Or access to such materials, so that you could construct such a device, or a similar one?"

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: ((where=were))

Alice Newcomb: Smoothes her shirt back down after a minute, and turns back around to face him. "No. There wasn't anything like that in my room."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "And was any such item ever discovered in your vicinity? Hidden, perhaps, or thrown out a window?"

Alice Newcomb: "Nooo... I didn't do it!"

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "All right." He nods, calmly, his voice taking on a more soothing tone. "So, then, we eliminate self-inlficted wounds as impossible. Correct?"

Alice Newcomb: "I didn't..." Nods.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "And, since there was no objects within the room that you could have used to do it to yourself, we can eliminate accidental wounds as well. Agreed?"

Alice Newcomb: "Yes."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "All right." He nods. "What floor did you live on? And what access to your room was there...windows, doors, et cetera?"

Alice Newcomb: "The second floor. I could have gone out and found stuff if I wanted, I mean. I wasn't a prisoner in my bedroom or anything."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "How easy would it have been for someone to get in?"

Alice Newcomb: "Past the security systems? Pretty hard. Except for Mom and Dad and the servants. Who would do that anyway? It doesn't make sense."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Agreed, it does make no sense. And your security systems, from the sound of it, make it impossible, or near enough to be counted as such. Agreed?"

Alice Newcomb: "Yes. None of the alarms went off anyway."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Understood." He nods. "What other mundane possibilities exist? Any at all?"

Alice Newcomb: "One of the servants did it?"

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "With what?"

Alice Newcomb: "I don't know. It doesn't make sense one of them would anyway. Why? There's no motive."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "There is none." He shakes his head. "So can we agree that all mundane possibilities are pretty well impossible?"

Alice Newcomb: "Pretty much," she agrees, frowning and settling back into a chair again.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Then, in that case, we come to the possibility that you were injured by a large, speaking preying mantis named Yavah. Which you witnessed." He looks at her. "Improbable? Or impossible?"

Alice Newcomb: "Most people would say impossible because.. there's no such thing."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Most people believe such a thing is impossible, yes." He nods. "Most people also do not understand Quantum Physics, or Chaos Theory. Does that make them impossible?"

Alice Newcomb: Looks at him curiously. "No."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Four hundred years ago, the world was believed to be flat. Those who said the world was round were called insane, and put to death. Did that make them wrong, or make the world flat?"

Alice Newcomb: *Blinks* "No..."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "So why, just because other people call it impossible, to you, if you have seen it with your own eyes?" He's smiling, ever so gently.

Alice Newcomb: "I..I believed them when they said I was sick." She looks ready to cry. What if she's not crazy?

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "They don't know better, Alice." His voice is still that calm, paternal presence. "They may have thought they were doing what was best for you. But I'm sorry. When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

Alice Newcomb: "Yavah's real," she whispers, a tear running down her cheek. "The drugs can't fix me because, I'm not crazy?"

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He nods, slightly. "You are not crazy, Alice. You have Awakened to a new life, a new world. One with amazing things, and terrible things, and wonderous, frightening things, as well. A world of magic."

Alice Newcomb: Rubs her nose, looking embarassed. "I don't know what to do."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He stands up, with effort, limping his way around the desk, and leans down into a crouch, doing his best to ignore the pain shooting through his leg. He reaches out to put a comforting, supportive hand on her shoulder. "I can help you, Anne. I Awakened, too. And it was traumatic. But I perserved, and became strong. And learned that Awakening is not a curse, but a gift."

Alice Newcomb: She looks at the man the way someone drowning might look at a life preserver drifting by after the boat sank in stormy seas. She quite suddenly throws her arms around his neck and hugs the hell out of him. "Please help me... please... I don't want to be like this. I just want to understand..."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He pats her back, reassuringly. "I'll help you, Alice. I promise that I will."

Alice Newcomb: "I don't want to be crazy," she mumbles, wiping her nose on his shoulder and sniffing.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "You aren't crazy, my dear. Others may think you are, but you are not. You're merely gifted with something that others don't understand. I'll help you learn to use that gift."

Alice Newcomb: Oh god, how embarassing. She sits back again and wipes at her face. She hates crying. It's so stupid. "Thank you."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He smiles a little, leaning heavily on his good leg, as his bad one is shaking heavily. "You're welcome, Alice."

Alice Newcomb: Rolls her lips, not sure what do now.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He reaches out, grabbing an extra chair nearby, and pulls it over, leaning slowly down into it. "Are you all right, my dear?"

Alice Newcomb: "I don't know."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "That makes sense." He smiles. "It's not every day someone finds out they are, in fact, completely sane."

Alice Newcomb: That makes her laugh a little. "I guess not."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He grins a little, smile becoming warmer as she laughs. "No." He leans back. "So, I suppose you're wondering what happens next?"

Alice Newcomb: "Yeah... I am. Isaac said this was a school."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He nods a little. "That is part of it, yes. This is what we call a Chantry...place for people like us that serves many purposes. It is a communal home, a safehouse, a school, a social club, and generally a headquarters."

Alice Newcomb: "Sounds like a sorority house."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He chuckles a little. "It probably does sound like that, yes. And occasionally, it seems that way. It's much deeper then that, though."

Alice Newcomb: "How much does it cost?" Wonders how she can explain this to her parents.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "No monetary cost." He shakes his head. "The only cost is in dedication to our ideals, and commitment of time to learning our ways and advancing in your gift."

Alice Newcomb: "Okay..."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "We are united in a simple set of goals, Alice. Preserving our ways, helping humanity with our gifts, and helping people who have found themselves a recipient of such gifts, like you."

Alice Newcomb: "That, that sounds like a good thing. A kind of philanthropist organization?"

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Sort of, yes. Consider it sort of a secret society, like the Freemasons, only with more secrecy, and less darkness." He smiles a little.

Alice Newcomb: Nods. "How big is the organization?"

-> Kelton ben Lakhsmi: ((Less darkness? BAH! The Order of Hermes has skeletons in its closet FAR worse than anything Masonic!))

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: ((Hush, lurker. *G*))

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Very large. Worldwide, really."

Alice Newcomb: "Really?" It's hard to imagine that many crazy people all working together. Wait. She's not crazy.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He nods. "We are a very old organization, protected by the fans that none know of us, short those like us. An ancient tradition."

Alice Newcomb: "Not like anyone would believe it anyway."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: "Some would. They are either like us, or a threat to us."

Alice Newcomb: Competition between the crazies? Of course. "Oh."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: His face grows a little more serious, though no less gentle. "There are people, Alice, who are like us, but do not believe what they do is magic. They want to control humanity, rather then guide it. They consider their work to be science. They are known as the Technocracy, or the Union."

Alice Newcomb: "Oh, Matt and the Ice Man were talking about them."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He nods. "They have tried to destroy us and our kind for centuries. This is why we must be subtle in the things we do."

Alice Newcomb: "Makes sense, I guess." Yawns. The girl looks exhausted.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He looks at her and smiles a little. "You're tired. Perhaps we should get you home...unless you would feel safe resting here for a while."

Alice Newcomb: "I don't know how to get back here."

Alice Newcomb: "If I go... I mean." It almost sounds like she's afraid to leave and miss her one shot at sanity. What if it never comes again?

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He nods. "Should you call your parents and let them know?"

Alice Newcomb: "No, they're asleep by now anyway."

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: He nods, rising. "Come, then. We will find you an unused dormitory room."

Alice Newcomb: She rises to follow him, glad he doesn't move as fast as Isaac, so she doesn't have to run to keep up.

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: ((And fade there?))

Alice Newcomb: ((ftb)) ((And thank you for the scene. *s*))

Kelton ben Lakhsmi: ((Any time. *G*))