2022.02.06: Off The Tracks

Off The Tracks
The group made up of Mages and Sorcerer's have been planning and today - they send the Umbral train home.
IC Date	February 6th, 2022
Players	Branton, Caressa, Chanel, Johnathan, Lesley, Lyra, Kaia, Paul, Robert, Saraid, Silvana, Steele (ST)
Location	Twisted Toppings, Train Station, Umbra
Spheres	Mage Sorcerer

Twisted Toppings - Members Only

"Long story short," Lyra begins, "Valentina asked me about this ridiculous project, and I vehemently refused. I claim Chula Vista as mine, you see, and merely ask that people who wish to use it for their projects get my permission first." She sighs, drawing one eye shut.

"Steele informed me that there was, in fact, a station in Chula Vista- my city- that I overlooked. Which means Valentina ignored my wishes, and my warning." Then, she looks back to Caressa.

"No. No offense made. All is well, and all is water under the bridge. This is a more fitting first impression regardless, isn't it?"

Robert sits down and puts his feet up and enjoys his repast. "Yeah, she seemed to rub a few people the wrong way." he agrees with Lyra. "But, now we get to come in clean up behind her."

Lesley points the crust of her slice of Pizza at Lyra, "The Chula Vista Station is in your turf." She nods, and points to her suitcase, "We got this set up to get it all taken care of nice and smooth. This was just kinda a problem that presented itself."

Saraid smiles at her sister, and finds a place to sit with her plate, a gentle free hand going to her stomach, taking time to listen to those who have gathered to help, and listens curiously to Lyra, thoughtful. She smiles at Robert too, "It is nice to see you again too Mister Robert."

Chanel arrives hearing the situation being discussed. She looks ready for her part, and for once does not make a lot of noise or anything entering. She just takes a seat not far from Steele to listen, as she knows how serious this is.

"Yeah. It sure is in my turf." Lyra responds to Lesley, "But I was glad to hear that you've all figured out how to approach a solution. Otherwise, I would have had a far less elegant one myself."

Lesley sighs, shaking her head, "The ONLY thing that we don't have figured out is what in the Paradox fucking Stewart Little bullshit this maniac thought they were doing making this mess." She stick the crust in her mouth, eating more. Fuel up.

Robert gives Lyra a wink and rises, making sure his hands are clean. "Well, inelegent was suggested, but givin the spirit world portals at each stop, might have caused more problems than solved.

Caressa nods to Lyra, "Certainly." She rises to go make a plate for herself and Johnathan. They take the time to eat while they have it. "..and the sitter found the teething ring alright?" Along with a few other preoccupied motherly questions are put to Johnathan, "Yes. She's in good hands. Told her we'd call when we are free." Other silent things are shared in their glances between them, though the room as a whole isn't neglected either.

Steele loads up on pizza and muffins, glancing at everyone as they come in. Each person gets a nod, but he's busy filling up on food and fuel for a few minutes. Then, sitting over in the corner is that same African man that was on the train before. He wasn't there, then he is. But he's not wearing his fancy suit. He's wearing the clothes of his people when they go to war. He rises from a chair in the corner and strolls over to Steele's side, a little behind, putting a hand on the hippie's shoulder. HE is ready.

Lyra watches as the man walks over to Steele. She says nothing to this however... But something did change.

She's leaning on the hilt of a sheathed blade, held with her right hand. That blade was, certainly, not there before- but now there it is. Its handle an absolutely beautiful silver and gem encrusted design that the discerning eye could tell was equal in function and form. To some, it may even look... Familiar.

"Whatever she was thinking," Lyra says to Lesley, "She's just a hop skip and a jump away from being a fucking Marauder in my opinion. So, give me the rundown while we set out?" She says to Steele, "I confess, in order to know what I'm watching for, I ought to know what the play is."

Paul is listening as he takes the opportunity to fill himself up on pizza, his backpack resting in a chair beside him.

Chanel sees the man, but does not know who he is. When he appears next to Steele she scoots a bit away. She seems nervous suddenly and straightens her hair and then her dress.

Saraid focuses on the water based watermelon, cantaloupe type fruits, but then sneaks in a piece of ham and pineapple pizza too and a glass of juice. The very pregnant looking Saraid listening since she did not truly know the other very well, and unfamiliar with some of the faces who are here to help. Her focus on feeling for those she is in charge of watching out for and allowing herself to open up to them. She carefully adjusts the earpiece made for her to do just that. She is wearing her normal Victorian style dress, in a purple hue today.

Robert gives the 'old man' a salute. "Glad you can join us." and nods to Steele. "And if you need my cheer section, they're all milling about waiting on my signal. Like a magical flash mob."

Caressa's flits to the movement of the man moving towards Steele. It.. He does make her smile. Opening her palm a little ruby fire whose tongues lick up into silver tips. She bounces the little flame across the back of her hand, tripping it down and around her fingers...much like mundane magicians do a coin. Closing her hand, it disappears again.

Lesley looks over as the blades come out and she takes her coffee over to the suitcase in the corner. Reaching down to a handle and pulling it up along silently sliding bars, she extends the handle, tilting the suitcase, "Steele and I are going Umbral. We're going to deal with the bound Train spirit. I've done all the homework and made all the preparations to communicate with the Train and get it to give us it's preferred route. Where in the Umbra it WANTS to go, and then to enact the tracks and connections to free the Train itself to live a happy Train Life with Thomas or whatever in the Umbra. That's our team. We're going to be in the Umbra working on freeing the bindings, so yeah, Mine is one of the backs that need watching because this is going to be.. long."

The man looks Lyra over, eyes stopping on her blade briefly before it continues to rest of the way down to her toes and then back up again. Steele takes a breath and lets it out slowly. "Okay, you guys. Everyone but Saraid is going to go into the station. She will go back home From there, each of you will ride to your first destinations. My group will stay on the first platform right in there and we will disable the train. The man grins at Chanel and gives her a rather playful, friendly wink and then he's all back to business. Steele asks, "Does anyone have any questions before we begin?" The man also gives Caressa a wink and drops his hand from Steele's shoulder as he waits. Steele nods to what Lesley says and notes to Chanel: "Kohne."

"Just a simple one." Lyra says, "Where do you want me to be, Steele? With the Thomas and friends team? Or with another?"

Caressa looks to Saraid, "So what's the code, sis? Mother Goose to Summer Child...come in Summer Child." She giggles and making light towards Saraid.

Chanel nods to Steele. "Good thing I packed extras of everything." She is prepared!

Steele nods to Lyra. "With Lesley and I. Chanel will be running for us. I have some safe food and water and things set up at all the stations. I did that last night." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a very nice ear cuff and hands it over. "You wear this. This device links all of us together, through Saraid, who will be monitoring everything through 'cameras'" He even makes the ditto marks in the air as he looks toward Saraid. "She will have immediate access to things that we might miss. So if she calls an alert, Lyra, I need you to let us know. There could possibly be issues in any aspect of this, but if something big and nasty is going to come, it's going to come and Lesley and I." The tribal man nods and his lips spread into a huge grin. "Maybe," he adds and patpats Steele on the shoulder.

Steele nods to Chanel. "Everything you've got should be able to pass through just fine and be safe."

Lesley nods, putting on her earcuff and holding her suitcase and coffee. She stands there in full Wednesday Addams glory. Ready to go whenever.

Saraid smiles at Caressa, "We can just keep it simple, if I sense you becoming tired, I'll just send a message through the earpiece to let you know. I will watch out for you as best I can from home." She nods to Steele as he explains. "Thank you for trusting me to watch your backs as much as you are."

As Steele explains, Lyra accepts the earpiece. As he continues to explain, she sets it in place on her right ear and casts a curious look towards Saraid. She doesn't say anything to the woman, but the acknowledgment is clear enough in silence. "Wonderful." Lyra finally begins, "Fair warning of course- but I've left all of my reagents at home. I trust that you're reasonably confident in your ability to handle this because, if something nasty shows up..." She taps the hilt of her sword.

"This may likely be all that I have time to employ."

Caressa blinks, catching wink from Kohne when she looked up again. Her cheeks tint. "First stop, the Nexus for me and mine. By all the gods I hate that place." She pulls the earcuff from her bag and wiggles it onto her ear. She momentarily pouts at Saraid. "That's no fun...I know, it isn't suppose to be fun." The she tilts her head at Saraid, "Me, tired? Pffts, I can go all day...night.. whichever."

Paul wipes his lips with a napkin and glances around the room and then to Steele, "Just let me know where you want me, I'll be in contact with the mice. Especially one in particular." He looks at Saraid, "Guess I can link up with you with info and such, right?"

Robert digs through his bag as he checks his own goodies. "Well, lets hope that we can give each other time if we need bigger swords. But if you do need anything, I do have an apothecary of dried and preserved.... bits."

Caressa also adds, "Oh! Almost forgot!" She pulls a pouch from her purse and sets it out. "Everyone take one if you want it. A simple teleport charm. If Saraid says get the hell of dodge...remember how Dorothy taught us get home." They are little ruby enameled slipper pins. "Once use, its gone."

Kaia slips in from the main room, wearing a backpack over both shoulders, dark jeans, a t-shirt and a flannel shirt over it all. Her face is, for the most part, serious, but there's also a bit of a spring in her step as she enters and looks around. There's a pendant hung on a chain at her neck, a rune-etched sword... runes vaguely similar to those on those earcuffs, though the actual marks are different. On her right hand is a plain golden band, and, yes, one of those lapel pins is on her flannel.

Caressa says, “And do avoid thinking of your sanctums and warded places. That was too much to account for.”

Lyra looks to Robert and nods. "That may well be helpful. Minor effects are of no issue- but I am quite old fashioned you see." When Caressa produces the teleport pins, Lyra looks down at them. She does take one of the pins, pinning it to the sleeve of her dress.

"I'll just think of pizza and be well and fine."

Steele hands Paul an ear piece too. Just like the one he gave Lyra. "No extra magic. Branton was supposed to be here, but he can't make it. This is his ear piece. You're the ear for your group." He looks around and then nods to Lyra. "Yup. Whatever you got. We have about 30 minutes if you need to procure anything. It'll take Caressa and Johnathan that long to get to their spots." Steele takes his item from Caressa, and then hands it to Chanel instead. When Kaia comes in, he smiles and nods. "We're just getting ready to go. ARE you ready to go?"

Kaia pulls out her phone, flicks it to silent, and then puts it away again before nodding, offering Steele a smile before moving to Caressa. "I'm good to go. The earcuffs working?" They're designed to wrap around the shell of the ear, no piercing hole required.

Lesley stands there, holding the handle of her rolling suitcase tipped on its edge, and finishes her coffee. Nodding and setting the suitcase on its end, "Okay thirty minutes." She looks to Kaia, and waves, touching her earcuff, "Yep."

Caressa rises from her seat, Johnathan following. She waves to Kaia. "Everything is in my car out front. Shouldn't be hard for us to carry." A smile is given to Kaia, "It works. I wanted to use convoy calls, but Big Momma, won't let me." She thumbs towards Saraid with a laugh.

Paul takes the ear piece from Steele, nods his head and grabs a couple bread sticks to put in that bottomless backpack of his. He heads out with the others.

Chanel has put the earpiece on and is following along with a big pack she put on her back - ready for this!

Kaia trails along with her party, the Caressa one, still with her own backpack full of whatever is in there. "Good luck, everyone," she murmurs, before heading off to pile into Caressa's car, unless they want to use her SUV. Whichever way of getting to their destination.

Robert grabs a walking stick out of his own car on the way in, letting himself flow with the crowd

Lesley pulls along her suitcase with the group, coming along with everyone, sighing at the destination, "Last Time.."

The group leaves Twisted Toppings and goes into a nearby Alley and through the Steel Door.

<font-color=red>

Galaxy Express 999 - D and Canary Platform

Steele leads the way to the door and pauses. "Okay, Saraid. You head back and when you're there, let us know over the earpieces. Caressa and Kaia, same for you. Head to the nexus. Don't look out the windows. You guys just chat and do .. whatever. Don't look out the windows. Paul and Robert, you've got 30 minutes to do your thing before Lesley and I start dismantling. I've got the relevant doors unlocked and Silvana's wards are in place. Chanel, Lyra, you guys are hanging here with us. Is everyone ready? Does ANYONE want to back out? If you do, say so now."

Lyra listens to the directions Steele gives, nodding once he's through. "No questions. No second guessing. Quite ready when you are."

Lesley nods, "Yes, ready. We'll do this, and fix.. all of this."

Robert pats his bag, checks the place. "Got some clapsable carriers, peanut butter, bread, and even the classic cheese. Should be able to safely and humanely relocate all mice to a more natural environment. Well, unless they throw us a curveball beyond my ability adapt to." but moves his finger in a tsk tsk motion, confident that won't be the case.

Chanel is pumped and ready! She tightens her hair in it's ponytail, and puts her hands on her hips. "Let's do this!!" Not that she is casting the magic, but she is as ready as she can be!

Kaia makes a face when told they're actually using the train, but squares her shoulders. She boards the train and turns her back firmly to the windows, and immediately starts telling stories about the various ways her toddler has found to get herself in trouble.

Caressa inhales deeply, giving Steele a nod. "Don't have to tell me twice." She slips her arm around Johnathan's. "Let's go crew." The two of them stepping on behind Kaia.

Paul nods his head at Steele, "Long as we get the head mousie on our side he'll help us round up all the stragglers."

Steele rubs his hands together a time or two, not in anticipation, just as a way to warm up. Once everyone steps through onto the platform and Saraid has departed, Steele gives a nice long look around and shakes his head. "Okay. Okay. Here we go, yo." He peels his way out of his clothes and paints himself up in a way pretty similar to Kohne. He IS wearing a loincloth though. Because it's a little more polite. He sort of moves off from Lesley and Chanel to confer with Kohne, forehead to forehead, right hand pressed to left shoulder with some quiet chanting going on as they do their own prep.

Lesley reaches down and unclasps her suitcase, the lid opening and the books lifting out of their own accord, "Alright." She gestures as the books rotate in front of her and open revealing the colorful calligraphy densely inscribed in the pages as the books hold positions. "And we're good."

Kaia manages not to look out the window at all. Nope. But when the train arrives, she waits for her charges to step out first, following, and starts setting up supplies. Snacks. Drinks. Towels. Whatever. "Y'all just hand signal like we talked about and I'll get you whatever you need. She does put on latex gloves, but explains it's in case there's any nuts in their snacks.

Saraid is grasping a key in hand focuses on the feelings of friendship, family, and keeping those she cares about safe, settling herself in the command center that has been set up for her to help. Once there she will signal she is there, "In position and ready." She offers softly through the earpiece, making sure everything is ready for her to observe and communicate from a distance. Her focus on the health of each of those involved.

Robert spends his time double checking his own reagent pouches, making sure that if it comes to something more than just a rodent collection, he's got options.

Lyra sticks with Steele and Lesley, as instructed. And as Steele begins to paint himself? Lyra simply closes her eyes. She seems to have a short conversation- with herself- before opening her eyes again and giving the other two her attention.

"If need be, when we get where we're going, I can lay a magick circle. It ought to be well enough to protect the two of you while you work, and I can stand outside of it." She offers a soft smile.

"If you'd like, that is." She then lifts her hand to the earpiece, and responds to Saraid herself.

"Steele, Lesley and I are nearly ready." 'Nearly' is spoken with a look towards Steele and Kohne.

"A minute or two I'd think." She concludes, letting the earpiece go.

Chanel swings her pack around from her back to her front. She unzips part to make easier access, as she has various items visible. Snacks, water, cloths, a spray bottle, and who knows what else. Her ear cuff is on and she is ready for whatever may come.

Caressa settles on the train with Johnathan, glancing over to Silvana (here in spirit) and Kaia. "I should have thought to bring a board game. Instead, how about truth or dare."

When it is their turn Paul boards with Robert. He taps his ear piece as he hears Saraid, "Testing, Ma'am, coming in loud 'n clear." He glances around quickly, frowning. He shakes his head then and tells the man with him, "Bobby, I swear I thought a rattler. You don't one on you do you?"

Steele is aware of the things around him. He's prepared for WEEKS for this. Everyone has. When Lyra speaks, he nods. "Make your circle, yes." Then, later, "Ready when everyone else is," he says, and breaks away from Kohne. "Chanel, you all set? I'm going to get thirsty. If my water looks close to empty, just refill it, please." And though he usually doesn't, he just has CASES of bottled water stacked up and ready. This is going to be a thirsty day. Kohne just kind of disappears and retakes the bird form, flying up off the platform. "Tell them to start on the door and then Lesley and I will start communications with the train.

Kaia shrugs, and then looks wry. "Perhaps not, there's dares I won't do and truths I won't reveal. Always the danger, isn't it?" She does offer more Astrid stories, though, the kid is a never ending source of trouble. Usually funny trouble.

Robert blinks and checks his bag. "I did, and it came out of it's silk while I was rummaging. Figured dealing with mice, I might need snake or cat if it got.. difficult. Also, some mouse and rat, just in case. Some scales if I need armor... "

Lesley stands there, three large books open, slowly rotating around her. As Steele speaks, he hair lifts slightly as if gathering an electrical charge as she reaches towards a book, the pages of it riffling to stop on a page, the calligraphy shimmering almost eagerly as Lesley's fingers hover over the script. "Ready when you are, Steele."

Chanel gives a salute to Steele, "Aye Captain! Ready with the wet works and anything else that I can provide!" This is her chance to shine - in service.

Paul punches Robert in the arm, easily ignoring the windows, "Don't scare 'em! They'll scatter in every direction 'n get caught up when they start dismantling,"

Caressa nods to Kaia, "Of course. That is why I play with 'plead-the-fifth'. After all the point is to have fun, not live in fear. ... Before too long the train stops at the Nexus. "Alright, lets get off the speeding tin can and set up." Once off the train, they start setting themselves up.

Lyra nods to Steele, plucking a small vial out from her purse. In it, there's a very easily identifiable red liquid contained within it. The witch takes this, and begins to walk clockwise around the pair... Pouring it in a steady stream around them, incanting under her breath in old Irish Gaelic. The blood, as it falls, leaves a surprisingly solid and consistent trail... And eventually, it is complete. Lyra standing outside, and Steele and Lesley safely contained within.

But it sure doesn't 'feel' safe. A quick look will be able to tell that the effect is, indeed, what it was stated to be but... Since when did a magic circle feel 'wrong'?

Saraid smiles from her place at home, watching the group and responding to replies to her being set and ready. The set up making it much easier to keep tabs on each person, their health and energy levels. She has her own supplies, food and drink within hands reach as well, to keep her own energy levels up.

Steele shivers just one time as the circle is made and he glances Lesley's direction. "Alright. Thank you, Lyra." I think. He doesn't SAY the last part, but goddamn, he has goosebumps now. Thank god for loincloths. It suddenly feels a little chilly in here. Poor Steele. "Tell them to start on the doors. Lesley and I are ready."

"Steele and Lesley are ready. Good to go on the doors." Lyra says over the earpiece, leaning on her sword with her opposite hand.

Caressa gets the two meditation cushion in position directly across from each other. "Just as we discussed Kaia. Baskets are your domain." She looks to Silvana, "When I sit, you start your wards." Johnathan sits down, removing his jacket, and rolling up the shirt sleeves while Caressa turns towards the door. Her athame is pulled from her bag. She mutters softly while her skin open beneath the blade as it is pulled across. She lets it pool in her palm, using it as ink to inscribe runes across the door. Satisfied, she joins Johnathan, sitting. Knees to knees, palms to palms. Silvana starts on the wards while she and Johnathan get comfortable.

Kaia nods, taking the baskets in hand and moves back a good ways, giving everyone room to work. The purple is set to her left, green to her right, and she opens her own backpack to pull out a bottle of water - travel bottle, not plastic - and a container of homemade energy balls. Sans nuts, in her case. "Just signal and I'll bring what you need."

Paul looks to Robert, "I'll get them coming while you do your thing. I'll get 'em all in the bag 'n make it easy for Branton to do his thing on them." He pulls the breadsticks from the bag then kneels down and hold it open wide. Closing his eyes he concentrates and smiles as he makes easy contact with the head mouse and starts the flood of them towards the trio.

Robert takes out a small box and snaps it, popping it into a portable cage. "Paul's got s bag for most, but if there's stragglers, or one not wanting to join the crowd." and then takes out some snacks and goodies, peanut butter, sugary bread, and even some cheese." We've got some spots picked out. Cozy, ecologically safe to release a handful of mice."

Saraid is watching from the hub and offers what she can see so far so they know already that she is watching their backs, "So far I can only see a little spirit activity around you, but that is to be expected, if anything changes I will let you know." She can't help but be warmed by the support each group is giving to each other.

Branton has a glass wine bottle of some sort of milky white booze with green bits floating in it, and he is taking out what looks like it could be a feast table for a doll house (complete with little candelabras and a fancy silk table cloth. As he adds really tiny drinking bowls it becomes obvious that this is all sized to be reasonably in proportion to the mice "My leave-taking to unbind the associated spirits is just about ready. Doing this from the spirit side of the barrier for sure cuts out a lot of steps." Nodding to Paul and Robert "Some may step out to take their farewell drink but altogether this will settle everything down."

As Caressa gives the all clear, and Robert, Paul and Branton start their work with the mice, Steele starts chanting quietly, a sort of rhythmic, almost hypnotic sort of beat. Off in the distance, there is the sound of a train whistle, slowly growing louder and louder and louder. "Chanel, I need some water, please," he says, his voice distant and sort of higher pitched. After many minutes, the train pulls into the station and Steele, with that heavenly sort of aura that he radiates, rises up to his feet, just smooth as can be, and starts speaking in whistles and hoots - trainlike in its own right, but with a human sort of tongue to it. The train seems to respond with short little whistles and longer, slower ones. This is clearly a conversation.

Lesley's world closes down to the books around her, the script, the magic and the magic of Steele. Her feet lift off the surface of the umbral station floor, hands moving over the calligraphy, lighting the script while the the books rotate around her, sigils and letters flowing on the pages. She looks past the books to the naked goosepimply man and nods as he brings forth the train itself.

Lyra watches as Lesley works her craft. There's obvious interest there, but she doesn't speak up on the matter. Instead? The witch keeps her silver eyes focused and roaming about... Around her, it becomes apparent that there are a small amount of insects. Winged beetles of a sort, that seem to simply be following her.

Were those always there?

"Seems Lesley's located the train." She says over the earpiece, standing to her full height then.

Chanel refills Steele's water, it is refreshing and kept at the perfect temperature, thanks to her bag she keeps it in. "If you need a bite of something to recharge as well, just say 'food'." She checks on Lesley to be sure if something is needed, and Lyra. Anyone around there will get the assistance to keep going at tip top performance. She focuses on them all and while Lyra is keeping general watch.

Saraid can see there is something else just out of view, occasionally coming into her field of view, "Careful. I can't tell what it is, but there is something nearby, very big, glowing dark dark red. Please be careful, Its moving between groups, I can feel it hovering closer to Steele. Please be careful those with Steele."

Caressa nods to Kaia, "We will." She turns her focus to Johnathan. Their eyes lock. Slowly their breathing syncs so they are breathing as one. Now and then a finger might move to caress the other's that is beneath or below. Synchronized breathing gives way to murmured chants. Despite the nature of the working, there is a sensuality to it as they fall into a pace. Echoing each other, matching volume, and pitches. Exhaling as the other inhales. They start reaching for the for the patterns. Reversing the spell, thread by thread. Like an invisible game of naked twister, they unravel, unknot, sliding between the weave.

Kaia is staying on her feet, hovering off to the side, ready to spring into action on the supplies as needed. She's not too fidgety, not even as the time crawls past, as if ritual work was something she was used to. You can't rush a ritual. You rush a ritual, you get a bad ritual. That being said, is it getting warm in there? She does occasionally pull out a handkerchief to wipe her brow.

"Well... Let's hope that circle can handle that. Steele, Lesley, something's coming." Lyra says, a little too calmly. She shifts her grip on her weapon, holding it by the center of its scabbard in her left hand. Her right rests on the hilt, and she closes her eyes... Attempting to feel out where- maybe even what- the encroaching 'thing' is.

Paul frowns suddenly and looks around the station and then down the tracks, "There's more on that train comin' in." He looks to Branton, "the leader tells me the ones here at the station gotta stay to run everything, they are bound, Once you do your thing we can get them together with the others. We gotta time this right so they don't start dismantling 'till you do 'n we get them in the bag." He watches Branton set up and then looks back to the tracks expectedly.

The train doors open and mice come pouring out, hurrying, hustling, clambering over one another to head toward the guys dealing with them. They're all moving fast, but some of them seem.. aggressive. Nothing special other than that in addition to the hustling, they're biting at the feet of those in front of them and their noses are all crinkled up and teeth are showing.

Robert frowns and sets his own smaller cage down and looks toward Branton after Paul explains the issues, "You two are doing the hesvy lifting here. Just tell me where I can park the fulcrum if it's needed."

Branton nods at Paul and starts carefully adding a drop of the liquid to each of the little 'bowls' (little ceramic things the size of a contact lens. At the sign of aggression from some of the mice Branton raises his voice slightly and says something in that old Greek dialect he uses for sorcery and spirit bargaining "Óloi ypiretoúme tin ídia Theá". Then he begins to sing in the same language, taking out three more bowls (these ones sized for humans) and pouring out a portion of the Kykeon for himself and the others working on the mice situation with him "We'll hold it together till its time."

As a matter of fact, it IS getting warm. Everywhere. The temperature seems to be rising. Not dangerously, and not quickly, just a slow, subtle change as armpits and other places begin to sweat a little. Only Saraid is immune to that.

"Thank you, Lyra. Keep watch. Lesley and I can't stop what we're doing. We know where we need to send the train. We have to reroute the tracks." Steele almost steps outside of the circle, but pulls himself back. "Lesley, I got my lock. You good to go? We can't hurry this, but we don't need to waste time.. Lyra, tell Saraid to see if she can zoom in on it next time she sees it. Saraid was given a few very basic camera controls. It was just too much otherwise.

The train makes a few urgent whistle sounds and jumps a little in place, just a little lurch forward. Anxious? Scared?

Where Caressa's group is working, the door starts to fade out a little bit. Briefly, you can see through it, then it starts to solidify into just a wall of nothingness.

Branton's words seem to slow the mice, but they're still nipping and biting at each other, but they hold back, keeping their distance, while others approach immediately to take their share of the drink.

Paul's face softens and he tries to calm the upset ones, "Poor things. You go on over there to Branton 'n he'll help free you. We'll have cheese 'n plenty food waiting for you. I promise you won't die from it."

Lesley swallows, sweat wiped away, nodding to Chanel and hovering there, working the books over somehow. Multicolored lights shining up from the pages of the books off Lesley's face as she concentrates, "Alright, I've got the connections ready and the track set, connecting fifty meters ahead." She nods as she looks to Steele, sweat on her face. "Route confirmed, Steele, let him go."

Lyra nods, and says into the ear piece. "Saraid, next time that it appears, try to zoom in on it next time you see it. I'm trying to feel it out myself but... All I notice is it's getting quite warm." The witch lets out a sigh, running her right hand through her hair as she attempts to play off the warmth. This is a woman who keeps her house pretty constantly freezing, after all.

"I'm going to focus for a moment. If I can find it, I might be able to direct it away from us."

Saraid offers reassuringly to Lyra, "You got it, I will do my best to pin down what it is Lyra, make sure to drink plenty of water, Each of you are starting to warm up, slowly." Her own green eyes shining all the more as her own focus intensifies so she can try to find what it is causing it, and getting near her friends.

"Go," Steele says and steps outside of the circle, careful not to smudge it. "We thank you for your service all these years, but now, just go. Go home." He lifts his voice. "Lyra? We good?" The large raven tattoo on his back with the little glimmering dermal piercing that is the eye of the raven has faded back some and in its place, the raven looks more angelic, the wings taking on a sort of golden glow within the tattoo.

Saraid screams into the ear piece, while she tries to zoom in on the light and what she sees behind it, "ITs right there Lyra! Its right with you! Caressa! its there too!" She is trying everything she can to warn the others that what she has seen is there."

There is a little thud further back on the tracks and a faint little rippling. The air gets hotter, dryer. Nothing to be SEEN yet.

On Caressa and Kaia and Silvana's side, there are little pinpricks of a red glow that are starting to appear, almost like leaves falling, so gentle, so soft... but if one lands, there's a tiny little eruption of flame. And it's basically raining

Lesley nods, as the train leaves the station, looking back to the books, swallowing as the Train sounds trail off into the distance and she nods, "Alright. In transit.." She smiles, "And it's going to hit the connection in three minutes." She keeps the attention until she sighs and nods, "Alright, he's off on new tracks. Mine are gone now. we're good."

Lyra cracks open an eye, and speaks quite plainly.

"It's huge... Not a bane, just bloody insane. I can tell what it wants- and it wants all of us. Dead." She looks off in the direction she feels it most closely, just in time for Saraid's voice in her ear. The witch immediately rips her blade out of its sheathe and, as its blade is bared to the air? It suddenly... Is engulfed by flame.

A sickly, flickering, green flame.

Her silver eyes flit around- attempting to locate where the thing is after a quick, instinctual step to stand by Steele's side. She speaks, urgently.

"It's here! I don't see it- but it's here!"

Chanel has an earpiece too and hears this. "Saraid sees it here!" She gets between the mages, as her spray bottle sure wouldn't help with any of this.

Kaia spots a single raised index finger from Caressa, and she bends down to the basket on her right, pulling out a water bottle and quickly stepping over. She crouches down, carefully staying clear enough to not interfere and presses the bottle into Caressa's hand. She's probably already done something similar for Johnathan, or will soon. Water delivered, the Sorceress retreats, glancing over as the door fades out. Her own bottle is lifted, and some of its contents dumped onto her own head, to try to cool down. Sure, she was raised in Georgia, but even so. She is, of course, ignorant of the warning, for the moment, though she is visibly sweating, and now that flannel is off and tied at her waist.

But not of the falling... firesnowleaves? Her eyes wide, and she quickly dumps the rest of her water bottle onto herself, trying to get more damp.

Saraid is trying to keep calm, but she is alerting each of the groups that it is there, "That fire is trying to destroy you. Try to avoid it if you can." Which she can see is harder than it seems, and she is trying to determine still what is causing it and where it is, to see if they destroy it. Her vision and hearing focused between each of the screens in turn, to provide what help she can. "It's all around you. Pour the water over you, keep cool"

Two hours down? Almost? Careful and steady they work. A well lubed machine the pair are. How much longer? A brief nod of her head is given feeling the cool bottle placed in her hand. She takes a sip feeling the heat build. She's about to say something smart about the heat, but instead inhales sharply. "Open, Love." She says to Johnathan whose lips part. There's something she needs. "Almost.. I see.." She lifts the bottle to Johnathan's lips, watching him take a sip. She licks her lips, feeling the heat on them. Her resonance, her being surges. But she heard Saraid. "Sil!" She inhales deeply, "Almost...Just....FUCK!" She cries out, shattering the key that kept the door bound. Now little more than a wall. She slumps a bit to catch her breath.

Water seems to help. Kaia hauls out two more bottles and dashes back over to the two mages, upending the bottles over their heads. As politely as possible, but still, Caressa and Johnathan are entering impromptu wet t-shirt contests over there, and Silvana is checked out, too, to see if she also needs some dousing, which she'll get if that is the case.

Caressa has only just a moment to catch her breath before the first little flickering embers reach their hair, their skin. Sizzling as it hits the water that Kaia has graciously dumped on them

Paul continues talking to the mice but listens to Saraid in his ear and relates the info to Branton and Robert, "The others re under attack. We might be soon." The mice keep going into the bag. It must be like grand central in there now but there still seems to be room. "Seeing the embers he tenses, looking to Robert, "A little help here Bobby, please."

Silvana looks around as she tries to figure out what is causing it to rain fire. One of the times she is probably cursing that she should of learn more about water than just fire. She looks to Kaia "How are you with being fire resistance?" she asks as she makes sure to use plenty of water to keep Caressa and Jonathan wet so they don't catch on fire as I am sure Kaia and her take turns on pouring water perhaps.

Robert takes a pocketknife out and digs it into his hand. Pressing his palm against Paul's cheek, and then on his own, "Grandmother, intervene with Helios on our behalf, let his flames be our succor instead of his wrath. (rolling for Fire Weal ritual on Paul, -2 for trinket, and -1 for mana and spending a willpower)

When hostile firesnowleaves start drifting in towards the leave taking Ceremony Branton is overseeing to unbind the spirits involved in the Train that gets a reaction from Branton, who is more than a little Fire Elemental himself. Gaze snapping off to the direction the embers are drifting from as Branton says "WAIT. YOUR. TURN."

Saraid yells in the coms as she finally sees and realizes what the thing is, or at least has that feeling it is deadly, "RUN! NOW! You have to get out of there! Its.. I don't know what it is!" There is definite panic in her voice as she sees hit but doesn't know at all how to deal with it. It looks like some kind of skink only really nasty!"

Down the tracks the large serpentine neck appears, glowing claws and feet slamming into the tracks, splashing liquid metal as it stomps up the line, lifting its head and hissing, superheated plasma belching out as the creature runs, scampering, melting and cracking everything in its path. Not malicious, but rampaging in a mindless frenzied rush.

Lyra curses, looking over her shoulder towards the others nearby.

"If your ritual's done? Get the hell out. If it's not? I'm going to do my best to TRY to buy you time." The witch turns back to the massive thing, then, and says into the earpiece, "A cinder skink, Saraid. You had it right." She looks to Steele then, and adds...

"The grail will protect me. Trust me on this one?"

"Oh fuck," Steele says, stepping outside of the circle, foot scuffing over the blood, ruining it, really. "Goddammit. Lyra! Check in with the others. Make sure they're safe." The embers are falling a little faster, leaving little sizzles, that Steele mostly ignores. "Lesley.... get out of here if you need to. Chanel, get underneath something." He moves in front of Chanel, turning to face the monster. Eyes cut to Lyra. "It isn't about trust, but those things are goddamn DANGEROUS and I'm not going to leave you here to deal with it." The thing is still lumbering up the tracks, seeming to have to fight its way up them.

Steele is also, somehow, still reasonably calm.

Meanwhile, at the Nexus, the water is doing a good job, but it's still falling, and faster, like a gentle snowfall now.

Branton reaches down into his duffle and draws out a fancy looking duelist's rapier and he says to Robert and Paul "Run. I'll hold it and if nothing else I'll draw it away into an ambush it can't handle." And he turns, moving to meet the approaching threat, to form a line with whoever else. He calls out to the Spirit "Be at peace or be made peaceful."

Lesley brings her hand around and sweeps the books into the suitcase, and turns, clutching the case and taking out her small book popping out of the Umbra to get away from the rising of the fucking Lava Lizards.

Chanel finds cover and gets tucked away. She pulls out a different spray bottle to wield that will do nothing really, but who knows what she put in it.

Lyra grimaces at that, putting her hand up to the ear piece.

"Everyone alright? We're looking at the thing right now." Her voice is shaking just a little bit... But objectively, she seems much more unbothered than she probably should be. The few insects around her have since scattered, going off into corners of the terminal that were the least warm. Which was, of course, none of them.

She then says to the others nearby... "It's no dragon, Steele. I've handled worse. If we must flee we can flee but I expect us 'all' to do so, in that case." Her eyes... Are strangely different.

Emerald in place of silver.

"So? Orders, direction, whatever you'd prefer to call it say it now."

Robert motions for Paul to get the mice out and comes up behind. "Well, it seems all this attention on the tracks has attracted more attention. Try to not hurt it. It's just doing it's job. But... at the same time, so are we. So...." and stands beside Branton, walking stick held before him like a shield. "

Paul actives his Pillar of Dyed charm as he doubles check with the leader mouse that he has them alll and nods to Branton, "I got 'em. let's go." He hugs the bag against his chest and falls back behind the other two men.

Saraid tries to determine the status of everyone, as something else shows up in her field of vision, and it looks huge, "There is something else! Big.. Hairy" trying to zoom out on it to see what it could possibly be but trying to warn the others of what she can see. "I can't tell what it is."

Kaia shakes her head quickly to Silvana. She's probably running out of water now, she only brought so much, but at least everyone is now quite soggy. "Not my area, sugar. It didn't get my hair, did it?" She's kidding. Probably. "Remind me to make an anti-fire charm. For now.. well. If I get too hurt, I guess I can test something of Branton's." But she does look antsy, her hand hovering near the lapel pin as the firesnow increases, sizzling as it hits her. "Caressa, Johnathan, I'm sorry. Please run, too." And the girl closes her eyes, touches the pin, mutters about no place like home and is gone. Well. She /did/ warn people. She has a child that needs her to come home.

Somewhere across town, she pops into existence in a loft over a tattoo parlor, and immediately runs down and calls for an uber to try to get back to the alley. Just in case people need... er. Something. But that's going to take her awhile.

Silvana nods to reply to Kaia "Alright got it, to making us a little more resistant then" she holds onto something on her chest as she begins to softly chant as she makes Caressa, Jonathan and turns to get Kaia but then she's gone and she works on herself at least they aren't going to burn. She still makes sure to put out any fires and doesn't look like she is going to run anytime soon at least.

Saraid is in panic mode watching with no way to help them, "Please you have to get out of there! Please!" Her stomach going to her belly protectively. "Please Caressa! Lyra! Silvana! Steele! Paul! Get out of there?!" Her grip on her key causing her knuckles to go white, trying to figure out if her ability to speak with spirits, could help her, help her friends.

Caressa looks around at the others, while ripping her wand out. "Out! The three of you!" She starts pushing Johnathan towards the door. "Out! Use the charm!" She'll follow, but she's the last to go. She raises her wand, with a flick and wish a force field shines out in front of her to divert any falling fire. It looks like a Unicorn patronis, seriously. "Steele! Don't be stubborn!"

"I'm not going anywhere. There are doors that it can get out of. We kill it, or we all flee. No one's dying today." Steele steps out next to Lyra, reaching for the little leather pouch he has around his neck, hidden in the beads. He comes up next to Lyra and starts to chant. Sorry about the resonance, Lyra. It's loud, it's obnoxious. It's very heavily saintly almost.

Whatever was holding the thing back, keeping it slowed, suddenly breaks free. The gigantic cinder skink suddenly lurches forward, toppling, knocking down bits of the tunnel, helping in its own way, accidentally as it suddenly takes on a burst of speed, waddling fast down the tracks, long tail lashing back and forth and knocking off bits of the track. It crumbles, but then never hits the ground as it just dissolves into nothingness.

Saraid's head is moving between the screens, trying to look for anything that can possibly give her friends a chance to move or get ahead of whatever is after her friends, the skink, the big hairy thing, "Please Steele! Lyra make them leave! Please get out of there! All of you!" As much as she wants to get out there and help she seems glued to where she is, watching her friends in true danger.

For the ladies and Johnathan, as the others get off the platform, There is a breeze, icy and bonechilling, like you just fell face first into 10 feet of snow. There's a sound, way off in the distance, like... it's hard to place with all the echoing

That sudden chill is ALMOST worse than the heat

The monster is ambling along, just as fast as it can. It might be six or seven seconds until contact. Robert Paul and Branton?

Branton scowls when he notices Robert and Paul clearly not running "I can take hits you can't and you sticking around limits my options. If you stay that will mean we will have to kill it to resolve this. Do you really want that? If not RUN." and he moves to meet the creature.

Sword in hand.

Robert pauses what he's doing, watching Branton for just a moment, then heads for the door.

Paul was staying well behind Branton and Robert, hugging that bag protectively. Hearing Branton he calls out, "I'm taking off, I gotta take the mice out of harm's way. I promised they'de be okay." He turns tail and blinks out.

The chanting does, in fact, cause Lyra to wince for a moment... But not so much that she isn't able to respond to Saraid and the others over the earpiece.

"Steele and I can handle it. Trust me when I say: This skink is no threat to me. I'll keep him safe. Promise. But the rest of you really need to get moving!" And then...

Lyra holds up her sword.

She chants something in low Irish Gaelic, attempting to apply a correspondence effect to the blade- granting it reach enough to strike anywhere within her line of sight.

"Steele. Branton?" She asks, lowering her weapon to her side.

"Go ahead and stay behind me. I mean it. If either of you get hurt, that's my fault."

Silvana looks ready to protect but then when Caressa gets up and starts telling them they have to leave. She takes a deep breath looking at her considering "I can...." she trails noticing the actions of the other woman and nods "You better be right behind me or I will return and drag you out" she sounds like she means that and uses the pin sending her to somewhere on the boardwalk. She hurries back to head to where they are all to meet to make sure everyone is alright.

Caressa backs slowly towards the exit. "I swear on Thor's hammer, if you don't come back, I'm haunting you!" And then poof, she's gone back to twisted.

Steele continues to chant. He has no idea what Branton is capable of, but he's like.. on fire and fine, so he has to put out SOME faith. He chants louder and louder, the words, the sound, less human as the spell builds and builds. His hair sort of billows out behind him as if there's a breeze, and maybe there IS a breeze with all that heat coming down the tracks. The thing is closing in, rapidly, huge body swishing side to side to side to side. It'd be almost cute if it wasn't also spewing lava from its face.

Steele lets go of his spell and there's a whoosh of light that whips down the tracks, slamming into the gigantic lizard just as Lyra makes her first strike. The thing reels back and there's ice forming along the edges of the tunnel and that seems to slow it a little bit. There's a s ound off in the distance, along the tracks, back behind the monster and even as it gets iced a little bit, it whips its head around

Saraid can hear a sound echoing through unsure what it is, if it is a good sign or someone rallying a force too attack her friends, but as each person begins to disappear, a bit of relief is felt, but still she is watching each area for the status of her friends to alert the others.

Branton is in the umbra so his fire-nature is showing but as he moves up to join Lyra and Steele tiny flickers of siver white lightning start dancing all over him and he is suddenly moving faster than the unaided eye can follow. When Lyra says to keep behind her he nods and is blurring around the flanks of the ensuing mayhem. Keeping to attacks of opportunity and plugging holes in the defensive net with his sharp pointy rapier.

Saraid smiles as the fire is being put out. "The Blizzard, its trying to put out the fire." She is torn though, "I don't know if it is trying to hurt you or help you. I just don't think staying around to find out is a good idea."

And once Steele fires off his attack, the white haired witch is in motion. From where she starts- a swift slash of Clarent ushers a low roar of flame as a strange feeling settles in. It's tangible... The way that the correspondence effect transmits the strike is not simply bridging the gap from point A to point B, but s in fact /ravaging/ it. Space distorts behind the intangible progress of the strike, and a second comes as Lyra jumps into the center of the tracks. As she moves? It becomes clear that something strange is afoot.

Dangerous tongues of flame seem to flit, harmlessly, around her form. Stray globs of lava and plasma always land just a short bit away from her- and if it gives her any attention? It's breath, strikes, and flame all seem to narrowly miss.

Her strikes are slower than Branton's... But each is placed at the lizard's haunches. Aiming to hamstring the cinder skink and slow its progress down to give them more time.

She wasn't lying. She is, quite literally, in no danger here.

There is a trumpeting of.. an.. elephant? That makes absolutely, literally zero sense at all. When Lyra moves onto the tracks, Steele's attention flits toward the monster. Then, for as big as the monster is, something coming up behind it is even bigger. Following that trumpeting sound is a gigantic fucking MAMMOTH. It spears the giant lizard and barrels down the track and Steele hops down to Lyra and if she doesn't move out of the way, he will move her with a flying tackle. Either way, the mammoth chugs down track, everything behind it turning to ice and then crumbling away and chugs past those on the tracks, narrowly missing Lyra and Steele, and out of sight. And the platform that they are all on starts to disintegrate. The door to THIS area is gone, has been for a while, and they find themselves in a quickly decaying cave of ice.

Chanel has seen some things in her life. But a Mammoth! Oh my! If she had not seen it, she would not believe it.

The mammoth charging through the tunnel is so... Absolutely massive, that it causes the witch to pause in her deathly dance. She would nearly have been trampled if not for Steele suddenly tackling her out of the way, which is met with an accompanying gasp of breath as her back strikes the floor. She curses under her breath as she looks about, realizing the state that everything was in. Then, a moment later...

"We can question the fact that we just witnessed a fucking /mammoth/ from somewhere that isn't falling apart, preferably!" The witch struggles to her feet, running her hands over her completely untouched outfit.

"What a fucking circus this place was..." And there, she utilizes the pin.

Out to the pizza joint she goes.

Saraid watches as another disappears from the monitors hopefully to someplace safe, and she watches for each of the others to also, "Come on, get out of there, before you can't." Forget she just witnessed a mammoth trying to trample her friends, a part of her impressed by and wishes she could study it but the rest more concerned. "I need to see you all in one piece as much as your family does. Leave please!"

"Fuck, it worked," Steele says with a gasp of both surprise and delight and some fear too. "I didn't know what I was going to get, but I... " Mammoth. Sure. "EVERYONE OUT! NOW! This place is going to crumble to nothing. You do NOT want to be stuck somewhere with lizards and mammoths. Use your pins or something else. OUT OUT!" He offers Lyra a hand up as he scrambles to his feet, but then he's beating feet toward Chanel to make sure she's good and can get out. Also it's REALLY cold in here and the platform is starting to crack

Branton was fighting frantically and moving at impossible speeds until Mammoth comes charging through and in the silence after the great titan's passage he doubles over with laughter. Transcendently amused by something. When extraction is called for he hits his escape pin as instructed, still laughing.